Winner VFF Documentary Film

Production Award 2023: FÜR IMMER

Germany 2023, 87 min., Director: Pia Lenz, Producers: Carsten Rau and Hauke Wendler (PIER 53 Filmproduktion)

Producers Carsten Rau and Hauke Wendler from PIER 53 Filmproduktion receive the VFF Documentary Film Production Award 2023 for FÜR IMMER. Sincere congratulations!

Does “eternal love” exist in the 21st century? When you see Eva and Dieter, you think: yes! The two have been a couple for almost 70 years. Together they have experienced ups and downs and always maintained respect and affection for each other. Now Eva is ill, it is time to take a look back – and prepare for the next step at the same time. Beautiful, intense, sad. A true love story. Anja Klauck

Credits:
Director and Writer: Pia Lenz. Camera: Pia Lenz, Henning Wirtz. Sound: Pia Lenz. Editing: Ulrike Tortora. Music: Alexis Taylor, Stella Sommer. Production: PIER 53 Filmproduktion. Producers: Carsten Rau, Hauke Wendler. Length: 87 min. Distribution: Weltkino.

From the jury's statement

"Conceived as a long-term observation whose original concept envisaged that it would be pursued until the death of one of the spouses, the project was difficult to calculate in terms of its outlay and costs.

The impossibility of determining a clear completion date is in opposition to the German film industry’s processes. (...)

With clever interventions into costings and funding applications, the Hamburg production company succeeded in realizing a project with an open outcome and unpredictable timeframe – and without allowing those involved creatively to exhaust themselves in the process"

An award for passion and courage in production

The process of making a documentary film is particularly difficult to plan and often involves great uncertainty. Yet time and again producers demonstrate great courage and show special creativity and commitment in project development and film financing. With the presentation of the VFF Documentary Film Production Award at DOK.fest München, we honour the passionate commitment and the role of producers in the development of current cinema documentary projects.

The award is donated by the VFF Verwertungsgesellschaft der Film und Fernsehproduzenten mbH and is endowed with 7,500 euros. The award is the first in Germany to focus on the work of documentary film producers. In 2023 it will be awarded for the sixth time at DOK.fest München.

Here you can find out about the conditions of participation that had to be met.

The film at the festival

The award winner FÜR IMMER and some of the other nominated films will be screened at the 38th DOK.fest München from 3 to 21 May 2023:

3 to 14 May 2023 at the Munich venues
8 to 21 May 2023 @home

The VFF Documentary Film Production Award will be presented at a festive award ceremony with film screening on Thursday, 4 May 2023, at 6.00pm at Deutsches Theater.