VENEZUELA: COUNTRY OF LOST CHILDREN wins VFF Documentary Film Production Award 2024

© DOK.fest München

Producer Oliver Stoltz from Dreamer Joint Venture Filmproduktion receives the VFF Documentary Film Production Award 2024 for VENEZUELA: COUNTRY OF LOST CHILDREN. Sincere congratulations!


About the film: ​​Mismanagement and corruption plunge Venezuela into chaos. Children in particular are suffering hardship. The film shows their harsh reality: violence, drugs, murder and hunger. In Maracaibo two women fight the misery. Carolina’s children’s home is an oasis amid the violence. Kiara flees to Columbia with her children. A film about a country that risks losing an entire generation. Pablo Bücheler

Credits:
German title: LAND DER VERLORENEN KINDER. Writer: Juan Camillo Cruz, Marc Wiese. Camera: Alfredo de Juan. Editing: Laia Prat. Music: Alva Noto. Production: Dreamer Joint Venture Filmproduktion GmbH. Producer: Oliver Stoltz. Length: 92 min. International Sales: Java Films Distribution: Realfiction Verleih

From the jury’s statement

“It is impressive to see the adverse conditions under which Oliver Stoltz and his team made this film: without the protection of a gang of youths, filming on location would have been too dangerous; professional camera equipment had to be smuggled in over the border. In a country where foreign camera teams are monitored at every turn, a project like this can only succeed with the utmost conspiracy: To this end, the producer used a local crew.

Oliver Stoltz has proven to have nerves of steel and deserves public recognition for the successful completion of this film: in this case, the VFF Documentary Film Production Award 2024.”

The film at the festival

The winning film VENEZUELA: COUNTRY OF LOST CHILDREN be screened at the 39th DOK.fest München in May 2024:

2 to 12 May at the Munich venues
6 to 20 May @home

The VFF Documentary Film Production Award will be presented at a festive award ceremony with film screening on Tuesday, 7 May 2024 at 8.00 pm at HFF Munich.

An award for passion and courage in production

The process of making a documentary film is particularly difficult to plan and often involves great uncertainty. Yet time and again producers demonstrate great courage and show special creativity and commitment in project development and film financing. With the presentation of the VFF Documentary Film Production Award at DOK.fest München, we honour the passionate commitment and the role of producers in the development of current cinema documentary projects.

The award is donated by the VFF Verwertungsgesellschaft der Film und Fernsehproduzenten mbH and is endowed with 7,500 euros. The award is the first in Germany to focus on the work of documentary film producers. In 2024 it will be awarded for the seventh time at DOK.fest München.

Here you can find out about the conditions of participation that had to be met.

Many thanks to our award donor and partner: