Award Ceremony 2015
The jurys:
Jury of the EMAF Award, Dialogue Award of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the ARTE Creative Newcomer Award: Abina Manning, Olaf Stüber & Peter Zorn
Jury of the VDFK e.V. for the EMAF Medienkunstpreis der Deutschen Filmkritik: Ruth Schneeberger, Carolin Weidner, Dr. Günter Agde
Congratulations to the following Award-winners:
EMAF Award
Emily Vey Duke & Cooper Battersby
"Dear Lorde"
The jury's comment: "Entering the exhibition hall of the Kunsthalle Osnabrück we are attracted by an installation of bones that seem to emanate from the screen behind. Bone collector Maxine Rose, a 14 year old teenage girl is looking for validation from her heroes, amongst them the primatologist Jane Goodall, bishop Desmond Tutu and the New Zealand teen pop Star Lorde. Offering them a gift of language, Maxine Rose stands for the desire to be visible and understood, not unlike the desire of an artist. We are particularly impressed by the multilayered story telling structure, the freshness of the characterization, and the honest exploration of an artists` vulnerability.
We are thrilled to present the EMAF award to Emily Vey Duke and Cooper Battersby."
arte Creative Newcomer Award
Kevin B. Lee
"Transformers: The Premake (a desktop documentary)"
The jury's comment: "The film and TV industry transforms rapidly. Therefore the jury presents the Newcomer Award to the newest kid on the block: “Transformers: The Premake” by Kevin B. Lee turns 355 videos into a fast paced critical supermix. His desktop documentary takes us on a rollercoaster ride through the globalized setting of the Hollywood film industry as seen through the eyes of fans and accidental paparazzi.
Hollywood beware, the YouTube generation is here!"
The jury split the Dialogue Award between two different art-works:
"It always takes two to have a dialogue. Therefore we split the Dialogue Award between two different approaches on the subject of boarders and migration, increasingly urgent issues."
Dialogue Award of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs - part 1
Georg Klein
"European Border Watch"
The jury's comment: "Passing by an official looking office on a local side street, it may happen that a middle-aged person seduces us to engage in a Mephisto like debate. “The European Border Watch” encourages us to police the borders ourselves from the comfort of our own homes. This convincing creepy fake project finally forces us to strengthen our own arguments and be continually vigilant against the slippery slide of fanatical ideas. The first half of the Dialogue Award goes to georg klein for his European Border Watch Project."
Photo: Kerstin Hehmann
Dialogue Award of the Federal Ministry of Foreign Affairs - part 2
Safia Benhaim
"La Fièvre"
The jury's comment: "Countering this we enjoyed a poetic tale of exile. Conceived of by a feverish child, the ghost of a political refugee returns home to Morocco to traces of old politcal struggles and the emergence of the Arab spring. Safia Benhaim’s striking images, haunting score and voiceless narration paint a dreamlike personel memories intermingling with the political conditions of past and present."
EMAF-Medienkunst-Preis for the best German art-work
Verena Westphal
"sry bsy"
Honorable mention by the Jury of VDFK e.V.:
Sylvia Winkler & Stephan Köperl
"Smart Songdo Song"
The jury's comment: "Stephan Köperl und Sylvia Winkler are standing inbetween huge skyscrapers in New Songdo City, South Korea. It is here that markets and money are made. In these surroundings they sing a song in protest. The camera captures their image and voice until the buildings fade out of the picture. An old friend appears, but only for a short while. But the performance goes on, at least in the film “Smart Songdo Song”. No cut disturbs Köperls rhythm or Winklers Dylan-like accusation. The tension holds on until the end."
