Archive notice: This article was originally published on June 8, 2009. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
The competition for the 2009 German Young Film Award is open. Until August 1, young filmmakers aged seven to 27 can submit their work for the renowned distinction. The German Young Film Award will be presented during the 10th up-and-coming International Film Festival Hannover, taking place from November 19–22 this year. It includes a two-year producer mentorship and prize money of €2,000; the prize is sponsored by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research.
Since 1982, the festival has given very young filmmakers their first opportunity to establish a profile. School pupils, young people and students can participate in the national competition or, since 1991, the international competition. The organisers emphasise that up-and-coming has discovered the talent of many successful filmmakers, including no fewer than four later Academy Award winners. The German Young Film Award was presented for the first time in 2005 at the initiative of up-and-coming, and since 2007 it has also included a producer mentorship. The festival and mentorships are supported by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, nordmedia and ERDF funding. Up-and-coming is held under the patronage of Federal President Horst Köhler.
With the German Young Film Award, up-and-coming aims to promote dialogue between young and professional filmmakers. Each of the three winners is therefore paired with a producer who advises and supports the young talent on a new film project. In 2007, producers Regina Ziegler and Peter Rommel (Grill Point, Cloud 9), and Volker Engel, whose work includes special effects for Independence Day, took on the first mentorships. The projects made through those partnerships will be presented at up-and-coming in November 2009. This year, producer Christian Becker (The Wave, The Crocodiles) will take on one of the three new mentorships.
School pupils, young people and students aged seven to 27 are invited to enter their work in the 2009 German Young Film Award competition. The international competition also presents the International Young Film Makers Award, open to filmmakers from around the world. All lengths, genres and formats are permitted, with particular emphasis placed on originality. The application deadline is August 1; entry documents can be downloaded online.
Further Links:
- 10th up-and-coming International Film Festival Hannover
