This year, for the first time, the City of Hof is awarding two short film prizes, each worth 2,500 euros. Among 51 films, the audience could vote both on site in Hof cinemas and at the streaming festival. In addition to the Jury Short Film Award 2021, which went to Marlena Molitor for her film SORT OF GROWN UP, the Audience Short Film Award 2021 was decided today.
The Audience Short Film Award of the City of Hof 2021 goes to
AYSHA by Cengiz Akaygün
With haunting images, AYSHA depicts a moving document of the situation of people in a fundamentalist system. 10-year-old Aysha sits with her sister in a backyard in Afrin, Syria, where a strict woman quizzes them both on the Quranic verses. While Aysha’s sister passes the exam in exemplary fashion, Aysha has difficulty quoting the verses. Unlike her sister, Aysha rejects the female role imposed on her, provoking the woman’s disapproval. When Aysha resists, the situation escalates.
The director Cengiz Akaygün was born in Stuttgart in 1979 as the son of Kurdish guest workers. He studied Communication and Media Sciences. Later, he began making films, first image films, then also short films. He celebrated great festival success with his short film THE TANGERINE TREE (2018). The 13-minute film AYSHA is his fourth short film.
Second and third place went to the films MARTYRS OF STRIVING by Alexander Fischer (Peskador) and FREE FALL by Emmanuel Tenenbaum. We congratulate all three filmmakers!
About the film
Aysha
Cengiz Akaygün, 13min
ku., ar. OV with en. CC
