French debutante Marine Atlan’s feature film La Gradiva emerged as the star of the 30th Queer Lisboa – International Queer Film Festival, taking both the Best Feature Film award and the Audience Award in what organisers described as the festival’s biggest edition to date.
The 2024 festival, held in Lisbon, celebrated LGBTQ+ cinema from around the world. Atlan’s sweeping portrait of the vicissitudes of youth was praised for its lyrical storytelling and nuanced character work, earning her a place at the top of the competition.
Prior to its Lisbon triumph, La Gradiva had already captured international attention by winning the top prize at Cannes Critics’ Week, a prestigious showcase for emerging filmmakers.
While the film’s full plot details were not disclosed in the festival’s announcement, it follows a group of young people navigating complex personal and social challenges, a theme that resonated strongly with audiences and critics alike.
With these accolades, Atlan’s debut solidifies her reputation as a fresh voice in queer cinema, and the success of La Gradiva underscores the growing visibility and influence of LGBTQ+ stories on the global film stage.
<small>Source: Variety — read the original story there.</small>
