Letter by the Jury
Awards of the 18th dokumentART 2009:

The Latücht-Award of the Ministry of Education, Science and Culture of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern
Fleur et couteau / Flower and Knife
von Sung Jae ‘Rêvo’ Kim, Frankreich 2009
(click on film title to read jury statement)

The Award of the Marshall of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship
Ha‘Agada al Nicolai Ve‘Hok Hashvut / The Tale of Nicolai and The Law of Return
von David Ofek, Israel 2008


Jury Statement:
"The film depicts the absurdity of a would-be ethnic belonging."
(click on film title to read jury statement)

David Ofek words of thank you:
"It is a great privilege for us to have our film screened at the dokumentArt Festival. We are truly excited to receive this recognition and most proud to accept the award. This was a very special project for us, where while checking the boundaries of Documentary filmmaking and in the traditional form of a humoristic tale, we chose to expose the hardship of foreign workers in Israel and to put a spotlight on the paradox of one of Israel's basic laws, which continuously generates discrimination and injustice."

The City of Neubrandenburg Award
Spendensucht / Donation Addiction
von Lutz Heineking jr., Deutschland 2008
(click on film title to read jury statement)

The Award of the Mecklenburgische Versicherungsgruppe
Sollbruchstelle / The devil hides in doubt
von Eva Stotz, Deutschland 2008
(click on film title to read jury statement)

Honorary Mention
Radfahrer / Biker
von Marc Thümmler, Deutschland 2008
(click on film title to read jury statement)

The "Findling" Award of the State Association of Film Communication Mecklenburg Vorpommern
Urlaub vom Frieden / Vacation from Peace
von Amin Hak-Hagir, Österreich 2008
Jury Statement:
„There is no place as lonesome as the human mind!“
This festival has given us access to many minds and worlds and as an audience we have been confronted with a variety of perspectives. As is the case with this young man, whose detailed depiction of his daily routine as a mercenary soldier could not be any more gruesome or daunting.
During his narration he squats in a cowering position, sometiomes relaxed, at other times like an animal reduced to its senses. He disguises his identity by a pair of shades and he presents himself in a camouflage uniform that he has chosen himself to wear for the film. He reveals himself as a war veteran who tells his story to this day unreflected and without emotions. His visual style of narration shocks and divides the audience.
The „findling tour“ will show the film across Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in village cinemas and student clubs. A film that will most certainly will spur many heated discussions.

The Award of the Student Union Greifswald
Odd's Odds
von Ånund Austenå, Norwegen 2009
.
Jury statement:
"Authenticity, emphathy and a realistic depiction of the protagonist, all attributes of the film we are awarding. Accompanying the main character without distraction or staging effects the film shows the drama of a single person. The audience is able to put itsself into his position and to reflect its own attitude towards the topic of loneliness. The film starts with a 360° pan through his living environment, drawing the viewer into the life of the person it is portraying. Abstaining from any sort of narration or interview situation, the audience gains direct access to the protagonist’s reality. The film reflects the affliction of loneliness that could strike anyone."

The Award of the Student Jury sponsored by the University of Szczecin
The Right to Privacy
von Alice Nelson, Großbritannien 2008
.
Jury Statement:
"For an excellent combination of animation and documentary,
for dealing with serious problems in an unconventional but not necessarily serious way,
for it’s great sense of humour and it’s respectful distance,
for telling a complex story within a seemingly simple tale,
for playing with the audience’s expectations, inside the cinema as well as outside when capturing the voices of the people in the street."

The Audience award of Norddeutscher Rundfunk (NDR) Man stirbt / The Death of One
von Patrick Doberenz & Philip Enders, Deutschland 2009
.

The Audience Award sponsored by the TVP SZCZECIN
John Arthur Geall (La promesse) / A hidden Genius - John Arthur Geall
von LM Formentin, Frankreich 2008
.

The Golden Mobile Award sponsored by the University of Szczecin for the best film of the telefonART festival Kamil Klebanski for the film "Tramwajowa walka psów".

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Every year young filmmakers from all over Europe meet at the European Film Festival for Documentaries dokumentART to show their latest productions. The competition includes films and multi media projects up to 60 minutes in length. Submission deadline for the 18th edition of dokumentART was June 30th 2009.

Out of 371 entries 60 films from 11 European countries were selected for the competition and another 7 films for the Eastern European showcase. Winner films will be determined by four independent juries awarding prizes up to 12,500 €.

Traditionally a special emphasis is placed on films from Eastern Europe, like the ongoing programme exchange between dokumentART and our long term partner, the Polish debut film festival “Mlodzi i Film”, Koszalin. Exhibitions of videoART, panel discussions, workshops, children and school screenings complete the program.

dokumentART’s most special feature is the cross border cooperation between Szczecin and Neubrandenburg. For the third consecutive year the fetsival is created, organized and financed by Germans and Poles from the Pomerania region and screened simultaneously in both Neubrandenburg and Szczecin.