film by a German rebel wins the Black Nights Festival | Culture

Thomas Brasch, who lived from 1945 to 2001, was a rebel in his life and work, handed over to the East German secret police Stas by his own father, when he staged protests in Berlin after the Prague Spring. The film is a tribute to this eternally restless soul, but also to art and rebellion.

“For a masterful interpretation of a powerful story and a biographical film that highlights a central figure in German literature,” said the jury chaired by Mike Downey, president of the European Film Academy.

For the first time, the main prize will include € 20,000, awarded by the city of Tallinn.

Actor Albrecht Schuch, playing Thomas Brasch in the film, also won the award for best actor. “An incredibly believable interpretation of one of Germany’s most important artists,” the jury said, calling “Dear Thomas” a true cinematic. tour de force.

The winning film was screened at 3:15 p.m. on Sunday at the Coca-Cola Plaza cinema in Tallinn.

The award for best director and screenwriter went to Wojciech Smarzowski from Poland for “Wedding Day” – a sharp take on the thought world of a xenophobic society that tends to forget the unpleasant aspects of its history.

The jury nominated Sofja Krugova, an 11-year-old Russian girl, who plays the dark comedy “No Looking Back” by Kirill Sokolov – the youngest actor to win such a high award in PÖFF history.

One of the world’s most famous conductors, Esa-Pekka Salonen, also known as a composer, won the award for best film score for the film “The Wait” by his compatriot Aku Louhimiehe.

A total of 19 films took part in the main program of the competition.

The award for best first film went to German director Francesco Sossaile, 32, for “Other cannibals”, in which two men from an Italian province try to escape the intolerable reality of everyday life – an attempt to penetrate the depths of a person’s state of mind and desires.

The jury named Andrius Blaževičius’ film “Runner” best Baltic film.

The DDA Spotlight Award went to Austrian director Sebastian Meise for “Great Freedom” and South Africa-based American director Liesl Tommy for “Respect”. The aim of the award is to draw attention to filmmakers who have promoted the diversity of the film industry and the involvement of minority groups through their activities or creations.

Although the winners have been announced, the festival will continue on Sunday. A selection of films from the festival will be available on the PÖFF online cinema from November 29.

25th Prize of the Black Nights Film Festival:

MAIN COMPETITION PROGRAM

Jury: Mike Downey (President, United Kingdom), Francis Annan (United Kingdom), Nisan DaÄŸ (Turkey), Eugen Tamberg (Estonia), Piret Tibbo-Hudgins (Estonia)

Grand Prize for Best Film:

“Dear Thomas” (Germany)
Lieber Thomas
Directed by Andreas Kleinert

The reasoning of the jury: “For a masterful interpretation of a powerful story and a biographical film that highlights one of the central forms of German literature.”

Best Director:

Wojciech Smarzowski
“Wedding day” (Poland)
Wesele

The reasoning of the jury: “With cutting edge, the director exposes today’s corruption, historical revisionism and the deep hatred of others, interweaving the crimes that took place in the heart of Europe in the past and today. hui. “

Best photography:

Emre Tanyildiz
“The list of those who love me” (Turkey)
Beni Sevenler Lists
Directed by Emre ErdoÄŸdu

The reasoning of the jury: “For aesthetically complete and creatively determined cinematography, which is a classic example of the endless possibilities and pleasures of 16mm film.

Best screenplay:

Wojciech Smarzowski
“Wedding day” (Poland)
Wesele
Directed by Wojciech Smarzowski

The reasoning of the jury: “For an uncompromising story and an impressive rebirth of two very specific historical periods in an aesthetically complete work of art.

Best Actress:

Sofia krugova
“No looking back” (Russia)
торви и выбрось
Directed by Kirill Sokolov

The reasoning of the jury: “For creating a cheerfully courageous and intelligently conscious character – a young actor who has stood out in a wonderfully strong set of comedy actors.”

Best actor:

Albrecht schuch
“Dear Thomas” (Germany)
Lieber Thomas
Directed by Andreas Kleinert

The reasoning of the jury: “An exceptional, multi-layered and versatile title role and an incredibly believable interpretation of the life of one of Germany’s most important artists, a true cinematic tour de force.

Best Music:

Esa-Pekka Salonen
“The Wait” (Finland)
Directed by Aku Louhimies

The reasoning of the jury: “For film music that not only mentally liberates, crawls through the skin with its emotional authenticity, but also perfectly reflects the inner passion, love and insecurity of the three protagonists.

Best Artwork:

Anna nyitrai
“Perpetuity” (Hungary)
Power
Directed by György Palfi

Jury justification: “For creating an apocalyptic vision of hell in the dystopia of futuristic Europe.”

FIRST FILM COMPETITION PROGRAM

Jury: Jayro Bustamante (President, Guatemala), Elfar Adalsteins (Iceland), Mostofa Sarwar Farooki (Bangladesh), Paul Thiltges (Luxembourg), Evelin Penttilä (Estonia)

Best film:

“Other cannibals” (Germany)
Cannibal Altri
Directed by Francesco Sossai

The reasoning of the jury: “A film with a very personal perspective and strong, innovative and fresh visual writing. The script and the acting form an excellent whole in this story of loneliness, which is told with great sensitivity. This makes us look forward to the next film director. “

Special prices:

“Immersion” (Chile-Mexico)
Immersion
Directed by Nicolás Postiglione

Reasoning of the jury: “We enter the world after the first shots, where an intense ignorance reigns which will not let the spectator go completely. Using thriller techniques expertly, we are confronted with the prejudices and fears that increasingly characterize our society. . “

“His way” (France)
A woman of the world
Directed by Cécile Ducrocq

The reasoning of the jury: “A story told with real understanding – it is extremely important to dig into the deepest recesses of a person’s soul – a middle aged mother who wants to give her son what she didn’t have as a child – to really live with the world. “

BALTIC FILM COMPETITION PROGRAM

Jury: Xavier Henry-Rashid (President, Italy), Marjorie Bendeck (Germany), Ben Pullen (United Kingdom)

Best film:

“Runner” (Lithuania-Czech Republic)
Director Andrius Blaževičius
The reasoning of the jury: “Honest and stimulating work on a complex subject – a sincere film full of energy and passion with great acting.”

REBELS COMPETITION PROGRAM WITH A CAUSE

Jury: Kazik Radwanski (President, Canada), Juris Kursietis (Latvia), Rene van Pannevis (Netherlands)

Best film:

“The Butterflies” (Poland)
my
Directed by Piotr Stasik

Jury justification: “A film that takes us on a conceptual journey into the heart of the woods where boys flee from a video game camp disappear. Provocative, intriguing and poetic, full of detailed shots – asking awkward questions about modern society and its surroundings. masculinity.”

Best short film:

“They had to cross the river” (France)
Directed by Faeze Karimpour

The reasoning of the jury: “A film that must be seen, a world that exists outside of time and modern practices.

FIPRESCI Prize (International Federation of Film Critics)

Jury: Ola Salwa (Poland), Aleksander Huser (Norway), Maarja Hindoalla (Estonia)

“Other people” (Poland-France)
Inni Ludzie
Directed by Aleksandra Terpińska

The reasoning of the jury: “The bold, truthful and fresh critique of capitalism and the hollow people who grew up in it.

CUMENIC PRIZE

Jury: Andres Põder, Justinus Ilmar Kiviloo, Marge-Maria Paas, Tõnis Kark

“Mukagali. The departure of the poet” (Kazakhstan)
Mykalali
Directed by Bolat Kalõmbetov

The reasoning of the jury: “It is a film whose poetic language and visual richness make it possible to translate the most sensitive subjects into the language of the human soul.

PUBLIC PRIZE

“War Whispers” (Germany)
Stille post
Directed by Florian Hoffmann

LIFE SUCCESS AWARD

Carlos Saura (Spain) and Elle Kull (Estonia)

DDA SPOLIGHTS AWARD

Liesl Tommy (South Africa / USA) and Sebastian Meise (Germany)

BRUNO O’YA SCHOLARSHIP

Pääru Oja (Estonia)

YOUTH FILM FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND CHILDREN

Jury: Stefani Kipani (Italy), Julia Jarl (Sweden), Rasmus Merivoo (Estonia)

Grand Prize:

“Playground” (Belgium)
A world
Directed by Laura Wandel

The reasoning of the jury: “An important story that is told in a masterful way and in a very special way from the point of view of the child. Hard but captivating, with great performances from children.

Special price:

“In limbo”
Directed by Alexandre Hant

The reasoning of the jury: “Fast and honest, direct, funny and sad. A masterful cinematic journey that will haunt me for a long time.”

Best film:

Mijn Vader Is een Saucisse / “My father is a sausage” (Belgium-Netherlands)

Directed by Anouk Fortunier

Special price:

“Even mice belong to the sky” (Czech Republic-France-Slovakia-Poland)
Mysi Patrí do Nebe
Directed by Denisa Grimmová and Jan Bubeníček.

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