The movie, a British-French-Italian co-production, is an
insightful exploration of the violent upheavals of adolescence within the harsh
environment of 1970s Glasgow in Scotland. It tells the story of the struggle of
a young John McGill to make his mark on life. Connor McCarron won the best actor
award for his role as McGill, an intelligent, sensitive boy eager to learn and
forge a future for himself but who finds life's chances stacked heavily against
him, in the urban of Glasgow harbors another strong influence - the gangs -
which include the Neds, Non-Educated Delinquents. Mullan gained experience
working in Mel Gibson's "Braveheart," Ken Loach's
"Riff-Raff," and Danny Boyle's "Trainspotting." Nora Navas
was voted best actress for her part in Spanish film "Pa Negre,"
meaning "Black Bread" in the Catalan language. The movie, directed by
Agusti Villaronga, is set in a Catalonia devastated by the 1936-39 Spanish
civil war. The best director award went to Raul Ruiz of Chile for
"Misterios de Lisboa," a Portuguese production, while the festival
jury's special mention award went to Spanish film "Elisa K."
