LOLA Wins Méliès d’Argent at Trieste Science+Fiction Festival
Posted: 7th November 2022
Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is delighted to congratulate Andrew Legge, Cowtown Pictures and the creative team behind LOLA for their win of the prestigious Méliès d’argent award at the Trieste Science + Fiction Festival.
Named after the pioneer of fantastic film in the silent film era, the Méliès Awards are given to the best European fantastic features and short films at member festivals. Since its inception in 1995, the Méliès has been awarded to films from all parts of Europe, reflecting the cultural wealth and variety of European fantastic cinema. Eight festivals across Europe present a Méliès d’argent to the best European feature film and the best European short film. Another eleven festivals award a Méliès d’argent for short film only. Out of these Méliès d’argent feature film winners and short film winners, a jury chooses a Méliès d’or, for the best European fantastic film of the year. The Méliès d’or is presented annually at the Festival Internacional de Cinema de Catalunya in Sitges (Spain).
We are thrilled to see LOLA awarded with this prestigious honour, and to see it progress to compete for the Méliès d'or next year. Set in 1941, the film tells the story of sisters Thom and Mars who have built a machine that can intercept radio and TV broadcasts from the future. With the Second World War escalating, the sisters decide to use the machine to intercept information from the future that could help with military intelligence. While Thom becomes intoxicated by LOLA, Mars realizes the terrible consequences of its power.
LOLA is produced by Alan Maher and John Wallace of Cowtown Pictures (Rialto) in association with Alice Lusher and Catryn Ramasut of ie ie productions (Queerama), with funding from Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, Head Gear Films, Ffilm Cymru Wales and ROADS Entertainment. Executive producers are Phil Hunt, Compton Ross, Stephen Kelliher, Sophie Green, Dearbhla Regan, Bizzy Day, Andrew Legge and Danielle Ryan.
The film premiered this year at the Locarno Film Festival and was recently acquired by Signature Entertainment for UK-Ireland distribution rights, working alongside distributor Break Out Pictures on the Irish release. A theatrical release is planned for 2023.
About the Trieste Science+Fiction Festival
Trieste Science+Fiction Festival is a multidisciplinary event devoted to the exploration of the realms of the 'fantastic' genre, and the use of new technologies and experimental languages in film, television and visual arts. The main purpose of Trieste Science+Fiction Festival is to present and promote, in Italy and in its neighboring countries, 'fantastic' productions from all over the world, focusing particularly on science fiction and fantasy cinematographic and audio-visual works.
Trieste Science+Fiction Festival is organized by the Italian film center La Cappella Underground. The Festival is supported by: Ministry for the Cultural Heritage - DGC, Autonomous Region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, Municipality of Trieste, University of Trieste. Since 2005 Trieste Science+Fiction Festival has been a member of the M.I.F.F. – Méliès International Festivals Federation. Find out more about the festival here.