Young FABW Films Featured at Saarbrücken’s Renowned Festival
With four entries in the competition and additional productions in other programme sections, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg will have a strong presence at the 46th edition of the prestigious Max Ophüls Preis Film Festival (January 20–26, 2025). The long-standing festival in Saarbrücken is considered one of the most important showcases for young German-language cinema.
In the Documentary Film Competition, the graduate productions WOLKEN ÜBER LÜTZERATH (directed by Lukas Reiter) and YUMI – THE WHOLE WORLD (directed by Felix Golenko) will compete. The first film captures the story of Lützerath, the last village in the Rhineland coal-mining area, which has become a symbol of climate protests and political conflict. YUMI – THE WHOLE WORLD follows three young law students on their bold journey to bring climate change to the International Court of Justice, highlighting the global dimensions of their cause. The film has already been screened at the International Court of Justice in The Hague and at the United Nations in New York.
The fiction film SKIN ON SKIN (directed by Simon Schneckenburger) has made it into the Medium-Length Film Competition. In just under 30 minutes, this compelling drama unfolds in an industrial slaughterhouse, where a silent connection forms between a security guard and a worker, leading both into a spiral of power and helplessness.
The Short Film Competition features AT HOME I FEEL LIKE LEAVING (directed by Simon Maria Kubiena*). This 20-minute drama tells the story of a young woman returning to her hometown after her father disappears in the forest. Torn between the confines of her parental home and the lightheartedness of the summer solstice celebration, she seeks her place in life.
The MOP Series section includes SPÄTI (directed by Marleen Valien* and Max Rainer), a humorous tale of a young man attempting a fresh start in a Berlin convenience store after setbacks in his personal and professional life.
The Premiere Short Film Tour programme features the FABW production MELODIES OF BARKING DOGS (directed by Daniel Huss*, produced by Rebecca Hartung and Alexia Wallemacq - ALP). The film delves into the life of Toni, who spends an evening with friends at a community hall. As “Schlager” music plays in the background and tensions rise, Toni observes an older couple dancing and begins questioning his own desires and longings. The film, produced through the Atelier Ludwigsburg-Paris postgraduate programme (ALP), recently won the German Short Film Award.
The festival's Children and Youth Film programme includes the graduate series project HULDUFÓLK – A HIDDEN WORLD (directed by Andri Freyr Gilbertsson and Aron Pétur Ólafsson), a magical tale of a girl discovering a hidden elf community in Iceland.
Additionally, the “Diskurze” sidebar will showcase a programme curated by FABW alumna Güzin Kar, offering critical dialogues on current societal issues.
Finally, the Atelier Ludwigsburg-Paris programme will present its latest German-French short film series, created in collaboration with La Fémis, ARTE, and SWR. This year’s theme is "LET’S DANCE". The Atelier Ludwigsburg-Paris is a one-year postgraduate programme focused on film production, financing, distribution, and marketing for European filmmakers, conducted at La Fémis and Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg.
For over 40 years, the Max Ophüls Preis has been dedicated to showcasing and promoting emerging German-language filmmakers. This year, artistic director Svenja Böttger and programme director Theresa Winkler will present a total of 57 films across four competition categories, including 38 world premieres. The entire festival program features 151 contributions and is now available on the official website.
