Robin Gurney

Jury member Robin Gurney reports about the festival

"State Legislature", a film by the celebrated American filmmaker Frederick Wiseman, has won the John Templeton Foundation Special Prize worth 5’000 Swiss Francs, at the International Film festival "Visions du Réel", 20-26 April, in Nyon, Switzerland.

The 9th European John Templeton Film Prize was awarded to the film *L'ENFANT* (The Child) by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne. The prize, worth €10,000, is awarded on behalf of the US-based John Templeton Foundation by the international church film organisation INTERFILM and the Conference of European Churches (CEC).

The film *Yasmin* by Kenny Glenaan (UK/Germany 2004) has been awarded the 2004 European Templeton Film Award. The prize, funded by the American John Templeton Foundation, is presented by the international church-based film organisation INTERFILM and the Conference of European Churches (CEC).

The 7th European John Templeton Film Award went to “Vosvraščenie” (The Return) by Andrei Svjagincev. The award was presented on 8 February 2004 at the Matthäuskirche on the Kulturforum during the Berlinale, as part of an hORA service. The sermon was delivered by INTERFILM President Hans Werner Dannowski.

Robin Gurney reports on the 2nd International Content Summit at the 2003 Berlin Film Festival focussing on the topic "Film, Values, and Society".

The 6th European John Templeton Film Prize went to ‘The Man Without a Past’ by Aki Kaurismäki. The film tells the story of a man who survives a brutal act of violence and starts a new life. It was awarded the Ecumenical Jury Prize at Cannes in 2002.

The 5th European John Templeton Film Award 2001 was presented to the film “Chico” by Ibolya Fekete. The award ceremony took place during the 2002 Berlinale as part of a church service at the Matthäuskirche on the Kulturforum.

‘Northern Outskirts' (Nordrand) by Barbara Albert was the winner of the 4th European John Templeton Film Award for the year 2000. The film tells the story of two young women in Vienna who lost touch after leaving school and meet again at an abortion clinic.

The 3rd European John Templeton Film Prize was awarded to *Journey to the Sun* by Yeşim Ustaoğlu. The award ceremony took place on 13 February 2000 during a church service at the Kaiser Wilhelm Gedächtniskirche in Berlin.