My name is Juna. Hello dear children and parents, dear filmmakers, Hello dear audience. We are the 2a - The Kingfisher class from the primary school in the Hofgarten. We are delighted to be the jury class and are very excited. My name is Malik. It was great fun watching so many films. Many thanks to the whole KUKI Festival team. You were all so nice to us. It was difficult to decide which film should win. All the films were very different, but each film was great in its own way. Some were exciting, funny or even scary. We laughed a lot and felt happy, thrilled and curious. My name is Emma. We would like to give a Special Mention to this film, because we also liked it very much. This film showed us that it is worthwhile to overcome your fear. Our Special Mention goes to the film HOOFS ON SKATES
My name is Hedi. But now let's get to the winning film film. This film really impressed our whole class and clearly got the most votes. The film won because our class likes animated films. We like the fact that things in the film come to life that are not usually alive. We are impressed by the film because it inspires a mixture of many different feelings. It's funny, thrilling and also touching. We also think the music is great. We also liked the fact that the film is set in a place that everyone knows but which is suddenly much bigger than expected. The film also wins the award because at the end something happens that we didn't expect. The Best Short Film for Young Children 2024 goes to to..... THE MYSTERY OF MISSING SOCKS!
Hello, we are Class 5L of the Carl Bechstein Gymnasium in Erkner and this year we were the jury class for the competition program KUKI 8+ and KUKI 10+. I'm sure you're all excited to find out which film we chose ... but you'll have to be patient a little longer. Before we tell you, we would first like to say THANK YOU to the entire KUKI team. We thought it was soooo great that we were allowed to be a jury class. We were able to spend two mornings at the cinema this week and watched a total of 11 short films from 11 different countries. These included Turkey, Austria, Croatia, Denmark, Palestine, the USA, France, Iran, Canada, Estonia and Germany.
Almost all 11 films have found big fans among us and it was really hard to pick THE ONE winning film. But we did it. In the end, we voted and decided democratically.
And before we tell you who won, we'd like to give a Special Mention to a film that didn't win, but which we really liked artistically. The characters in this film are made entirely of plasticine and that is a great art. It has a great, educational, sometimes sad and sometimes funny story. It's about the boy Vincent, who seems very sad at the beginning of the movie because his grandfather has died and his parents have separated. The boy is sent to a boarding school. He misses his old life very much and goes back to his old home in his free time. There he becomes even sadder because the house is empty and deserted. One day, by chance, a kind of portal to his past opens up and he is able to relive the best day of his life, his 12th birthday, over and over again until a coincidence closes the portal again. The boy has learned something important during his journeys into the past and can now enjoy his life again. We congratulate Christoph and Wolfgang Lauenstein on the wonderful film “The Perfect Day” and hope that many children will see it.
We can also learn a lot from the film we chose as the winning film. It comes from the USA and most of us really liked it because it carries an important message. It's about children at a tennis camp. Some children don't feel comfortable with the coach's methods, especially the fact that the boys and girls are supposed to play separately. What about the children who don't feel like boys or girls? The children find a very good solution to their problem, are courageous and stick together. That convinced us and we send our regards to Michele Meek in the USA and say “Congratulations” for the film “Bay Creek Tennis Camp”.
Dear shrimps and prawns!
We are the Elective Art Course of the Primo-Levi-Gymnasium and this year the Youth Jury of the KUKI-Festival! First of all, we would like to thank you for selecting us as a jury this year and giving us the opportunity to watch all these wonderful films and enjoy their stories and worlds. We especially enjoyed being able to talk to the directors of some of the films and ask them about their work. We would also like to thank the KUKI team for giving us this wonderful opportunity! And of course to all the filmmakers taking part in the KUKI Festival! Special thanks to our teacher Marie Heinrich, thank you for the croissants!
Well...
We had a very, very difficult decision process as all the films had very compelling themes and used great cinematic devices. Whether it was about pigs, difficult group dynamics or names... But we were able to make a decision
We have chosen a film whose message touches all of us with great emotional impact. A film whose special technical realisation fascinates us. A film whose narrative style never failed to captivate us. A film that deals with a subject that is unfortunately very relevant at the moment and will probably always be relevant and therefore is very deserving of this
award... ...and the winner is.... PAPILLON!! by Florence Miaihe
Papillon relies heavily on symbolism and refrains from a linear narrative style; instead, two time levels are intertwined. Without a narrator or much dialogue, the plot is mainly conveyed visually. This allows the viewer to understand the meaning of the plot, the thoughts and feelings. The images merge seamlessly into one another, allowing viewers to
concentrate less on the mere storyline and more on the emotional and symbolic level. This special narrative technique and the flowing images make the film seem almost like a dream. We were particularly impressed by the short film's animation technique, as the oil painting is far more than just a stylistic device. It is used specifically to enhance the atmosphere and intensify the emotional impact of the scenes. Every single scene looks like a painting in which colours and textures tell their own story - a narrative style that captivated us from the very first second. The changes in colour were chosen with great care to subtly guide the viewer's perception and emotions. We were all deeply impressed by the effort and attention to detail that went into this film. It is obvious that an enormous amount of time, effort and attention to detail went into the making of this film. It is a film that has a compelling visual language and is therefore able to enthral the viewer and take them on a visual and emotional journey. The film impressively demonstrates how art and technique can merge to create an unforgettable effect. And that's why PAPILLON more than deserves the award!
Honourable Mention
But another film also resonated with us profoundly, as it deals impressively with two important and very topical issues: hearing impairment and sexual harassment. It is a courageous and powerful examination of both topics that moved us deeply. And that is why we would like to give the film SUKOUN an honourable mention! The way in which the film portrays the challenges of a girl who is not only confronted with the physical limitations of her hearing impairment, but also with the power games and sexual harassment of her karate
teacher, is particularly remarkable. The narrative style and the portrayal of these difficult topics enabled us as viewers to empathise with the emotional world of the main character on a very personal level. We were genuinely impressed by the emotional intensity with which the film deals with the topic of sexual harassment and the sensitive yet powerful
portrayal of the girl's inner conflict. Another outstanding feature of the film is the clever and sensitive use of sound. The main character's hearing impairment is made tangible
through the auditory design of the film, reinforcing the sense of isolation and alienation that the character feels. We were particularly fascinated by this innovative and deliberate realisation, which allows us to experience the protagonist's world from her perspective. Through the powerful combination of visual storytelling, sound and the authentic exploration of such important issues, we believe SUKOUN has left a lasting impression. We would therefore like to highlight this film because it dealt with a courageous and profound topic in a very respectful and moving way.
We would like to thank you for this great experience and the hours spent
here in the cinema seats. Thank you very much!
Dear festival guests,
Every year at the KUKI Film Festival we experience young talents who enrich us with their fresh perspectives, courageous stories and creative ideas. A big thank you to all the filmmakers who have made our jury work a special experience with their inspiring work, as well as to the FBW, the KUKI team and mom Monica for inviting us to be the jury this year. We would also like to thank Seggen Mikael, who was part of the jury this year but was unable to join us. We had the pleasure of watching nine very different films in style, format and subject matter. The selection was complex and exciting. After intensive discussions, we decided to award two prizes: a Special Mention and the FBW Kuki Prize. First, the Special Mention: it goes to a short film that surprised us with its subtlety, elegance and originality. Themes such as belonging, friendship and the questioning of images of masculinity are portrayed in a touching way in this refreshing work.
The jury's Special Mention goes to Melodies of Barking Dogs by Daniel Huss. Congratulations, Daniel!
Now, for the FBW Kuki Prize:
As a jury, our decision was not easy, as each of us had a favorite. However, we ultimately chose a film that we found particularly empowering. This film fascinated us with its serious yet humorous tone, exuded honesty, and had his Own rhythm. The work addresses – with a clear and authentic approach – the experience of living and growing up between France, Germany, and Hong Kong. The filmmaker raises questions that resonate with many young people – and perhaps with all of us: Must I choose? Must I define myself? Or am I allowed simply to be? This personal work is not only a cinematic exploration of belonging but also leaves us curious about the future films of this young talent. We hope that this award inspires her, and we thank you, Odessa, for sharing your story with us so This year’s FBW Kuki Prize goes to: Métisse by Odessa Choi. Congratulations, Odessa!