These are the winners!

This year’s short film competition had 4 winner films!

Read here, why the jury chose “Turbodiesel” and “I am Simon” as first and second winners and why “Berlun” received an honourable mention.

The audience chose “Leerfahrt” as their favourite film.

Winner

“Turbodiesel” (Vojtech Moravec, Czech Republic)

When we watched “Turbodiesel”, we were uncertain whether we were watching a particularly interesting documentary or a skilfully produced fake-documentary. And we still wonder.

The film’s storyline is simply too hard to believe. There is a man who seven years ago decided not to leave his car anymore. Literally. He doesn’t even know whether his legs would still carry him if he were to step out. As members of the jury, all four of us reacted very differently to the protagonist. One of us felt angry about the man’s refusal to be an active part of society. One was fascinated by his radicalism, and by the fact that he proves to us that we live in a world in which never leaving your driving nutshell is a viable option. Another one was intrigued by the absurdity of interpreting “freedom” as physical isolation, and by the proclaimed happiness to be found in this. The fourth one focused on the contradiction inherent in a situation in which a person refuses to comply with basic social expectations, yet at the same time remains an active member of our working, driving, capitalist community. Given these different readings, we shared the feeling that this man is really “in between”. One wouldn’t expect him to be happy, but he tells us the opposite. He hides from society but still depends on it. He lives his own version of freedom and at the same time radically restrains himself. Irrespective of our different perceptions, we were all touched by this film, and found that in our discussion we returned to it over and over again. Congratulations.

Second winner

“I am Simon” (Tünde Molnár, Hungary)

Tünde Molnar’s graphic novel recounts the life and death of the dog Simon. Its rich and melancholic images capture a moment of transition in which time seems to come to a standstill. At the same time, they speak of an intense love of life, and of a desire to run faster than death in order to outwit time through speed. While this may end fatally, there is consolation in viewing the continuation of beginnings and ends through the dead dog’s eyes.

With its poetic imagery and reduced text, “I am Simon” succeeds in conveying the notion of a span of life in admirable brevity. There is no distinction between joy and sorrow, the two are inseparable. And this is the film’s extraordinary achievement: with great skill it succeeds in tapping the full potential of animation in order to turn a dog’s life into an utterly and existentially human experience.

Honourable mention and special award

“Berlun” (Ezgi Kilincaslan, Turkey/Germany)

In Berlun, Ezgi Kilincaslan creates a poetic visual montage by cross-dissolving and layering over 250 still photos. Snap shots and self portraits of the artist are the basis for a dense reflection on the fragile shifts between language and translations. Cultural projections on a gendered identity are subverted with a playful twist on the subtitles, asserting a subtle, yet empowered political gesture.

Audience award

“Leerfahrt” (Matis Burkhardt, Germany)