"Agnus Dei" wins Best Foreign Language Film at Winter Film Awards Indie Film Fest in NYC

BELGRADE, Serbia - March 12, 2014 - PRLog -- The Third Annual Winter Film Awards Independent Film Festival kicked off Wednesday, February 26 2014 in New York City with three full days of screenings and after-parties and came to a dazzling finish on Saturday March 1 with a Gala Awards Ceremony at the beautiful club 230 FIFTH in which 15 outstanding winners were announced.  This year's event offered something for everyone, highlighting the dynamic range of talent and storytelling capabilities the independent filmmaking community has to offer. Among the 61 films selected for screening was a diverse mixture of documentaries, shorts, features, animation, music videos and horror films, including 9 student films, 17 female directors and representation from over 20 countries.

Agim Sopi's feature-length film Agnus Dei in Albanian and Serbian took home the BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM award in front of a crowd of 500.  The awards show included live musical performances from Soleil J and Billboard artist Sessino and featured outrageous costume designs by Natasha Berezhnaya.

I was born from the ones that I shouldn’t, I lived with those that I mustn’t, and I killed the one that I shouldn’t.   Agnus Dei ( http://www.agnusdei-movie.com ) tells the story of Peter, a young man living a desperate life with his mother and her husband in a village in Serbia. Peter does not know he was born of the forbidden love between his mother and an Albanian man, separated because of the hatred among between the Serbs and the Albanians. His mother forces him to go off to war, but he dreams of escape to the West despite being mobilized by his paramilitary unit to the front. After a violent revenge killing and facing trial at The Huage, he is overwhelmed with depair and deserts the army. He escapes to the mountains with a local girl, where they are pursued by both the warring Serbians and Albanians. Peter brings his new love home and discovers the secret that destroys his life. Peter must find this way to redemption, but can he save himself, or even be saved at all?

Agnus Dei was directed by Agim Sopi from Prishtina Kosovo. He attended the University of Zagreb (Croatia) and graduated from the Academy of Arts. He is the professor of Film Theory in Faculty of Arts at Prishtina University in Kosovo. Besides films, Agim Sopi a successful theatrical director who has performed at the National Theatre and other professional theaters throughout Kosovo.

The 2014 Winter Film Awards Judges Panel was comprised of 15 industry individuals with diverse points of view, including 20-year industry veteran Frank Calo, production executive of "The Believer", award-winning filmmaker Sam Borowski, Broadway and Hollywood composer Stephen Trask, cinematographer Mik Cribben, music personality Matt Pinfield, producer/writer/director Larry Rosen and Miss Albania Benardina Radi.

Winter Film Awards 2014 Independent Film Festival is proudly sponsored by GrayLine NY, B&H Photo, 20Grand Vodka, Coney Island Spirits, Cupcake Cartel NYC, Cyberlink, Fabric Mill, FearsMag, Final Draft Inc., Glidecam, Graphic Stock, Hunter Mountain, Indie Flix, Jo Malone London, JT Talent, Jungle Software, Pole Position Raceway, ProductionHub Inc, PS Print, Que Sabor Bakery, Ride of Fame, Rooftop Films, Sony Creative Software, SpotHero, Sweets First Bakery, Video Blocks, Viktor Koen, The Village Voice, Worldcast Inc and Ya Mastiha Liqueur,

Winter Film Awards (WFA) is a volunteer-run and operated celebration of the diversity of local and international film-making.  In addition to the annual Independent Film Festival, WFA hosts 4-6 events each year in New York City, including panel discussions, networking parties, a 48-Hour Film Challenge, archival cartoon screenings and other fun film-related events, and works with all local NYC film schools, colleges, arts high schools and many cultural societies.

For more information on WFA festival, sponsors, judges, and upcoming events
please visit www.WinterFilmAwards.com and find them on Facebook.