17th Filmfest Hamburg opens with "Soul Kitchen" by Fatih Akin

On 24th September 2009 "Soul Kitchen" will open the 17th Filmfest Hamburg, celebrating its German premiere at Cinemaxx Dammtor. "Soul Kitchen" is the sixth feature film by renowned director and producer Fatih Akin. The film's extraordinary cast reads like a best-of of Akin's films: Adam Bousdoukos of "Short Sharp Shock", Moritz Bleibtreu of "In July" and "Solino" and Birol Ünel of "Head On".

For Festival Director Albert Wiederspiel "Soul Kitchen" signifies "a declaration of love for the metropolis of Hamburg. This good-humoured film about the city's different cultures and subcultures makes you proud to live in Hamburg. Filmfest Hamburg could not have hoped for a better opening film." Hamburg-born Fatih Akin is happy that "the premiere of my very personal homage to Hamburg is taking place here, in the presence of the many participating actors and actresses from Hamburg."

The script by Fatih Akin and co-author Adam Bousdoukos tells a tale of home, family and friends, trust, love and loyalty, all of which need to be cherished in an increasingly unpredictable world. "Of the films I have made so far, this has been by far the most challenging. Making people laugh is so much more complicated than making them cry. But laughing encourages optimism!" says Fatih Akin about "Soul Kitchen".

As in many of his previous films, music plays a prominent role in "Soul Kitchen", its soundtrack coming across like a DJ set of forgotten soul jams and Hanseatic classics.

"Soul Kitchen" is a production by corazón international in co-production with NDR and in cooperation with Pyramide Productions and Dorje Film. The film's German distributor is Pandora Film Deutschland, and it will be released in German cinemas on 25th December 2009.

Douglas-Sirk-Award:
This famous award is presented annually to a personality or a company that has made outstanding achievements around film culture and film industry.
Recipient 2007: David Cronenberg

Montblanc Scriptwriting Award
Together with the renowned Hamburg company Montblanc, Filmfest Hamburg presents the Montblanc scriptwriting award which is endowed with 10,000 Euros. The award is granted as part of the NORDLICHTER (NORTHERN LIGHTS) section. Nominated are all feature films of the NORDLICHTER (NORTHERN LIGHTS) section. It presents films that are set in the North, were shot in the North and star “northern lights”.
Recipient 2007: Jan Hinrik Drevs for his screenplay of the film "Underdogs"

Jury members 2007:
Ursula Keller (Author and former head of the Literaturhaus Hamburg), Sigrid Behrens (Author) and Nikolaus Hansen (Publisher of the Mare Buchverlag GmbH)

Hamburg Film Critic Award:
For the fourth time Filmfest Hamburg is presenting the ‘Hamburg Film Critic Award’. The German news magazines ‘Der Spiegel’, ‘Stern’, Hamburg’s daily newspaper ‘Hamburger Abendblatt’ and the radio station ‘NDR 90,3’ run this joint initiative to honor a production that offers an original view of present issues. Out of Filmfest Hamburg’s main programme, twelve different movies, ranging from international big-budget productions to German low-budget movies will be nominated. A jury consisting of four journalists of the presenting media will chose the production to be awarded with the non-material ‘Hamburg Film Critic Award’.
Recipient 2007: Anton Corbijn (Director) for his film "Control"

Jury members 2007: Lars-Olav Beier (Der Spiegel), Bernd Teichmann (Stern), Volker Behrens (Hamburger Abendblatt) and Frank Fingerhuth (NDR 90,3)

TV Producer Award:
This award is endowed with Euro 30,000. It goes back to a joint initiative with Hamburg’s Department of Economy and Labor that provides the prize money of 30,000 Euro. The award will be presented to TV producers and is solely available for orders at Hamburg post-production companies. The prize money must be called within 24 months.
Recipient 2007: magnolia Filmproduktion for "Kuckuckszeit"

Jury members 2007: Claudia Schröder (Producer), Karoline Eichhorn (Actress) and Peter Luley (Journalist)

TV Movie Audience Award:
TV Movie wants to find out: which one of this year’s European box office hits is the best? As partner of Filmfest Hamburg, TV Movie – “Europe’s most rigorous TV guide” – features the Audience Award 2005. The audience gets to decide by public vote which of the eight competing films in the “eurovisual” section is their favorite.
The TV Movie Audience Award is endowed with 5,000 Euros.
Recipient 2007: Jan Sverák (Director) for his film "Empties"

micromovie award:
For the second time DAS VIERTE presents in cooperation with Filmfest Hamburg and the co-partner TV Movie the competition “micromovie – a 100 seconds film”. 2000 ideas for short-films were sent in, the 10 best ideas were made into short-films and the best one gets chosen at Filmfest Hamburg. The winner receives € 4.444,- and the possibility to take part in a script-writing seminar.
Recipient 2007: Florian Siegrist who had the idea to "Unser Kind"

Universal Pictures Germany 'Michel' award at the KinderFilmfest:
A jury of children takes a decision on which of all the screened international films of the children's film programme is their favourite. The 'Michel' award is endowed with 2,500 Euro
Recipient 2007: Cristiano Bortone (Director) for his film "Rot wie der Himmel"

RWE Westfalen-Weser-Ems audience award
Together with our new partner RWE Westfalen-Weser-Ems the KinderFilmfest will for the first time award a non-material audience award for the most popular children's film.
Recipient 2007: Hayo Freitag (Director) for his film "Die drei Räuber"