17 Aug 2024 On the Screen (MD2024/3)

Oberhausen (Germany) 2024

At the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen 2024, two ecumenical juries appointed by INTERFILM and SIGNIS were accredited for the International Competition and the International Children’s and Youth Film Competition. The Prize in the International Competition was endowed with € 2,000 and the prize in the Children’s and Youth Film Competition with € 1,500. Half the prize money was donated by the Protestant Church District of Oberhausen, and the other half by Katholische Filmarbeit in Germany.

The Ecumenical Jury of the International Competition awarded its Prize to O ma (Before then) directed by Xue Mengzhu (Germany, China, 2023).

Motivation: Language can be a barrier: We don’t know the other person’s language or can’t understand what they want to tell us. Language can also be liberating: finally expressing what is on my mind, revealing myself and sharing my inner feelings. But can language be both a barrier and a liberation? Yes, this paradox is possible. Our winning film this year proves it.

By dissolving the traditional categories of speaker and listener, it is also possible to express what cannot be said. A letter in a foreign language becomes a possibility of communication that remains misunderstood, and at the same time the unspeakable is said and no longer hidden.

The film is about our relationship with the people we love, the people we don’t want to let go, and the people we want open up to. But it also shows how the gap between different generations, social systems and places can prevent us from fully understanding each other. It shows us a creative way of dealing with the unspeakable and is a plea for an intense relationship between us and our neighbours.

In addition, the jury awarded a Commendation to Hitbasrut (Decryption) directed by Maya Zack (Israel, 2023).

Motivation: Memories fade – this experience is part of being human. We would give a lot to be able to go back in time for a moment and refresh our memories of people we care about. One film in this year’s competition brings this to the screen in a unique, tactile way. Based on a personal story, the film uses intense scenes to explore a universal human theme. We read it as an opportunity to dive deeper into the existential questions about the other within the self, about the materiality and conditions of memory. The Ecumenical Jury of the Children’s and Youth Film Competition awarded its Prize to The Old Young Crow directed by Liam LoPinto (Japan, USA, 2023).

Motivation: In this film, an elderly man reminisces about a childhood experience of solitude in a new location while reading his old sketchbook. His drawings transport him back to a significant moment in a quiet graveyard, where he found solace and encountered an older woman grieving her son’s loss. This film employs innovative animation techniques alongside live action, weaving a heartfelt narrative about a spiritually sensitive boy adapting to new religious customs. Through connecting with the deceased and reconciling his own losses, he discovers a sense of belonging in his unfamiliar surroundings.

The members of the 2024 Jury in the International Competition were: Alexandra Palkowitsch, Germany/Austria; Phil Rieger, Germany (President of the Jury); Krisztián Tajti, Hungary.

The members of the 2024 Jury of the Children’s and Youth Film Competition were: Franciska Hortoványi, Hungary; Theresia Merz, Austria (President of the Jury); Johan H. Roeland, The Netherlands.

Cannes (France) 2024

At the 77th Cannes Film Festival (14-25 May 2024), the Ecumenical Jury, appointed by INTERFILM and SIGNIS, awarded its Prize to The Seeds of the Sacred Fig (still below) directed by Mohammad Rasoulof (Germany, France, Iran, 2024).

Motivation: When religion is associated with political power and patriarchy, it can destroy the most intimate relationships and the dignity of individuals, as this Iranian family drama embodies. The jury was impressed by the film’s rich symbolism, its generous and hopeful ending, its touches of humour and its heartbreaking tension. The subtlety and sobriety of its writing, both dramatic and filmic, make it a metaphor for any authoritarian theocracy.

Furthermore, to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Ecumenical Jury in Cannes, the Jury awarded a Special Prize to the German filmmaker and playwright Wim Wenders to honour his work.

Members of the 2024 Jury: Alexander Bothe (Germany); Johanna Haberer (Germany); Edgar Octavio Rubio Hernandez (Mexico); Pierre Alain Lods (France); Julienne Munyaneza (Jury President, Rwanda/United Kingdom); Magali van Reeth (France).

Transilvania International Film Festival (Romania) 2024

The Ecumenical Jury Prize at the 23rd edition of the Transilvania International Film Festival (14-23 June 2024), worth 1,000 euros, offered by SIGNIS and INTERFILM went to Zomervacht / Summar Brother directed by Joren Molter (Netherlands).

Motivation: With an emotional and genuine portrayal by the main character, this film weaves a multi-layered social-realist narrative. Its cinematography, perpetually reflecting the underlying conflict, guides us through a journey from ignorance to love, from fear to hope, and from irresponsibility to a profound care for others. The film reminds us that the “other” is always by our side.

The Ecumenical Jury also awarded a Special Mention to: Unde Merg Elefantii / Where Elephants Go directed by Gabi Virginia Șarga and Cătălin Rotaru (Romania).

Motivation: In this brave cinematic meta-fairy-tale, the essential details and necessary nuances that we otherwise ignore in everyday life are seen more clearly. Attentive and open to the unpredictable, we are invited to be aware of the traces we leave in the lives of others and to enjoy the present.

Members of the TIFF Ecumenical Jury 2024: Ileana Bîrsan (Romania); Piet Halma (Netherlands); Tímea Kókai-Nagy (Hungary); Edgar Rubio (Mexico).

Karlovy Vary (Czech Republic) 2024

At the 58th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (June 28 – July 6, 2024), the Ecumenical Jury, appointed by INTERFILM and SIGNIS, awarded its Prize to Elskling (Loveable) directed by Lilja Ingolfsdottir (Norway, 2024).

Motivation: This debut film explores a family drama from the female perspective. The protagonist faces a severe crisis in her marriage. Initially, she blames her husband, but through a difficult and painful process of self-reflection, she gradually acknowledges her own significant responsibility in the situation. This acceptance paves the way for both her and her husband to make a fresh start.

In addition, the jury awarded a Commendation to Panoptikoni (Panopticon) directed by George Sikharulidze (Georgia, France, Italy, Romania, 2024).

Motivation: In this compelling coming-of-age tale, a young teenager grapples with the indifference of his parents, who are preoccupied with their own projects in life. Left to navigate the tumultuous journey to adulthood alone, he has to overcome life’s challenges. His quest for identity and purpose is further muddled by the complexities of a misunderstood and misapplied religiosity, adding layers of conflict and introspection to his path.

Members of the 2024 Jury: Barbora Cihelková (Czech Republic); Guido Convents (Belgium); Viktor Kókai-Nagy (Hungary).