Love – Does it endure all things? Will it never fail? In sometimes irritating pictures the film at various levels tells a story of partnership, separation and love. In this way, it challenges us to deal with the question of the (in)finiteness of love, and to seek our own answers.
The film tells the parallel stories of two characters who seek contact each in their own way by means of the Internet and surprisingly find one another. Per split screen and in stop-motion the two filmmakers succeed in an easily and humorously told story about the importance of relationships in a media-dominated society.
In an additional programme the Ecumenical Jury watches a choice of films from the International Children's and Youth Film Competition. They decide about a Certificate of Recommendation for the church film distributing agencies Matthias Film and Katholisches Filmwerk to buy one of the films for their catalogues. The jury recommends VLOEIBAAR STAAL (Days of Steel).
In the drab environment of a steel mill, Franka takes care of her father and their home. When she meets a young man, the 17-year-old begins to question this life. Vloeibaar Staal is a sensitive portrait of the depressing life and dependence of the young woman. The film also manages to communicate Franka's longing for freedom and a self-determined life in impressive images.
Since 2000, an Ecumenical Jury attends the festival, formed from the Catholic OCIC jury (since 1963) and the Protestant INTERFILM jury (since 1964). Its prize of 1500.- € is donated by the Evangelical Church in Oberhausen and the Catholic Film Work in Germany.