Under specific circumstances, the Schlingel festival still managed to welcome 13,000 visitors inside local cinemas. An online platform was set up for international juries. One of them was the ECFA jury, giving the award to the Russian film MY LITTLE SISTER by Alexander Galibin.
“This impressive film shows how children deal with situations caused by adults during the armed conflicts of World War II, in the microcosm of an isolated Baskirian village. With simplicity and clarity the film tells how a foreign child, speaking another language, can become an integral part of one’s own family if love, trust, courage and humour are involved. The story is consistently told from the point of view of 5 year old actor Arslan Krymtschurin, impressing us with his great authenticity. Although set in the past, the film is an allegory of our present times, comprehensively told in a language understood by children and adults alike.”
The ECFA jury were Xiaojuan Zhou (Canada), Marjo Kovanen (Finland), Sebastian Grobler (Germany) and Cosima Stracke-Nawka (Germany).
Among the many awarded films in Schlingel were TRIPLE TROUBLE (Marta Karwowska, Poland – European Children’s Film Award by the Saxon Ministry of Culture), MOON ROCK FOR MONDAY (Kurt Martin, Australia – SLM Top Award by the Professional Jury), INTO THE BEAT (Stefan Westerwelle, Germany – Children’s & Youth Film Award of the Goethe-Institut by the Professional Jury) and CALAMITY, A CHILDHOOD OF MARTHA JANE CANNARY (Rémi Chayé, France/Denmark – Professional Jury for Short & Animated Films).