Awards

Submissions compete in the following categories

Best Film

Best Short

Best Actor

Best Actress

Best Director

Best Producer

Best Cinematography

Best Action

Best Animated

Best Comedy

Best Drama

Best Horror

Best Documentary

Best of Host Country (Germany 2021)

2021 Award Winners & Nominees

Winner of Best Film

The Huntress – Rune of the Dead

Rasmus Tirzitis – Director

811 AD, a family, isolated in their home, deep in the woods a few days travel from Birka. They are poor, the hunting and fishing have been bad for some time, and the father, Joar, takes the desperate measure of going on a Viking raid. Runa, the oldest daughter, takes over her father’s chores in his absence. There is something in the air, the water, the wind and in the soil. Runa is becoming aware of something vile, something dangerous out in the forest, and in her heart she knows that the suffering of the family has just begun.

Best Film Nominees

Two Autumns in Paris

Gibelys Coronado – Director

The love story of Maria Teresa, a young Paraguayan, political refugee who escaped from her country to save herself from the criminal repression of the dictatorship of the bloodthirsty general Alfredo Stroessner, and Antonio, a wealthy young man attending law school. Many years later, it’s autumn and Antonio arrives in Paris, facing the memories of an unforgettable love that scarred him forever and changed the course of his life.

Bandidos and Balentes – The Unwritten Code

Fabio Manuel Mulas – Director

Sardinia 50s … the film tells episodes filmed in a country not defined inland, linked to the vengeance and the banditry of those years. Mintonia, is the victim of this scourge, having lost her husband and son at the hands of bandits. The open ending leaves the audience to free interpretation and reflection on the attitude of Mintonia and Bobore who at some point make a decision that will upset their lives.

The Dreams of Lonely People

Marek Leszczewski – Director

After twenty years in prison, a man returns to his family home to die alone. A mysterious figure from the magical world of nature begins to appear in his surroundings. Getting to know her could be the best time of his life. What are the real consequences of this meeting?

Ablutomania

Zohreh Shafiee – Director

The municipal waste collection and recycling union has introduced a new law: “Each person has the privilege of only two sacks”. The law is passed; the work balance of the young female head of the household in the story is upset. The female character enters a deep challenge in her life Because the only new and fresh force of the soul is none other than one of her children. Choosing between a toddler (twelve years old) and a toddler (six years old), which one to take with you?

Winner Best Short Film

Charlie

Maitha Alawadi – Director

A short drama about the journey of a struggling young teen who is starting his transition from male to female while dealing with his feelings towards his new stepfather.

Best Short Nominees

Restart

Julian Tałandziewicz – Director

Janek is a young medical intern who struggles with financial problems and doubts about his future. Although he has been working so hard, the day before his promotion he makes a risky decision that may change his life forever

Nahid

Samad Alizadeh – Director

In the traditional and patriarchal society of Iran, women’s photos are not allowed to be printed on death notices, but Nahid, looking for her lost historical identity, faces her family and herself with a new challenge…

3 Years. 1 Night.

Bartosz Jakub Jasinski – Director

A juxtaposition of two dimensions of the same story – the first takes place for one night and talks about Krzysztof’s journey to the seaside to scatter Ewa’s ashes, his deceased love partner, who accompanies him in his imagination. The second dimension is three years of memories – from a timidly awakening feeling, through a mature love relationship, up to Ewa’s diagnosis.

Sushi with Kebda

Bassma Farah – Director

Amir is a middle-aged married man who works at a boring 9 to 5 job. His daily routine is to go to the coffee shop with his colleague, Amr, get yelled at by his wife Sandy, and have all the nagging and attention seeking from his 4-year-old daughter, Sarah. One day he meets his daughter’s art teacher, Nadine, a 20-year-old attractive girl who grabs his attention by flirting with him and then later inviting him to her house.

Winner Best Actor

Salvo Campisano

in 90 BPM & Jabal – Wings of Ice

90 BPM

Salvo Campisano – Director

A shot. A body falls from a building. A countdown starts. A car pulls away, leaving, and a man, Cristian, chases her, starting her frantic race to reach her. During the chase, the man will find himself involved in a series of strange encounters with different characters who will help him (or hinder him) in his goal of reaching the car. Time goes by, the car is always further away … What will happen when the countdown expires? Why must he reach the car? Who is Cristian?

Jabal – Wings of Ice

Salvo Campisano – Director

Two inseparable friends passionate about adventurous trips to esoteric places decide to leave for an expedition on Mount Etna where, according to legend, there would be a rare animal, with extraordinary powers: the albino cirneco. Once on the spot, however, they will witness a mysterious event that will change their destiny forever. In the meantime, a police commissioner will follow suit.

Best Actor Nominees

Richard Pekárek -Only Human

Lukas Vizner – Director

A short movie about a relationship of a talented pianist Christoph and an experienced porn-star Philip opens a complex topic of prejudice in society, as well as within LGBTI community.

Lars Erik Gabrisch -Plastic Spaceship

John Brandt – Director

Struggling to provide for his son whilst chasing his dreams, Gerd finds out there is a lot more to successful parenting than love.

Ahmadshekib Qaderi – Me & Myself

Paeman Arianfar – Director

Shams is a 16-years-old boy who is caught between life conflicts, in particular his sexual tendency. In Afghanistan, marriage is the sole way to answer this need but sometimes young people have to pick another path to fulfill it.

Bartosz Mikulak – Restart

Julian Talandziewicz – Director

Winner Best Actress

Malgorzata Kowalska

3 Years. 1 Night.

Bartosz Jakub Jasinski – Director

Best Actress Nominees

Abbey Siegworth – Stolen Season

Pascal Payant – Director

A therapist spirals into obsession as evidence points that a troubled teen could be her own child surrendered 17 years ago.

Laura Bayston – Hungry Joe

Paul Holbrooke, Same Dawe – Directors

A single mother struggles to bond with her apathetic child; born with an insatiable and increasingly inhumane appetite.

Moa Enqvist Stefansdotter – The Huntress: Rune of the Dead

Rasmus Tirzitis – Director

Shir Cohen – Fight Back

Loren Trabelsi – Director

Rotem, an adolescent girl, prepares for an important Thai Boxing competition. She begins to date Shachar, a boy from the group, but after a short while decides that he is standing in her way. She decides to end the relationship, but Shachar doesn’t take it appropriately.

Winner Best Director

Mojtaba Ghasemi

Khoonab

A group of women fleeing from a war zone, hoping that they don’t get captured and raped by warlords and soldiers, got trapped in a moor and hid inside a hut. But the enemy blocked all means of escape. Their only chance for salvation is to victimize one of their group…

Best Director Nominees

Vigneshkumar B

Hitlerin Kadaisi Ninaivugal (Hitler’s last memories)

A drug addict named Hitler tries to escape from rehabilitation centre with group of other patients. He regains the memories experienced in his past with Kannagi. At last they all escaped or not?

József Gallai

The Poltergeist Diaries

After moving to an isolated cabin, Jacob Taylor vanishes without a trace. With the help of footage he leaves behind, his family members, friends and a detective try to find answers to the strange events that are centered around him.

Rodrigo Areias

Surdine

In a rural setting, an old man is told his dead wife was seen at the market. Spiteful and sad, he chooses to hide away from the rest of the world. However, his friends insist that he shouldn’t listen to hearsay and that he should try to recover and, who knows, even remarry. It’s a story about the delicateness of old age, of what is still left to dream and love when you reach this life stage, and the body weakens. It takes place in an ancient and hidden Portugal that still exists despite our efforts of modernization.

Kemal Çipe

Azer

The film builds layers with symbols, names, actions, and dialogues. A basic story in one layer, a heritage story, and 3 different stories on the other layers. One is the Adam-Eve- Devil story, the other one 1980 and 2016 Turkish military Coup and last one Oedipus story and Oedipus complex. Because of this the performers have more than one character. For example, Ada, she is Azer’s lover, Eve and she is symbol of Power.

Winner Best Producer

Francisco Vilarroel, Alejandro Leon, Marcos De Armas, Rubén Fonseca, Anna Karina Leiva

Two Autumns in Paris

Best Producer Nominees

Maxim Chisnicean

Memory

Edmund and Mari wake up in the morning, in a city foreign to them, trying to find out who they are and where their house is. Everyone behaves as if they know them, only they don’t remember anything, but then they understand that they can’t leave this place anymore, they are closed and only a lottery chooses who are leaving the place. All their attempts to find out fail.

Metin Kuru

Sealed Invasion

Three sociology students, who are going to an outlying village using the funds of the public authorities for a folkloric study, will research an exorcising ritual, which happened there years ago and ended with the death of a girl named Perihan. Due to all information of Hanife, which all are lies and under the guidance of Hasan, who is the only one, who accepts helping them, their research turns into a dangerous and spiritual journey and the team members begin to find themselves lost inside all the incidents.

Diego Gueler

The World We Would Like

A group of friends leaves the city of Buenos Aires to create a different life in some paradisiacal lands in the mountains of Cordoba (Argentina). 13 dreamers -including 3 children- who bet everything on a challenging community organization, where they prove firsthand that the same angels and demons will also persecute them to live in harmony. The dream of creating an ecovillage manages to materialize, but first they will have to go through strong challenges and learnings as a group.

Petra Terzi

She Should Run

Cyprus is the last divided country in Europe. The film explores in depth the recent history of Cyprus including the Turkish invasion (1974), human rights, gender equality through the witnesses of nine women involved in politics in Cyprus. The mission of this documentary is to expand the talent pool of Women running for office in Cyprus and inspire more women to take action to serve in the community. A nationwide community of Women leaders are interviewed, including exclusive interviews of the First Lady and the Prime Minister of Cyprus; many are already community change-makers, leaders in their fields or workplaces.

Winner Best Cinematography

Marek Leszczewski

The Dreams of Lonely People

THe Dreams Of Lonely People

Best Cinematography Nominees

Peyman Zandi

The Dance of Life

Dance of Life documentary film is a long, Vicissitudes and exciting story about water throughout Iran. When water moves in this direction, it encounters a variety of events. It passes through various nature and passes through Iranian tribes. Humans, along with water, celebrate various ceremonies and rejoice in the presence of this blessing. And when the water as a traveler leaves them, they will have other rituals to return it again. And this spin and journey always goes on. File narrative by language of Water.

Ben Blaskovic

Käpt’n

Max and Anna go on a sailing trip to Croatia. But what seems like wonderful vacation at first, soon turns out to be a struggle between love and death, that forces Max into a terrible sacrifice.

Faten AlFaraj

Life Jacket

LIFE JACKET takes us in a journey with some of the refugees as they share their heartbreaking stories of fleeing the war and persecution hoping to reach a safer place for themselves and their families. Trusting a simple LIFE JACKET to keep them safe while crossing the Aegean Sea to reach the Island of Lesvos they will end up in Camp Moria – a place said to be worse than living in a war zone.

Winner Action Film

Bandidos and Balentes “the unwritten code”

Fabio Manuel Mulas – Director

Sardinia 50s … the film tells episodes filmed in a country not defined inland, linked to the vengeance and the banditry of Those Years. Mintonia, is the victim of this scourge, having lost her husband and son at the hands of bandits. The open ending leaves the audience to free interpretation and reflection on the attitude of Mintonia and Bobore son at some point make a decision that will upset their Lives

Best Action Nominees

Arizona 1878

By chance and fortuitously, two prisoners from the prison of the state of Yuma, Ted Logan (Micky Molina) and Ricardo Montero (Jose Varela) meet with freedom, in the future, a desert and an adventure that runs, Indians and an implacable Marshall. John Donovan (Pedro Lopez) Ted and Ricardo’s cellmate who had previously been released for eight long years behind bars, embarks along with his brother Frank (Alex Navarro) in the search for those who betrayed him.

Khoonab

Mojtaba Ghasemi- Director

The Siege

Mark Lakatos – Director

The very first narrative-driven short film that pairs action filmmaking with the methods of the self-defence system Krav-Maga, ‘The Siege’ finds a local crime lord taking an important hostage in order to draw out a long-time foe.

Winner Animated Film

Ellipsis

Jorge Corpi – Director

Submerged in a dystopia two opposing forces fight for the right to either create or destroy cycles. A look into the relationship between human nature and technology takes you to a journey you won’t expect.

Best Animated Nominees

Proteo’s Secret

Leonel Del Piccolo, Cristian Varnelli – Directors

In a post-apocalyptic future, Proteo, a man with a mechanical prosthesis in place of an arm, will be questioned by Detective Norton to find out his involvement in a crime. Together, they will dig deep into the unexpected meeting with Newton, a young environmentalist, who has arrived in the forest where Proteo dwells attempting to defend it from deforestation.

Benjamin

Mohsen Enayati – Director

Benjamin is part of the lives of the Israelite’s people in ancient Egypt. Benjamin is a boy’s story of that name who has to go on a dangerous journey to save his mother’s life from Pharaoh’s soldiers, On this journey, there are things that happen to him that change his view of society and his life.

Radha

Bimal Poddar – Director

Radha, at its core, is a film about love and sacrifice. Does unconditional and pure love ever die or is it eternal? Do we ever lose those whom we truly love? Or are they standing by our side even when we cannot see them? Do those who truly love us ever leave us? Or does the eternal bond between two people with such love ever breaks…. The film is an ode to the ones who wait for us back at home.

Too Late

Kinga Syrek – Director

The protagonist of the animated film is Edie Sedgwick, a model, actress, and star of Andy Warhol’s films. The film, however, is not about her relationship with Warhol, but the relationship with her toxic father. “Too Late – is a tribute to the Queen of the Underground for the 50th anniversary of her death. The soundtrack of the film was produced by Robert Margouleff, who was Edie’s friend, a co-producer of Ciao! Manhattan (her final film before her death at age 28) and a Grammy Award winner for his work with Stevie Wonder.

Winner Best Comedy Film

Boyzhetken. She’s all that

Abdel Fiftybayev – Director

Anelya lives and studies abroad. She only comes to her native town during the summer holidays. Everything she sees around seems to her dull and uninteresting. She does not really wish to come back here, until she meets Dan, a simple guy, a street musician who creates a musical group to attract her attention. Will the history of their life continue in Anelya’s native town or will the fate throw them to the faraway corners of the planet?

Best Comedy Nominees

Cursed Granny

Suso Imbernon, Juanjo Moscardo Rius – Directors

Javi (8) is traumatized by the horror movies that his grandmother Candi plays every night. In fact, he will believe he could be living one when Candi suffers an intestinal stoppage and he confuses it with an alien possession. Javi is going to make a big deal out of it by trying to help his mother get whatever has to be taken out of her grandmother.

Do Not Ask For Your Way

Deborah Hassoun – Director

After 6 years of analysis, Inas, 31 years old, wishes to leave her analyst. When confronted with the magnitude of the task, she decides to get help from another analyst.

Due To Unforeseen Circumstances

Peter Chiviyski – Director

A taxi driver, with long lost confidence and authority, decides to take the risk to prove himself again, but an accident takes him straight to failure.

Winner Best Drama

Stolen Season

Pascal Payant – Director

A therapist spirals into obsession as evidence points that a troubled teen could be her own child surrendered 17 years ago.

Best Drama Nominees

The Way Home

Yiran Zhou – Director

Frustrated by having to work at his mother’s corner store on a Saturday, 18-year-old Jimmy seizes an opportunity to prove himself to a Chinatown hooligan. 30-year-old Haiyang follows a Coyote through the US-Mexican border when his younger brother, Bin, starts to fall ill. As Jimmy and Haiyang venture toward their own goals, it becomes clear that there is a very high price to pay. The film intimately follows them on their emotional, physical, and moral journeys, providing a timely exploration of family, identity, and sacrifice.

Divertimento

Keyvan Sheikhalishahi – Director

Jonas Olsen (Kellan Lutz), a chess player haunted by a tragic past, is given an opportunity to participate in a mysterious game, Divertimento.

Before Darkness

Mosayeb Hanaei – Director

An Afghan woman hides her child in her bag because she does not have enough money to take her across Iranâ€™s border. In the middle of the way, her plan is exposed. She has to make a difficult decision.

Winner Best Horror

Hungry Joe

Paul Holbrook, Sam Dawe – Directors

A single mother struggles to bond with her apathetic child; born with an insatiable and increasingly inhumane appetite.

Best Horror Nominees

It comes from the Heavens / SUCEDIO EN EL CIELO

Oldren Romero – Director

In a place where the eyes of God were the only witnesses. Angel a ten-year-old boy lives with his pregnant mother, his stepfather and grandfather, alone and surrounded by pigs. Angel’s bad behavior at school, her grandfather prostrate in a chair, her husband’s strong work and her advanced state of pregnancy make Angel’s mother not see what is happening beneath the vault of her sky.

Glitches

Ahmed Seddiek – Director

After declaring the state of emergency in Egypt due to a mysteries biological attack, Nada wakes up to find herself facing her worst nightmares. Seeing the destruction and chaos that the biological attack has done to Cairo, She tries to go to her friends’ place only to discover that people have turned into zombies.

FUN.

Robbie Barnes, Kinsley Funari – Directors

In a desperate attempt to rekindle their marriage, Abby and Sam escape to a quaint bed and breakfast in the middle of nowhere – only to find their marriage isn’t the only thing they will be fighting to keep alive.

Winner Best Documentary

Dance of Life

Peyman Zandi – Director

Best Documentary Nominees

Sheep Hero

Ton Van Zantvoort – Director

A poignant, cinematic documentary about a traditional shepherd who is forced to innovate in a neoliberal world that conflicts with his idealistic views. Will his struggle pay off or is he forced to go with the flock? SHEEP HERO is selected in competition by 60+ (renowned) festivals such as IDFA, Visions du Rael, Thessaloniki and DOK.Fest and won a dozen awards already for best film, best director, and best cinematography. SHEEP HERO is theatrically released in several European Countries

Life Jacket

Faten AlFaraj – Director

Artemisia Gentileschi, Warrior Painter

Jordan River – Director

1618, at the age of 23, Artemisia became the first female artist to get international recognition, in touch with the most brilliant minds of her time, including Caravaggio. She is recognized as a modern feminist icon for her unyielding defense of her professional integrity, documented in the letters she wrote to art collectors and other eminent figures of her time, like Galileo Galilei, and for the rape trial she started against a colleague, Agostino Tassi. She survived the experience producing masterpieces that touch the heart and soul of audiences who admire them four hundred years later.

Lil’ Daddy

Mortadha Ghannouchi – Director

A short documentary describing the details of the daily life of a small child who works and studies at the same time. Ayman, 14, who presents himself as the “father of the family”, takes us daily on a journey between the markets where he sells sweets ..

Winner Best German Film – “Host Country”

A Last Hurrah

Luise Brinkmann – Director

This year Christmas is different. Mother is dead and the Brandt siblings will make the best of it, each on their own terms. Or, this might be the one last time they celebrate together. A comical, loving view on managing grief, facing love and the up and downs of family life.

Best German Film Nominees

Peperit8

Aaron J. J. Schmidt – Director

In an experiment for human cloning, Carmina’s DNA is stolen to create a new generation of security clones that are supposed to rule the dystopian world.

Refugee By Mistake

Andre Diwisch – Director

A small village community group set their sight on the absurd goal of protecting the border from refugees. In the end, they finde themselves on the refugee route without any identification documents and money. In an ironic and comic story, an absurd foray becomes an unusual self-discovery trip.

Painted Dust

Youssef Kholti – Director

Concerned about the reasons behind her mother’s unexpected disappearance for seven years, AimÃ©e finds where her mother Marion lives and moves in with her, only to find herself facing an unbearable reality.

2020 Award Winners

Best Actress

Roya Nonahali

The Waltz of Grey Years

Directed by Ali Hosseini

Best Actress

Roya Nonahali

The Waltz of Grey Years

Directed by Ali Hosseini