VFF Documentary Film Production Award 2021: THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER
Frank Müller (Doppelplusultra Filmproduktion), Guevara Namer and Antonia Kilian (Pink Shadow Films) receive the 4th VFF Documentary Production Award for their outstanding achievement in the production of the documentary THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER. The film by Antonia Kilian follows a young woman who joins the Kurdish women's army in Syria to escape a forced marriage.
In its statement, the jury emphasised, among other things, the solidarity-based nature of the production:
"The director and producer Antonia Kilian lived in northern Syria for a year, gave film workshops for young women there and made short films on women's rights with them. Meanwhile, Frank Müller, with his Hamburg-based Doppelplusultra Filmproduktion, tried to secure international financing for the film by applying for funding, at workshops, pitching events and co-production meetings. Certainly, this early effort to internationalise the project has left its mark on the dramaturgy of the film. At the same time, however, it reinforces the remarkable production achievement, which involved a great deal of personal commitment, considerable up-front work and an initially high financial risk - and which also has a virtually model character in other respects: People from the crisis region, all with a history of flight, were significantly involved in the project creatively and organisationally and were fairly remunerated according to the problematic production conditions." To the jurors
The prize of 7,500 euros is sponsored by the VFF Verwertungsgesellschaft der Film- und Fernsehproduzenten mbH. It is unique in Germany and honours producers who have rendered outstanding services to documentary film projects.
The nominees
ANAMNESIS
Producer: Heino Deckert, Directors: Chris Wright, Stefan Kolbe
COURAGE
Producer: Jörn Möllenkamp, Director: Aliaksei Paluyan
DIE WELT JENSEITS DER STILLE (DOK.fest München 2021 @home)
Producers: Thomas Jeschner, René Frotscher, Volker Zobelt, Director: Manuel Fenn
ETERNITY AT LAST
Producers: Melanie Andernach, Knut Losen, Director: Stephan Bergmann
FREAKSCENE – THE STORY OF DINOSAUR JR. (DOK.fest München 2021 @home)
Producers: Antoinette Köster, Stephan Holl, Philipp Reichenheim, Director: Philipp Reichenheim
GLITTER & DUST
Producers: Katharina Bergfeld, Martin Heisler, Directors: Anna Koch, Julia Lemke (Badabum Duo)
HELMUT NEWTON – THE BAD AND THE BEAUTIFUL
Producer: Felix von Boehm, Director: Gero von Boehm
HERR BACHMANN UND SEINE KLASSE
Producer and Director: Maria Speth
JIMIS LAST BLUES
Producer and Director: Rasmus Gerlach
OECONOMIA
Producers: Mareike Wegener, Hannes Lang, Director: Carmen Losmann
PURPLE SEA
Producers: Alexandra Gerbaulet, Ines Meier, Director: Amel Alzakout
THE OTHER SIDE OF THE RIVER (DOK.fest München 2021 @home)
Producers: Frank Müller, Antonia Kilian, Guevara Namer, Director: Antonia Kilian
WHO WE WILL HAVE BEEN (DOK.fest München 2021 @home)
Producer and Director: Erec Brehmer
Jury VFF Documentary Film Production Award
We are pleased to introduce the jury that will select the winner of the VFF Documentary Production Award.
