The ceremonial award presentation on Saturday evening was just another highlight of the International Film Festival for Children and Young Audience SCHLINGEL. For a week, ten juries have been spoilt for choice in the appointment of their personal favorites. 124 productions from 38 countries were screened. The programme includes also another eight films from the series “CineStart meets SCHLINGEL”. In total 14 prices worth overall about 36,000 euros were awarded.

S | Children’s Film Competition

The 18-person European Children’s Jury from nine European states (e.g. Denmark, France, Hungary or Sweden) awards the European Children’s Film Award. Thanks to the support of Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (public broadcasting) and the Saxon Ministry of Science and Art the “European Children’s Film Award” will be endowed with a total of 11,000 euros. Of these, 1,000 euros as a recognition of the director’s work and 10,000 euros as a promotion prize for the German-language dubbed version of the film. The winner is:

“Month’s Rulers”
Czech Republic / 2012
Direction: Karel Janák

Explanation: The chosen film captivates us right from the beginning. The enchanting scenery stimulates our imagination and the actors convince through their funny manner. The music of the film fits perfectly as well. All in all it’s a film for the whole family.


The best child actor who gets a “DIAMOND” – a bike from the Diamant-Fahrradwerke in Hartmannsdorf, Saxony is:

Maas Bronkhuyzen (“Mike Says Goodbye!“)
Netherlands / 2012
Direction: Maria Peters

Explanation: The best child actor is a guy who convinced us through his natural kind. Even though he has to deal with serious issues he always makes us laugh. The most fascinating thing is his humorous, emotional and funny way to act. It was easy to put ourselves in the figures place.


The Professional Jury Feature Film International (represented by Eduard Barnsteiner, barnsteiner-film / Gisela Clauß, SLM / Christa Streiber, MDR) awards the Chemnitz Top Award (5,000 euros) for the best children’s film to:

“Mike Says Goodbye!“
Netherlands / 2012
Direction: Maria Peters

Explanation: The script-writers Willemine van der Weil and Mirjam Oomkes – as well as the director Maria Peters – managed it, out of a childish perspective, in a very sensitive and exciting way to present the topic of illness and disability through impressive visual language, lively dialogues and with the help of dramaturgically well-constructed music.

Special mention: “Casper & Emma – Best Friends“ (Arne Lindtner Næss, Norway 2013)

M | Junior Film Competition

The Professional Jury Feature Film International awards as well the Top Award of the Department of Private Broadcast and New Media of the Saxonian Free State SLM (4,000 euros) for the best Junior Film to:

“The Peewees: The Winter That Changed My Life“
Canada / 2012
Direction: Éric Tessier

Explanation: The film presents the living situation of the teenagers in an extraordinary manner and deals at the same time with the attitudes of adults. The explanation and solution of a trauma in which the figure of the father is more concerned than a helping person is combined with the problem of the arriving in a foreign environment. The group dynamics within the team needs to be recommended as well.


The Junior Jury awards the Film Award of the Junior Jury to:

“The Peewees: The Winter That Changed My Life“
Canada / 2012
Direction: Éric Tessier

Explanation: We chose the movie which is distinguished through its high tension, emotionality, extraordinary camera work and impressive story. The director managed it to create a captivating and moving story for old and young alike.

Special mention: “Gabriel“ (M. Haremski, Poland 2013)

L | Youth Film Competition

The Youth Jury awards the Youth Film Award (1,000 euros) to:

“Regret!“
Netherlands / 2013
Direction: Dave Schram

Explanation: In our opinion the movie shows in a very intensive way what it’s like to be a mobbing victim which knows only one way out. Not only his classmates, but also we ourselves realised that ignorance on this topic is the wrong decision.

Special mention: “Asphalt Playground“ (Julien Abraham, France 2012)

D | Focus Germany

The DEFA Foundation Award (4,000 euros) goes to:

“Breaking Horizons“
Germany / 2012
Direction: Pola Beck

Explanation: The prize of the DEFA foundation goes to a film about searching: Searching for love and foothold as well as searching for the soul of the young generation. The inner conflicts which arise out of this (using the example of two best friends) are sensitively and authentically presented in all facets by the main actors. The film maker inconspicuously and very closely captures – especially through the camera, the picture language und in the gradient tones – the friendship in all its extremes and gives a realistic picture of young adults of today. We would like to see more of this power of observation and the secure, but nevertheless fresh writing in the cinematic narration.

Special mention: “Wadjda“(Haifaa Al Mansour, Saudi Arabia, Germany 2012)


For the second time, the Goethe-Institut awards a feature film of the category with the Youth and Children’s Film Award of the Goethe-Institut. The prize goes to:

“Broken Glass Park“
Germany 2013
Direction: Bettina Blümner

Explanation: The film lives apart from the vivid play of the main actress and the dynamic and filmic narration from the direct, keen and humorous dialog, which are based on the novel of the same title and coherently adapted from it. The film playfully moves between ease and seriousness. It does not dread to show an unembellished and the same time humane look at various social relations, without falling into overstated clichés. The film conveys not only a differentiated but also exciting and emphatic image of the society. We are pleased to send the film on a journey around the world with the help of the Goethe-Institut.

XS | Short- and Animation Film Competition

The Professional Jury Short and Animated Film awards the National Short and Animation Film Award (500 euros, in cooperation with the Saxon Film Federation):

“Krake“
Germany / 2012
Director: Regina Welker

Explanation: Filmmaker Regina Walker who acts as director, author and designer at the same time has her little protagonist being infected by an octopus. Together with the girl the audience experiences how a seemingly playful intermezzo turns into a dangerous stranglehold, which finally becomes a fatal threat. The Jury is impressed by the director’s ability to include the audience in a development which is gradually becoming nightmarish so that at the end the film itself seems to take the audience’s breath. The ending conveys the desired hope for a turn to the better – or is this nothing more than wishful thinking?
Intensely staged, sparingly in animation and design, the film has an inner suspense which you cannot escape.


The Professional Jury Short and Animated Film awards as well the International Short and Animation Film Award (500 euros):

“Goodbye Mister de Vries“
Netherlands / 2012
Director: Mascha Halberstad

Explanation: In the style of a perfectly classic puppet film with a wonderfully harmonious design and in adequate animation, this short film has the audience experience its main character’s youth and old age through gentle poetry. Be it the agile sportsman or the invalid old man, a look into the face of the hero, which deliberately does not want to conceal the material structures, triggers deep empathy with the audience and shows that anything has its time.


Further Awards

The ECFA Award of the European Children’s Film Association goes to:

“Asphalt Playground“
France / 2012
Director: Julien Abraham

Explanation: Although Aimé is called “machine gun”, we see a young hero with dreams, a lust for life and openness. He is unimpressed by the environment in his ghetto that is ironically called “La Cité Rose”. We were particularly impressed by the distinct film language since it is the pictures telling the story and not the story that is being pictured.


For the first time in the festival’s history the FIPRESCI Jury awards the International Critics Prize to a film that presents the world in an exceptional way. The award goes to:

“The Blue Apple Tree“
Venezuela / 2012
Director: Olegario Barrera

Explanation: “The Blue Apple Tree” talks about serious matters in a way that even young children can understand and appreciate. The character of the grandfather is passing his life philosophy not only to his grandson but also to the cinema audience: man’s relationship with nature, social responsibility, the key role of literacy and the importance of the human rights’ struggle. It’s these essential things that are usually invisible that are being made visible by the film.


The Lichtenauer Audience Award of the Lichtenauer Mineralquellen GmbH, awarded by the audience during the festival, goes to:

“The Little Ghost“
Germany, Switzerland / 2013
Director: Alain Gsponer


The students of the Matthes-Enderlein-Gymnasium in Zwönitz, Saxony award the Fair Play Award for extraordinary social commitment to youth problems:

“Regret!“
Netherlands / 2013
Director: Dave Schram

Explanation: Based on the book by Carry Slee, Dave Schram has created a film which deeply moved us, a film which made us feel David’s, Vera’s and the other students’ regret, which made us speechless and truly touched us.
The film shows how seemingly harmless pranks can lead to serious consequences. The straight structure of narration and the amazing performance of the actors allow the audience to emphasise with the characters. “Regret!” encourages to intervene and to take action before it’s too late.


The Ehrenschlingel was awarded to the director, scriptwriter and producer Thilo Graf Rothkirch for his achievemnt in the area of children’s and youth films in Germany. The challenge of a good animation movie is to carry the audience away to new worlds, to create sympathetic figures and breathe life into them. Already sine decades, Thilo Graf Rothkirch achieves just that with his television and cinema productions. Rothkirch, born 1948 in east-Westphalian Brakel, learned his handicraft during his graphic designer-studies and afterwards as a free-lance director, storyboard illustrator and in-betweener in London. Back in Germany he founded the till today successful lasting company “Cartoon-Film” and initialized and produced TV-animation series for children, such as “Lisa and Paul” (1992/93) and the series for his later cinema debut “Tobias Totz and his Lion”. Especially “The Little Polar Bear” (2001) and the cinema adaptation of the classic children’s book from Klaus Baumgart “Laura’a Star” (2004) will always be remembered. Rothkirch understands like no other to develop fabulous stories as well as loveable characters that connect with the everyday life of children and reflect their wishes, but also fears and needs in a visionary way without waging the monitory finger. The magical atmosphere of his films is last but not least often supported by the musical composition, amongst others of Hans Zimmer and Nick Glennie-Smith.