Max Gleschinski’s Alaska won the top prize in the feature film competition at this year’s Filmfestival Max Ophüls, which was held in Saarbrücken on the German-French border from January 23-29.
Focusing on works by up-and-coming talent from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Luxembourg, the festival is considered the most important newcomer film festival in the German-speaking world.
Rostock-based Gleschinski’s second feature centres on a 40-something woman who slowly finds her way back into life after nursing her father for 20 years, and falls in love with another woman.
The competition jury described it as “an unmistakably magical cinematic experience,” praising the “interplay of the outstanding ensemble, the poetic camera work, and the multi-layered and precise mis-en-scene.”
Alaska is produced by Berlin/Mannheim-based Wood Water Films and will be released theatrically in Germany by missingfilms.
Meanwhile, best director honours went to Lukas Nathrath’s debut feature One Last Evening which played at the festival after world premiering in Rotterdam’s Tiger Competition last week. The tragicomedy won the main prize of Locarno’s First Look programme last summer and is being handled internationally by Beta Cinema. Nathrath, who has been selected for German Films’s Face to Face showcase of upcoming talents to be presented at next month’s Berlinale, was described by the jury at the awards ceremony as “a new voice in contemporary German cinema”.
Austrian director Clara Stern picked up three awards for her debut feature Breaking The Ice - best screenplay, the prize for the most socially relevant film, and the youth jury prize. Her fellow countryman David Wagner was presented with the audience award and the film critics prize for best feature film for his debut Eismayer which premiered last September in Venice Critics Week sidebar where it was also been named best film.
The prizes for best newcomer actors went to Augustin Groz for his performance in Austrian director Özgür Anil’s Wer Wir Einmal Sein Wollten and Alina Stiegler for her role in Janina Halisch’s debut feature Sprich Mit Mir, while the Ecumenical Jury’s Prize was awarded to DOP/director Birgit Möller’s latest feature Franky Five Star which had its world premiere in the Max Ophüls competition.
Produced by Achtung Panda!, Franky Five Star is being handled internationally by Patra Spanou Film which will market premiere the film during next month’s EFM. The film’s star Lena Urzendowsky will also be one of the talents to be presented as part of German Films’ Face to Face campaign when it is launched during the Berlinale.
Founded in 1980, the festival is named after venerated European film director Max Ophüls (1902-1957) who was born in Saarbrücke.
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