The Dutch film “Bigman” (directed by Camiel Schouwenaar) received the prize of the European Children’s Film Jury at the 27th Schlingel International Film Festival in Chemnitz on Saturday evening. The film was chosen by 14 children from six countries. The Dutch-German co-production for children and young people aged 12 and over is about the young footballer Dylan, who is paralyzed from the waist down as a result of an accident, but does not give up his dream of becoming a good football player. According to the children’s film jury, the film is an inspiration for many people with physical disabilities.
However, the first winner of the evening in the Carlowitz Congress Center (CCC) was the Chemnitz student Theodor (8), who took part in a rascal quiz and won a bicycle. The award ceremony was moderated by the Kika moderators Elisabeth Möckel and Juri Tetzlaff.
A total of 23 films were honored by the various juries. Main prizes also went to Germany, Tunisia, Argentina and Spain. The Tunisian contribution “New Life” focuses on organ donation and the contrast between rich and poor. The debut film by director Anis Lassoued received the main prize from the Saxon State Media Authority, which is one of the most important partners of the Schlingel Festival. The film “The Odyssey” by Florence Miailhe received several awards. Among other things, he received the advancement award of the Defa Foundation. The international animated film production is about two young people who become victims of war, flight and expulsion. The film was elaborately staged as an oil on glass painting.
Argentinian director Arturo Castro Godoy and his young leading actor Vito Contini Brea in “Rinoceronte” were able to step onto the festival stage at the CCC three times. The film about a neglected boy who comes to a home was convincing.
In a short speech, jury member Hamed Soleimanzadeh used the opportunity to refer to the uprising of “brave women and men” against the mullahs’ regime in his homeland of Iran. He spoke of a “historic moment” for his country and called for human rights and freedoms to be respected.
The 27th International Film Festival for Children and Young Audiences, Schlingel, attracted around 20,000 visitors to the cinemas in Chemnitz and Zwickau this year. The festival counted 3,000 more guests than last year.
A total of 159 films from 60 countries were shown during the festival week and the preceding Zwickau events. Almost 300 will follow in the coming weeks as part of various special programs such as “Short distances for short legs”.
According to the information, more than 60 festival directors, program managers, journalists, distributors from all over the world as well as children and young people from various European countries were in the “Club of Festivals”, the various specialist juries, the Chemnitz children’s, junior and youth juries as well as in the European children’s jury. Many film guests from all corners of the world, from actors and actresses to directors and producers, were also welcomed in Chemnitz by festival director Michael Harbauer and his team. Where attendance was not possible, live switching was carried out on a specially erected LED wall.