Rosamund Pike brings OXIFF2018 to a close

Rosamund Pike made her much anticipated appearance at the Oxford International Film Festival on the closing night of the festival at the Curzon cinema.

Pike, an Oxford university alumnus, was in town for Closing Night Shorts and the screening of the film in which she stars, The Human Voice. Based on the play of the same name by Jean Cocteau and directed by Patrick Kennedy. Pike plays the lead role as a woman struggling to come to terms with breakup over the telephone.

Also playing as part of the Closing Night Shorts was the film Gone, which stars Suranne Jones, The Lion about a frustrated voice over actor, Australian existential hitman comedy The Intentions of F Scott Fitzgerald and Fantasy in D Minor, about a family dealing with a tragedy.

After the screening Pike took part in an audience Q&A that was one of the highlights of a stunning weekend of independent cinema.

Oxford International Film Festival 2018 ended soon after with the annual awards ceremony that saw Pike win best actress, Merrick win best narrative feature and Citizen Clark… A Life of Principle win Best Documentary. The Human Voice also picked up Best UK Short, Best Actor went to Mickael Eterillard for his performance in Merrick and the coveted Film of the Festival went to short animation New York City Sketchbook which wowed an audience on Saturday afternoon at the Ultimate Picture Palace.

Director of Operations Neil Jeram-Croft said “this weekend has been amazing; the quality of the films is a credit to the filmmakers and all involved. Huge thanks to the Curzon, The Ultimate Picture Palace and our incredible volunteers who have made this a weekend one to remember”

Oxford International Film Festival 2018 full list of winners:

Best Student Film - Accidental

Best Music Video – Miccoli - Idle Stranger

Best Experimental Film – The Hidden Injuries of Dreams

Best Uncomissioned Screenplay - Reality by Wendy Braff

Best Animation - New York City Sketchbook

Best Cinematography - Behind the Blue Door

Best Production - Time, and Again

Best Screenplay - Hippopotamus

Best Actress - Rosamund Pike in The Human Voice

Best Actor - Mikael Etrillard in Merrick

Best UK Short - The Human Voice

Best International Short - Fantasy in D Minor

Staff Choice – Louie Gasparro 5POINTZ

Best Director - Patrick Kennedy for The Human Voice

Best Documentary - Citizen Clark... A Life of Principle

Best Feature - Merrick

Film of the Festival - New York City Sketchbook