These are the awardees of the 20th edition!
International Competition
The Bavarian Televiseion Short Film Prize (5.000 Euro), awarded by the International Jury Barbara Dukas, Sonia Hadchity and Sydney Neter, goes to WELKOM by Pablo Munoz Gomez.
STATEMENT OF THE JURY: A serious subject packed in a perfect, funny and original wrapping. Furthermore, excellent acting and good storytelling in the heart of the bilingual warzone of Europe.
The Short Film Prize of the City of Regensburg (1.000 Euro), awarded by the Jury of the Young Wladmimir Fuhrmann, Eva Haimerl, Rafael Hermann, Anika Schiller and Veronika Zieglmeier goes to CARTWHEELS by James Lewis .
STATEMENT OF THE JURY: Though there were a lot of great short films of all different kinds there was a special one, which all of us decided to choose as a winner. Neither did the movie use many special effects, nor is it an avantgardistic artclip. Whilst we found it to be a very classical drama, it had all what we thought a short movie needed. The characters and their first impression left on the viewers developed in a very special and provocative way. Although the film’s main issue is very serious, the filmmakers were still able to add a touch of comedy by breaking the viewers expectations. The actors aswell as the subtle but nonetheless extraordinary camera work impressed us with authenticity and modesty. The viewer takes part in a family situation in an old house in the countryside, watching a young girl grow up. Her father, in spite of wanting to protect her, has to struggle with his sexual attraction to her. The film deals with the main problem, the father’s projection of his sexual desires on his family, in an interesting and gripping way. The progression of the film allows for a connection to the father figure and the issues he is surrounded by, which turn out to be different from what is expected at first. This non-judgemental display was one of the main reasons for our final decision.
A Special Mention of the International Jury goes to SUPERVENUS by Frédéric Doazan.
STATEMENT OF THE JURY: A good and different experimental approach of image technology that perfectly gives us a look into the archetype models of beauty that we are suffering from nowadays.
Special Mentions of the Jury the Young:
Now after announcing the winner, we want to mention at least two other shortfilms, which
impressed us in a special way. One of these movies is „la lampe au beurre de yak“. Though
it was filmed in a very minimalistic way it refers to subjects of great concern. The director
relies in several scenes on only one shot and a particular field of view. Only the appearing
persons and the background change. Within this simple style the movie delivers a lot of
different emotions and the audience is able to catch a glimpse on the life story of the
characters. The film combines cinematic simplicity and a thematic complexity by treating
powerful subjects such as the relation between Tibet and China or the clash between
tradition, religion and modernism. This is one of many reasons we utterly enjoyed watching LA LAMPE AU BEURRE DE YAK by Wei Yu.
Besides many great movies it is a documentation that was really outstanding. We were impressed by its simple ways of style. It is filmed in one shot and there is only one speaker. However the movie managed to portrait a controverse topic: prostitution. Dédée, a charismatic hooker, tells the audience about her everyday life in such a down-toearth way that the audience might overthink their dispositions about the issue prostitution. Nothing seems to be faked or staged, her narrations are spontaneous and authentic. This authenticity is provided also by the missing part of the interviewer and the lack of a judgemental camera work. For these reasons we want to commend and laud L´ÊTRE VENU D`AILLEURS by Renaud de Putter and Guy Bordin.
German Competition
The Regensburg BMW Short Film Prize (1.500 Euro), awarded by the German Jury Johannes Betz, Bettina Schöller and Andrea Wink, goes to NASHORN IM GALOPP (RHINO FULL THROTTLE) by Erik Schmitt and Stefan Müller.
STATEMENT OF THE JURY: „I am sharing this city with three million people, but I don’t know even one of them!“ Bruno is a magician in his wonderful world. He can catch airplanes, fly on arrows and walk through walls. But he feels lonely because he has no one to share all this with. In this modern urban fairy tale our hero is finally finding his happiness by reading signs and the meaning behind things. He finds the the soul of the city, a soulmate – and himself.
The Max Bresele Memorial Prize by Kartenhaus Kollektiv (500 Euro), awarded by the German Jury goes to KATHEDRALEN (CATHEDRALS) by Konrad Kästner.
STATEMENT OF THE JURY: Fortunately we found an awardee indeed worthy of the Max Bresele Award. It’s a political film, revealing stunning relevance. Artist Max Bresele was well known for creating sculptures out of garbage. This short film also deals with garbage sculptures, but in a cruel, gigantomanic shape that bursts all limits. To be more precisely: these sculptures burst the limits of our planet. We don’t claim that this short film is pure perfection, there will always remain something to complain about. But it hits the target perfectly, touching the heart as well as the mind. It’s about a brand new Chinese megacity, built for two million people, but not inhabitated at all. It’s about the madness of mankind, and the soundtrack provides a perfectly programmatic parable by German poet Michael Ende. We honour a young filmmaker, who is refreshing in his lack of self-centeredness, whose view of the world is a concerned one, an outraged one, and a distinguished one.
Bavaria
The FilmFernsehFonds Bayern Subsidy Prize, awarded by the FFF-Jury Sarah Bräuer, Natja Brunckhorst and Martin Rehbock for the best production from Bavaria, goes to SOBOTA by Marie Elisa Scheidt.
STATEMENT OF THE JURY: The film is a documentary and a feature film at the same time . When do the real issues blur with the staged scenes? We do not know . The filmmaker moves her protagonist to face himself and to look into the camera to slowly peel off his laconic answers to a truth that does hurt ourselves . The film is an artistic concept , with excellent camera work and poetic approach. And above all : the film is brave. He approaches the topic of inexplicable violence and the roots of violence in a person who can not trust himself anymore. The filmmaker manages to take us into a world where horror and erotic attraction lie pretty close together. The archaic fragility of the fictional interviewer that reflects our own fragility and probably also that of the filmmaker , is fascinating and attracts our protective instincts like in any good movie. Yes , we do fear for her. That she possibly exposes herself to this violence and then that she might even fall in love with this man. And we go along with her. This is the slippery path that dictates the film and leaves us deeply moved.
A Special Mention of the FFF-Jury goes to ZOMBIE NATION by Sebastian Harrer.
STATEMENT OF THE JURY: A lonely being, trapped in a world of enemies: With its credible character study this film widens the limits of the genre it is set in and installs a fresh perspective on precisely this genre. Good dramaturgical sense, accurate timing and a strong visual concept took us in for this music video that is much more than a normal music video – because here the individual components movie plot, band and song merge into a convincing work of art. Particularly noteworthy are the achievements in the fields make up and set dressing. Funny, touching and creepy in its very special way.
Window To The Region
The Regional Prize of Mittelbayerische.de (500€), awarded by the Regional Jury Silke Droll, Gaby Eisenhut and Martin Hofer, goes to EIN LEBEN IN QUADERN by Peter Kollross.
STATEMENT OF THE JURY The director shows us life from a surprising perspective that forces us first to stop and reflect and then to think further. He does this with a minimum of means. The amount of meaning and room for interpretation that can be found in this short piece is indeed impressive. Its length of only two minutes does honor to the expression “short film.” The saying “brevity is the soul of wit” is more true than ever here. The film is clear and unexcited and has a simplicity that soothes in an era in which we are flooded with pictures and sounds. Not too much, every second has a purpose. As actor, he is convincing in his nonacting, with his dry, laconic, authentic nature. He is a minimalist.
The Audience Online Prize MITEINANDER of Volksbank Regensburg eG and Mittelbayerische.de (1300€), goes to SLUM GmbH by Berthold Voith and the Film Group of the Goethe-Gymnasiums Regensburg.
Audience Award
The Audience Prize of the Kinokneipe (333€), goes to MEU AMIGO NIETZSCHE by Fauston da Silva.