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MOON will now receive the support of the Europa Cinemas Network, with additional promotion and incentives for exhibitors to extend the film’s run on screen.

The jury issued the following statement: “So this was a tough choice. We saw many interesting voices from all across Europe. But the one that stood out for us is MOON by Kurdwin Ayub, a highly energetic piece of filmmaking that can best be described as a punch in the face:

Moon brings a story and a perspective that we haven’t seen before, not only in subject and setting but also in style. Cinematography and pacing are unconventional and yet very much in sync with the evolving personality of the protagonist, incredibly performed by Florentina Holzinger.

The film is set in an interesting context in which the director provokes her audience using stereotypical settings and characters. Ayub then subverts and undercuts these stereotypes in unexpected ways, culminating in an ambiguous yet powerful ending.

All of the choices made in MOON speak for the artistic confidence of its writer and director. With this being only her second feature film, we are excited to see where she will take us next.”

Sold internationally by Bendita Film Sales, MOON is produced by Ulrich Seidl Filmproduktion (Austria).

The cast includes Florentina Holzinger, Andria Tayeh, Celina Antwan and Nagham Abu Baker. The script is by Kurdwin Ayub, image by Klemens Hufnagl and editing is by Roland Stöttinger. Set design by Julia Libiseller, costume design by Carola Pizzini and sound by David Almeida- Ribeiro.

Synopsis: Former martial artist Sarah leaves Austria to train three sisters from a wealthy Jordanian family. What sounds initially like a dream job soon becomes unsettling: the young women are cut off from the outside world and under constant surveillance. Sport doesn’t seem to interest them. So why has Sarah been hired?

Kurdwin Ayub, born in 1990 in Iraq, is a filmmaker and artist based in Vienna. Her first fictional feature film, SONNE (2022), premiered at the 2022 Berlinale in the Encounters competition and won the Best First Feature Award. She was also nominated for European Discovery at the 35th European Film Awards.

The Europa Cinemas Label Jury of Locarno this year comprised Ramiro Ledo Cordeiro (DUPLEX Cinema, Ferrol, Spain), Camelia Popa (Cinema Muzeul Taranului, Bucharest, Romania), Mila Schlingemann (Eye Filmmuseum, Amsterdam, The Netherlands) and Marvin Wiechert (Yorck Kinogruppe, Berlin, Germany). The Jury captured here with the director Kurdwin Ayub.

The Label is also awarded in Berlin, Cannes, Karlovy Vary, and will be awarded for the twenty-first time this year at Venice. Recipients of the Label honoured at Locarno in the past include: Fidelio, Keeper, Mister Universo, Winter Brothers, L'Époque, Maternal, The Odd-Job Men, Tommy Guns and Yannick in 2023.

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Press Enquiries: Charles McDonald

charles@charlesmcdonald.co.uk

+44 7785 246 377

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Photo credits MOON – © Ulrich Seidl Filmproduktion

Photo credits EC LABEL AWARD CEREMONY - © Locarno Film Festival_Ti-Press