48th Sehsüchte International Student Film Festival
Organising a festival for student films always means to leave usual paths, step into unknown territory and open new approaches. At the 48th International Student Film Festival Sehsüchte we want to create a space for discovering art, culture and innovative narratives as much as new encounters between visitors. Our motto explore: is expressed through numerous facets. Hereby, our international programme of films is fundamental, like every year, including 111 films from 23 countries and opening doors into diverse worlds. This year, one of our focuses is China: The Communication University of China showcases 7 their best films and offers an exchange with young filmmakers from Beijing. Introducing the new 360° film competition and the Exhibition: Interaction & Immersion, we present an extended open space for in- novative and experimental ideas. Moreover, our special programmes Schreibsüchte, Future: Kids and Teens, the Retrospektive, as well as our panels and workshops invite you to discuss and discover. For this year’s festival edition we deliberately reduced the number of films, to present in detail the quality of singular works, and show programme reruns in specially curated Short Lists on Sunday. This way, we want to allow the audience to experience our programme from different perspectives. We would like to thank our numerous supporters and festival partners, without whom it would not have been possible to present this creative platform in Potsdam-Babelsberg year after year. We wish you all an inspiring festival week full of discoveries and encounters with the unknown.
| Motto / Theme / Focus | explore: |
|---|---|
| Partner Country | China |
| Venues | fx.center Babelsberg, Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF |
| Submissions | 1200 |
| Films | 111 |
| Countries | 23 |
| Events | 39 |
| Visitors | 5000 |
| Prize Money | 35140 € |
Trailer
Team
| Festival Management | Nastassja Kreft, Maria Miller, Lisa Plumeier |
|---|---|
| Programme Management | Lisa Nawrocki, Rita Strasburger, Naomi Achternbusch, Judith Barth, Felix Cognard, Philipp Eichel, Matthias Hufgard, Damoun Marashi, Rachel Pirthauer, Dominik Rohrmoser, Torben Schläger, Andrea Uhrhan, Romy Wagner |
| Focus Production & Showcase | Olga Baruk, Christine Hartmann, Karolin Hupfer, Celia Ruppert |
| More… | |
| Future | Julian Erdmann, Sara Rauschning |
| 360°-Film and Exhibition: Interaction & Immersion | Vincent Abert, Marvin Hoffmann, Phil Clausen |
| Retrospektive | Florian Höhensteiger, Hyejin Lee, Carl Lehmann, Fabian Wistuba |
| Schreibsüchte | Lea von den Steinen, Caroline Grau, Marco Winter |
| Jury- and Guest Management | Franziska Weiler, Katharina Delmenhorst, Sarah Herbst, Conrad Mildner, Romy Wagner |
| Marketing and Public Relations | Laura Bienert, Stefan Babuliack, Mascha Fouquet, Jana Krug, Antonia Lochmann, Johanna Peters, Isabelle Reißer, Josefine Wozniak |
| Event Management | Stefan Wirth, Lucia Bauer Mendoza, Nicola Land, Sascha Orth, Mats Sprave, Marco Wietzorek |
| Stage Management | Tasya Martin, Katharina Delmenhorst, Sascha Orth, Dominik Rohrmoser |
| Technical Coordination | Arnim Donath, Ingolf Christopher Facius, Aaron Hacker, Jonathan Hamann, Georg Mausolf, Samuel Schwenk, Alexander Wolf |
| Conception of Space | Xaver Hirsch, Sebastian Steinböck |
Juries
| Feature Film | Sheri Hagen, Toby Ashraf, Helke Sander, Susanne Wolff |
|---|---|
| Short Film Fiction & Animated Film | Nadja Rademacher, Winta Yohannes, Corinna Nickel, Sadia Robein |
| Documentary Film & Documentary Film Short | Leona Goldstein, Gerd Kroske, Anne Bürger, Saskia Walker, Beatrice Möller |
| Focus Production | Ingelore König, Christian Honeck, Jonas Weydemann, Sarika Lakhani, Veronika Grob |
| 360° Film | Philipp Wenning, Sönke Kirchhof, Susanne Dickel, Anett Sass |
| More… | |
| Screenplay | Evi Goldbrunner, Kerstin Polte, Cüneyt Kaya, Karola Hattop |
| Pitch | Martin Behnke, Milena Maitz, Winka Wulff, Florian Schnell, Marianne Wendt |
Winning Films
In 8 minutes and 27 seconds the sun goes out, and the earth forever drowns in darkness. These few minutes seem to reveal the true human nature.
Best Genre Film
After the credits of a cheesy roadmovie come to an end, it’s clear: Rahaf, Afraa, Rawa, and Sara also need to travel through Europe. No longer as refugees, but as tourists full of hope. A documentary about a journey with an uncertain outcome.
Best Pitch
Germany, 2018 | Production: Simona Weber, Friederike Weykamp, Benjamin Zerhau | Director: Steve Bache
Lifeguard Frank tries to keep up the façade after a terrible accident. While colleagues and friends don’t notice any difference, his son Oscar senses his father’s insecurity.
Best Production
Vanishing Point tells interconnected stories simultaneously and allows the audience to choose their perspective. It is the night of artist Carlotta Carlsen’s vernissage. A waiting curator, a dispute with the ex boyfriend at home and two thieves, who seek shelter...
Best 360° Film
A bang. Horror. Feelings of guilt. These thoughts are so powerful, manifesting the impression of dissolving completely.
Best Animation Film
Daniel is only 15 years old, but already has to take care of everything - also his grandmother whom he would rather love to avoid in order to protect himself from a terrible loss.
Best Feature Film Short
A hiker arrives at a cliff, which is located isolated at a rugged coast. He starts building his new home, but wind and weather keep fighting against him. A short film about obstacles and stamina.
Best Children's Film
An apartment in Tbilisi. Adelina is held like a prisoner by her parents, Georgia’s society and obsolete conventions. A dance-like search for identity, freedom, parental appreciation and acceptance.
Best Documentary
For the 22-year-old Friederike, life is not going well. When she inherits her estranged father’s house, she hopes by selling it, she will gain enough money to lead an independent life. But it becomes her hideout where she avoids her problems.
Best Screenplay
Three sisters in a mysterious room between shards. Something terrifying waits in the shadow. But the girls stick together and use their special power to defend themselves.
Best Youth Film
Dinara returns to her homeland to sell her grandmother’s house. Her old friends’ visit surprisingly develops into an intense chamber play.
Best Feature Film