20/07/2021 - A series of awards were given to new talents of the young German generation as well as several other prizes in different categories at the festival

This year’s award winners, left to right: Franziska Stünkel, Miriam Düssel, Martin Rohde and Alexis von Wittgenstein for Nikias Chryssos (© Filmfest München)

After the cancellation of its 2020 edition due to Covid, the Filmfest München (1-10 July) finally took place this year, with a focus on open air screenings. The program of the second biggest festival in Germany after the Berlinale was diverse, showing international titles in different sections. A selection of prizes were awarded at the end of the festival, such as the German Cinema New Talent Award, given to young talents in four categories. The jury consisted of three members: the actress Sophie von Kessel, the actor Komi M. Togbonou and the artistic director of the Münchner Kammerspiele Barbara Mundel. They gave the award for the Best Director to Nikias Chryssos for his religious parody A Pure Place [+see also:
film review
interview: Nikias Chryssos
film profile].

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The jury explained its decision: “Through impressive images bursting with imagination and loaded with cinematic effects, we realised once again what we can expect from motion pictures: everything that’s missing in life, perhaps even in everyone’s life! The unusual, the sometimes disturbing, peppered with visions of the unimaginable.” The Best Screenplay award went to Franziska Stünkel for The Last Execution [+see also:
film review
interview: Franziska Stünkel
film profile]. Stünkel not only wrote the script but also directed this drama set in the GDR which stars among others German actor Lars Eidinger.

The Best Production award was given to Miriam Düssel for her work on My Son by Lena Stahl. The drama about a mother and son undertaking a road trip together and trying to form a new bond stars Jonas Dassler and Anke Engelke. Martin Rohde finally won the Best Actor prize for his performance in Heiko's World by Dominik Galizia. Among the rest of the cast of this tragicomedy about a young man who tries to earn money for his mother’s surgery were also Franz Rogowski and Gerdy Zint.

Besides the German film section, a prize was awarded to the Best International Film in the festival’s CineMasters competition. The Arri/Osram Award, with a prize money of € 50,000, went to the thriller-comedy Only the Animals [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Dominik Moll
film profile] by Dominik Moll. “The film tells a gripping, suspenseful, and poignant story about how seemingly personal actions and interactions can lead to complex connections and dramatic consequences,” stated the jury composed of Bettina Reitz, President of the University of Television and Film Munich, the actor Max von der Groeben and the art historian Roger Diederen from the Kunsthalle München.

Furthermore, the CineVision Award endowed with € 15,000 went to Night of the Kings [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Philippe Lacôte
film profile] by Philippe Lacôte for the Best International Emerging Film. The drama is a co-production between the Ivory Coast, France, Canada and Senegal and was appreciated by the jury in the following way: “Director Philippe Lacôte’s film explores the challenges of storytelling in a society ridden with violence. By coupling the beauty of pre-colonial Africa with harsh reality and the appropriation of its own history, the director advances an autonomous African narrative.” The same CineVision jury attributed a honourable mention to coming-of-age story The Innocence [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lucía Alemany
film profile] by Spanish director Lucía Alemany.

Here is the complete list of award winners at the Filmfest München:

German Cinema New Talent Award – Best Director
A Pure Place [+see also:
film review
interview: Nikias Chryssos
film profile] – Nikias Chryssos (Germany)

German Cinema New Talent Award – Best Screenplay
Franziska Stünkel for The Last Execution [+see also:
film review
interview: Franziska Stünkel
film profile] (Germany)

German Cinema New Talent Award – Best Production
Miriam Düssel for My Son by Lena Stahl (Germany)

German Cinema New Talent Award – Best Actor
Martin Rohde in Heiko's World by Dominik Galizia

Arri/Osram Award for the Best International Film
Only the Animals [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Dominik Moll
film profile]  - Dominik Moll (France/Germany)

Cinevision Award for the Best International Emerging Film
Night of the Kings [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Philippe Lacôte
film profile] – Philippe Lacôte (France/Ivory Coast/Canada/Senegal)
The Innocence [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lucía Alemany
film profile] – Lucía Alemany (Spain)

Fipresci Award
Monday um Zehn – Mareille Klein (Germany)

Bayern 2 and SZ Audience Award
Trans – I Got Life – Imogen Kimmel and Doris Metz (Germany)

CineMerit Award
Senta Berger
Robin Wright

Bernd Burgemeister TV Movie Award
3 ½ Hours – Ed Herzog (Germany)