Without filter by Ruben Östlund wins at Filmkunstmesse 2022

A brand-new edition of the Filmkunstmesse (19-23 September) has just taken place in Leipzig and gathered together German film industry professionals who came to familiarize themselves with the films that will be available for theatrical release in the next few months. Around 1,000 cinema programmers, festival curators, distributors and journalists had the opportunity to watch up to 80 films represented by several distribution companies, which have already been premiered at international festivals such as Cannes. The rendezvous was organized by AG Kino.

AG Kino, which is one of the main representative bodies of the German film industry, hosted not only the film screenings, but also a program packed with panels and workshops. One of them was titled “Cinema Vision 2030”, and it focused on the vital topic of the future of cinema. The participants discussed a series of measures that would help improve audience numbers in cinemas. In particular, they focused on how to attract young audiences.

As is the case every year, the Filmkunstmesse had several prizes to give out. In the international section, the main Award for Best Film went to Triangle of Sadness [+lire aussi :
critique
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interview : Ruben Östlund
interview : Ruben Östlund
fiche film] by Ruben Ostlund. The comedy, which also won the Palme d’Or at Cannes this year, thoroughly convinced the jury. German actress Sunnyi Melleswho plays an important character in the movie, and producer Philip Bober (Rimini [+lire aussi :
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interview : Ulrich Seidl
fiche film]) from London-based outfit Co-production Office came to Leipzig to receive the award. The film will be distributed in Germany by Fashionable.

The other prizes went to films produced in Germany. The Award for Best National Film went to Mittagsstunde by Lars Jessen (Small-Town Punks [+lire aussi :
bande-annonce
fiche film]). The film tells the story of a man who goes back to his home town to take care of his parents and who realizes that nothing is as he remembers it any more. The protagonist is played by acclaimed German actor Charly Hubner (Rabiye Kurnaz vs. George W. Bush [+lire aussi :
critique
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interview : Andreas Dresen
fiche film]). The film is distributed by majestic.

Two movies were handed the Award for Best Documentary, ex aequo – namely, Bettina [+lire aussi :
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interview : Lutz Pehnert
fiche film] by Lutz Pehnert (Supporter [+lire aussi :
bande-annonce
fiche film]), a portrait of singer-songwriter Bettina Wegner, distributed by Salzgeber; and The Forest Maker [+lire aussi :
interview : Volker Schlöndorff
fiche film] by Volker Schlöndorff (Return to Montauk [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
fiche film]), about agronomist Tony Rinaudo, distributed by Weltkino.

The winner of Best Film in the Junges Kino (lit. “Young Cinema”) section was We Might as Well Be Dead [+lire aussi :
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interview : Natalia Sinelnikova
fiche film]the first feature by Natalia Sinelnikova. The German-Romanian production, which premiered at this year’s Berlinale, is distributed by Ecystent. Tales of Franz by Johannes Schmidproduced by Nikolaus Geyrhalter and distributed by Constantin Movie and Wild Bunch Distribution Germany, was picked as Best Children’s Film in the same category. Finally, one of the most important prizes was the Audience Award, which went to The Ordinaries [+lire aussi :
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interview : Sophie Linnenbaum
fiche film] by Sophie Linnenbaumwhich is distributed by notsold and Port au Prince.

Here is the complete list of award winners at the Filmkunstmesse Leipzig:

Best International Film
Triangle of Sadness [+lire aussi :
critique
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interview : Ruben Östlund
interview : Ruben Östlund
fiche film] – Ruben Östlund (Sweden/Germany/France/Turkey)

Best National Film
Mittagsstunde – Lars Jessen (Germany)

Best Documentary Film (ex aequo)
The Forest Maker [+lire aussi :
interview : Volker Schlöndorff
fiche film] – Volker Schlöndorff (Germany)
Bettina [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Lutz Pehnert
fiche film] – Lutz Pehnert (Germany)

Best Film – “Junges Kino”
We Might as Well Be Dead [+lire aussi :
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interview : Natalia Sinelnikova
fiche film] – Natalia Sinelnikova (Germany/Romania)

Best Children’s Film
Tales of Franz – Johannes Schmid (Austria/Germany)

Audience Award – Feature Movie
The Ordinaries [+lire aussi :
critique
bande-annonce
interview : Sophie Linnenbaum
fiche film] – Sophie Linnenbaum (Germany)

Audience Award – Short Film
#4 – Lucas Camps (Netherlands)