Rotterdam young people’s jury awards Slumdog Millionaire

8th International Film Festival Rotterdam
January 21 – February 1, 2009


PRESS RELEASE January 29, 2009

Rotterdam young people’s jury awards Slumdog Millionaire

The MovieSquad Award of the young people’s jury at the International Film Festival Rotterdam has been given to Slumdog Millionaire on January 29, 2009. The five jury members, aged between 15 and 18 years, voted Slumdog Millionaire by Danny Boyle & Loveleen Tandan as best out of the twenty festival films they considered for the prize.

Dutch youngsters Ms. Charlotte Eskens (16), Ms. Katinka Nauta (17), Mr. Alain Tjiong (17), Mr. David Hofland (15) and Ms. Thecla Baas (18) judged twenty films in official Rotterdam Film Festival selection. The MovieSquad Award comprises Dutch distribution within the ‘MovieZone’ educational film programme for young people and 2,000 Euro to be spent on the winner’s promotion among young people in The Netherlands. Cinéart Nederland releases Slumdog Millionaire in The Netherlands on February 12.

The Jury statement about Slumdog Millionaire:
“A moving, romantic and modern fairy tale that’s about love, hope and drive. The jury is touched by the clever description of the life and the heartfelt attitude of the protagonist. The story is full of dramatic power. The harsh, but realistic truth, the dynamic camera work, the well chosen music and the smooth editing make this film the winner of the MovieSquad Award 2009.”

MovieSquad is an initiative of the Nederlands Instituut voor Filmeducatie (Dutch Institute for Film Education) in collaboration with the International Film Festival Rotterdam.
More information about Slumdog Millionaire: www.filmfestivalrotterdam.com.