Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, Mannheim-Heidelberg 2021

The affirmation of one's own life begins with saying no to the most diverse offers of externally determined life. The path that the protagonist Marion takes on the birthday of her sister Alice, who died five years ago, leads right into the dark. It is the darkness of her own grief that challenges her to take a different look at life, a look that does not allow itself any distraction from the seductive illusions of, for example, a casting offer or her peer group.

The breakthrough to a new beginning, however, also requires a leap of faith - in this case towards a coincidental companion who shows himself to be a soulmate. At the same time, this means allowing closeness and taking the risk of life. All of this breaks through in a leap into the Seine, which seems like an intimate baptismal experience that allows lightness and makes room for new beginnings. From the acceptance of one's own vulnerability, she finally reaches for the blue of the sky, thus transcending the boundaries of transience and overcoming grief.

Antoinette Boulat has succeeded in creating a magical cinematic moment with ›My Night‹, magnificently performed by an outstanding Lou Lampros. (Photo: © Cercamon)