International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg

Mannheim-Heidelberg International Filmfestival (German: Internationales Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg), often shortened to IFFMH, is an annual film festival held jointly by the cities of Mannheim and Heidelberg in Baden-Württemberg. The festival was established in 1952.

The festival presents arthouse films of international newcomer directors. It is the second-oldest film festival in Germany (the oldest being Berlin). Since 1994 it has been held jointly by the cities of Mannheim and Heidelberg. The festival takes place annually around November.

The 65th International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg will take place from November 4 to 19 in 2016. ^[1]

Festival profile

The International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg is aimed at industry professionals as well as cinema enthusiasts, with over 500 professional participants and approximately 60,000 visitors each year, it is one of the largest film festivals in Germany. After several screenings there are public panel discussions with the film's representatives (e. g. directors, actors or producers).

The festival presents films of independent newcomer directors and who are internationally widely-unknown, focussing on arthouse and auteur films. The films selected must be premieres and thus films screened at Cannes, Locarno, Venice and any German festival are excluded.

In 2010 the MANNHEIM MEETING PLACE was launched. The project succeeds the Festival's former co-production market MANNHEIM MEETINGS, focusing on the improvement of marketing opportunities of completed film projects. However, co-production meetings will still take place.

During the history of the festival, feature films by now-famous directors such as Jim Jarmusch, Thomas Vinterberg, Bryan Singer, Atom Egoyan, François Truffaut, Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Krzysztof Kieslowski, Lars von Trier or Rahmin Bahrani were first introduced to an international public at the festival.

Competition and awards

The main award of the International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg

• Grand Newcomer Award Mannheim-Heidelberg for the best fiction feature film with a minimum length of 70 minutes.
• Special Newcomer Award Mannheim-Heidelberg for the best unconventionally narrated feature film with a minimum length of 70 minutes. The prize can not be awarded ex aequo.
• Special Achievement Award of Mannheim-Heidelberg for a film with the minimum length of 70 minutes, or for an extraordinary performance as actor, writer, director etc. This prize can be awarded twice if required.
• Special Mentions of Mannheim-Heidelberg for a memorial film or special achievements like acting, photography, music, montage,etc. Up to three Special Mentions can be awarded.
• New Creators Award Mannheim-Heidelberg since 2015, for the best creative and intelligent serial drama, which has not been broadcast.
• The International Film Critics Prize given by the FIPRESCI Jury for a film of the competition.
• The Ecumenic Film Prize given by the Ecumenical Jury for a film of the competition.
• Audience Award of Mannheim-Heidelberg for the film most liked by the Festival audience, regardless of genre and length.
• Recommendations of the Jury of Cinema Owners for a film of the competition which should be released theatrically in Germany.

Master of Cinema Award

In addition, since 1998 in sporadic intervals, the honorary Master of Cinema Award is issued to outstanding cineastic artist:

• 2015 – Olivier Assayas
• 2009 – Atom Egoyan
• 2006 – Aleksandr Sokurov
• 2004 – Wim Wenders, Edgar Reitz
• 2003 – Raoul Ruiz
• 2002 – Zhang Yimou
• 1999 – Otar Iosseliani
• 1998 – Theodor Angelopoulos

New Master of Cinema Award

In addition, since 2013, the honorary New Master of Cinema Award is issued:

• 2014 – Geoffrey Enthoven
• 2013 – Frédéric Fonteyne

List of award winners

2015

• Grand Newcomer Award - Main Award of Mannheim-Heidelberg The Thin Yellow Line, Celso R. Garcia, Mexico
• Special Newcomer Award Mannheim-Heidelberg 12 Months in 1 Day, Margot Schaap, The Netherlands
• Special Achievement Award Mannheim-Heidelberg to the director Rebecca Cremona Simshar, Malta
• Audience Award (International Competition Newcomer Films) Jeremy, Anwar Safa, Mexico
• International Film Critics' Prize 12 Months in 1 Day Margot Schaap, The Netherlands
• Prize of the Ecumenical Jury Walking Distance Alejandro Guzmán Álvarez, Mexico
• Recommendation of the Cinema Owners Home Care Slavek Horak, Czech Republic, Paradise Trips Raf Reyntjens, Belgium, Jeremy Anwar Safa, Mexico
• New Creators Award Mannheim-Heidelberg Occupied, Karianne Lund and Erik Skjoldbjærg, Norway
• Audience Award (International Competition Serial Dramas) 'Familie Braun, Manuel Meimberg and Uwe Urbas , Germany

2014

• Newcomer of the Year - Main Award of Mannheim-Heidelberg 23 Segundos (23 Seconds), Dimitry Rudakov, Uruguay
• Special Award of Mannheim-Heidelberg Nabat, Elchin Musaoglu, Azerbaijan
• Special Award of the International Jury A Despedida (Farewell), Marcelo Galvao, Brazil
• Audience Award Ghadi, Amin Dora, Lebanon
• International Film Critics' Prize Nabat Elchin Musaoglu, Azerbaijan
• Prize of the Ecumenical Jury Nabat Elchin Musaoglu, Azerbaijan
• Recommendation of the Cinema Owners Patrick's Day Terry McMahon, Ireland, In the Crosswind Martti Helde, Estonia

2013

• Newcomer of the Year - Main Award of Mannheim-Heidelberg Melaza (Molasses), Carlos Lechuga, Cuba, France, Panama
• Special Award of Mannheim-Heidelberg Madariinid (Tangerines), Zaza Urushadze, Estonia, Georgia
• Special Award of the International Jury Før Snøen Faller Before Snowfall, Hisham Zaman, Norway, Germany, Iraq
• Special Award of the International Jury Ghaedeye Tasadof (Bending the Rules), Behnam Behzadi, Iran
• Special Mention of the International Jury De Nieuwe Wereld (The New World), Jaap van Heusden, Netherlands
• Audience Award Mandariinid (Tangerines), Zaza Urushadze, Estonia, Georgia
• International Film Critics' Prize Drift Benny Vandendrissche, Belgium
• Prize of the Ecumenical Jury Hemma (Home) Maximilian Hult, Sweden/Iceland
• Recommendation of the Cinema Owners Razredni sovražnik (Class Enemy) Rok Biček, Slowenia, Mandariinid (Tangerines) Zaza Urushadze, Estonia, Georgia & Cyanure (Cyanide) Séverine Cornamusaz, Switzerland, Canada

2012

• Newcomer of the Year - Main Award of Mannheim-Heidelberg Soote Payan (Final Whistle), Niki Karimi, Iran
• Rainer Werner Fassbinder Prize Lycka Till Och ta Hand om Varandra (Good Luck. And Take Care of Each Other), Jens Sjögren, Sweden
• Special Award of the International Jury Tiempos Menos Modernos (Not So Modern Times), Simón Franco, Argentina, Chile
• Special Mention of the International Jury When Yesterday Comes Hsiu-Chiung Chiang, Singing Chen, Wi-Ding Ho, Ko-Shang Shen, Taiwan
• Audience Award Now, Forager. A Film About Love and Fungi Jason Cortlund, Julia Halperin, USA, Poland
• International Film Critics' Prize Seenelkäik (Mushrooming) Toomas Hussar, Estonia
• Prize of the Ecumenical Jury Le Sac de Farine (The Bag of Flour) Kadija Leclere, Belgium, Morocco
• Special Mention of the Ecumenical Jury W Sypialni (In a Bedroom) Tomasz Wasilewski, Poland
• Recommendation of the Cinema Owners La Niña (The Girl) David Riker, USA, UK, Mexico, Now, Forager. A Film About Love and Fungi Jason Cortlund, Julia Halperin, USA, Poland & Silent City Threes Anna, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg.

2011

• Main Award of Mannheim-Heidelberg Parked, by Darragh Byrne, Ireland
• Rainer Werner Fassbinder Prize Un Cuento Chino (Chinese Take-Away), by Sebastián Borensztein, Argentina
• Special Award of the International Jury Le Vendeur (The Salesman), by Sébastien Pilote, Canada
• Special Mention of the International Jury Rah Raftan Rouye Rail (Walking on the Rail), by Babak Shirinsefat, Iran; Laurent Capelluto for his performance in Fils unique (My Only Son), Miel van Hoogenbemt, Belgium and Piotr Niemyjski, director of photography, Lęk wysokości (Fear of Falling) by Bartosz Konopka, Poland
• Audience Award Un Cuento Chino (Chinese Take-Away), by Sebastián Borensztein, Argentina
• International Film Critics' Prize Le Vendeur (The Salesman), by Sébastien Pilote, Canada
• Ecumenical Film Prize Bein Hashmashot (Dusk), by Alon Zingman, Israel
• Recommendations of Cinema Owners Bein Hashmashot (Dusk), Alon Zingman, Israel; Elle ne pleure pas, elle chante (She's not crying, she's singing), Philippe de Pierpont, Belgium and Un Amor (One Love), Paula Hernández, Argentina

2010

• Main Award of Mannheim-Heidelberg 10½, by Daniel Grou, Canada
• Rainer Werner Fassbinder Prize Xun huan zuo le (The High Life), by Zhao Dayong, China
• Special Award of the International Jury Siyah Beyaz (Black and White), by Ahmet Boyacioglu, Turkey
• Special Mention of the International Jury Act of Dishonour, by Nelofer Pazira, Canada and Alicia Vikander for her performance in Till det som är vackert (Pure), by Lisa Langseth, Sweden
• Audience Award Eva y Lola by Sabrina Farji, Argentina and Hold om mig (Hold me tight), by Kaspar Munk, Denmark
• International Film Critics' Prize awarded by the FIPRESCI Xun huan zuo le (The High Life), by Zhao Dayong, China
• Ecumenic Film Prize Hold om mig (Hold me tight), by Kaspar Munk, Denmark
• Recommendations of Cinema Owners Till det som är vackert (Pure), Lisa Langseth, Sweden; Win/Win, Jaap van Heusden, The Netherlands and Planes para manana, Juana Macías, Spain

2009

• Main Award of Mannheim-Heidelberg Postia Pappi Jaakobille (Letters to Father Jacob), Klaus Härö, Finland
• Rainer Werner Fassbinder Prize Miss Kicki, Hakon Liu, Sweden
• Special Award of the International Jury Demsala Dawî: Sewaxan (The Last Season: Shawaks), Kazim Öz, Turkey
• Special Mention of the International Jury Jonathan Parker for (Untitled), USA and Séverine Cornamusaz for Coeur Animal (Animal Heart), Switzerland
• Audience Award Nurse.Fighter.Boy, Charles Officer, Canada
• International Film Critics' Prize Coeur Animal (Animal Heart), Séverine Cornamusaz, Switzerland
• Ecumenic Film Prize Coeur Animal (Animal Heart), Séverine Cornamusaz, Switzerland
• Recommendations of Cinema Owners Retorno a Hansala (Return to Hansala), Chus Gutiérrez, Spain; (Untitled), Jonathan Parker, USA and Nurse.Fighter.Boy, Charles Officer, Canada

2008

• Main Award of Mannheim-Heidelberg Lluvia (Rain), Paula Hernández, Argentina
• Rainer Werner Fassbinder Prize Un roman policier (A Police Romance), Stéphanie Duvivier, France
• Special Award of the International Jury Másik Bolygó (Another Planet), Ferenc Moldoványi, Hungary
• Special Mention of the International Jury Isabelle Blais for outstanding performance in Borderline, Canada; Lee Chi Yuan for Luan Qing Chun (Beautiful Crazy), Taiwan and K. M. Madhusudhanan for Bioscope, India
• Audience Award Amanecer de un sueño (Awaking From a Dream), Freddy Mas Franqueza, Spain
• International Film Critics' Prize Borderline, Lyne Charlebois, Canada
• Ecumenic Film Prize Borderline, Lyne Charlebois, Canada
• Recommendations of Cinema Owners 14 kilometros (14 Kilometers), Gerardo Olivares, Spain; Borderline, Lyne Charlebois, Canada, Les murs porteurs (Cycles), Cyril Gelblat, France

Gallery

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  Venue in Mannheim

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  Venue in Heidelberg

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  Venue in Heidelberg

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  Visitors at the Stadthaus in Mannheim

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  Visitor masses at the festival location in Mannheim

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  Festival goers at the Stadthaus in Mannheim

References

External links

• Official website, in English and German
• Mannheim-Heidelberg International Filmfestival at the Internet Movie Database