Anna Buryachkova wins the main prize for the best film in the feature film competition at the 33rd Cottbus FilmFestival. The Ukrainian-Dutch production FOREVER-FOREVER is awarded the prize of 25,000 EUR. The film provides a rare glimpse into the complex emotional world of coming of age for the post-Soviet "90s kids" in Kyiv. FOREVER-FOREVER convinces the International Festival Jury and wins the main prize "for a captivating coming-of-age story that authentically, poignantly, and in a well-constructed manner depicts the upheavals of the Eastern Bloc in the 90s."
The main prize for the best feature film has been sponsored by the Gesellschaft zur Wahrnehmung von Film- und Fernsehrechten (GWFF) for over two decades.
The Special Award for Best Director, sponsored by Rundfunk Berlin Brandenburg and endowed with 7,500 EUR, goes to Rezo Gigineishvili for PATIENT #1. Using the example of an ailing Soviet political functionary, the film reflects a political system that must keep its symbolic figures artificially alive to survive. The jury staits: "The director creates a complex, multi-layered metaphor of seemingly old times that still feel very true and relevant, while masterfully orchestrating a wonderful ensemble of actors."
Eka Chavleishvili is delighted to receive the prize of 5,000 EUR for an outstanding individual performance. In BLACKBIRD BLACKBIRD BLACKBERRY, she convinces the International Festival Jury, "with the portrayal of an unforgettable character with such power, grandeur and bravery that you simply cannot take your eyes off her."
All three winners receive the coveted glass prize sculpture Lubina in addition to the prize money.
The main prize in the Short Film competition goes to the film IT'S ALL RIGHT by Anton Zhuk. The Belarusian production is an intense coming of age thriller. The Special Prize for Best Director goes to Nikola Stojanović for his film THE GHOSTS YOU DRAW ON MY BACK. The Serbian-Estonian work is an atmospherically dense puzzle about grief and non-chronological memory. The Short Film Jury states: "We were impressed by how much life and energy could be captured in a short film."
DYAD wins the U18 Youth Film competition. The Bulgarian production by Yana Titova is a ruthless schoolyard shocker from Bulgaria where a young girl resorts to drastic measures to get only one thing: her mother's love. The jury states:"The film has a plot that none of us expected, the story captivated and convinced us. A superb film that describes various issues like drug use, dependency, abuse, and generational conflict in a very good way."
The Audience Award of the 33rd FFC goes to the film CLARA by Sabin Dorohoi. A film about a young Romanian woman who leaves her home and her child to earn money in Germany - an exemplary Eastern European biography.
The entries of the long night of the short Lusatians which address the themes of the Sorbian/Wendish people and include the Sorbian language, competed for the prize of 1,500 EUR from the Foundation for the Sorbian People. This year, the film "Ankleidezimmer – Hoblekaŕnje" by Frauke Rahr is awarded. The Sorbian Young Talent Award, endowed with 1,000 EUR, goes to the film "Vom Suchen und Finden – Pytaś a namakaś" by Luka Golinski and Mira Dubian.
"With the thematic and artistic diversity of this year's lineup, the FilmFestival Cottbus has set a counterpoint to the oppressive news from around the world. Eastern European cinema reflects these challenges in a multifaceted way, creating a public space for collective reflection. It provides a place where filmmakers can exchange ideas - many of whom are directly affected by wars or have had to go into exile," says Program Director Bernd Buder, adding, "There were many moving scenes - this immensely important exchange between filmmakers, who often find themselves in existentially threatening situations just like the protagonists of their films, and the opportunities for collective cinematic reflection show how crucial this festival is and how important the medium of film is, even if it cannot solve the problems. But it helps to process and respond to them."
"The significant meaning of this exchange, this opportunity for learning, getting to know each other, and changing perspectives, was reflected to us daily throughout the festival week by our audience," says Managing Director Andreas Stein, adding, "This is surely one of the reasons why attendance numbers at the Cottbus Film Festival continue to develop positively after the pandemic years. We are very satisfied with the 33rd festival edition overall and feel that our important work is equally appreciated by the audience, filmmakers, and our supporters. I would like the festival team. Now we can go into the preparations for the 34th FFC with a lot of momentum and energy, which will take place from November 5 to 10, 2024."
The festival Sunday begins with the fairy tale "MÄRCHEN VON DER ZAUBERFLÖTE" in the Stadthalle. Is followed by the opening film of the festival, "BEI UNS HEISST SIE HANKA," directed by Grit Lemke, shown at 12:00 PM. In total, there are still 30 films to be seen tomorrow. At 5:30 PM, BLACKBIRD BLACKBIRD BLACKBERRY will be shown in the Stadthalle Cottbus, whose lead actress Eka Chavleishvili won the award for an outstanding individual performance. In solidarity with Israel and as a tribute to the Israeli filmmaker Yahav Winner, his short film THE BOY will be shown. Yahav Winner sacrificed his life in a kibbutz near the Gaza Strip to save the lives of his wife and newborn daughter. He was executed by the terrorists with a gunshot to the head. The film also takes place in a kibbutz. The theme: an impending war.
LIST OF ALL WINNERS OF THE 33RD COTTBUS FILM FESTIVAL
Feature Film Competition
Main Prize for Best Film – Forever-Forever (Anna Buryachkova, UA/NL 2023)
The main prize, endowed with 25,000 EUR, is sponsored by the Society for the Perception of Film and Television Rights (GWFF). The International Festival Jury of the 33rd FFC consists of Nana Janelidze, director and screenwriter from Georgia, Avelina Prat, Spanish author and director, and Gregorz Stępniak, the artistic director of the Polish Mastercard OFF CAMERA International Festival of Independent Cinema.
Jury justification: FOREVER-FOREVER impresses the International Festival Jury and wins the main prize, "for a captivating coming-of-age story that authentically, poignantly, and well-constructedly depicts the upheavals of the Eastern Bloc in the 90s."
Special Award for Best Director – PATIENT #1 (Rezo Gigineishvili, GE 2023)
The Special Award for Best Director is sponsored by Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg (rbb) and is endowed with 7,500 EUR.
Jury justification: For building a complicated, multi-layered metaphor of seemingly old times that still feel very true and current, and for the masterful direction of a wonderful ensemble of actors. The Best Director Award goes to Rezo Gigineishvili for Patient #1.
Award for an Outstanding Individual Performance – Eka Chavleishvili Blackbird, Blackbird Blackberry (GE/CH 2023)
The Award for an Outstanding Individual Performance is sponsored by Sparkasse Spree-Neiße and is endowed with 5,000 EUR.
Jury justification: The award for the best performance goes to Eka Chavleishvili for shaping an unforgettable character with such power, grandeur, and bravery that you simply cannot take your eyes off her.
Short Film Competition
Main Prize for Best Short Film – It`s alright (Anton Zhuk, BY 2022)
The main prize for the best short film, endowed with 2,500 EUR, is sponsored by Druckzone from Cottbus. The Short Film Jury consists of the Kazakh producer Yuliya Kim, the Development Producer Franziska Gärtner from Berlin, and the Potsdam actor Thomas Drechsel, known from the TV series "Gute Zeiten Schlechte Zeiten."
Jury justification: This film is well-crafted in every way. It shows only a small moment in life, but with so many layers that open a battlefield of the human soul. The Short Film Prize goes to IT'S ALRIGHT.
Special Prize for a Director – THE GHOST YOU DRAW ON MY BACK (Nikola Stojanović RS/EE 2023)
The Special Prize for a Director is sponsored by Tiede+ and is endowed with 1,500 EUR.
Jury justification: We fell in love with the cinematic language, the power of sensuality, and the courage to open the dialogue within it. We were impressed by how much life and energy could be captured in a short film. The Special Prize for Best Director goes to Nikola Stojanović.
Youth Film Competition
Best Youth Film – Dyad (Yana Titova, BG 2023)
The prize for the best youth film is endowed with 5,000 EUR and is sponsored by the City of Cottbus. The jury consists of students from the 12th grade of the Niedersorbisches Gymnasium Cottbus.
Jury justification: "The film has a plot that none of us expected, the story captivated and convinced us. A superb film that describes various issues like drug use, dependency, but also abuse and generational conflict in a very good way," says the jury justification.
DIALOG Prize for Understanding Between Cultures
1,500 EUR sponsored by Rotary Club Cottbus
VASIL (Avelina Prat, ES/BG, 2022)
Jury: Sinta Weisz (actress), Beata Dzianowicz (director), Vlad Petri (director).
Jury justification: The film has the ability to build a bridge between different backgrounds and dreams and gives us the opportunity to learn from each other. Just as dialogue arises through words, this film builds dialogue through silence, visual language, and emotions. The film presents its drama with subtlety and humor. The immigrant in the film had everything needed to be successful as an intellectual: a brilliant mind, a friendly and funny character, but as an outsider, he had to lose. There were many games to win, but not the game of life. We have decided to award this special prize, the Dialogue Prize, to the film VASIL directed by Avelina Prat.
Best Debut Film Prize
3,000 EUR sponsored by Brandenburg Technical University Cottbus-Senftenberg and Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF
HELA (Anna Kasperska, PL 2022)
Jury: Prof. Verena Issel (BTU), Alice Palchetti (HFF), Prof. Christa Petersen (BTU)
Jury justification: A courageous film. A film with strong female characters in a country where feminism has been threatened in recent years. A film that criticizes state and church institutions with its own film language. A protagonist who pursues her own perspective and emancipates herself. The film shows the struggle against a rigid patriarchal system. Even if an ultimate breakout does not seem possible yet, solidarity and sisterhood open up a future perspective - perhaps even for an entire country? The winner of the debut prize is HELA by ANNA KAPSERKA from Poland!
FIPRESCI Prize
of the Féderation Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique
LIBERTATE by Tudor Giurgiu, RO/HU, 2023
Jury: Katrin Hillgruber (DE), Angelo Mitchievici (RO), Giuseppe Sedia (IT)
Jury justification: Gunshots in Sibiu/Hermannstadt in December 1989. Experiencing a revolution on the screen can be uncomfortable and captivating at the same time. The director manages to give shape to the historical chaos by creating a film that goes beyond the aesthetics of the Romanian New Wave. The FIPRESCI Prize goes to Tudor Giurgiu's film "Libertate."
Ecumenical Jury Prize
sponsored by SIGNIS and INTERFILM
BLACKBIRD BLACKBIRD BLACKBERRY (Elene Naveriani, GE/CH 2023)
Jury: Brigitta Rotach (CH), Beáta Kézdi (HU)
Jury justification: In poetic imagery and rich colors, the film tells the story of a strong, independent woman in the middle of her life. The way Ethero calmly finds her own happiness, the bodies that do not conform to external beauty standards, and the unexpected turn of events encourage staying true to oneself, away from conventions. For this reason, we award the Ecumenical Jury Prize to the Georgian feature film "Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry."
Long Night of the Short Lusatians
Prize of the Foundation for the Sorbian People, endowed with 1,500 EUR
"Ankleidezimmer – Hoblekaŕnje" Frauke Rahr (DE 2022)
Sorbian Young Talent Award of the Foundation for the Sorbian People, endowed with 1,000 EUR
"Vom Suchen und Finden – Pytaś a namakaś" (Luka Golinski, Mira Dubian, DE 2023)
Audience Award
3,000 EUR sponsored by Lausitzer Rundschau
CLARA (Sabin Dorohoi, RO/DE 2023)
Jury: Audience of the Cottbus Film Festival
"Cottbus to Cinema" Award - to promote the distribution of a festival film
10,000 EUR sponsored by Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg
BLACKBIRD BLACKBIRD BLACKBERRY (Elene Naveriani, GE/CH 2023)
MIOB in Shorts Award, endowed with 1,000 EUR
"Primal Therapy" (Santtu Salminen, FI 2022) Nomination of the FilmFestival Cottbus.
The FilmFestival Cottbus is largely supported by the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg and the City of Cottbus as well as the Media Programme of the European Union.
