Although Ernest & Celestine missed out on the Oscar for Best Animated Feature last week, it did receive another international award this weekend in Luxembourg. During the 6th edition of the Letzebuerger Filmpraïs, the film by Benjamin Renner, Stéphane Aubier, and Vincent Patar was voted Best Co-Production (Animated), and the award went to its Luxembourg co-producer, Melusine Productions.

Added to which, Mr Hublot, the bearer of an Oscar for Best Short Film (Animated), enriched its honor roll. The film by Laurent Witz and Alexandre Espigares, co-produced by Watt Frame and Arte France, received the Best Short Film (Animated) award.

Nevertheless, the 2014 awards were dominated by Doudege Wénkel. The film by Christophe Wagner, presented in France during the Quinzaine du Cinéma Francophone de Paris in October 2012 but never given a theatrical release in French theaters, picked up a hat-trick: Best Film, Best Artistic Contribution (for lead actor Jules Werner), and Best Technical Contribution (for D.P. Jako Raubaut).

All the awards at a glance:

Best Short Film (Fiction)

22:22 by Julien Becker, produced by Skill Lab

Best Short Film (Animated) 

Mr. Hublot by Laurent Witz and Alexandre Espigares, produced by Zeilt Productions

Best Artistic Contribution

Jules Werner, actor, for his role in Doudege Wénkel

Best Technical Contribution

Jako Raybaut, D.P. on Doudege Wénkel

Best Co-Production (Animated)

Ernest et Célestine* by Benjamin Renner, Stéphane Aubier, and Vincent Patar, co-produced by Melusine Productions

Best Co-Production (Fiction)

Hannah Arendt by Margarethe von Trotta, co-produced by Amour Fou Luxembourg

Best Documentary

Never Die Young by Pol Cruchten, produced by Red Lion

Best Film from Luxembourg

Doudege Wénkel by Christophe Wagner, produced by Samsa Film

(*produced by Les Armateurs, majority contribution by Hildegarde, owner of  Film Français magazine)

Sylvain DEVARIEUX