At the 66th International Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg the prizes have been awarded. The winner of the prize of the Ecumenical Jury, endowed with € 1500.-, is the French competition entry "Une vie ailleurs" (Life Beyond Me), directed by Olivier Peyon. The film also received the Audience Award, ex aequo with the Turkish-German co-production "Zer", directed by Kazim Öz. The same film also won the prize of the International Film Critics' Jury (Fipresci). The international festival jury, headed by Suisse director Clemens Klopfenstein, decided for "See You in Texas" by Vito Palmieri as winner of the Grand Newcomer Award Mannheim-Heidelberg. "Wailings in the Forest", directed by Bagane Fiola from the Philippines, received the Special Achievement Award (for the best film with unconventional storytelling). Director Sabit Kurmanbekov from Kasachstan won the Special Achievement Award (for an extraordinary achievement) for his film "Oralman" (Returnee) which received a Commendation by the Ecumenical Jury as well.
The 66th International Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg, dedicated to films of newcomers, opened on November 9. The Ecumenical Jury awards its prize to a film of the International Newcomer Competition. Retrospectives paid homage to Joachim Kuhn and Clemens Klopfenstein. As "Master of Cinema" the festival honoured Istvan Szabó who gained international fame by his film "Mephisto" in 1981.
Link: Festival-Website