Sun 09 Sep 2007 04:00:00 PM EEST

MusiXine International Music Film Contest was celebrated for the first time on 5-9 September as part of the Oulu Music Video Festival. MusiXine got off to a good start with ten films on music, music making and related phenomena. The contest selection competed for the MusiXine Main Award, a monetary prize of 10.000 euros.

The Jury decided to give the MusiXine Main Award to My Name is Albert Ayler directed by the Swede Kasper Collin. In addition to Oulu Music Video Festival, the following companies contributed to the award: Waria, Jidea, Oulun Soitin ja Tarvike and Tuuparecords.

The Head of Jury was Ms. Aida LiPera, a native New Yorker living in Scotland. She works as a Programme Coordinator and producer of Mirrorball, the music on film showcase of Edinburgh International Film Festival. Other Jury members included the awarded Finnish director, Mr. Jappe Päivinen, and PhD in Film Studies, Ms. Emily Munro who is Editor at the Copenhagen ThinkTank on European Film and Film Policy, Education Manager at Glasgow Film Theatre, and a freelance writer.

THE MUSIXINE MAIN AWARD WINNER 2007

My Name is Albert Ayler
Sweden 2005

Director: Kasper Collin
Photography: Peter Palm & Askild Vik Edwardsen
Sound: Mario Adamson & Carolina Jinde
Editing: Eva Hillström, Patrick Austen & Kasper Collin
Music: Albert Ayler
Production: Kasper Collin

JURY'S DESCRIPTION OF THE CONTEST:
"Awarding this film with the first MusiXine prize for best music film was by no means a straightforward decision. The careful and considered selection of ten films of merit by the festival organisers did not make the jury's job an easy one but did make for a pleasurable judging process and passionate discussion. Although the films in the selection were diverse in style and content, each film embodied something of their filmmakers' love of music and demonstrated their strong command over both subject matter and medium in different ways."

JURY'S DESCRIPTION OF THE WINNER FILM:
"My Name is Albert Ayler is a complex and intimate study of one man's tragically short life in music. A sensitive approach to the subject-matter and relationships explored in the film, combined with judiciously chosen archive material and a captivating editing style, create an emotionally resonant and fascinating portrait of a gifted and innovative jazz artist. An insightful, mature and moving documentary film with a superb soundtrack which ably demonstrates the affinity between music and film. Kasper Collins is one to watch - a deserving award winner."

Press photos of the winner film can be found at:
http://www.musixine.com/EN/press/press-photos.html

More information on the Oulu Music Video Festival at www.omvf.net
Festival Producer Hanna Jakku, tel. +358 44 568 1429