16. up-and-coming Int. Film Festival Hannover

from 22th to 28th November 2021


After viewing a total of 145 films from all over the world, the two juries have made their decision. On November 28th they awarded the prizes in a wonderful ceremony: Deutscher Nachwuchsfilmpreis, up-and-coming Int. Film Award, Bundes-Schülerfilmpreis, Honorable Mention.

We congratulate all winners and thank our great team with all our hearts for a fabulous festival!

In the last few decades, up-and-coming has brought the world and its film talents to the festival in Hanover. up-and-coming went out into the world in 2021. We took advantage of a new online format to look into living rooms around the world and brought filmmakers together: indoors from around the world.


And the winners are...

A Boy

Russian Federation 2020 | written and directed by Vitaly Akimov (1996)

The film describes the fate of the family as a metaphor in a very personal and intimate way for a society in a self-dissolving transformation process. Alcohol and violence act like a fire accelerators that are about to take the last human refuge - the family. 10 year old Stepan - step brother of the young filmmaker - impresses with his unmistakable way of telling and leads us like a door opener through the history of the family. A perfect duo that shows the microcosm of today's Russian provinces in a visually drastic but also entertaining way. Definitely worth seeing!

Aliya

Kazakhstan 2021 | written and directed by Aruzhan Dossymkozha (1999)

This film does nothing less than burning down the patriarchy! The young and talented director impresses with a composed and aesthetic view on her protagonist and the provincial setting. She gives the audience time to follow her protagonist and adapt emotionally until she is suddenly thrown in an unbelievable situation.  The film is an important message for women’s rights and against oppressive traditions, wherever they are still upheld in this world.

 

Life's Meeting Room

United Kingdom 2021 | written and directed by Becky-Lulu Dartnell (geb. 1999)

Her precise and open eye for her characters, which she brings to life with stunning dedication to detail, is more than remarkable for our next winner. She gives her protagonists room to discuss the big philosophical questions in life, triggered by a global pandemic, without judging any of their conclusions or thoughts. No right answer is needed. She portrays her characters with such authenticity, that it feels like we’ve met them all outside of the Zoom-Meeting in real life. For creating such a vibrant and diverse ensemble, she truly deserves a price for best casting! So we congratulate Becky-Lulu Dartnell for winning the “up-and-coming” International Film Award 2021 for her film “Life’s Meeting Room”. 

Special Mention

We thank our Juries!

To Kill the Birds & the Bees

 Singapore, 2021 | written and directed by Calleen Koh Yee Lin (1999)

So we would like to give a special mention to Calleen Kho Yee Lin for her film “To Kill the Birds and the Bees”. She confronts us with our uptightness, relieves us with breaking tabus and makes us laugh while showing us the responsibility and necessity that lies within talking openly about sexuality. We hope your film will be seen by many more people and will lead to a more open discourse. 

© Alexander Martin

Jury — German Competition

Justin Peach (Dokumentary filmmaker), Lisa Krusche (author), Jonas Karpa (Media scientist)

 

© Alexander Martin

Jury — International Competition

Mareike Almedom (Script writer), Liza Stutzky (Casting Director), Dobrivoie Kerpenisan (Dokumentary filmmaker, Fotographer)

Opening Ceremony 2021

Prize Awarding Ceremony 2021

145 films are nominated!

- 67 films for the "Deutscher Nachwuchsfilmpreis" 2021
- 78 films for the "up-and-coming International Film Award" 2021
- Two top-class expert juries

The nominations are in, the jurors are sitting in their chairs - it's getting serious for the young film scene, because the up-and-coming 2021 is getting closer. During the International Film Festival in Hanover from November 22-28, 2021, there will be extraordinary films to see.

The 16th up-and-coming International Film Festival Hannover is just around the corner. And the first decisions have already been made. A seven-member pre-jury has worked its way through the field of 4,029 submitted applications and made a preliminary selection for the two competitions.

67 productions were nominated for the coveted "Deutscher Nachwuchsfilmpreis" 2021. The award will be presented three times, each time with a prize money of 2,000 euros, and the winners can look forward to two years of support from renowned patrons from the film industry. In addition, the most promising youngsters can secure the Bundes-Schülerfilm-Preis, which is also endowed with 2000 euros. Not only German productions will be honored in Hanover. 78 films from 37 countries will be shown from November 22 to 28 in Hanover for the "up-and-coming International Film Award" 2021, which will also be presented three times.

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