Introducing the award-winners
of the 41st
Munich International Film Festival
from left to right: Julia Weigel, Christoph Gröner, Jessica Lange, Michael Cristofer at the CineMerit Award ceremony at the Deutsches Theater as part of the 41st FILMFEST MÜNCHEN on June 29, 2024.© Kurt Krieger / Filmfest München
Award Reception im Amerikahaus im Rahmen des 41. FILMFEST MÜNCHEN am 06. Juli 2024. © Kurt Krieger / Filmfest München
IMPRESSIONS at the NDK Premiere GAME NIGHT in the Arri Cinema as part of the 41st FILMFEST MUNICH on July 3, 2024.© Joel Heyd / Filmfest München
A highlight of the 41st Munich International Film Festival was today’s presentation of the awards in the five international competitions (CineCoPro, CineMasters, CineVision, CineRebels, and CineKindl), the FIPRESCI Prize, the Young Jury Award, and the three Audience Awards. The German Cinema New Talent Awards were already presented on Friday evening. The most lucrative prize for German co-producers, the 100,000-euro CineCoPro Award, which is financed by FFF Bayern and was reintroduced this year, went to the film “To a Land Unknown” by Mahdi Fleifel.
Jury CineCoPro Baran bo Odar, Leonie Benesch, Sol Bondy bei der Award Reception im Amerikahaus im Rahmen des 41. FILMFEST MÜNCHEN am 06. Juli 2024.
© Kurt Krieger / Filmfest München
“Our juries have truly embraced an affirmation of the diversity of global cinema. Meticulous in their artistry, socially relevant, and forward-thinking in their cinematic approach, our winning films show what cinema today can be. Our first Audience Day, which beckons audiences to theaters at reduced admission prices, offers another chance to discover all of these films here at the Munich International Film Festival,” say festival director Christoph Gröner and artistic co-director Julia Weigl.
Award Reception im Amerikahaus im Rahmen des 41. FILMFEST MÜNCHEN am 06. Juli 2024.
© Kurt Krieger / Filmfest München
This summer, the Munich International Film Festival will once again be taking part in KINO AM KÖNIGSPLATZ (July 23 – August 1, 2024) with a lineup of films to be announced shortly. We’ll then return in the fall with FILMSCHOOLFEST MUNICH – Festival of Future Storytellers (November 15 – November 23, 2024).
CineCoPro Preisstifter Staatsminister Dr. Florian Herrmann überreicht den Award an Victoria Braunholz stellvertretend für Preisträgerin Mahdi Fleifel (TO A LAND UNKNOWN) bei der Award Reception im Amerikahaus im Rahmen des 41. FILMFEST MÜNCHEN am 06. Juli 2024.
© Kurt Krieger / Filmfest München
The 2024 award-winnersCineCoPro Award
“To a Land Unknown” by Mahdi Fleifel and with it the film’s German co-producer, François Morisset of Salaud Morisset, was honored with the CineCoPro Award.
The winning film was selected by a three-member jury of international renown: Baran bo Odar (director and screenwriter), Leonie Benesch (actress), and Sol Bondy (producer).
Honorable mention was given to “The Village Next to Paradise” by Mo Harawe and thus to the film’s German co-producer, Nicole Gerhards of NiKo Film.
After a five-year break, the Munich International Film Festival brought back the 100,000-euro CineCoPro Award. Ten international co-productions involving German co-producers competed for this exceptional award in the CineCoPro competition. The prize money is provided by the FFF Bayern and is distributed to the German co-producers of the winning film for their next co-production. The award was presented by Minister of State Dr. Florian Herrmann.
Jury CineCoPro Baran bo Odar, Leonie Benesch, Sol Bondy with prize donor State Minister Dr. Florian Herrmann present the award to Victoria Braunholz on behalf of award winner Mahdi Fleifel (TO A LAND UNKNOWN) at the award reception in the Amerikahaus as part of the 41st FILMFEST MÜNCHEN on July 6, 2024.
MAHDI FLEIFEL
Mahdi Fleifel is a Palestinian-Danish director who was born in Dubai in 1979. He grew up in a refugee camp in Lebanon before moving to Denmark. He later attended the National Film and Television School in Beaconsfield, England. His documentary A WORLD NOT OURS (2012), which earned more than 30 awards, depicted life in a refugee camp. His first feature film, TO A LAND UNKNOWN, was screened at the Quinzaine des cinéastes at Cannes in 2024.
CineMasters Award
The film “Explanation for Everything” by Gábor Reisz earned the CineMasters Award for best international film, which was presented to producer Júlia Berkes of Proton Cinema LLC. Marie-Lou Sellem (actress, Germany), Moritz Peters (Director of Marketing & Acquisitions, Plaion Pictures, Germany), and Rajendra Roy (Chief Curator of Film, Museum of Modern Art, New York) comprised this year’s independent jury for the CineMasters competition. Fourteen films were in the running this year for the CineMasters Award, worth 50,000 euros and sponsored by ARRI, for the best international film.
Jury CineMasters Marie-Lou Sellem, Moritz Peters, Rajendra Roy with prize donor Dr. Raphael Kiesel (ARRI) and presenter Christina Wolf will present the award (EXPLANATION FOR EVERYTHING) on behalf of the distributor at the Award Reception in the Amerikahaus as part of the 41st FILMFEST MÜNCHEN on July 6, 2024.
GÁBOR REISZ
Gábor Reisz was born in Budapest, Hungary, in 1980. He studied film theory and film history at Eötvös Loránd University, then film and television directing at the University of Theater and Film Arts in Budapest. After making several short films, he made his first feature film, FOR SOME INEXPLICABLE REASON, in 2014, followed by BAD POEMS in 2018. His third film, EXPLANATION FOR EVERYTHING, premiered in Venice in 2023.
CineVision Award
The CineVision Award for the best international film by an emerging director went to “Simón de la Montaña” by Federico Luis. The independent jury that honors the best directorial achievement was comprised of Bob Byington (director and screenwriter, USA), Maksym Nakonechnyi (director, Ukraine), and Sarah Blaßkiewitz (director and screenwriter, Germany). Fourteen talented international directors competed for this award for the best international film by an up-and-coming director. The award, which is sponsored by MPLC Deutschland GmbH (Motion Picture Licensing Company), is worth 15,000 euros.
CineVision Bob Byington, Sarah Blaßkiewitz, Maksym Nakonechnyi, prize donor Robert Merkel (MLPC) present the award for Federico Luis (SIMON DE LA MONTANA) on behalf of programmer Florian Borchmeyer at the award reception in the Amerikahaus as part of the 41st FILMFEST MÜNCHEN on July 6, 2024.
CineVision Bob Byington, Sarah Blaßkiewitz, Maksym Nakonechnyi at the award reception in the Amerikahaus as part of the 41st FILMFEST MÜNCHEN on July 6, 2024.© Kurt Krieger / Filmfest München
FEDERICO LUIS
Federico Luis studied communications at the Universidad de Buenos Aires. His short film LA SIESTA (2019) was screened at the film festivals in Cannes and Toronto. AT THAT VERY MOMENT was named best short film at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam in 2023. SIMON OF THE MOUNTAIN is his first feature-length film. It stars Lorenzo Ferro, who appeared in EL ÁNGEL (2018).
CineRebels Award
The CineRebels Award, presented this year for the third time, went to “Viêt and Nam” by Minh Quý Trương.
Honorable mention was given to “Fragments of Ice” by Maria Stoianova.
This year’s jury consisted of Mia Bays (Director of the Filmmaking Fund at the British Film Institute, UK), Nicolas Wackerbarth (filmmaker and author, Germany), and Dale Dickey (actress, USA). The CineRebels Award is an exciting new platform for films that dare to take risks and break the mold of established filmmaking. Fourteen productions competed for this award, which is now worth 15,000 euros. The festival’s main partner, AUDI, sponsors this award for best directorial achievement.
CineRebels jury Dale Dickey, Nicolas Wackerbarth, Mia Bays and prize donor Joannis Kostelidi (AUDI) and presenter Christina Wolf present the award for Minh Quy Truong (VIET AND NAM) on behalf of co-producers at the award reception in the Amerikahaus as part of the 41st FILMFEST MÜNCHEN on July 6, 2024.
MINH QUÝ TRƯƠNG
Minh Quý Truong was born in the Vietnamese city of Buôn Ma Thuột in 1990. After making several short films, he directed his first feature-length film, THE CITY OF MIRRORS: A FICTIONAL BIOGRAPHY (2016). His second feature film, THE TREE HOUSE, premiered at Locarno in 2019 and was subsequently screened at several festivals. VIÊT AND NAM is his third feature film; it was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at Cannes.
MARIA STOIANOVA
Maria Stoianova was born in Kyiv, Ukraine, where she lives today. She studied cultural studies at the National University of Kyiv–Mohyla Academy and sociology and social anthropology at the Central European University. Her documentary and experimental short films have been screened at several film festivals. FRAGMENTS OF ICE is her first feature film.
CineKindl Award
“Lars Is LOL” by Eirik Sæter Stordahl won the CineKindl Award for best children’s film.
Since 2022, the film production company megaherz has presented the CineKindl Award to the best film in the CineKindl section at the Munich International Film Festival. This award for outstanding directorial work was presented this year by a jury comprised of Barbara Kronenberg (director and screenwriter, Germany), Philipp Budweg (producer, Germany), and Jytte-Merle Böhrnsen (actress, stage director, and screenwriter, Germany). This award has a value of 2,500 euros.
CineKindl Award Jury Philipp Budweg, Barbara Kronenberg with prize donor Tobi Krell and award winner Eirik Sæter Stordahl (LARS IS LOL) at the award reception in the Amerikahaus as part of the 41st FILMFEST MÜNCHEN on July 6, 2024.© Kurt Krieger / Filmfest München
© Marius Matzow Gulbrandsen
Young Jury Award
The Young Jury Award, presented this year for the first time, went to “Hoard” by Luna Carmoon.
Honorable mention went to “Sisterqueens” by Clara Stella Hüneke.
The jury was comprised of Lorenzo Germeno (actor), Virgina Olivia Obiakor (actress), Johannes Rockstuhl (screenwriting student at HFF Munich), Maryna Shymko (student), and Tarik Uslu (student).
LUNA CARMOON
Luna Carmoon is a self-taught writer-director born and bred in London. She made the short films NOSEBLEED (2019) and SHAGBANDS (2020), both of which were screened at the BFI London Film Festival. Her first feature film, HOARD, premiered in Venice in 2023.
CLARA STELLA HÜNEKE
Clara Stella Hüneke studied video art and for her bachelor’s degree she shot PARKO, a documentary film about a squatted parking lot, in Athens in 2015. She enrolled at the Filmakademie to study directing in 2018. Her animated film AUF BALD, DEINE CLARA was screened at the Stuttgart International Festival of Animated Film and various other festivals. SISTERQUEENS is her film for her master’s degree. She is currently working on her first feature film.
Audience Awards
The festival’s Audience Awards were also presented alongside the others. The Audience Awards, supported by media partners Bayerischer Rundfunk and Süddeutsche Zeitung, went to “Führer and Seducer” by Joachim A. Lang in the national category and “Samia” by Yasemin Şamdereli, in collaboration with Deka Mohamed Osman in the international category.
The CineKindl Audience Award went to “Dìdi” by Sean Wang.
International and National Audience Award from BR and Süddeutsche Zeitung with the award donors Markus Aicher (BR) and Susanne Hermannski (SZ) with award winner Yasemin Samdereli (SAMIA) at the award reception in the Amerikahaus as part of the 41st FILMFEST MÜNCHEN on July 6, 2024.
National Audience Award from BR and Süddeutsche Zeitung with the award sponsors Markus Aicher (BR) and Susanne Hermannski (SZ) with award winner Yasemin Samdereli (SAMIA) at the award reception in the Amerikahaus as part of the 41st FILMFEST MÜNCHEN on July 6, 2024. © Kurt Krieger / Filmfest München
National Audience Award from BR and Süddeutsche Zeitung on behalf of Robert Stadlober (Führer und Verführer) at the award reception in the Amerikahaus as part of the 41st FILMFEST MÜNCHEN on July 6, 2024. © Kurt Krieger / Filmfest München
International and National Audience Award from BR and Süddeutsche Zeitung with the award sponsors Markus Aicher (BR) and Susanne Hermannski (SZ) with the representatives of SAMIA and Führer und Verführer at the award reception in the Amerikahaus as part of the 41st FILMFEST MÜNCHEN on July 6, 2024.© Kurt Krieger / Filmfest München
FIPRESCI Prize
Since 2015, the International Film Critics Association (FIPRESCI) has presented an award in the New German Cinema section at the Munich International Film Festival.
This year it went to “Sad Jokes” by Fabian Stumm.
The FIPRESCI critics’ jury consisted of Jason Gorber (journalist and film critic), Paola Casella (journalist and film critic), and Rudolf Worschech (journalist and film critic).
Fipresci jury Jason Gorber, Paola Casella, Rudolf Worschech with award winner Fabian Stumm (Sad Jokes) at the award reception in the Amerikahaus as part of the 41st FILMFEST MÜNCHEN on July 6, 2024.© Kurt Krieger / Filmfest München
German Cinema New Talent Award
On Friday, July 5, 2024, up-and-coming German talent was also honored with the coveted German Cinema New Talent Award. The jury — which consisted of Mariko Minoguchi (director and screenwriter), Denis Moschitto (actor and director), and Florian Koerner von Gustorf (film producer) — honored Fabian Stumm as best director for his film “Sad Jokes”. Semih Korhan Güner clinched the award for best production for the drama “Smell of Burnt Milk”. Aaron Arens and Lukas Loose took the award for best screenplay and a slot in the Bavaria Fiction mentoring program for “Places in the Sun”. Atika Jumaih Bashiru received the award for best acting performance for her role in the film “O Chale”.
Bernd Burgemeister TV Production Awards
Previously, on Sunday, June 30, 2024, the two prestigious Bernd Burgemeister TV Production Awards for outstanding achievement in production were presented. The three-member jury, chaired by producer Dagmar Rosenbauer and including Jan Kruse (Bavaria Fiction) and Martin Richter (Rat Pack Filmproduktion), honored producers Maren Knieling and Lars Jessen (Florida Film GmbH) for the comedy “Micha Thinks Big” starring Charly Hübner as best TV movie. The award for best series or miniseries went to producers Katrin Haase, Oliver Arnold (U5 Filmproduktion GmbH & Co. KG), and Lasse Scharpen (Studio Zentral) for the vampire-themed series “Love Sucks”.
Fritz Gerlich Prize
This year’s Fritz Gerlich Prize was awarded by Tellux Next to “Tatami” by Zar Amir and Guy Nattiv.
One Future Prize
This year’s One Future Prize, awarded by the Interfilm Academy, went to the documentary “Petra Kelly – Act Now!” by Doris Metz. The 2024 One Future Honorary Award was presented posthumously to Petra Kelly for her life’s work and her tireless engagement with sociopolitical issues.
Wafa’a Celine Halawi (cast) at the spotlight screening RETRATO DE UM CERTO ORIENTE in the Astor Kino, Club as part of the 41st FILMFEST MÜNCHEN on July 6, 2024.© Bojan Ritan / Filmfest München
Sandra Maria Dujmovic, Joachim A. Lange, Till Derenbach and contemporary witnesses at the FilmTalk NEVER AGAIN IS NOW in the Amerikahaus Theatersaal as part of the 41st FILMFEST MUNICH on July 4, 2024.© Ronny Heine / Filmfest München
Kate Winslet at the film talk after the premiere of THE PHOTOGRAPHER on the sidelines of the CINEMERIT AWARDS at the Deutsches Theater as part of the 41st MUNICH FILMFEST on July 2, 2024.© Kurt Krieger / Munich Film Festival
ROYAL ARTS VISIONS; Introducing the award-winners of the 41st Munich International Film Festival