22nd International Film Festival for Children and Young Audience SCHLINGEL

25.09.2017 to 01.10.2017

Chemnitz

The Ecumenical Jury at Schlingel 2017 with award winner Mauro D'Addio (© Schlingel)

The Ecumenical Jury at the 22nd Film Festival for children and Young Audience SCHLINGEL in Chemnitz awarded its Prize to "Sobre rodas" (On Wheeels), directed by Mauro D'Addio from Brazil, and a Commendation to "Zuckersand" (Sugar Sand, director Dirk Kummer, Germany 2017). The European Children's Jury - 18 children from 9 European countries - choose as winner of the European Children's Award of the Saxon Art Minister "Zip & Zap and the Captain's Island" (director Oskar Santos, Spain 2016). The prize is endowed with 12.500 €, thus being the most valuable award of the festival. "Just Charlie" (director Rebekah Fortune, Great Britain, 2016) won the SLM Top Award, endowed with 10.000 €, and the Junior Film Award decided on by a jury of students of a grammar school. The Youth Film Award, decided on by another students' jury, was taken away by "Canola" (director Chang, South Korea 2016). The Fipresci Jury awarded the Indian entry in the Children's Film competition "Colours of Innocence", directed by Manas Mukul Pal.

The festival opened with the European premiere of the Chilean film "Niñas Araña" (Spider Thieves) on September 25. For the second time, an Ecumenical Jury awarded prizes. The festival screened 158 films from 51 countries, 126 of which took part in one of the competition sections: Children's Film, Junior Film, Youth Film, German Focus, and Short Film.

The Short Film winners were announced already on September 28. They are endowed with 500 € each in the categories national and international, short fiction and animation. The winners are "Die Mechanik oder Wie man auf sich Acht gibt" (The Mechanism or: How to Take Care of Yourself) by Michael Chlebusch (national fiction), the Icelandic film "Búi" by Inga Lísa Middleton (international fiction), "Höchste Zeit" (Hurry up, Herold) by Francie Liebscher (national animation) and "Pautinka" (Spider Web) by Natalja Tschernyschewa from Russia (animation international).

Link: Festival-Website

Awards

Prize of the Ecumenical Jury, Chemnitz 2017

Sobre rodas

On Wheels

Directed by:

Mauro D'Addio

Brazil

2017

Atmospheric images transport us to the dusty roads of small-town Brazil. On Wheels takes us on an inspiring journey of self-discovery with classmates Lais and Lucas, two equally charming and well-developed main characters.

Aided by the trust they place in each other they are able to overcome adversity and build resilience to the challenges life throws at them. Lucas may not regain the ability to walk and Lais may not find the father she has never met, but along the way, they nevertheless become empowered through the development of an open and loving relationship to each other.

On Wheels portrays with a refreshing lightness the importance of resilience in life and seeing beyond the outward limitations of others. (Photo: © Klaxon Kultura Audiovisual)

Commendation of the Ecumenical Jury, Chemnitz 2017

Zuckersand

Sugar Sand

Directed by:

Dirk Kummer

Germany

2017

Sugar Sand tells the story of an extraordinary friendship between two 10-year-old boys faced with the threat of separation by the inner German border in the year 1979. Questions of faith and values come to the surface for Fred as he is met with the religious background of his best friend Jonas. With an open curiosity towards the world that he as a GDR citizen is unable to experience, Fred explores the true meaning of solidarity and the properties of the soul through his friendship with Jonas. Although not exclusively a children’s film Sugar Sand still raises relevant and balanced reflections on navigating life in a system of bureaucracy that we find appropriate for a younger audience. (Photo: © Claussen+Putz Filmproduktion)