Feb 16, 2022
Crystal Bears and Prizes of the Juries Generation Kplus and Generation 14plus Awarded

Crystal Bears and Awards of the Juries of Generation Kplus

Awards of the Children’s Jury Generation Kplus

The members of the Children's Jury in Generation Kplus – Tilda Aue, Maria Fock, Connar Beck Lowe, Henri Marioth, Leonardo Urrutia Schwarze, Kerstin Teichmann and Ida Lilli Zschaubitz – have awarded the following prizes:

Crystal Bear for the Best Film: Comedy Queen
by Sanna Lenken, Sweden

A great protagonist, powerful and vulnerable at the same time, provided us with her captivatingly told, bittersweet story of loss, grief, anger and healing. This film was a rollercoaster ride full of emotions: sometimes sad, sometimes funny, sometimes embarrassing. The music was always most appropriate and appealing. The camera was occasionally stable, yet also shaky. In a word, the film was superb.

Special Mention: An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl)
by Colm Bairéad, Ireland

A beautiful film led us into an emotional, natural world full of love. The acting performance of the protagonist truly impressed us. The profoundly explored feelings were accompanied by sensitive music.

Crystal Bear for the Best Short Film: Vlekkeloos (Spotless)
by Emma Branderhorst, Netherlands

A taboo subject is finally being addressed. Something which all of mankind knows about, but hardly addresses. Stress, panic and desperation just because you don't have enough money for tampons. That has to change!

Special Mention: Luce and the Rock
by Britt Raes, Belgium / France / Netherlands

A sweet animated film takes us to a fairy tale-like, colourful and yet literally rocky world. It reminds us that home is not necessarily where you were born, but where you have friends.

Awards of the Generation Kplus International Jury, sponsored by the Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk (The Children’s Charity of Germany)

The members of the Generation Kplus International Jury – Daniela Cajías, Nicola Jones, Samuel Kishi Leopo – have awarded the following prizes:

The Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus International Jury for the Best Film, endowed with 7,500 Euros:

An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl)
by Colm Bairéad, Ireland

As many films in this year’s Generation Kplus competition, the winning film deals with the hardships of family life. It is a film with a delicate story full of details about childhood, grief, parenthood and rebuilding a family. The very strong narrative is combined with a stunning cinematography. The sound and the images create a unique atmosphere.

Special Mention: Shabu
by Shamira Raphaëla, Netherlands

A film full of life, music and endearing characters. Freshness and energy are the main narrative elements, which transfer directly from the screen to the audience.

The Special Prize of the Generation Kplus International Jury for the Best Short Film, endowed with 2,500 Euros:

Gavazn (Deer)
by Hadi Babaeifar, Iran

Through an amazing and poetic cinematography as well as authentic acting, this film tells a story about a boy who uses an ancient tale as a means of empowerment to save his brother. The storytelling was magnetic, mystic and truthful.

Special Mention: To Vancouver (Vancouver)
by Artemis Anastasiadou, Greece

By the means of magic and with a great performance, this film tenderly captures a story about young migrants, economic depression and learning to say goodbye.

Crystal Bears and Awards of the Juries of Generation 14plus

Awards of the Youth Jury Generation 14plus

The members of the Youth Jury in Generation 14plus – Luise Dahns, Christian Fock, Quintus Gramowski, Viola Weiser and Helene Zschaubitz – have awarded the following prizes:

Crystal Bear for the Best Film: Alis
by Clare Weiskopf, Nicolas van Hemelryck, Colombia / Chile / Romania

A moving film which, utilising the simplest of means, creates an unbelievable closeness and intimacy. The protagonists and the audience are all confronted with pain and memories, albeit in a gentle manner. How do I manage to come to terms with my past without falling apart beneath it? The film answers this question with impressive honesty and directness.

Special Mention: Stay Awake
by Jamie Sisley, USA

Raw and frighteningly concrete, the film thrusts us into an everyday life that is shaped by a recurring traumatic event. Throughout their common journey, the actors and their characters became our confidants while alternating between hope and disappointment. The film left us speechless and agitated.

Crystal Bear for the Best Short Film: Born in Damascus
by Laura Wadha, United Kingdom

Impressive and intimate in its narrative style, this short film convinced us and also prevailed against the strong competition. By virtue of this film, we have gained access to a new reality that we had never encountered before in everyday life. In an impenetrable style, the film examines the influence that repressed memories have on our identity. Long after the end of the film, each one of us had something to think about. We were all touched by this film in a very special way, and now we want to award this with our Crystal Bear for the best short film.

Special Mention: Nada para ver aqui (Nothing to See Here)
by Nicolas Bouchez, Portugal / Belgium / Hungary

This short film is a work of art! Expressive and rich in contrast to the fast pace of daily life; at the same time observing and value-free, it allows itself the freedom to connect its own self to the images. The film conveys its content in a playful way, mostly without many words, and it invites you to think. Through the interaction of shapes, colours, edges, curves, sections, light and shadows, it clearly stands out from the other films.

Awards of the Generation 14plus International Jury, sponsored by the Bundeszentrale für Politische Bildung (the Federal Agency for Civic Education):

The members of the Generation 14plus International Jury – Paolo Bertolin, Rubika Shah, Dash Shaw – have awarded the following prizes:

The Grand Prix of the Generation 14plus International Jury for the Best Film, endowed with 7,500 Euros:

Kind Hearts
by Olivia Rochette, Gerard-Jan Claes, Belgium

The first of two equal Grand Prix goes to a film that effortlessly plunges us into the lives of two ordinary young people, sharing a delicate insight in their emotional growth, while reminding us of the unpredictable and elusive nature of that thing called love.

ex aequo

Skhema
by Farkhat Sharipov, Kazakhstan

The film is an intimate lens into some of the darker challenges facing young people today. But its strength is in its universality and strong and authentic performances. It explores the vulnerability of teenage girls at that pivotal moment in their lives when they are neither child nor adult. With moments of lightness and darkness — and a fantastic ending.

Special Prize of the Generation 14plus International Jury for the Best Short Film, endowed with 2,500 Euros:

Au revoir Jérôme ! (Goodbye Jérôme !)
by Adam Sillard, Gabrielle Selnet, Chloé Farr, France

When this short film appeared on screen, all of us gasped with delight. The dark theatre was illuminated by brilliant colours, strange kaleidoscopic creatures in trees, hot dog dogs, and a fragile man who ultimately plummets and shatters to pieces. To the filmmakers, we say: Thank you for this trip.

Special Mentions:

Blaues Rauschen (Blue Noise)
by Simon Maria Kubiena, Germany / Austria

We awarded a special mention to a film that, with just a few neat and precise strokes, portrays the struggle of a young conflicted man trying to finding his footing and his place in the world.

Tinashé
by Tig Terera, Australia

Part of the joy of watching short films is to transport one into new worlds. There is an interesting truth in this film, where it reveals something about young people that feels fresh. It is complex and deep — and taps into a side of life in Australia we don’t usually see on screen.

Press Office
January 16, 2022