Tara Thomson and Felix Weller were awarded the top prize in the animation category, worth 1,000 euros, for their film »Frog and Fly«. The animated film features the characters Frog and Fly, who want to spend a cosy evening watching TV every week. Gradually, however, the boundaries between reality and the fictional world of their favourite programmes begin to blur. A spooky sense of danger creeps in.

The short film »Blob und der Wolf« by Georg Kästle and Valentin Bolte, both Media Art and Design graduates, won several awards. It received the Jury Prize in the »Fiktion« category (1,000 euros), the »Nachwuchspreis« (1,000 euros), and the »Preis für die beste Kamera«, which is accompanied by a technical equipment retal voucher worth 5,000 euros. 
»Blob und der Wolf«, Georg Kästle’s final Master’s project, tells the story of prison guard Blob, who falls asleep during her shift, thereby allowing a wolf to escape. Plagued by feelings of guilt, she embarks on a surreal search for the escaped animal. A trailer for the film is available here: https://vimeo.com/1185401682

An honourable mention went to Anya Ryzhkova’s Bachelor's thesis »vremya fewral’ / STILL FEBRUARY«. In her film, the director, who originally comes from Russia, explores personal experiences of loss, disorientation, and inner stagnation within the context of Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. The film combines animated images with documentary footage, bringing individual experiences of pain and powerlessness to the forefront. A trailer for the film is available here: https://vimeo.com/1177332913  

In the »Wettbewerb Experimental«, alumna Paloma Llambías was awarded the jury prize for the film »Körperin« (directed by Leonie Kock and Paloma Llambías). 

All of the projects were created as part of students’ studies at the Bauhaus-Universität Weimar. The projects were supervised by Ana Vallejo (»Frog and Fly«), Prof. Jörn Hintzer and Polina Horošina (»Blob und der Wolf«), and Prof. Wolfgang Kissel and Franka Sachse (»vremya fewral’ / STILL FEBRUARY«).

About the »Kurzsuechtig« Film Festival:
The »Kurzsuechtig« Short Film Festival is an annual event that has been held in Leipzig since 2004. It is one of the most important festivals for short film produced in central Germany. The largest short film festival for productions from central Germany, »Kurzsuechtig« is exclusively dedicated to film productions of up to 30 minutes with a connection to Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, or Thuringia. In addition to showcasing current projects, the Festival also provides a platform for emerging filmmakers and encourages exchange within the regional film scene.

Questions can be directed to Romy Weinhold, Press and Public Relations Officer for the Faculty of Art and Design by phone at +49 / 36 43 / 58 11 86 or by e-mail at romy.weinhold[at]uni-weimar.de.