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NOMINATIONS

CIVIS Media Prize 2021

CIVIS – Europe’s Media Prize for Migration, Integration and Cultural Diversity honours programme achievements in radio, television and the Internet which promote peaceful coexistence in the European immigration society.

The CIVIS Cinema Prize as an audience award is added.

YOUNG C. AWARD

STRG_F – Suffering on Lesbos: An Intended Catastrophe

Documentary
Norddeutscher Rundfunk | funk
Author: Armin Ghassim
Editing: Anna Orth

Moria was hell, Kara Tepe is worse. No heating, no hot water, only a few toilets, wet tents and sick children who have lost the will to live. The suspicion: This is not about money or awareness, The deplorable conditions are part of an EU strategy. A message to the people in the countries of origin: stay home.

“The report Leid auf Lesbos uses authentic, close-up images to portray the distressing conditions in the refugee camps on Lesbos. It displays excellent journalistic craft which is both informative and full of empathy with the helpless victims of a dubious policy.”

YOUNG C. AWARD

My Vietnam

Documentary
Academy Baden-Württemberg
Authors & directors: Tim Ellrich, Hien Mai
Examiner: Thomas Lauterbach
Co-production: Leopold Pape (Coronado Film)

The lives of Bay and Tam, husband and wife from Vietnam, is a balancing act: they have lived and worked in Munich for 30 years but remain in contact with their homeland over the internet. And they learn online that their old house back home has been destroyed by a storm and one of their relatives is dying. Bay, who is learning German and will soon become a grandmother, remains rooted in Germany. But Tam feels increasingly drawn back to his ancestral home.

The lives of Bay and Tam, husband and wife from Vietnam, is a balancing act: they have lived and worked in Munich for 30 years but remain in contact with their homeland over the internet. And they learn online that their old house back home has been destroyed by a storm and one of their relatives is dying. Bay, who is learning German and will soon become a grandmother, remains rooted in Germany. But Tam feels increasingly drawn back to his ancestral home.

The complete contribution can be requested at the following e-mail address:
pape@coronado-film.com

YOUNG C. AWARD

Seahorse

Short film
Academy Baden-Württemberg
Author & director: Nele Dehnenkamp
Examiner: Thomas Lauterbach
Co-Producerin: Christine Duttlinger

The seahorse has provided the name for the part of the brains that acts as a gateway to our memories: the hippocampus. It is used to archive things we cannot forget, pleasant and unpleasant memories alike. The young Yazidi woman Hannan could not swim when she crossed the Mediterranean with her family in an inflatable boat. Now she is learning how not to sink, just like a seahorse. But the fear of drowning in the dark waters remains alive in her memory.

“The magnificent cinematographic aesthetics create a convincingly poetic connection between the sound and the images. The film conveys the oppressive duality of water as a medium of happiness and doom. Seepferdchen gives the protagonist space to illustrate the traumatic effects of flight and how a young person can confront these experiences.”

CIVIS VIDEO AWARD

Information
Hey, I’m Jewish! Young. Jewish. German.

Documentary
Nordend Film GmbH | ZDF
Author & director: Jan Tenhaven
Editing: Thorsten Eppert (Nordend Film),
Simone Müller
Production: Thorsten Eppert, Adrian Stangell

They aspire to be more than just members of a fringe group. Eleven Jewish youngsters discuss their everyday lives between the sports field and the synagogue, Torah and Instagram, Shabbat and partying. Wearing a kippah or Star of David in public, they risk becoming the targets of antisemitic insults or even attacks. But they are tired to being reduced to the role of victims. A film about the diversity of life among Jewish youngsters in Germany.

“It is still astonishing news for far too many citizens: Jews in Germany live like members of other religions or no religion at all. They are part of this society. And Jewish life is very diverse in Germany. The documentary Hey, ich bin Jude! communicates this fact without ever becoming patronising – making it a deeply touching experience.”

CIVIS VIDEO AWARD

Information
WDRforyou – Hope, Just Hope

Documentary
Westdeutscher Rundfunk
Authors & directors: Salama Abdo, Isabel Schayani
Editing: Petra Schmitt-Wilting

Ten-year-old Fayegheh lives in the Moria refugee camp on the Greek island of Lesbos. She is among the thousands of children kept there. 200 people share a toilet, and there is only one hour of teaching per day. A team from WDRforyou met Fayegheh and filmed the place where her dreams ended: in Europe’s largest refugee camp. Originally designed for 2,300 inhabitants, it is now home to over 20,000 people.

“People in refugee camps often live cooped up like prisoners. The same is true of children and youngsters. They are imprisoned in their bodies and their souls. The documentary Hoffnung, nur noch Hoffnung describes this predicament with urgency and tact in equal measure. It is all the more shocking because it dispenses with dramatic amplifiers and views the situation through a personal lens, without abandoning due journalistic distance.”

CIVIS VIDEO AWARD

Information
ProSieben Special. Right. German. Radical.

Documentation
PQPP2 GmbH | ProSieben
Authors: Anja Buwert, Thilo Mischke
Director: Anja Buwert
Editing: Jan A. Karon, Elisabeth Krafft, Isabelle Lange, Sigrid Reuter
Production: Anja Buwert, Caspar Fischer

Thilo Mischke and his team spent a year researching in the radical right-wing scene. How do the organisations work in this segment of society? How do they recruit new members? How much do they have in common and where do they differ? And how much of a threat do they present to the rule of law and democracy? The brutal statement by a former functionary of the AfD Party leaves no room for doubt: It is a huge threat, bent on destruction and murder

Thilo Mischke and his team spent a year researching in the radical right-wing scene. How do the organisations work in this segment of society? How do they recruit new members? How much do they have in common and where do they differ? And how much of a threat do they present to the rule of law and democracy? The brutal statement by a former functionary of the AfD Party leaves no room for doubt: It is a huge threat, bent on destruction and murder

CIVIS VIDEO AWARD

Entertainment
Cat in the Wall

Film
Activists 38 | HBO
Authors & directors: Vesela Kazakova, Mina Mileva
Editing: Donka Ivanova
Production: Vesela Kazakova, Mina Mileva
Co-production: Lambros Atteshlis (Glasshead), Bulgarian National Television, Christophe Bruncher (Ici et Là Productions)

Irina, a single mother from Bulgaria, lives with her brother and son in a council flat in south-east London. An argument with her neighbour about a missing cat escalates. Big topics suddenly encroach on their dispute: immigration, Brexit, social inequality. Disillusioned by communism and corruption in Bulgaria, Irina is determined to fight for a better life in her new home.

“Cat in the Wall is comprehensive and unflinching in portraying the hardships that can accompany immigration, the conflicts that some migrants experience with each other, as well as the problems they face in their new environments. They find themselves marginalised and at the same time swept up by the social tensions within British society. An outstandingly crafted and exceptionally well-structured film.”

CIVIS VIDEO AWARD

Entertainment
The Carolin Kebekus Show – Episode 3: Racism Special, incl. „Brennpunkt“ (focal point)

Late Night Show
Westdeutscher Rundfunk | Das Erste
Authors: Max Bierhals, Jana Fischer, Carolin Kebekus, Jasmina Kuhnke, Aurel Mertz, Claudius Pläging, Shary Reeves
Director: J. Patrick Arbeiter
Editing: Leona Frommelt (WDR)
Creative Producers: Max Bierhals, Claudius Pläging
Producer: Jessica Timm
Production: Philipp Käßbohrer, Matthias Murmann, Constanze Weihrauch
Co-production: bildundtonfabrik, UnterhaltungsFlotte TV

The Carolin Kebekus Show interrupts its comedy routine to offer a “Brennpunkt” report on the issue of racism. 8 minutes and 46 seconds – that’s how long the Afro-American George Floyd struggled against death – presenter Shary Reeves and other prominent BPOC from Germany talk about their experiences with marginalisation, hostility and racism.

“The Carolin Kebekus Show and its Brennpunkt report on racism is a powerful, spontaneous response to the murder of George Floyd. It owes its impact to a surprising departure from the usual format, an act which itself draws attention to the central theme. The show adopts a consciously confrontational but never showy approach to convey a resounding message of anti-racism.”

CIVIS AUDIO AWARD

Entertainment
Gentlemen

TV film
Kineo Filmproduktion Peter Hartwig and cinema negro Filmproduktion Sidney Martins | BR, ARTE Deutschland
Author: Stefanie Kremser (based on the novel GENTS by Warwick Collins)
Director: Dirk Kummer
Editing: Claudia Simionescu (BR), Monika Lobkowicz (BR/ARTE)
Production: kineo Filmproduktion Peter Hartwig and cinema negro Filmproduktion (Sidney Martins)
Custom production: BR, ARTE for DasErste

Ezequiel is an expert in martial arts and would like to teach capoeira. But as a Black man with an immigrant background, he is forced to accept whichever job offers he gets: “monument care”. In plain language: cleaning public urinals at night. He doesn’t dare tell either his wife or his son Stevie about it. Stevie should go to university and embark on a promising career. That’s what Ezequiel thinks. But Stevie has other plans: he wants to be a hairdresser.

“Herren tells of a father’s search for meaning during a midlife crisis. It is a universal story, but one that plays out in the ordinary lives of Black people in Germany. Unhurried, with great actors and an imaginative visual design, the film portrays a slice of diversity in Germany that many still have difficulty accepting.”

Currently no media library availability

CIVIS VIDEO AWARD

Social Media Format
Can I grab your hair? – Everyday racism in Germany

Social Media Format
WDR COSMO
Authors: Michel Abdollahi, Miriam Anna Hochhard, Janina Kalle, Daphne Ivana Sagner, Jan-Nicholas Vogt, Robert Weitkamp
Directors: Jan-Nicholas Vogt, Robert Weitkamp
Editing: Tobias Gnädig, Miriam Anna Hochhard
Production: Michel Abdollahi (Telemichel Produktionsgesellschaft mbH)

It is an everyday experience, especially for BPOC: somebody takes the liberty of touching their hair. Just like that, permission taken for granted. But it is still a gesture of marginalisation, with the message: you are different. The COSMO team turned the tables and asked people on the street if they could touch their hair. The response was lively and instructive.

“Darf ich Dir in die Haare fassen? is a genuinely interactive video: by reversing the roles, a seemingly harmless gesture is exposed for what it is: a piece of everyday racism. Unfolding almost playfully, this video creates an illuminating interplay, one that is sensitively presented and serious but also humorously ironic and cleverly adapted to the formats of social media.”

CIVIS VIDEO AWARD

Social Media Format
Black Lives Matter in Switzerland – People of Color in Switzerland Commenting on Racism, Protests and Events in the USA (1/3)

Social Media Format
Schweizer Rundfunk und Fernsehen | SRF VIRUS
Author & director: Can Külahcigil
Editing & production: Can Külahcigil
Co-production: Larissa Sterchi

The murder of the Afro-American US citizen George Floyd provoked outrage, also in Switzerland. Virus, the youth channel of Schweizer Radio und Fernsehen, has responded in a three-part series to calls for better representation of those affected by racism. In the first episode, eleven people report on their experience with racism and explain their position in regard to the Black Lives Matter protests.

“Black Lives Matter has swept through Europe. Giving a voice to victims is part of the resistance against racism. Sadly, racism is still an everyday experience on our continent. The video Black Lives Matter in der Schweiz impressively demonstrates what social media can achieve: it is quick to respond, confidently crafted and implemented with an original visual concept.”

CIVIS VIDEO AWARD

Social Media Format
Refugee Faces – On Leaving and Arriving # 1 Alla gut!

Social Media Format
Südwestrundfunk /ARTE | Florianfilm
Authors & directors: Markus Augé, Jascha Hannover
Based on an idea by: Angelika Schindler
Editing: Hugues Jardel, Angelika Schindler,
Bernd Seidl
Production: André Schäfer

Khalil Khalil fled across the Mediterranean in 2015. His degree in law doesn’t help him in Germany. But his tenacity and humour certainly do. He uses it to explore the dialect spoken by his fellow citizens in the region of Baden. This provokes plenty of laughter and gives Khalil access to the people in his new home. One of eight brief portraits that emphasise how different the individual experience of flight and new beginning can be.

“Europe is a continent of migration. Most people have a history of flight at some stage in their family tree. Alla gut!, the first in an eight-part series of short but profound episodes, takes a humorous yet never trivial approach to portraying how the trauma of becoming uprooted can engender a determination to explore one’s new home and forge new bonds.”

Currently no media library availability

CIVIS AUDIO AWARD

Short Programme
Freitagsforum: Dating halal – Homebody for Life. Muslims Searching a Partner on the Internet.

Report with interludes
Norddeutscher Rundfunk | NDR Kultur
Author: Kadriye Acar
Editing: Jan Ehlert

Freitagsforum focuses on everyday problems faced by Muslim women. For instance, their growing interest in Internet dating sites. In our digital age, they are a gateway to freedom for those wishing to marry. They are able to make contact with potential partners around the world, without being monitored by parents or relatives.

“Dating Halal – Der Mensch fürs Leben is a true-to-life, vivid account of the everyday social habits among Muslims. They find a solution for their desire for love and partnership that is utterly removed from conventional dating sites. The atmospherically dense report takes an unusual look at the realities of life among people with an immigration background.”

CIVIS AUDIO AWARD

Short Programme
Lesbos: Europe Again Looking the Other Way. Ö1 Journale. Part 1: – Kara Tepe: Children Who Contemplate Suicide

Documentary
Österreichischer Rundfunk | Ö1
Author: Veronika Mauler
Editing: Barbara Gansfuß-Kojetinsky

Lesbos after the fire at the Moria camp: more than 7,000 refugees are cramped into the provisional camp at Kara Tepe. Over a third of them are children, most under the age of twelve. They are emotionally scarred by war and flight and now further traumatised by the squalor in Lesbos. A Norwegian child psychologist speaks of primary school children contemplating suicide.

“Lesbos: Europa schaut wieder weg deals with a highly topical issue. The report is as informative as it is sensitive in addressing a profound problem. The author takes us on a touching trip to Europe’s peripheral zone, one that is at risk of being overlooked in the corona crisis, despite the catastrophic conditions that continue to prevail.”

Momentan keine Mediatheken-Verfügbarkeit

CIVIS AUDIO AWARD

Short Programme
The Morning: What’s Left Are Just Words

Report with interludes
Saarländischer Rundfunk | SR2 Kulturradio
Author: Sabine Wachs

This brief report tells the story of two fathers brought together by the terrorist attack on the Bataclan concert hall in Paris. Georges Salines lost his daughter Lola in the November 2015 bloodbath; Azdyne Amimour’s son Samy was one of the Islamist terrorists shot dead by police. In an attempt to come to terms with the horror, the two men forge a kind of friendship. Together, they write a book entitled: “Il nous reste les mots” (Uns bleiben nur die Worte – For us, what’s left are just words).

“Uns bleiben nur die Worte reveals what is often neglected: the victims’ perspective. Including the father of a radicalised perpetrator as he as well is among those scarred for life. Powerful quotes and dialogue bring us closer to the father of one innocent victim. Both of them take each other seriously in their pain and loss. A tour de force of constructive journalism that builds tension and compels viewers to think again.”

Currently no media library availability

CIVIS AUDIO AWARD

Long Programmes
Hörbilder: „Welcome to Weikendorf”

Feature
Österreichischer Rundfunk | Ö1
Author & director: Claudia Gschweitl
Editing: Simon Elmes, Eva Roither, Elisabeth Stratka

“The report Willkommen in Weikendorf charts the different positions in a bitter controversy over refugees in a small village in Lower Austria. It succeeds thanks to gripping direct quotes as well as a sophisticated dramaturgy. Conflict is not papered over but followed in its numerous twists and turns upholding suspense until the very end. Inspirational radio!”

“The report Willkommen in Weikendorf charts the different positions in a bitter controversy over refugees in a small village in Lower Austria. It succeeds thanks to gripping direct quotes as well as a sophisticated dramaturgy. Conflict is not papered over but followed in its numerous twists and turns upholding suspense until the very end. Inspirational radio!”

Hier können Sie sich den vollständigen Beitrag anhören:
(Sendedatum: 27.06.2020)

 

CIVIS AUDIO AWARD

Long Programmes
Feature am Mittwoch: Halle October 9 – One Year After

Feature
MDR | MDR Kultur – Das Radio
Author: Duška Roth
Director: Nikolai von Koslowski
Editing: Tobias Barth

Halle’s society is faced with urgent questions following the attack on the city synagogue. How will people cope with the horror that happened? What will change in the lives of the citizens, individually and collectively, and what consquences for media and politicians? Duška Roth spent over twelve months searching for answers: in the Jewish community, at the local kebab shop, in the neighbourhood around the crime scene, in the state parliament’s select committee and at the trial against the attacker.

“The author of Halle, 9. Oktober- ein Jahr danach delivers a well-crafted, very pared down and comprehensible account of the attack on the synagogue and the views of citizens, officials and witnesses. An impressive piece of journalism that sheds light on the specifics of the attack and, by doing so, points to circumstancdes beyond the event.”

CIVIS AUDIO AWARD

Long Programmes
White Fragility Why Whites Tend to Overlook Racism

Documentation
Bayerischer Rundfunk | Bayern2
Authors: Esther Diestelmann, Kokutekeleza Musebeni
Director: Rainer Schaller
Editing: Thomas Kretschmer, Caroline v. Lowtzow

Many white people feel ashamed at the accusation of racism. But what if we were all merely part of a racist system? This is the basic theory on which Critical Whiteness research is built. It investigates why it is so difficult to discuss with white people the influence of their skin colour.

“White Fragility: Warum Weiße Rassismus so leicht übersehen is an exciting and provocative piece that makes you think again and challenges you to take a stand – a deliberately subjective invitation to engage with a current debate around the issue of racism.”

CIVIS AUDIO AWARD

Podcasts
We’ll Manage This! – How one Phrase Changed Germany. Episode 7: Halat

Podcast FYEO (For Your Ears Only)
Autors: Lea Hampel, Sham Jaff, Susanne Klingner
Editing: Tristan Lehmann, Isabel Lübbert-Rein
Executive Producer: Susanne Klingner (hauseins)

Germany has changed in the five years since Angela Merkel coined the legendary phrase “We’ll manage this!” People of different colour and origins meet every day. Still, increasing numbers of citizens are voting for parties on the extreme right and racist attacks have become common. The podcast checks to see what has become of Merkel’s promise in a rural area of Upper Bavaria. It features contributions from migrants, people who welcomed them and those that feel overwhelmed by this huge societal task.

“Five years after ‘We’ll manage this’ – how much progress has Germany actually made in welcoming, looking after and integrating large numbers of refugees? The report: Wir schaffen das! – Wie ein Satz Deutschland veränderte, Part 7 provides a wealth of information – plus the insight that data available on the issue is astonishingly threadbare. A thorough investigation that blends expertise with individual case stories.”

CIVIS AUDIO AWARD

Podcasts
Chai Society Colourful Candy Bags, Dark Back Rooms: Safe Space Mosque?

Podcast Radio Bremen | Bremen NEXT
Authors: Refiye Ellek, Soraya Jamal
Editing: Grit Thümmel

Are mosques a safe space? Not for some Muslims. Women especially feel uncomfortable in the male-dominated setting. Muslim listeners also have stories to tell of political conflicts, violence in Koran schools and discrimination against Black sisters and brothers.

“Bunte Schnuckeltüten und dunkle Hinterzimmer: Safespace Moschee? is an unbiased, nuanced exploration of life at the mosques. It portrays the immense diversity of traditions in the various communities. All difficult issues are addressed candidly and put up for frank discussion. Diversity seen from an unusual perspective – magnificent!”

CIVIS AUDIO AWARD

Podcasts
Coming Home Episode 1: The German IS Battle Unit

Feature-Podcast-Serie
Norddeutscher Rundfunk | NDR Kultur
Authors: Lisa Maria Hagen, Mariam Noori
Director: Beatrix Ackers-Matejka
Editing: Joachim Dicks, Martina Kothe

Lisa Hagen and Mariam Noori provide a glimpse into the lives of different families who have one thing in common: their sons fell for IS terror militia recruiters and travelled to fight in Syria. Fero and Marvin remain missing, and their families ask themselves: what did we do wrong? Oliver is back in Austria and fights for a second chance in society. But his past in an extremist milieu cannot simply be cast aside.

“The topic – young IS recruits from Europe – is not new, but has rarely been dealt with as forcefully as in Heimkehr- Die deutsche Kampfeinheit beim IS. Exercising the highest standards of journalism, powerful quotes and cleverly conceived dramaturgy with a touching conclusion illuminate the tragic aberration of three young people from the midst of our society.”

CIVIS AUDIO AWARD

Podcasts
Rice and Shine Hamburg 1980: Rightwing Terror Flaring Up Again

Podcast
Authors: Minh Thu Tran, Vanessa Vu

This is the story of a fatal misjudgement: For years, the attack at Munich’s Olympic shopping centre, which claimed nine lives, was dismissed as a killing spree. Interviews with relatives and witnesses show that indeed it was an act of right-wing terror. The program uncovers the deeply flawed handling of the case by the authorities.

Careful research succeeds in retracing the attack from the perspective of the victims and reveals how the racist dimension of the crime has been suppressed for far too long. The podcast makes one feel how painful the incompetence of the authorities was for the relatives and exposes the political side to this failure.”

CIVIS AUDIO AWARD

Podcasts
Acca Pillai Arranged Marriage, the Tamil Way

Podcast
Authors & editors: Abby Baheerathan, Makileny Vijayakumar
Production: Abby Baheerathan

Zweidrittel FM is produced by a team of prisoners, musicians, journalists and teachers at the Berlin Youth Detention Centre. This episode tells the story of a rare friendship among inmates. The two Iraqis Ali and Ziko met in jail and discovered their problems with the justice system are part of the bigger question: How do you manage to fully arrive and settle in Germany?

“This is a glimpse into a world that most outsiders have no idea about. Just getting the two young prisoners to speak so candidly about themselves is a great achievement. The tone is neither stigmatising nor patronising or lecturing, the protagonists are met at eye level.”

CIVIS CINEMA AWARD

BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ

Spielfilm (Kinostart: 16.07.2020)
Regie: Burhan Qurbani
Drehbuch: Burhan Qurbani, Martin Behnke
Buchvorlage: Alfred Döblin
Darsteller:innen: Welket Bungué, Jella Haase, Albrecht Schuch, Joachim Król, Anabelle Mandeng, Nils Verkooijen u.a.
Produktion: Sommerhaus Filmproduktion GmbH
Ko-Produktion: ZDF in Zusammenarbeit mit ARTE, Lemming Film in Zusammenarbeit mit Wild at Art
Produzenten: Leif Alexis, Jochen Laube, Fabian Maubach
Filmverleih: Entertainment One (Paramount)

Francis ist die Flucht von Nordafrika nach Europa gelungen. Er hofft, in Berlin Fuß fassen zu können und versucht mit legaler Arbeit über die Runden zu kommen. Er lehnt es zunächst ab Drogen zu handeln, kommt dem neurotischen Drogendealer Reinhold aber immer näher. Schließlich macht Francis die Bekanntschaft mit der Clubbesitzerin Eva und dem Callgirl Mieze. Mieze und er werden ein Paar. Alles könnte gut werden, doch Francis kann Reinhold nicht widerstehen.

CIVIS CINEMA AWARD

FUTUR DREI

Drama (Kinostart: 24.09.2020)
Regie: Faraz Shariat
Drehbuch: Faraz Shariat, Paulina Lorenz
Darsteller:innen: Benjamin Radjaipour, Banafshe Hourmazdi, Eidin Jalali, Mashid, Nasser, Maryam Zaree, Abak Safaei-Rad, Jürgen Vogel, Knut Berger, Paul Lux, Niels Bormann, Hadi Khanjanpour, Katarina Gaub, Sevil Mokhtare, Vanessa Loibl, Armin Warhedi u.a.
Produktion: Jünglinge Film
Ko-Produktion: Jost Hering Filme, Iconoclast Germany, La Mosca Bianca Films
Produzent:innen: Paulina Lorenz, Faraz Shariat
Filmverleih: Salzgeber

Parvis, Kind wohlhabender iranischer Einwanderer:innen führt ein behütetes Leben. Er langweilt sich in der Provinz und möchte etwas erleben, sucht nach einem Kick. Schließlich begeht er einen Ladendiebstahl und muss Sozialstunden als Übersetzer in einer Unterkunft für Geflüchtete leisten. Dort freundet er sich mit den iranischen Geschwistern Banafshe und Amon an. Zwischen ihm und Amon entwickelt sich eine Liebe. Doch allen Beteiligten ist klar: Sie leben in ganz unterschiedlichen Welten.

CIVIS CINEMA AWARD

MASTER CHENG IN POHJANJOKI

Spielfilm (Kinostart: 30.07.2020)
Regie: Mika Kaurismäki
Drehbuch: Hannu Oravisto
Drehbuchadaption: Mika Kaurismäki, Sami Keksi-Vähälä
Darsteller:innen: Anna-Maija Tuokko, Pak Hon Chu, Lucas Hsuan, Kari Väänänen, Vesa-Matti Loiri, u.a.
Produktion: Marianna Films
Ko-Produktion: By Media, Han Ruan Yuan He
Produzenten: Mika Kaurismäki, Iain Brown, Chun Yi Yueh
Filmverleih: MFA+ FilmDistribution

Auf der Suche nach einem finnischen Freund reist der chinesische Koch Cheng nach Lappland. Niemand scheint seinen Freund zu kennen, aber die lokale Cafébesitzerin Sirkka bietet ihm eine Unterkunft an. Im Gegenzug hilft Cheng ihr in der Küche. Schnell sind die Einheimischen von den Spezialitäten aus Chengs Heimat begeistert und freunden sich mit ihm an. Als Chengs Touristenvisum abläuft, schmieden die Dorfbewohner einen Plan, der ihm helfen soll, zu bleiben …

CIVIS CINEMA AWARD

PERSISCHSTUNDEN

Drama (Kinostart: 24.09.2020)
Regie: Vadim Perelman
Drehbuch: Ilya Zofin.
Buchvorlage: Basierend auf Wolfgang Kohlhaases Novelle „Erfindung einer Sprache“ aus dem Jahre 2005.
Darsteller:innen: Nahuel Pérez Biscayart, Lars Eidinger, Jonas Nay, Leonie Benesch, Alexander Beyer, Luisa-Céline Gaffron, David Schütter u.a.
Produktion: One Two Films
Ko-Produktion: Hype Film, LM Media, Belarusfilm
Produzent:innen: Rauf Atamalibekow, Timur Bekmambetow, Pawel Burja, Murad Osmann, Vadim Perelman, Ilya Stewart, Ilja Zofin
Ko-Produzent:innen: Sol Bondy, Ilja Dzhincharadze, Jamila Wenske, Elizaveta Chalenko, Leonid Shpolskiy, Galina Malysheva, Dmitry Malyshev, Vladimir Staetski, Mikhail Gilman, Maria Zatulovskaya
Filmverleih: Alamode Film

1942 wird Gilles zusammen mit anderen Juden von der SS gefangen genommen und in ein Konzentrationslager gebracht. Um dem Tod zu entgehen, behauptet er, kein Jude zu sein und aus Iran zu stammen. Das rettet ihm zunächst das Leben. Der Leiter der Lagerküche, Klaus Koch, möchte nach Kriegsende im Iran ein eigenes Restaurant eröffnen, doch dafür muss er Persisch lernen. Gilles muss Koch nun Farsi beibringen – ohne selbst ein einziges Wort der Sprache zu beherrschen.

CIVIS CINEMA AWARD

UND MORGEN DIE GANZE WELT

Drama (Kinostart: 29.10.2020)
Regie: Julia von Heinz
Drehbuch: Julia von Heinz, John Quester
Darsteller:innen: Mala Ende, Luisa Céline Gaffron, Andreas Lust, Noah Saavedra, Tonio Schneider u.a.
Produktion: Seven Elephants
Ko-Produktion: Kings & Queens Filmproduktion, Haiku Films, SWR, BR, WDR, ARTE
Produzent:in: Julia von Heinz, Fabian Gasmia
Ko-Produzenten: Antoine Delahousse, John Quester, Thomas Jaeger
Filmverleih: Alamode Film

Luisa, Jurastudentin und Tochter wohlsituierter Eltern, sorgt sich wegen der zunehmenden Beliebtheit populistischer Parteien und der erstarkenden Rechte in Deutschland. Zunächst leistet sie gewaltfreien Widerstand. Dabei lernt sie Alfa und Lenor kennen. Für die beiden ist auch Gewalt ein legitimes Mittel, um Ziele zu erreichen. Die Ereignisse überstürzen sich – und Luisa muss entscheiden, wie weit sie im Kampf gegen rechts zu gehen bereit ist.