The 20th FiSH – Filmfestival in the Rostock StadtHafen took place in the Hanseatic city from April 27 to 30. Nearly 3500 visitors came to the city harbor during the 4 days. Prime Minister Manuela Schwesig, Mayor Eva Maria Kröger and new Rector of the University of Rostock Elizabeth Prommer were on the scene at the start of the festival. On today’s final day of the festival, the juries and the festival organizers announced the award-winning films.

A total of 24 films were shown in five blocks in the 2023 JUNGER FILM competition. The main prize Film of the Year, endowed with € 5,000 and donated by MV Filmförderung GmbH and the state of Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, was won by the film “Alles gehört zu dir” by the 20-year-old directors Mani Pham Bui and Hien Nguyen from Berlin. The film describes Yen’s journey and struggle with self-acceptance, identity & family.

In the JUNGER FILM competition, three GoldFiSHs were also awarded, each endowed with € 1,000. The award-winning films are “Das zieh ich an, wenn ich tot bin”, “Territory” and “Monologue”.

Fusion’s cinema crew also awarded the €500 Sputnik Prize to the film “Alles gehört zu dir” by Mani Pham Bui and Hien Nguyen. An honorable mention went to Noah Fritzsche’s “Fleischwolf”.

For the 20th FiSH, 10 short films were presented in the Northern European competition OFFshorts – Young Baltic Cinema. The main prize YOUNG BALTIC CINEMA AWARD, endowed with 1.000 € and donated by the Hanseatic City of Rostock, was won by the film “Unity of Opposites” by 25-year-old director Alfred Hedbratt from Sweden. The film brings together a group of men on an island and deals with humorous and sometimes unpleasant situations in male friendships.

The €2,000 “OstseeFiSH” prize, donated by the Baltic Sea Conservation Foundation and the OSTSEESTIFTUNG, was won by the film “Time to Revolt” by 24-year-old director Daniel Le Hai from Poland. The film shows anti-climate change protests and women’s strikes through the eyes of a young activist.

All competition films also had the chance to win the audience award. The prize is collected by the Professional Association of Film and Media Producers MV with 1.001 €, the proceeds of the audience donations as well as PayPal donations by the audience. The winner of the audience award is the film “Die Telefonzelle” by 22-year-old directors Kilian Bohnensack and Lukas März from Munich. The main character Tom wants to throw a surprise party for his best friend Anna – but it goes anything but as planned.