The 31th Braunschweig International Film Festival awarded six prizes on Saturday night. Nina Hoss received the festival’s main award, the “Europa”. The festival honored the German actress for her outstanding performances and his contribution to European film culture. The award comes with a prize money of 15.000 Euros, donated by Volkswagen Financial Services.
The audience competition for the “Heinrich”, the award for the best European debut or second feature film, won the Irish production „A Date for Mad Mary“ (production company: Element Pictures). Director Darren Thornton’s tragicomedy about a girl trying to find somebody to accompany her to her best friend’s wedding wins the prize money of 10.000 Euros donated by the festival’s main sponsor Volkswagen Financial Services. In competition were ten film, eight which were screened as German premieres.
The French-German Youth award KINEMA was awarded to “Past Imperfect” (original title: Le passé devant nous, distribution: Savage Films) by Belgian director Nathalie Tierlinck. The drama on an escort, who has to take care of her son whom she has not seen for six years celebrated its German premiere at the festival. The prize was awarded by a young jury of two German and three French people aged 16 to 17.
The „Black Lion“ for the best film of the “Beyond” section was awarded to “Libera nos” (original title: Liberami, distribution: True Colours) by Italian director Federica Di Giacomo. The programme, this year under the motto “Beyond: Faith” is devoted to an exciting new cinema taking visual or thematic risks.
The jury with producer Dagmar Neihage, composer Gregor Schwellenbach and film maker Nicole Wegner selected the documentary on three priests on Sicily practising exorcism competed against five international productions. The prize with a purse of 2.500 Euro is funded by Volkswagen Financial Services.
“The Four Golden Lime Trees” for the best film of the “Home Match” programme was awarded to “Ohne diese Welt” (Without this world). The jury – actor Detlef Bothe, director Anna Linke and director and last year’s winner Lars Jordan - decided upon this stunning documentary on a Mennonites of German decent in the north of Argentina by director Nora Fingerschedt. The award comes with a prize money of 1.000 Euro.
The award ceremony took place on Saturday, October 22, 2017 at the Staatstheater Braunschweig.
The Braunschweig International Film Festival is supported by:
- Volkswagen Financial Services
- nordmedia - Film Commission of Lower Saxony and Bremen
- Lower Saxony
- City of Braunschweig
Award winner of the 31st Braunschweig International Film Festival
[Translate to Englisch:] vlnr: Nora Fingscheidt, Stefania Villa, Charleigh Bailey, Nathalie Teirlinck, Nina Hoss