After a hybrid edition in 2020, this year, the Filmkunstmesse (20-24 September) took place as a fully physical event in Leipzig. The get-together is an opportunity for German professionals from the film industry, cinema programmers, festival curators and distributors to get familiar with the cinema releases for the next few months. Present this year were a total of around 900 professionals who came to watch up to 74 films, represented by 35 distribution companies.

Organised by AG Kino, one of the main representative bodies for the German film industry, the festival also hosted a series of panels dealing with topics such as innovation, networking and the professionalisation of industry tools. To accompany the screenings, a large number of guests, directors, actors and producers were invited along.

The festival awards several prizes to bigger international productions as well as specifically to German films. One particular focus is on the talents of the younger generation. The winner of Best Film in the “Junges Kino” (lit. “Young Cinema”) section was Precious Ivie [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Sarah Blaßkiewitz
scheda film] by Sarah Blaßkiewitz, produced and distributed by Weydemann Bros, which depicts in a fresh and authentic way what the everyday life of a woman of colour in Germany can be like. Chosen as Best Children’s Film in the same category was Mission Ulja Funk [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Barbara Kronenberg, produced by IGC Films, Samsa Film and ShipsBoy, and distributed by farbfilm.

Two more major awards are handed out as part of the festival. They go to Best International Film and to Best National Film. The former went ex aequo to Nomadland by Chloé Zhao, distributed by The Walt Disney Company, and Another Round [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Thomas Vinterberg, distributed in Germany by Weltkino. With this decision, the festival cemented the results of this year's Oscars. Best National Film was The Royal Game [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] by Philipp Stölzl, based on the novel by Austrian author Stefan Zweig, distributed by StudioCanal.

Crowned with the Best Documentary Award was Die Unbeugsamen by Torsten Körner, which tells the story of a group of women who fought their way up onto the political scene of post-war Germany. The film is distributed by Majestic.

Here is the complete list of award winners at Filmkunstmesse Leipzig:

Best Film in the “Junges Kino” Section
Precious Ivie [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Sarah Blaßkiewitz
scheda film] - Sarah Blaßkiewitz (Germany)

Best International Film (ex aequo)
Another Round [+leggi anche:
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scheda film] – Thomas Vinterberg (Denmark/Sweden/Netherlands)
Nomadland – Chloé Zhao (USA)

Best National Film
The Royal Game [+leggi anche:
trailer
scheda film] – Philipp Stölzl (Germany/Austria)

Best Documentary Film
Die Unbeugsamen - Torsten Körner (Germany)

Best Children’s Film
Mission Ulja Funk [+leggi anche:
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trailer
scheda film] – Barbara Kronenberg (Germany)

Audience Award – Feature Film
Lunana: A Yak in the Classroom – Pawo Choyning Dorji (Bhutan)

Audience Award – Short Film (ex aequo)
Cuckoo – Jörgen Scholtens (Netherlands)
UZI – Dina Velikovskaya (Russia)