Film critic Andrea Dittgen, director Marco Mittelstaedt, and the film music journalist Sven Ahnert as well as film music composer Christine Aufderhaar form the jury for the short film-music prize ‘Leo’ presented at the 23rd Braunschweig International film festival (10th – 15th November).
They select the winner of the prize worth 2000€ from about 20 films taking part. The ‘Leo’, supported by the foundation Braunschweiger Land, will be awarded for the seventh time. The money goes in equal parts to the director and the film music or rather the sound design. The sculpture of the ‘Leo’ is awarded to the composer of the film music or to the sound designer.
The prize-giving ceremony will take place at the Brunswick State Theatre on the 15th of November.
Andrea Dittgen, born in 1961, studied German, French and music sciences. PhD in 1989, 1986 to 1991 non-commercial work in films, film criticisms since 1986, from 1991 cultural editor of “Die Rheinpfalz”. Regular collaboration with the magazine “film-dienst”, publication on the director of silent films Franz Hofer (1999), collaboration on the yearbook “International Film Guide”, contributions to books and encyclopaedia. Since 2004 member of the board and manager of the Association of German Film Criticism.
Christine Aufderhaar, born in 1972, studied classical piano at Lugano university. Then double studies in classical composition and composition of film music at the Berklee College of Music, Boston. She received grants and the Richard Levy Award for her compositions. In Hollywood she worked with composers like Alf Clausen (“The Simpsons”), Dan Foliart (“7th Heaven”), and Jay Chattaway (“Star Trek”). 2204 -2008: lecturer for film music at the HFF Potsdam. She is a member of the German Academy for Film.
Sven Ahnert, born in 1964. Author for the radio since 1993. Writes, speaks, and produces features, and writes reviews on the topics of film, music, literature, and film music. On the NDR he talks every week about the latest film music CDs. Sven Ahnert divides his interests between Pop, Rock, Avantgarde, German Popular Music, Classical Music, and Ambient Music. A long time ago he learned to appreciate film music which does not really sound like film music, e.g. “French Connection” by Don Ellis, or “Point Blank” by Johnny Mandels
Marco Mittelstaedt, born in Berlin (East) in 1972, 1992-1995 Training as a photographer at the Lette-Verein Berlin. 1996 – 2003 studies at the German Film and Television Academy Berlin, section ‘Direction’ and ‘Screenplay’. Since 2004 he has worked as a freelance director and author, as well as doing work as assistant director, stills and media photographer, and as advisor on screenplays and location scout. Films: 1997 “Ein Tag zurück”, “uferlos” wins the Panorama-Short Film Prize of the Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin in 1998. 2004 „Jena Paradies“, 2006 „Elbe“.