Oliver Hermanus (2009 MA Filmmaking graduate) has won The Queer Palm award at Cannes for his second feature 'Skoonheid' (Beauty). Oliver's first feature was the multi-award winning 'Shirley Adams', his graduation project at LFS. News story below.

From the Queer palm website - www.queerpalm.fr

The Queer Palm, the LGBT Cannes Film Festival’s award, has been awarded on Saturday 21 May to South African director Oliver Hermanus for his film “Skoonheid” (Beauty), which was part of the Un Certain Regard film selection. During the Queer Palm Awarding Ceremony, journalist and novelist Elisabeth Quin, President of the Jury, introduced the movie by the following declaration of intent:

“We have been deeply impressed by a movie which comes from a country of the “Cine-World” as [French, daily newspaper] Libération would say, a country which remains to be explored: South Africa. The movie takes place in a background which is the white, straight, religious middle class, that is the ruling class of the country. This is a portrayal of a man, a family man, being confronted to his profound desire and being unable to accept it. It’s a film about self-hatred and a film about homophobia, as well as a film dealing with racism, in a very subtle way. It is a true cinema film, a quite unpleasant one at first sight, and very disturbing, hard-hitting, radical. We are honoured and delighted to award the 2011 Queer Palm to “Skoonheid” (Beauty) by Oliver Hermanus.”

The Queer Palm, which launched last year, is an unofficial award, not connected to the festival itself, that is awarded to film that contributes to lesbian, gay, bi or transgender issues.
The award was selected by a jury that consisted of Elisabeth Quin, Gérard Lefort, Thomas Albetshauser, Fred Arends, Esther Cuénot and Roberto Schinardi.