Traditionally, many prizes are awarded at the Hof International Film Festival. On Friday, October 27, three in all.
The PHAROS SHIVER SCREEN AWARD is presented for the second time in 2023. The prize, endowed with € 2,500 is offered by Pharos - the Post Group and The Playmaker Munich and is linked to a first look at the world distribution of a subsequently planned feature-length film project as well as co-production through media services and networking with potential distributors. The award goes to the directors
Philipp Fröhlich and Dominik Gross for their film SCHERBEN
The jury around Christian Pfeil (cinema operator), Romain Roll (Grossmann Fantastic Film & Wine Festival) and Ramona Sehr (author) explained their decision like this (excerpt):
"One topic. One idea. One story. Told in the right format with outstanding actors and a virtuous range of genres, we have decided to award SCHERBEN with the Pharos Shiver Screen. A particularly powerful moment is when the protagonist dares to rebel against the broker's ignorance and misogyny, and yet she fails as a result of her own trauma."
Philipp Fröhlich was born in Munich in 1988 and studied communication sciences. He works as a senior lighting technician, producer and director. Dominik Gross, born in Grevenbroich in 1987, is a trained media designer and works as a sound engineer, camera assistant, assistant director and director. For both, SCHERBEN represents their short film directorial debut.
The Friedrich Baur Gold Prize is awarded for the best directing achievement in a first feature film by the Bavarian Academy of Fine Arts, in memoriam Heinz Badewitz. It is the highest endowed prize of the Hof International Film Festival and consists of certified gold bars worth about 35.000 €. In addition, there is a one-year artistic consultation by a mentor in order to support the development of a new film. This year the award goes to the director
PAULINE SCHLÄGER for her film THEN I'D RATHER DIE
This year's mentor Corinna Schnitt, media artist, has taken over the jury function and explains the decision as follows (excerpt):
"THEN I'D RATHER DIE shows the different reactions of a group of friends after the suicide attempt of one of their members. [...] Director Pauline Schläger, with her very precise powers of observation, shaped by her co-writer Jana Neef and co-writer Julius Nerlich, tackles an important and sensitive topic of our society: mental health and how we deal with it."
Pauline Schläger was born in Hamburg in 1996 and studied media science in Bayreuth. She is currently studying at the International Film School Cologne (ifs). She works as a director, assistant director and producer and makes her feature film debut in Hof.
The Jury Short Film Award of the City of Hof is awarded by a jury of three and is endowed with 2.500 €. This year it consists of filmmaker and screenwriter Ursula Gruber, actress Denise M'Baye and Juliane Pielot, co-managing director missingFILMs. Two productions are awarded in 2023:
CAN TANYOL for his film CRAZY BLOOD
ANNA-SOPHIA RICHARD for her film MY ORANGE GARDEN
Can Tanyol was born in Hamburg in 1987. After studying directing at the Film University Babelsberg Konrad Wolf, he works as a director and screenwriter.
Anna-Sophia Richard, born in 1991 in the Dominican Republic, grew up there as well as in Germany and Guatemala. In addition to an education at the Casa Comal Film School in Guatemala, her vita is marked by studies in directing at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg. She is active as a director for short and feature films.
We congratulate all winners and wish them all the best for their future projects!