64th International Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg

09.10.2015 to 24.10.2015
Mannheim and Heidelberg

© Martin Black

The Ecumenical Jury Mannheim 2015

The 64th Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg's motto is "Weltkino." (World Cinema) - as open as succinct and more appropriate to the megatopic of the moment, the flight of victims of war and poverty to Europe, hardly imaginable. The festival changed not only its date and length but has expanded its program by TV series. In this section, awards have been already chosen: OCCUPIED directed by Karianne Lund & Erik Skjoldbjærg from Norway has won the New Creators Award Mannheim-Heidelberg 2015. As "Master of Cinema" the festival honoured Olivier Assayas.

The Ecumenical Jury awarded its Prize, endowed with 1500 €, to the Mexican film "Distancias cortas" (Walking Distance), directed by Alejandro Guzmán. Also the International Jury with president Marion Hänsel choose a film from Mexico as their winner. They chose "La delgada linea amarilla" (The Thin Yellow Line), directed by Celso R. Garcia, for the Grand Newcomer Award 2015.

Link: Festival-Website

 

Auszeichnungen

Walking Distance
Walking Distance
2015

A film vibrant with consummate story-telling about an extraordinary person was one of the many good and committed films of the festival  that impressed the Ecumenical Jury in particular. This film is a courageous cinematographic composition: an aesthetic footage that is evocative of painting, with camera work and editing that approaches the tempo and pace of the protagonist, and a sound mixing that is sensitive to atmosphere, music, dialogue and silence. Thus, content and form connect in an impressive way. Fearless of silence and with subtle humor and creativity, we get the very touching and symbolic story  of a man who lives in solitude at the outer edge of society. The film pays tribute to humanity and is a symbol of hope. 


More about the festival

Ylva Liljeholms report focusses on two issues, the Mexican films in the international competition and the representation of women by and in the festival selection.