The International Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg focusses on young filmmakers. It is a festival of discoveries. 19 films were scheduled in the International Newcomers Competition, 11 films in the International Newcomers Discoveries, and another 11 films in the section International Independent Cinema. A programme of 41 films, along with 8 children films, displays the courage of a rigorous restraint and of a confident selection. Each single film, festival director Michael Kötz explained in his opening speech, retains significance and importance by this procedure.
The Ecumenical Jury awarded its Prize to the Ukrainian film (co-produced by Italy) "Gnizdo Gorlytsi" (The Nest of the Turtledoves) by Taras Tkachenko and a Commendation to "Dnevnik masinovodje" (Train Driver's Diary) by Milos Radovic from Serbia. The International Jury presided by Peter Lilienthal gave the main award of the festival to "Reşeba" (The Dark Wind, Kurdistan, Germany, Qatar), directed by Hussein Hassan. The film tells about the abduction and rape of Yazidi women by IS and their and their communities traumas caused by these crimes. The film was supported by the Evangelical Centre for Films on Development (EZEF) in Germany which is part of the Protestant Institute for Welfare and Development - Bread for the World.
Link: Festival website