October 17, 2011
In memoriam Dölf Rindlisbacher (23.4.1919-7.10.2011)
Obituary by INTERFILM President Hans Hodel
In the church of Spiegel-Bern, on October 17, many mourners bode farewell to Dölf Rindlisbacher who died in his 93rd year of age. He was the first film commissioner of the German speaking Protestant churches in Switzerland and will be remembered as a pioneer in the history of Protestant media activities in Switzerland. Growing up in the rural Emmental he indicated interest in film early on. After finishing his degree in theology in Bern he pursued studies in psychology and visited England and America. Afterwards he was a minister in Wengen and Bern and a teacher at the gymnasium Kirchenfeld. When in 1966, after a long debate, the film and radio commission of the Reformed churches in German speaking Switzerland decided to establish the position of a film commissioner Dölf Rindlisbacher was the appropriate person to succeed to this task. He won over the electorial body above all by his skills to conduct analytical and deepening film talks which he acquired in classrooms and youth ministry.
Grassroot activities remained important for Dölf Rindlisbacher during the whole period between his accession to office in 1967 till his retirement in 1984. Film should become and remain relevant for the diverse fields of church acitivities, including church services, above all as a means of preaching. How are films fashioned, what are their messages, how can they be appreciated, interpreted and applied? To answer these questions he organised numerous classes and screenings, called "film fairs", for church employees in homesteads, parish halls and at universities. In support of church film events he expanded the stock of inspiring short, documentary and fiction films in 16mm provided by the ZOOM film distribution company, acquiring them either in Switzerland or abroad and often by direct contact with film artists. Among them are pearls like "Charles mort ou vif" by Alain Tanner, "Die plötzliche Einsamkeit des Konrad Steiner" (The Sudden Loneliness of Konrad Steiner) by Kurt Gloor, "Das zweite Erwachen der Christa Klages" (The Second Awakening of Christa Klages) by Margarethe von Trotta, and many others. More than only a few short films turned out to be true hits for years among the ZOOM customers. The issues of the distribution catalogue entitled Film – Kirche – Welt (film – church – world) edited in cooperation with the Catholic distribution company Selecta-Film, proved to be an indespensable tool for information and advertisement to support the church film supply. In this context the constitution of a film and media archive evolving to an instrument of information and advice by the commitment of its keepers matched with a long-sighted strategy.
Dölf Rindlisbacher published reviews on events, festivals, and films in "film und radio" and "ZOOM – Filmberater" as well as resources for film education, and trained staff to write film desciptions and reports on film classes. As a guide for training he published an introduction in basic ideas on film and in principles and models of film talks entitled "Filmarbeit – praktisch" (Film Activities - Practical) and published by Reinhardt Verlag Basel.
As a delegate of the Swiss Evangelical Church Association his professional competence found high recognition in the Federal Film Commission and in the Jury for Quality Awards, not least by filmmakers.International he was committed to the European Steering Committee of WACC (World Association for Christian Communication), but above all to INTERFILM. 1978 he organised an international INTERFILM seminar focussed on films ciritical on society in Bern. Many times he was a member of church festival jurys, quite often as president, and initiated the first Ecumenical Jury 1973 at the film Festival Locarno, together with his Catholic partner Ambros Eichenberger and then festival director Moritz de Hadeln. In 2012 this jury will celebrate its 40th anniversary.
After his retirement serving again as a pastor temporarily, he kept vivid memories of his commitment as film commissioner for all his life. This office he practiced "with heart and soul", as was said at his farewell. With special pride he looked back to the times when he could give theological advice to Franz Schnyder, director of the screen adaptations of Jeremias Gotthelf, and to the cooparation with Peter von Gunten when they jointly produced "Der vierte König" (The Fourth King), a shadow play after the legend of Edzard Schaper which was sold to numerous TV stations.
INTERFILM mourns its honorary member who played an important part in its history.
September 10, 2011
INTERFILM Jury in Venice awards "Girimunho"
Orizzonti entry from Brasil gets Award for Interreligious Dialogue
The 1st INTERFILM Jury at the Film Festival Venice – Elisabetta Ribet, Italy, Susanne W. Yngvesson, Sweden, and Karsten Visarius, Germany (President) – has chosen the film "Girimunho" (Swirl, Brasil, Spain, Germany 2011) directed by Helvécio Marins Jr. and Clarissa Campolina as winner of the INTERFILM Award for Promoting Interreligious Dialogue 2011.
The jury watched a selection of films across the official sections of the festival. "Girimunho" was screened in the Orizzonti competition.
The film tells the story of Bastu, an 81 years old woman living in a little Brazilian village, who has to deal with the death of her husband. By choosing a character who is wise, humorous, sensitive, and autonomous, the film offers a message which integrates life and death, individuality and social relationships. Through a delicate cinematography of lights and shadows, music and sounds, the film adopts a liberating perspective which shows religious practices and beliefs as essential dimensions of life.
Press conference with the directors of "Girimunho"
August 19, 2011
New Church Film Jury in Venice
INTERFILM launches interreligious film award
At the 68th Film Festival Venice, the Mostra internazionale d’arte cinematografica, from August 31-September 10, 2011, an INTERFILM jury will award a Prize for Promoting Interreligious Dialogue for the first time. The award will support films which empower understanding, respect, sympathy and peace between people of different origins, histories, and beliefs. "Witnessing rising tensions and deep-rooted prejudice between religious groups in several regions of our world, INTERFILM intends the award to be a sign for the better: for sharing our hopes and our anxieties, for acknowledging the other as our neighbour, and for trusting in the power of artistic imagination to overcome suspicion and hostility", the preamble of the prize regulations says. By the new INTERFILM jury the organisation follows its aim to join church and cinema, cultures and religions.
The members of the first jury are Elisabetta Ribet (italy), pastor of the Waldensian Church in Venice, Susanne W. Yngvessen (Sweden), associate professor at the Stockholm School of Theology, and Karsten Visarius (Germany) Executive Director of INTERFILM and official in charge of the Filmcultural Centre of the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD).
In past years at the Venice Film Festival INTERFILM has organized a number of discussion forums focussing on the cinema of China, Iran, and Russia. For this year INTERFILM prepares a panel on actual Arab cinema. Partner organisations of the event are the Catholic Fondazione Ente dello Spettacolo and the Associazione protestante del cinema Roberto Sbaffi.
March 20, 2011
Children and Youth Festival Malmö 2011
Swedish Church Award
The winner of the Swedish Church Award at the BUFF Children and Youth Film Festival Malmö 2011 (March 15-19) is
Spork by J. B. Ghuman Jr., USA 2010
The award is endowed with a prize money of 50.000 SEK donated by the Swedish Church.
Motivation: Welcome to Spork’s tough, twisted world. This fast-paced, cocky and colorful film plays mercilessly with our prejudices and celebrates the right to be different. Everyone is equally different – just as it should be!
Synopsis: Spork is 14 and trying to navigate through school and everyday life. She has her own style with messy hair and big glasses. Everyone knows that she is a hermaphrodite which makes it difficult for her to blend in with the crowd. The only ones that let Spork in are the cool black girls. The girls take on the seemingly impossible task: to teach Spork how to dance. “Spork” is a charming and wacky comedy about being different and fitting in. It contains a lot of dancing and rap music. (Festival information)
A Scene From "Spork" from Alex & Peter Knegt on Vimeo
November 24, 2010
Church Film Award at Oulu, Finland
At the 29th Oulu International Children’s and Yoouth Film Festival (15.-21. November 2010), the Church Media Foundation of Finland has assigned its prize to the documentary „Look at me” (Omaa Luokkaansa) by Iiris Härmä (Finland).
"Look at me is a depiction of steadfast caring and love that speaks through actions. Everyday patience and a belief in human change by the force of good are given their due in the film. Look at me occupies the nucleus of Christian value system without preaching or teaching," said jury member Veli-Pekka Hänninen.
The film is a story of the last spring of a selfcontained class in a Finnish junior high school. Some students in the class face loneliness and bullying. The teacher is Ulla, who shows her care and presence in a very special way. Ulla wants to give the students a basis for a stable life, self-confidence and confidence for the future. (Festival information)
The Media Foundation of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland grants a 1500-euro prize to a Finnish feature or short film for children or young people. The prize is intended to support Finnish films for children and young people and encourage film makers to examine Christian responsibility and values.
For the first time, an Ecumenical Jury has taken part in the Warsaw Film Festival. The jury of 3 members awards prizes (as well as commendations) to directors who have shown genuine talent and succeeded in portraying human experience that is in harmony with the gospel or in sensitising viewers to spiritual, human or social questions and values. It honours works of high cinematographic quality, which bear witness to the power of film as an artistic medium for communication and visual expression. These criterai apply as well to Ecumenical Jurys at other festivals.
The 1st Ecumenical Jury at the 26th International Film Festival in Warsaw (October 8-17, 2010) has chosen as winner of the Ecumenical Film Prize
De la infancia (On Childhood) by Carlos Carrera (Mexico 2010)
Motivation: A touching dramatic story and universal challenge that deal with difficult conditions of children deprived of security and stability due to behaviour of adults, men in particular. In this protest against violence, only by acting responsibly, evil will not dominate and a glimpse of hope could appear for families in distress.
In addition, the Jury has awarded a Commendation to
Periferic (Outbound) by Bogdan George Apetri (Romania 2010)
Motivation: Through an outstanding performance of the leading actress, the director portrays the struggle of a courageous woman. In spite of rejection, she is decided to give her existence a new start reunified with her son. The deliberated structure of the screenplay leads the audience to believe in positive perspective for her life.
The Jury: Rev. Marek Lis (SIGNIS Poland), president Denyse Muller (INTERFILM France) Jos Horemans (SIGNIS Europe)
Denyse Muller (top, left), Marek Lys and Jos Horemans (bottom)
October 11, 2010
Carlos Valle made Honorary Life Member of WACC
(WACC/vis) Rev. Carlos A. Valle, President of INTERFILM 1980-1986, was awarded Honorary Life Membership of WACC (World Association for Christian Communication) in recognition of his services to Christian communication.
Carlos Valle is a Methodist minister from Argentina. He was a staff member of the ecumenical theological school, ISIDET, in Buenos Aires, where he taught various courses on communication, especially film and theology.
Carlos Valle served as WACC’s General Secretary 1986-2001 and organized the first WACC Congress which was held in 1989 in Manila, Philippines. Upon retiring, he returned to Argentina to serve as a chaplain to students at ISIDET in Buenos Aries, where he continues to write on issues related to communication, to work for his church, and to take an active part in promoting communication rights and social justice.
Carlos Valle has written several books, published in both Spanish and English. They include Comunicación es evento (1988), Comunicación: modelo para armar (1990), and Communication and Mission: In the Labyrinth of Globalisation (2002).
INTERFILM has appointed Honorary Life Membership to Carlos Valle 2004. On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of INTERFILM in 2005 Carlos wrote: “Cinema has brought human experience to a social level never dreamt of before and theology should learn this lesson. It created, of course, false hopes and unreal worlds, but if offered and opportunity of participation. People could now see what they were like and how they wish they were. (…) Cinema articulated questions and showed humans beings in their glory and misery.”
INTERFILM congratulates Carlos Valle on this honour.
Carlos A. Valle (with blue coat, middle) at the INTERFILM seminar in Ørebro, Sweden, in 2000
September 18th, 2010
Russian Cinema Today – Dreams and Reality
3rd Ecumenical Film Event at the Venice Film Festival
At the Mostra Internationale d’Arte Cinematografica 2010 on the Lido of Venice ecumenical film experts met for the 3rd time. This time the event was devoted to contemporary Russian film art. Andrey Plakhov, an international renowned film critic and historian, talked about “Dreams and Reality” in recent Russian film productions. INTERFILM, its Italian member organisation Associazione protestante del Cinema Roberto Sbaffi, and the Italian Catholic film organisation Fondazione Ente dello Spettacolo had organised the meeting, the latter hosting the event in its festival space in the Hotel Excelsior.
Festival director Marco Muller in his welcoming speech acknowledged the renewal of Russian cinema by young directors and authors which got international recognition for the first time when Andrej Svjagincevs “The Return” received the Golden Lion in Venice 2003. Since then, as Muller pointed out, the Mostra del cinema has become the most important show case of Russian films taking over from the Berlinale which answered this purpose in former decades. Marco Muller had been honoured by the “Orden Drushby” (order of Friendship) by the Russian Federation for his merits on spreading knowledge and understanding of Russian films in summer 2010. In his 2010 edition, the festival again screened a Russian competition entry, “Silent Souls” (Ovsjanki) by director Aleksej Fedorchenko. The film was awarded by the International Film Critics Prize and a Commendation by the SIGNIS jury. Fedorchenko had joined the ecumenical event and spontaneously participated on the panel after Plakhov’s lecture, answering questions and commentaries of the audience.
Plakhov himself appreciated Svjagincev’s „The Return” (which also received the Church Templeton Film Award 2003) as starting point of the newest “renaissance” of Russian film art. After a first period in Perestrojka of struggling with the Soviet past and a second period of reconstructing the Russian film industry dominated by mainstream blockbusters copying Hollywood patterns, this renaissance signifies, Plakhov said, a third period which takes up relations to pre-revolutionary Russian traditions including religious and spiritual elements. Pavel Lungin’s „The Island” which tells about a guild-ridden monk seeking for reconcilation in a northern Russian monastery is the best known example of such a revival. A remarkable number of Ecumencial Awards in the last decade bear witness of the creativity of young Russian film artists as well (see list below).
After Plakhov’s presentation which included a number of film cuttings a discussion followed, moderated by Karsten Visarius, executive director of INTERFILM. Among the audience he welcomed especially Aliona Shumakova, the responsable for Russian films at the Mostra, and Sitora Alieva, programme director of the international Sotchi film festival Kinotavr, and others. With a snack offered by the Fondazione Ente dello Spettacolo the event came to an end.
Invitation to the Ecumenical Meeting:
Presentation by Andrej Plakhov:
Ecumenical Awards for Russian films since 2000:
Kak ja provel etim letom (How I Ended This Summer), Pavel Popogrebsky, Russia 2010 (Commendation Yerevan 2010) Drugoje Nebo (Another Sky), Dmitrij Mamulja, Russia 2010 (Ecumenical Film Prize Karlovy Vary 2010) Buben Baraban, Aleksej Misgirev, Russia 2009 (Ecumenical Film Prize Cottbus 2009) Volchok (Wolfy), Vasilij Sigaryev, Russia 2009 (Commendation Kiev 2009) Yuriev Den' (Der Tag in Yuriev), Kirill Serebrennikov, Russia/Germany 2008 (Commendation Locarno 2008) Dikoe polje (Wild Field), Michail Kalatosischwili, Russia 2008 (Ecumenical Film Prize Cottbus 2008) Tulpan (Tulip/Tulpe), von Sergej Dwortsewoj, Germany/Switzerland/Kasakhstan/Russia/Poland 2008 (Commendation Cottbus 2008) Puteschestwije s domaschnimi schivotnymi (Travelling With Pets), Vera Storoschewa, Russia 2007 (Ecumenical Film Prize Cottbus 2007) Prostye Vešci (Simple Things), Alexej Popogrebsky, Russia 2006 (Ecumenical Film Prize Karlovy Vary 2007) Civil Status, Alina Rudnitskaya, Russia 2005 (Commendation Oberhausen 2006) Parnikovyj Effekt (Greenhouse Effect), Valery Akhadov, Russia 2005 (Ecumenical Film Prize Zlin 2006) Babusja (Grandmother), Lidia Bobrova, Russia/France 2003 (Ecumenical Film Prize Karlovy Vary 2003) Cistyj Cetverg (Clean Thursday), Aleksandr Rastorgujev, Russia 2003 (Ecumenical Film Prize Leipzig 2003) Vosvrašcenie (The Return), Andrej Svjagincev, Russia 2003 (Ecumenical Film Prize Cottbus 2003/European John Templeton Film Award 2003) Suka (Bitch), Igor Voloshin, Russia 2001 (Ecumenical Film Prize Oberhausen 2002) Sidet’ v škafu (To Sit in a Wardrobe), Tatjana Detkina, Russia 2001 (Commendation Oberhausen 2002) Sestry (Sisters), Sergej Bodrov, Russia 2001 (Ecumenical Film Prize Cottbus 2001)
July 15, 2010
41st INTERFILM General Assembly in Copenhagen
Hans Hodel re-elected President
(vis) The 41st INTERFILM General Assembly met on 12th June 2010 in Copenhagen. Held every three years according to the bylaws, it elects the President and the Steering Committee of twelve members (including the President). A report of the President, Pastor Hans Hodel from Switzerland, about the work of the presidium and of the Steering Committe in the last term, as well as a report of the Executive Director, Karsten Visarius, about the future of INTERFILM went ahead elections.
Hans Hodel’s report showed the impressive scope of INTERFILM’s acitivities, amazing particularly because INTERFILM must do without permanent employees. INTERFILM currently maintains 18 juries at international film festivals, of which 14 are Ecumenical juries (in cooperation with SIGNIS), 3 INTERFILM jurys and one interreligious jury. INTERFILM also organised a number of seminars and workshops, maintains a website and publishes the membership magazine INTERFILM Info. This work is made possible by the commitment of the members of the Presidium and of the Steering Committee, by the cooperation with the festivals, by partnership with SIGNIS (Catholic World Association for Communication), WACC (World Association for Christian Communication), and CEC (Conference of European Churches), and last but not least by support of the INTERFILM membership. For their indispensable donations the President thanked in particular the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), the Joint Association for Media Communication (GEP) in Frankfurt/Main, and the Reformed Media in Zurich.
Subsequently Karsten Visarius, film official in the Cultural Office of the EKD, explained the structural background of INTERFILM and the challenges the organization will have to face in the next years. In his estimation INTERFILM has to substitute a portion of the work done so far on a voluntary basis, as well as parts of church donations, by new financial resources. It follows that INTERFILM must establish an active fundraising.F
Finally in the elections the General Assembly followed the proposal of the Presidium and of the Steering Committee and confirmed Hans Hodel as President for the next three years. Newly elected as members of the Steering Committee were Mikael Larsson (Sweden), Philip Lee (Canada) and Jolyon Mitchell (UK).
The new Steering Committee held its first meeting after the General Assembly and elected the other members of the Presidium. It confirmed Denyse Muller (France) and Werner Schneider-Quindeau (Germany) as Vice-Presidents and Karsten Visarius as Executive Director. Philip Lee, Deputy Program Director of WACC and editor of the WACC quarterly "Media Development" was elected as new Vice-President. He replaces Andrew Johnston (Canada), who had receded from his office.
The participants of the General Assembly were guests at the award ceremony of the "Gabriel", the film prize of the Danish Church, on the preceding day. It took place within the annual State Assembly of the Church Councils in Nyborg. The winner was the film "Superbror" (Superbrothers) by Birger Larsen (Denmark 2009). The Gabriel is awarded since 2003 to films from Scandinavia.
July 15, 2010
DOGMA and Beyond
INTERFILM seminar in Copenhagen, report by Karsten Visarius
On the occasion of her 41st General Assembly INTERFILM, in cooperation with SteerCom member Jes Nysten, and Bo Torp Pedersen, president of her Danish partner organisation „Kirke og Film“, organised a seminar from July 10-13, 2010, in Copenhagen. The event has been supported by the Danish Film Insitute, the Christian P. Hansen and Wife Foundation, and the Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD). Headed “Dogma and Beyond”, it referred to the “Dogma 95” manifesto which was launched at the 100th anniversary of cinema in 1995 by four Danish film directors: Lars von Trier, Thomas Vinterberg, Kristian Levring, and Sören Kragh-Jacobsen, also called the “Dogma Brothers”. They layed down ten rules for a renewal of film art which they labelled “Vow of Chastity”.
Film productions respecting these rules received a certificate introducing the film’s opening credits. They forbade special effects, artificial lighting, and force of arms, and prescribed to apply a hand held camera, as well as to shoot at original settings. After “Celebration” by Thomas Vinterberg, and “Idiots” by Lars von Trier, the first two Dogma films, having been invited to Cannes in 1998, Dogma 95 stirred up a controversial discussion, and inspired a number of followers. In 2002, the Dogma office which had issued the certificates was closed. Different numbers circulate about how many Dogma films were made. An online list based on self-applications has 254 titles, some of them obviously being deaf nuts. At the closing of the Dogma office 31 films were registered officially. After all, Dogma had effects far beyond those figures.
At the beginning Danish film critic Liselotte Michelsen introduced the Dogma movement, drawing upon extracts of the documentary “The Purified” (De lutrede, Denmark 2002) by Jesper Jargil. The film clearly illustrates the ambivalent and ironic attitude of the Dogma protagonists which for instance marks their playful reference to religious concepts and rhetorics. Michelsen especially emphasised two merits of Dogma: a cinematography set free from the predominance of technical efforts, and spontaneous acting not being restricted by a detailed script. The unleashing by a digital, mobile hand-held camera however did not meet approval only but also critical objections. They blame Dogma to abandon the demands of visual expression and a careful composition of images and to foster a tiring bulk of blurred or swish panned film sequences instead, being ennobled by Dogma and claiming to represent avantgarde cinema.
In retrospect the Dogma manifesto above all appears to be a successful marketing concept to promote a more or less ambitious, low-budget auteur cinema, and a movement of defence and self-reliance against the growing dominance and concentration on Hollywood blockbuster cinema. An example for this strategy are the Zentropa Studios founded in 1992 by Lars von Trier and Peter Aalbæk Jensen which produced a number of Dogma films, the first being “Idiots”. Peter Albæk himself explained the background of the company to the participants which relies on the idea of decentralised production units, and producer Ib Tardini, with “Italian for Beginners” having turned out the most popular Dogma film, guided a tour through the studio grounds. Meanwhile Zentropa is the biggest independent film production company in Scandinavia and has established a number of production offices in several European countries. Hans-Christian Schmid’s “Storm” for instance was coproduced by Zentropa.
Mikael Larsson, theologian and consultant for cultural affairs of the Church of Sweden, in his lecture rather emphasised the implicit effects of Dogma on Swedish film artists. Focussing on Lukas Moodysson („Fucking Amål“) and Roy Andersson („Songs from the Second Floor“), the most remarkable auteurs of contemporary Swedish cinema, he found a similar social criticism and aesthetic radicalism exploring the realm of modern subjecitivity. The similarities, Larsson explained, can be recognised better in their artistic self definition than in stylistic features complying with the Dogma rules. (To read the lecture, please click here).
Finally Jes Nysten, pastor and film critic from Denmark, suggested a provisional evaluation of the Dogma movement in general. He referred to the end of Jesper Jargil’s documentary once again when Lars von Trier notes that a true Dogma film has not been created yet. From this notion, a mixture of pretention, irony and provocation characterising many of von Trier’s statements, Nysten developed an ambitious ideal of creation which he identified as constant impetus of Lars von Trier’s artistic work at least. True to his father figure, Carl Theodor Dreyer, whose teacup is stored in the Zentropa studios and around which the crew of finished films used to gather in order to baptise the new work, von Trier appears to regard his accomplishments only as preliminary steps to an imagined chef d’œuvre. For Dreyer, it was his Christ project he worked on for decades but never finished. When Lars von Trier accidentally met the participants in the Zentropa cafeteria they asked him about his next film. He only revealed its title: “Melancholia”.
April 21, 2010
INTERFILM Seminar and General Assembly in Copenhagen
(vis) From June 10-13, 2010, INTERFILM, in cooperation with its Danish member organisation Kirge og film, organises a seminar in Copenhagen focussing on the Dogma films and their impact today. Within the seminar, the General Assembly of INTERFILM will take place.
The seminar’s subject is inspired by the locality. In 1995 four Danish film directors published a manifesto entitled “Dogma 95” which claimed for a more authentic way of filmmaking. The manifesto established 10 rules for film production which were testified by a certificate in the opening credits of a film if it complied with them. These rules demanded among others to abandon special effects, artificial lighting and weapons and to use only handheld cameras and original locations. Films like Tomas Vinterbergs “The Celebration”, Lars von Trier’s “Idiots” and Soren Kragh-Jacobsons “Mifune” are based on this concept. The ascetism of the manifesto was labelled a “vow of chastity” by the autors themselves. This indicates a religious dimension which apparently is related to certain tendencies in Scandinavian Protestantism.
Dogma 95 is strongly connected to the Zentropa Studios near Copenhagen which will be visited by the participants. Further, they will be guests of the award ceremony of the Danish Church Film Prize “Gabriel”.
The seminar is followed by the General Assembly of INTERFILM taking place every three years and electing the INTERFILM president and the Steering Committee. The actual president Hans Hodel is standing for election once again. The assembly will also discuss the future acitivities of INTERFILM.
March 20, 2010
Children and Youth Film Festival Malmö 2010
Church of Sweden's Award
The Church of Sweden's award at the Children and Youth Film Festival in Malmö was given to the Norwegian film
Vegas directed by Gunnar Vikene, Norway 2009
with the following motivation: The film is awarded because it portrays, with great respect, three young people marked by life. In a tale as complex as life itself, the film shows that a spirit of community can exist even though love seems distant. It doesn't flinch from seriousness or from a sense of humor. A fearless punch in the stomach and a long embrace, full of warmth.
The jury consisted of: Bob Hansson, writer, Stockholm Nils Lundström, musician and teacher, Malmö Rev. Lena Sjöstrand, officer of cultural affairs at the diocese of Lund (chairman of the jury) Kajsa Wiktorin, writer and producer of film and art projects for youth, Stockholm
The film has also been awarded at the Nordic Filmdays Lübeck 2009 a Commendation by the Jury INTERFILM.
February 14, 2010
Ecumenical Reception Berlinale 2010: Special Award to Prof. Dr. Thomas Koebner
On the occasion of the 60th Berlinale the German churches made a Special Award which was presented at the Ecumenical Reception. Carrying a prize money of 3000,- €, donated by the German Bishops’ Conference and the Evangelical Church in Germany, the award was given to Prof. Dr. Thomas Koebner “in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the perception and acknowledgement of film as art form.” Koebner founded the Institute for Film Science and Media Dramaturgy at the University of Mainz where he teached till 2007, after callings to the universities of Munich, Cologne, Wuppertal and Marburg. 1972-1973 he was Film Commisioner in the Federal Government Department for Economical Co-operation, 1989-1992 director of the German Academy for Film and Television (dffb) in Berlin.
Koebner has fostered the appreciation of the relevance of film and the achievements of film artists, and significantly contributed to assert film as a field of research and a source of cultural inspiration in Germany, says the motivation for the award. By his numerous publications he conveyed the aesthetic wealth of film to a broad public. “The church film organisations owe profound respect and cordial gratitude to Prof. Koebner’s hermeneutic ingenuity,” the churches proclaimed.
The reception began with greetings from the Commisioner of Culture of the EKD, rev. Dr. Petra Bahr, the chairman of the Journalistic Commision of the German Bishops’ Conference, Bishop Dr. Gebhard Fürst, and the Programm Manager of the Berlin Film Festival, Thomas Hailer. The laudatory speech was made by Hans Helmut Prinzler, former director of the Foundation German Cinematheque and the Berlin Film Museum. Rev. Werner Schneider-Quindeau, chairman of the Ecumenical Jury, presented the award to Prof. Koebner.
INTERFILM's executive director Karsten Visarius congratulates Thomas Koebner
February 13, 2010
Robin E. Gurney Honorary Life Member of INTERFILM
hh/13.02.10 – By decision of its Presidium and action of its Steering Committee during a meeting in Berlin February 13, 2010, Robin E. Gurney, former communication and information officer of CEC (Conference of European Churches, has been appointed Honorary Life Member of the International Interchurch Film Organisation INTERFILM.
From English Methodist background, Robin Gurney served as a Salvation Army Officer and missionary in Argentina, as a trades union official, as a public relations officer with the United Nations Association, and as Press Officer for the Methodist Church in London. He first came to Geneva in 1977 as a Press Officer for the World Council of Churches (WCC) and later created the communications coordinators network in the Commission on Inter-Church Aid, Refugee and World Service (CICARWS), before a period with the Commission of the Churches on International affairs. It was that time he produced for WCC the well done fiction film “Sanctuary” on the problem of refugees (written and directed by James Becket).
This was followed by four years in London as Media Secretary of the Church Mission Society. When Robin returned to Geneva to join the Conference of European Churches (CEC) in 1990 he therefore brought a diverse wealth of experience and expertise from which CEC has benefited immensely. At a time when communication and public relations are of ever-increasing importance – the more so for a relatively small organization like CEC – Robin has been the vital link between the CEC staff and governing bodies on the one hand, and the CEC member churches and the wider world on the other. “Monitor”, which Robin launched in 1992, is but one example on what the CEC owe him. Further, in collaboration with WCC, LWF and RWF he has played in 1994 a major role in creating the Ecumenical News International (ENI). One year before, in 1993 he brought CEC and INTERFIM together and became a member of its Steering Committee.
He then initiated the Templeton Award for religious journalism and in 1997 the European Templeton Film Award as he reported in Monitor No 22 from March 1998 on the first award for De Verstekeling (The Stowaway) by Ben Van Lieshout. Also after his retiring in 2001 he has served as a mentor and member of the jury for the Templeton Film Award till 2006, and he did the same at the Documentary Film Festival "Visions du Réel" in Nyon, where a newly established interreligious jury from 2005-2007 awarded a Templeton Special Prize. Both projects developed more and more and received high recognition. Nevertheless, in 2007 the Templeton Foundation unfortunately decided to close the two projects. But Robin (living with his wife Ruth in Buckinghamshire/England as well as keeping their very congenial apartment in Argelès-sur-Mer) is still going in cinema, visiting festivals and supporting INTERFILM generously.
February 10, 2010
In memoriam Ron Holloway (1933-2009)
International cinema mourns the loss of a staunch supporter and critic, writes Philip Lee, editor of WACC's journal Media Development, in his obituary. One of Ron's last articles on films from and about Afghanistan appeared in Media Development. Read more.
James M. Wall, contributing editor of the Christian Century magazine and former president of INTERFILM North America, knew Ron from the beginnings of the National Center for Film Study (NCFS) in Chicago which was founded by Ron, Daniel Cantwell and Henry Herx in the early sixties of he last century. In his Internet blog Wallwritings Jim commemorates his late friend. You can find his article here.
Ron was Honorary life member of INTERFILM. Many of his festival reports appeared also on the INTERFILM website. They can be found in the festivals archive section, for example at the Other Festivals menu item.
(Extraits)
From English Methodist background, Robin Gurney served as a Salvation Army Officer and missionary in Argentina, as a trades union official, as a public relations officer with the United Nations Association, and as Press Officer for the Methodist Church in London. He first came to Geneva in 1977 as a Press Officer for the World Council of Churches (WCC) and later created the communications coordinators network in the Commission on Inter-Church Aid, Refugee and World Service (CICARWS), before a period with the Commission of the Churches on International affairs. It was that time he produced for WCC the well done fiction film “Sanctuary” on the problem of refugees (written and directed by James Becket).