Festival

And the winners of the 14th SCHLINGEL are...

The SCHLINGEL International Film Festival for Children and Young Audience has attracted about 10,000 visitors in Chemnitz. The international film awards go to Russia, the Netherlands and Norway. The14th edition of the festival has ended with a dazzling award ceremony. For a week, five juries have had the chance to pick their favourites in each competition. Among them have been children and youth juries and also an expert jury with representatives from the film and culture industries. 118 productions from 39 countries have been considered in the different sections. In keeping with our traditions, we award prizes amounting to 25,000 Euros.

S Children's Film Competition

The 18-headed children jury from nine European states awards the European Children's
Film Award (5000 euros) by the “Saechsisches Staatsministerium für Wissenschaft und
Kunst“ (Saxon State Ministry for Science and Art) for the best children's film to:

“Book of Masters”
Russia / 2009
Director: Vadim Sokolovsky

Explanation:
The lovestory about the main actors Katja and Ivan impressed the jury a lot. They were convinced by the style of the film, too. All in all the Russian Disney production could live up to the criteria set by the children. Therefore it's a fascinating film that shows and promts emotions as well.

The award DIAMOND – a bike of the “Diamant-Fahrradwerke“ in Hartmannsdorf/Saxony –
is honored to the most convincing acting performance of a child:

Chun-Kai Wu (“Colourful Mind“)
China / 2009

Explanation:
The jury members were most convinced of the character A-Ming Goo being set by Chun-Kai Wu in the film "Colourful Mind“. The boy understood his role and was able to act in happy and in sad scenes as well.

The four-headed international expert jury assigns the Chemnitz Top Award in the
Children's Film Competition (5000 euros) for the best children's film to:

“Frogs and Toads“
Netherlands / 2009
Director: Simone van Dusseldorp

Eplanation:
Children are wonders. They live in their little big world. As spectators we get the wonderful possibility to view the world from children's eyes. The world of 6-years-old Max is influenced by the special relation to his grandmother: Frogs and toads, flowers, a hurt rabbit ear, his brother's sick tonsils, the pink doctor's case of his friend Jesse, pencakes falling from the ceiling. A real children's film! Great to have more like these!

M Junior Competition

The Top Award in the Junior Film Competition (4000 euros) for the best junior film
awarded by the four-headed international expert jury and the “Saechsische Landesanstalt für
privaten Rundfunk und neue Medien“ (Saxon Regional Office for Private Broadcasting and
New Media) goes to:

“Through a Glass, Darkly“
Norway / 2008
Director: Jesper W. Nielsen

Explanation:
The film tells the story of ‘having to die’ and ‘staying alive’. The 13-years-old Cecilie who is suffering from cancer holds a conversation with the angel Ariel about life on earth and in heaven. There isn't always an answer to her question. But there is one thing she is assured of: “I've been looking out of the window. I've seen towns and mountains, cars, streets and fields. It feels like owning the whole world. I've seen a part of the sun, the moon and the stars and nobody can remove this memories. It will always be mine. A poetic and sensitive film that emboldens.

The Junior Film Award (1000 euros) for the best junior film is awarded by the sevenheaded
jury to:

“Through a Glass, Darkly“
Norway / 2008
Director: Jesper W. Nielsen

Explanation:
This story is told from the view of the cancer suffering Cecilie. She often remembers her last vacation in Spain when she met Sebastian – her first big love. The worse she feels the oftener she is visited by an angel showing her things humans don't even know. We chose this film because it is based on a real problem. Furthermore it's an
pretty emotional and instructive film.

L Youth Film Competition

The eight-headed youth jury awards the CineStar Youth Film Award (1000 euros) by
“Greater Union Filmpalast GmbH“ for the best youth film to:

“The Child and the Angel“
Iran / 2009
Director: Masoud Naghashzadeh

Explanation:
This year the youth jury chose the film “Child and Angel“ to be the best youth film. The film describes the situation of the young girl Fereshteh who has lost her whole familiy because of war. All except of her younger brother who she is going to look for. Because of the presence in the media this story seems to be trivial. By telling the problem with an individual destiny the film is full of tension and touches its spectators emotionally.

D Focus Germany

The DEFA-Foundation Award (4000 euros) goes to:
“No Fear“
Germany / 2009
Director: Aelrun Goette

Explanation:
The 13-years-old Becky early has to take over responsibility for her three younger siblings and her alcoholic mother. On day she met the shy boy Bente in the school bus. He's her first love, but she can't leave out the misery and the problems at home. Alrun Goette thematised in her oppressive and transborder film domestic violence, child poverty and juvenile crime in an impressive way. Her intention is to wake up and warn people for that they have to get interested in their follow mens sorrow. It's hard to see that there is just a little hope inside the affected people. At least the spectators should resist this feeling.

The official awards ceremony will be taking place in spring 2010 when the Film Festival
SCHLINGEL will be presented in Berlin for the first time.

XS Short and Animation Film Competition

The five-headed animation film jury commend the Animation Film Award (1000 euros) that
is out of competition and assigned by the German Institute of Animation Film. The award for
the best animation film goes to:

“Masha and the Bear – How They Met“
Russia / 2009
Director: Denis Chervyatsov

Explanation:
We gave our award to the film from Russia because it is funny, full of tension and really good represented – awesome.

The three-headed short film jury awards the Short Film Award (500 euros) to:

“A Better Life“
Spain / 2009
Director: Luis Fernández Reneo

Explanation:
The winning film deals with the tragic death of a girl in an authentic way that touches the heart of the spectators. But the gilrl's death shouldn't be for nothing. The family was given a better life.

Other Awards

The Audience Award by the “Lichtenauer Mineralquellen GmbH“ is chosen by the visitors
during the festival week and out of competition. It goes to:

“Prodigy“
Canada / 2008
Director: William Fruet

The Fair Play Award – elected by the pupils of the “Zwönitzer Gymnasium“ (Grammar
school in Zwönitz) – goes to the film that champions the best to children's and youth issues.
This year it is awarded to:

“No Fear"
Germany / 2009
Director: Aelrun Goette

The SCHLINGEL award for exceptional commitment with regard to the German children’s
and youth film was committed to Christel and Hans Strobel - the editors of the expert
publication “Kinder- und Jugendfilm Korrespondenz” (Children’s and Youth Films
Correspondence). The conferment took place on Thursday, 8 October 2009 in the
Gunzenhauser Museum in Chemnitz.

About 10,000 visitors from all over the world arrived during the festival week in Chemnitz.
Directors, main actors and producers from Brazil, China, Denmark, France, Indonesia, Iran,
New Zealand, Russia, the USA and also Germany met to an expert communication.
The director of the festival, Michael Harbauer, looks back to the successful festival week:
„The festival was enriched by lots of great films. The competition films coming from almost all
continents fascinated the young audience and the experts of the film and tv industry as well.
The presented international films that almost exclusively were German or European
premieres arouse the German distributor's interest this year, so we're very delighted. After
today's awarding the winners have the chance to be synchronised soon. This is necessary
for that the film will be shown on the big screen or in German TV. Thereby the International
Film Festival SCHLINGEL represents its prominent role concerning this domain.“