News: Peter Mullan wins big at the San Sebastian Film Festival

Cath Clarke reports on how Time Out's LFF gala film triumphed at the Spanish film festival

Scottish actor and director Peter Mullan has picked up the Golden Shell award for best film at the San Sebastian Film Festival for his 1970s Glasgow drama ‘Neds’, which is Time Out’s gala film at the London Film Festival next month. Described by Mullan as ‘personal but not autobiographical’ the film is a raw coming-of-age tale about a bright and senstive kid looking for a way out of violence and gangs, but who finds the odds stacked against him. The film’s 17-year old star, newcomer Connor McCarron was awarded the Silver Shell for best actor.

Praised by the jury for making ‘a very human and touching film’, a heavily bearded Mullan took to the stage paying tribute to his young actor: ‘I’m so pleased for Conor, he made the film what it is.’

Mullan paid a whistle-stop visit to the Festival earlier in the week, on day-release from the set of Steven Spielberg’s World War One drama ‘War Horse’, which is filming in Devon. Neds (the title is Scottish slang for non-educated delinquents) is Mullan’s third directorial outing. His last film ‘The Magdalene Sisters’, won Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 2002.

Speaking before the awards ceremony Conor McCarron said he was ‘over the moon’ with his best actor prize. He auditioned after his dad spotted an advert in a newspaper, and was picked by Mullan out of 450 kids: ‘It was an amazing and surreal experience. I would love to carry on acting.’ ‘Neds’ screened at the Toronto Film Festival earlier this month with English subtitles.

Other awards at the festival included the Silver Shell for best director to veteran filmmaker Raoul Ruiz for ‘Mysteries Of Lisbon’ and a special jury prize for the child-abuse drama ‘Elisa K’, by Catalan directors Judith Colell and Jordi Cadena. Nora Navas picked up the best actress prize for her performance in ‘Black Bread’ (‘Pa Negre’), another Catalan film set during Spanish civil war.

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