Award Winners
During the award ceremony of the 46. Grenzland-Filmtage International Film Festival 2023, the winners in the various categories will be announced.
The winning films of the public vote will be shown again on Sunday, 16.04. in separate screenings. The exact showtimes can be found in the program schedule.
ZuKi Film Award Children's Film
(donated by Zukunft Kinder e.V.)
Award Winner: DU HAST VIELE TEILE....
Director: Niva Ehrlich | Germany 2021
Jury Film Award "Eastern European Film"
(donated by Stadt Selb)
Award Winner: HUMAN
Director: Khachatur Vasilian | Ukraine 2022
Jury Statement
An existential message presented creatively and excitingly. With no words and no big effects, the viewer is kept attentive and thrilled by the well-dosed sound design, a minimalistic and symbolistic stage, absurd scenery and good camera work. A short film production that handled its resources most efficiently and created a truly convincing work.
Jury Film Award "Newcomer Film Award"
(donated bySparkasse Hochfranken)
Award Winner: PHLEGM
Director: Jan-David Bolt | Switzerland 2021
Jury Statement
A graduate of the Zurich University of the Arts, the director has created a short but memorable absurdist comedy that captivates viewers with a simple yet effective plot.
The film opens with a long static close-up of a snail crossing a busy square in Zurich at its own pace. The contrast between the snail and the fast-paced businessmen around it is impossible to miss and makes the viewer:s pay attention. The film explores in a humorous and sarcastic way the relationship of man to animal and at the same time man to man. The quick, careless pedestrian who cleans the sole of his foot of snail slime ironically becomes the victim of his own greed and carelessness. The cool color tones and the oblique camera angles emphasize the absurd action.
Not only technically impressive, but also making a pointed statement about our society and its relationship to other living beings, the film contains everything the short format demands.
For this reason we would like to congratulate the director Jan-David Bolt for his talented work and award him with the Young Talent Award of the Grenzland-Filmtage Selb. We wish him all the best and are looking forward to his future projects.
Honorable mention to SHUSTER
It should go to a film that impressively shows us how quickly a supposedly harmless car ride can escalate into a conflict between two people. Metaphorically and symbolically, this confrontation can, in a sense, be seen as a parable of our society and a political construct. In a world where tolerance, respect and understanding often seem no longer acceptable.
The director is a master at capturing the tension and emotion in this short story. The realistic setting stands in harsh but at the same time fluid as well as soft contrast to the surreality. Through a mash-up of radio reports, the setting is placed in an uncomfortable and incomprehensible mood. Through her sensitive direction and the impressive camera work as a one-shot, she manages the balancing act of pulling the viewer:inside into the middle of the action to experience the conflicts first hand.
It is therefore our great pleasure and privilege to award an Honorable Mention to the film "Shuster" by Rotem Elkayam. The film is an impressive contribution that should inspire us all to reflect and think about how we should react in difficult situations. Congratulations to Rotem Elkayam and the entire team for this great achievement!
Video Message Jan-David Bolt
Film Award "Indie-Award"
(awarded by the Independent Film Academy Fichtelgebirge, donated by PROBAU Massivhaus GmbH)
Award Winner: VAMPIRE
Director: Branko Tomovic | Germany, Serbia, Great Britain 2022
Jury Statement:
Vampire by Bronco Tomovic is for me a great example of how a successful independent film should be. With little effort, the director places a well-chosen cast in the perfect setting. With this, he creates the right atmosphere without needing stars or huge action and is able to tell his story convincingly. Here, despite the simplicity and sometimes minimalist images, you want to know how the story continues. Not every film succeeds in that.
Audience Film Awards
(donated by Rosenthal GmbH)
Award Winner Category "Long Feature": SCHLUSSKLAPPE
Director: Niclas Mehne | Germany 2022
Award Winner Category "Midlength Feature": TODSICHER
Director: Lorenz Wetscher | Germany 2022
Award Winner Category "Short Film": ZWISCHEN UNS DER HIMMEL
Director: Louisa Grötsch | Germany 2022
Award Winner Category "Documentary": POSTMAN
Director: Ibadylla Adzhibaev | Kirgisistan 2022
