Der Langstreckenläufer, Zuniel Kim
The film is the portrait of the marathon runner Ybekal Daniel Berye who had to flee his native country of Ethiopia and ended up in Kassel.
We accompany Ybekal during a training run along the Fulda river. In an inner monologue we hear his life story, which also is the story of his greatest passion: running. Through the eyes of a steady camera, we look into his face, hear his breathing and footfalls. In the interweaving of narrative and imagery, Zuniel Kim creates extraordinary closeness to this runner, which draws us into his story.
This intense film never gets too emotional, but is very moving and also hopeful. It is only right that at the end of the film, the protagonist continues on his long run and leaves us behind.
Honorable mention: Alacritas, Joscha Bongard
The Honorable Mention in 2015 goes to Joscha Bongard for his film "Alacritas". It is a meditation of the meaning of life: A man tries to get a sense of himself and his story. The whole film is staged as in a reverie or a vision. With powerful images it creates sequences that are full of meaning and surreal. Brilliantly utilized, the musical score brings out the effect from the very first moment. We look forward to more work from this young filmmaker.
