It’s time for the 13th film festival! The Filmfestival Münster, which will run from October 7-11, 2009 in the city’s Cineplex, has stood for innovative film making and high-quality program features since 1981. As it does every year, the festival will devote special attention to the promotion of young talent. The audience-oriented festival, which takes place every two years, has become a platform recognized across Europe for top-quality entries both from an artistic and content point of view. The festival, which first took place in 1981 under the name Filmzwerge, is organized by the Filmwerkstatt Münster and has the theme of »risk« as its motto for this edition of the festival. The willingness of individuals to take risks and ultimately the courage involved is a running theme throughout all sections of the festival.
In the European Feature Film Competition, the protagonists often take a very risky, courageous and challenging path to follow their goals, passions or convictions. Filmed in the Münster region, the feature film Unter Bauern - Retter in der Nacht — Among farmers - saviors of the night from director Ludi Boeken gives a magnificent introduction to the competition’s theme of risk and opens the festival with a German premiere that will be attended by some prominent guests. Eight European feature-length films will compete for the award of best director, the winner of which will receive EUR 7,500. Particular attention will be paid to debut films from young European directors like British artist Steve McQueen whose uncompromising prison drama Hunger represents his first foray into the world of directing after some very well-regarded art installations and photography. The film has already been awarded the Camera d’Or award in Cannes for the best debut film. Rune Denstad Langlo has also made a brilliant start to his directing career. His laconic off-road movie Nord — North had the honor of opening the Panorama Special at this year’s Berlinale. With its dry humor and bizarre incidents, the Norwegian tragicomedy about life in the Arctic Circle is sure to impress festival-goers in Münster, too.
Those daring to make a short film can also win – that includes prizes and with them a means of financing that next project. The audience’s favorite part of the festival is the German-Language Short Film Competition which comprises 49 entries this year, including films that could be described as anything from cheeky, daring or experimental to shrill or serious. As always, the winners among the young filmmakers will be decided by the public and a jury of experts. There are three prizes up for grabs: the Filmwerkstatt’s Großer Preis of EUR 5,000, sponsored by Grimm & Partner Unternehmens- und Wirtschaftsberatung, the WDR promotional prize from the Landesstudio Münster worth EUR 2,500 and the public’s prize of EUR 1,000 endowed by the Münstersche Filmtheater-Betriebe. The prize money goes a long way to supporting further film-making efforts by the young talents, as the example of Nikias Chryssos shows. The winner of the Filmwerkstatt’s Großer Preis in 2007 for his social drama Hochhaus — Skyscraper is again represented at this year’s festival with his new feature film Der Grossvater — The Grandfather. The film’s protagonists are played by stars such as Matthias Habich and Pit Bukowski. In 2005, the actor Fabian Busch was a member of the short film jury and this year is competing in the festival himself with his first short film Edgar.
Short films are also featured in this year’s School Programme, which is open to all school students in Münster over the age of fourteen years. Films dealing with the theme of courage will be judged by a jury of students given some background knowledge on films beforehand. The films deal with people who stand up for others or who dare to do something dangerous – or who fail to do either of these. The film Spielzeugland — Toy Land from Jochen Alexander Freydank for example deals with the pressing question on the mind of young Heinrich about where his Jewish neighbors are being taken to. This film won the Oscar® for best short film earlier this year.
The supporting program would not be the same without its showcasing of current Dutch productions (the only film festival in Germany to do so) in the film|spiegel section of the festival, which this year includes the experimental video art exhibition risk.views NL|D, featuring works from students in Enschede and Münster. On Sunday, creative filmmakers from the region will present their films in the Münster Connection series, in eager anticipation of the audience’s reaction. This series has been an important component of the festival for many years and showcases ambitious films ranging in genre from experimental to classic narrative cinema. The films either deal with Münster and the surrounding region, were produced by residents of Münster or were filmed here.
Those with strong nerves should not miss the late showings feature »Eerie & Sinister« that are aimed particularly at fans of fantasy films. In his new artistic work Durst — Thirst, which caused a sensation in Cannes this year winning the jury’s prize in the official competition, South Korean director Park Chan-wook turns his attention to the legend of the vampire in a cleverly staged mix of shock and irony. The film’s main protagonist is a Catholic priest who becomes a vampire as a result of a medical experiment gone wrong and gets embroiled in an existential conflict where he has to fight the animal within himself. The sleepless night you’ll have afterwards can easily be spent at our Record Riot Festival Party at Gleis 22.
Rounded off with a panel discussion entitled Individuelle Wagnisse? (Individual Risks?), the Filmfestival Münster 2009 offers a multi-faceted and exciting program and is the film event in the Westphalia region – newly designed and with an air of sophistication.
The festival team, led by new director Nicky Schulte, is looking forward to an exciting festival with amazing visual experiences and delightful encounters.
