DIVERTIMENTO With Kellan Lutz Wins At Paris Art And Movie Awards

The indie thriller Divertimento made by Keyvan Sheikhalishahi wins Best French Film at Paris Art And Movie Awards. Kellan Lutz (Twilight, Expendables, FBI Most Wanted) stars in the picture, alongside Torrey DeVitto (Chicago Med), Ola Rapace (Skyfall), Götz Otto (Cloud Atlas), Christian Hillborg (Fleabag), Ellie Heydon (Harlots) and Brittany Gonzales.

The film, Sheikhalishahi's third one, follows Jonas Olsen (Lutz), a chess player haunted by a tragic past who is given an opportunity to participate in a mysterious game, Divertimento.

The 21-year-old filmmaker who was compared with a "young Steven Spielberg" by Lutz and Otto shot all the movie on location in a 18th-century French castle. Sheikhalishahi reunited with DP Jean-Claude Aumont, editor Walter Mauriot, music composers Gréco Casadesus, Gregory Cotti and César winner sound supervisor Hervé Buirette. The hair and makeup department was supervised by Mariló Osuna (The Machinist, Exodus: Gods and Kings, Volver) and María José Andrés (Everybody Knows). The movie is produced by French company Amitice.

The award was announced by Fred Williamson (From Dusk Till Dawn), festival director Matt Beurois and co-host Chloé Malaisé during a virtual ceremony. The 2020 jury includes Paz de la Huerta (Enter the Void), Monica Cruz (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides), screenwriter Steven E. De Souza (Die Hard), Melora Walters (Magnolia).

The Paris Art and Movie Awards (PAMA) is the leading film festival in Paris for independent filmmakers. The festival celebrates its 10th edition with an international, high-quality slate, during a multi-day run. Over the years the festival awarded Sam Rockwell, Robin Wright, Sharon Stone, William Baldwin, screened films that got selected to the Academy Awards, Tribeca, FilmQuest, the BAFTAS, premiered films in Paris starring Kirsten Dunst, Shia LaBeouf.