Award Winners 2018

Golden Horseman Animated Film - International Competition

"Lupus" by Carlos Gómez Salamanca
Starting from real events taking place in its home country, through the use of different animation techniques, this film overcomes the border of a local story to become a metaphor of a disease spreading out in many societies around the world.


Golden Horseman Animated Film - National Competition

"Sog" by Jonatan Schwenk
This animation film, which knowingly incorporates analogue and digital animation techniques, reveals how something completely extraordinary can emerge when two worlds are combined with each other. Regrettably, its characters are excluded from this marvel and permit fear to prevail, rather than create something incredibly new. A moving parallel to current affairs.


Golden Horseman Fiction & Youth Jury, International Competition: Aaba, Amar Kaushik

Golden Horseman Short Fiction Film - International Competition

"Aaba" (Grandfather) by Amar Kaushik 
Set in an exotic landscape the film tells a classic story of the eternal circle of life. After the final verdict from the local physician, an old man carefully prepares for his ultimate journey. With few words spoken and in a rich visual style the director warmheartedly touches a serious topic in a humorous way.


Golden Horseman Short Fiction Film - National Competition

"Joy" by Abini Gold
Left alone and having to fend for herself, the protagonist defies her situation. The hope that tomorrow – when all is well again – is abruptly shattered. Disappointment, betrayal and anger: These we read in her face like an open book. Which is the very strength of this social drama. Superbly cast and portrayed, and set within the tightest space, the conflict between a daughter and her mother inevitably ends in catastrophe.


Golden Horseman Fiction & Youth Jury, International Competition: Aaba, Amar Kaushik

Golden Horseman of the Youth Jury - International Competition

"Aaba - Grandfather" by Amar Kaushik
The film recounts a story about life and the end to it in a calm and loving way, revealing an unusual insight into a warm-hearted world where few words are spoken. The plot is borne by the three powerful characters and their impressively authentic portrayals. Between bamboo and American TV shows for children, the film finds a realistic, almost humorous response to the self-evident nature of the occurrences in life.


Golden Horseman Youth Jury National Conmpetition: U Meduvremenu - Meanwhile, Mate Ugrin
Golden Horseman Youth Jury National Conmpetition: U Meduvremenu - Meanwhile, Mate Ugrin

Golden Horseman Youth Jury - National Competition

"U Meduvrenenu - Meanwhile" by Mate Ugrin
A story of farewell and hopelessness is told in the streets of a desolate small town. Doing so, juxtaposed light-intensive visual compositions prevail over the dialogue and plot. Permitting the filmmaker to achieve the creation of a dense, atmospheric and sensitive portrayal of this uncertain stillness. With the viewers becoming observers drawn helplessly into the situation.


Golden Horsemen of the Audience - International Competition

"The Theory of Sunset" by Roman Sokolov


Lobende Erwähnung Kurzspielfilm Nationaler Wettbewerb: Attak, Ruben N. Meier

Golden Horseman of the Audience - National Competition

"Attak" by Ruben Meier


Golden Horseman for GenderDiversity - National & International Competition

"Neko Ni Hi - Cat Days" by Jon Frickey
The development of a gender identity presupposes the freedom of self-definition. In medical diagnoses, this freedom is often not permitted to inter and trans persons. The prize-winning film challenges this with a heartening "Be whatever you want to be!" Animated for children, the film calls upon every human to have self-confident authenticity.


Golden Horseman Sound Design – International & National Competition

"Min Börda - The burden", Music & Sound: Hans Appelqvist
This film’s soundtrack is distinguished by its humour, depth, creativity and versatility. With all of these elements at the highest level and perfectly combined with each other and with the image. The handling of the music, sounds and language goes far beyond merely illustrating the storyline and forms the soul of the film.
Through the innovate use of experimental effects and disassociations, the traditional musical becomes a mirror on the surrealism of everyday life in our society.


Minister of Fine Arts Promotion Prize - National Competition

"Link" by Regisseur Robert Löbel
In less than eight minutes, we dive into a world full of metaphors that manages with the simplest of narrative means to pose the great question in life: Where do we want to live? Two figures seem to be taking their own individual way in life, and yet everything they do also has consequences for the other one. For where we come from is who we are.


ARTE Short Film Prize - National & International Competition

"Neko Ni Hi - Cat Days" by Jon Frickey
The animated film convinced the ARTE Jury with its simplicity and carefully crafted details, as well as through its vibrant colours. This powerful aesthetic is combined with a fable-like tale that flirts with absurdity so as to grasp the subject of identity. A positive and gentle father-son relationship works its way through the film that teaches the acceptance of others and being different.


DEFA Promotion Prize Animation - National Competition

"Mascarpone" by Jonas Riemer
In a skilfully abstracted and lavishly adapted declaration of love to the great dream factory of Hollywood, the winning film embodies an accomplished balancing act between technical perfection and deliberately haptic simplifications. Brilliantly interwoven animation techniques and real-film elements impel the audience onto a high-speed filmic rollercoaster.


Regional Film Night: Audience Award

"Occupied Summer" by Berit Toepfer

 


Special Mentions

Lobende Erwähnung Animation Internationaler Wettbewerb: Yal Va Koopal - Maned and Macho, Shiva Sadegh Asadi

Special Mentions of the International Jury

"Yal Va Koopal - Maned & Macho" by Shiva Sadegh Asadi

"Prátelské setkáni nad sportem - Friendly Sport Meeting" by Adam Koloman Rybanský


Special Mentions of the National Jury

"Halmaspiel" by Betina Kuntzsch
Exposed to the fortunes of life like pieces in a game…

"Attak" von Ruben Meier
A film with the courage to confront male clichés and archaic fantasies of violence, that humorously deconstructs then at the same time without exposing its protagonists in the process. We can’t wait for more to come.


Special Mention of the Youth Jury International Competition

"Lupus" by Carlos Gómez Salamanca
The special mention of the Youth Jury in the International Competition goes to the film LUPUS for its complexity, its unique idea and its multi-layered adaptation, the combining of documentary elements and its differing animation styles, as well as the soundscape and editing concept selected.


Lobende Erwähnung Geschlechtergerechtigkeit: Mrs McCutcheon, John Sheedy
Lobende Erwähnung Geschlechtergerechtigkeit: Mrs McCutcheon, John Sheedy

Special Mention of the Jury for Gender Equality

"Mrs McCutcheon" by John Sheedy
A school ball dancefloor is transformed into a social ideal, in which each and every heteronormative pressure to conform seems to be suspended for one evening. With gender identity, sexual orientation and ethnic origins no longer playing a role, true to the motto: Just be yourself and be proud of it!