Four Awards for Students and Alumni of FABW

Four Awards for Students and Alumni of FABW

At the festive awards ceremony of the Filmschau Baden-Wuerttemberg (Baden-Wuerttemberg Film Awards) during the 30th Filmschau on December 8, 2024, several students and alumni of Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg were in the spotlight: Awards in the categories of Short Fiction Film, Animation, and the Audience Award went to productions from the Ludwigsburg-based film school. The winner in the Best Feature Film category was predominantly produced by alumni of the FABW. The Filmschau Awards are each endowed with 2,000 euros.

The Baden-Württemberg Film Award for Best Short Fiction Film went to the FABW production HAUS AM HANG (Directed by Konstantin Münzel). The film, made in the second year of study, takes place in a facility for juvenile offenders where physical labor and strict hierarchical structures prevail. The story follows Jurek, whose relationship with newcomer Sascha jeopardizes his release. The film impresses with precise cinematography, strong performances, and unfolds an emotional tension in the context of isolation and dynamics within the institution.

The jury highlighted that the film "develops emotional power with subtle tones" and "convincingly portrays an empathetic study of the tension between toughness and vulnerability."

The Audience Award for Best Short Film went to the diploma film NUR WIR ZWEI (written and directed by Olga Alexandra Müller), which was celebrated for its empathetic storytelling as a touching, personal drama. The 10-year-old Zoya, who lives in Germany with her mother Ilana, constantly feels inadequate, especially in basketball, which they both practice together. When her mother takes her off the court before an important game, Zoya runs away with her stuffed mouse, Mischka. After a search, Ilana realizes that her daughter’s real desire is simply to spend more time together.

The Filmschau Award for Best Animated Film went to DETLEV (Directed by Ferdinand Ehrhardt), a production from FABW´s Animationsinstitut. The film tells the story of a freezing street sweeper who, every evening, goes to a remote gas station and orders a microwaved Hawaiian toast—the only ritual that gives him warmth. But when his ritual is observed by a grinning construction worker one night, his world begins to fall apart, and his desperate search for substitute warmth pulls him into deeper emotional turmoil. The jury praised the film for its "loving details" and "high level of professionalism," which contributed to an "emotional and authentic" story.

And last but not least, the Filmschau Award for Best Feature Film went to the already award-winning drama NO DOGS ALLOWED. The film, which tackles the difficult topic of pedophilia from the perspective of a young person, was predominantly produced by alumni of FABW. The crew included, alongside director Steve Bache and producer Felix Ruple*, several other alumni of the Filmakademie.

The jury particularly praised the "courageous approach to the topic of child abuse" and the "complex and gripping story," which, through "finely tuned and cleverly constructed situations," leads to a great depth of the main character.

The Filmschau Baden-Wuerttemberg was launched in 1994 at the initiative of the state and is organized by the Filmbuero Baden-Wuerttemberg e.V. It takes place annually over five days in early December at the Metropol Cinema Stuttgart, attracting over 6,000 visitors. Around 60 films from industry professionals and film students from Baden-Wuerttemberg's educational institutions are presented. Along with the 21st Youth Film Award, a total of 21 film prizes worth 15,500 euros were awarded at the ceremony this year.

*Felix Ruple is a scholarship holders of the foundation Baden-Wuerttemberg Stiftung and has participated in an international partner programme as part of his studies.

(Source: Electronic Project Folder FABW)

HAUS AM HANG
Director: Konstantin Münzel
Screenplay: Luis Martinson
Cinematography: Paul Ader
Production Design: Michael Kadow
Producers: Bianca Beer, Helena Zeppenfeldt
Editing: Emanuel Ramin Funck
Sound Design: Vincent Egerter
Sound: Paolo Andre Daschkey
Cast: Florian Geißelmann, Liel Malka, Samia Chancrin, Lorenzo Angiero, Henry Boehncke, Felix Bründlinger, Esrom Fishage, Erion Namani, Oliver Weiss

NUR WIR ZWEI
Screenplay, Director: Olga Alexandra Müller
Cinematography: Christoph Bockisch
Film Music: Peter Albrecht
Sound: Georg Becker
Editing: Maximilian Färber
Motion Design: Maximilian Färber
Production Design: Lena Hölzl
Producers: Caroline Verhoff, Olga Alexandra Müller
Costume Design: Antonia Karnetzky
Makeup: Michelle Prax
Gaffer: Rafael Winkler
Cast: Harry Schäfer, Monika Gossmann, Elvira Müller, Maxim Patapenka

DETLEV
Director: Ferdinand Ehrhardt
Cinematography: Sebastian Ganschow, Leoni Gora
VFX Supervisor: Niklas Wolff
Technical Lead: Paul Golter
Concept/Design: Julia Skala, Oscar Jacobson, Hazel Jankowski
Film Music: Clemens Gutjahr
Sound Design: Manik Möllers, Samuel Krupke
Sound: Perschya Chehrazi, Vincent Egerter
Editing: Andreas Bothe
Animation: Gregor Wittich, Ferdinand Ehrhardt, Valeriia Dyadyuh, Ilya Barrett, Arne Hain, Mona Keil, Leo Neumann, Lydia-Sophia Schüttengruber, Benjamin Wahl
Production Design: Céline Ahlbrecht
Producers: Saskia Stirn, Ferdinand Ehrhardt
Modeling: Valeska Bruns
Voice Actors: Peter Schneider, David Gordon Smith, Konrad Wipp, Sebastian Ganschow
Production Design Assistant: Emily Flade
Puppet Construction: Arne Hain

NO DOGS ALLOWED
Involved Alumni: Steve Bache (Director), Felix Ruple (Producer), Stephan Kämpf (Screenplay), Manuel Meinhardt (Cinematographer), Anika Klatt (Production Design), Maximilian Merth (Editor), Holger Enck (Gaffer), Andreas Pfeiffer (Film Music), Markus Rebholz (Production Sound), Sirius Kestel (Mixing and Sound Design), Ruben Steingrüber (On-Set Props), Leandra Scheible (Set Dressing), Nils Schimitzek (Construction), Justin Roessler (1st Assistant Director), Clemens Szczesny (Location Manager).