Happy Winners
by Becky Tan

The awards ceremony took place in the new location at the Postgelände Kaltenkircher Platz in Hamburg, Altona-Nord. The room set up with sofas and chairs resembled the former location so that everyone immediately felt at home. This year, comedian Ruth Rockenschaub did not moderate as in the past. Although she is a talented comedian and keeps spirits high, it was relaxing to concentrate on the winners. Festival directors Sven Schwarz and Birgit Glombitza moderated. Each of the seven juries, with a total of 26 members from nine different categories (including 15 children in three Mo&Fries juries) handed out prizes of almost 17,000 euros. Audiences voted in two categories: International and Three-Minute Quickie. This was the first year that the winners of adult and children’s categories were honored in the same evening. Perhaps because Sven and Birgit and other close workers managed the final awards ceremony, there was a relaxed feeling of friends hanging out together – film makers, jury members, organizers, press reporters – all one big happy family. Or as was said in connection with the winning film FLORES, there are “many level of friendship which is something to hold on to.”

In the end, Birgit Glombitza was honored with flowers and many good wishes as she will leave Hamburg’s Short Film Festival after eight years in order to take on a new direction. She won’t forget the festival very soon! The staff sprayed her with silver sprinkles, which will be cleaving to her clothing, and probably her rugs at home for many more months, leaving with her a shining remembrance of a job well done.

2018 Winners

Short Film Festival Hamburg
   International Competition
Winner: FLORES (which also won the audience prize) (Portugal)
Honorable mention1: UNA LUNA DE HIERRO (A Moon made of Iron) (Chile, France)
Honorable mention 2: DIT LEARN (Great Britain)

Deframed Competition
Winner: MONELLE (Italy)
Honorable mention: WE LOVE ME (Thailand)

German Competition
Winner: DIE WIRKUNG DES GESCHÜTZES AUF GEWITTERWOLKEN
Honorable mention: CONFLUENCE

Hamburg Competition
Winner: SPINELESS KINGDOM

Three-Minute Quickie Competition, audience award
Winner: NULL KOMMA SIEBEN

ARTE short film award
Winner: AFTER SCHOOL KNIFE FIGHT (France)

Mo & Friese Children’s Short Film Festival

Friese Award (4-6 year olds)
Winner: THE THEORY OF SUNSET (Russia)

Mo Award (9-12 year olds)
Winner: CRY ROSA (Ireland) Honorable mention: TRAVELLING THROUGH BRUSH & INK (Taiwan)

Freestyle Award
Winner: SIRENE (Netherlands)
Honorable mention 1: KIEM HOLIJANDA (Netherlands)
Honorable mention 2: CARLOTTA’S FACE (Germany)