BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (JTA) — “Wild Tales,” by the Jewish-Argentine director Damian Szifron, won for best movie and Szifron for best director at the Oscars equivalent for Iberoamerica.
“Wild Tales,” which includes Jewish characters and details taken from Szifron’s life, was the most awarded film at the second annual “Premios Platino,” or Platinum Awards, held Saturday in Marbella, Spain. Iberoamerica is made up of Spain, Portugal and Latin America.
The film, which had received the most nominations, was recognized as well for best script, music, art direction and sound effects. Its final segment revolves around a Jewish wedding featuring klezmer music.
Szifron, 40, began studying direction at the ORT High School in Buenos Aires, where he specialized in media studies. “Wild Tales” was nominated in the foreign-language film category at the 2014 Academy Awards.
The Iberoamerica awards were broadcast live on TNT Latin America. Some 13 countries in the region were represented with 30 movies.
Another candidate for best director and best movie was “Mr. Kaplan,” by the Uruguayan director Alvaro Brechner, which tells the story of an elderly Jewish man who tries to kidnap a man that he believes is a Nazi fugitive, with the intention to ship him to Israel for trial.
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