Lichter Filmfest Frankfurt International


Established in 2008, the Lichter Filmfest Frankfurt International is a film festival taking place in Frankfurt, Germany and the Rhine-Main region every year in spring. Aside from regional film productions in competition for Best Short and Feature Film, the festival also presents international films. The 13th LICHTER Filmfest will take place from April 21 to April 26 2020. Both the international film program as well as the accompanying program will address the key topic “Power”.

History

Under the name of Lichter Filmtage Frankfurt/Rhein-Main, the festival now known as Lichter Filmfest Frankfurt International wasinitiated by festival director Gregor Maria Schubert in 2008. The festival was founded by Gregor Maria Schubert, Stephan Limbach, Mark Liedtke, Alexander Dumitran, and Cordula Mack.
The festival made its debut as a show for regional film productions. In the years to follow it developed into a show featuring international productions as well as a film competition. The festival changed its location from the former AtelierFrankfurt near the Frankfurt main station to the former cinema Frankfurter Turmpalast in the inner-city of Frankfurt. The attendance increased from 3,300 visitors in 2008 to 12,000 visitors in 2015. After the building was demolished, a new office was established in Bockenheim and the festival had to go on the move. So during the festival and beyond, LICHTER plays films and other events at vacant buildings in the city, such as the former diamond exchange or the office building VAU. In 2020 it will establish its festival center at Volksbühne im Großen Hirschgraben, a newly re-opened theatre, the house of which was also a Lichter site in 2016. The Lichter Art Award awards a prize for video art. In the festival center, installations and panel shows present new perspectives and approach the featured topic from a theoretical standpoint.
In 2012, Lichter Filmfest Frankfurt International was distinguished as a "motion sensor" by the Federal Government‘s “Initiative Kultur- und Kreativwirtschaft.” In 2013, the festival took place under the patronage of Volker Schlöndorff, in 2014 under the patronage of Leander Haußmann and in 2016 under the patronage of Edgar Reitz. Since 2014, in cooperation with the hessische Film- und Medienakademie and under the direction of Bert Rebhandl, the “Lichter Kritikerblog” offers students the opportunity to discuss the medium of film journalistically. On the initiative of Edgar Reitz, a conference addressed the future of German cinema. Approximately 100 filmmakers developed a concept which recommends pivotal changes in funding and financing, education, distribution and cinema culture – the Frankfurt Positions on the Future of German Cinema. As part of the 13th LICHTER Filmfest Frankfurt International, a follow-up with a different focus is planned. In addition, the procedural implementation will be discussed further.
The festival is financed by public grants, donations and sponsors. In the years 2012, 2016, 2017 and 2018 the festival even used crowdfunding.

Program

Beyond the regional film competition, the festival presents an international film program. Since 2012 this program addresses a certain thematic focal point. In 2013, the key topic was “City”, while in 2014 the films addressed the topic “Humor, comicality, and comedy.” In 2015, the festival presented films from around the world focusing on “Money” and in 2016 on "Frontiers". In 2017, the international program was focused on the topic “Truth", in 2018 everything revolved around “Chaos” and in 2019 “Nature” was the main topic for the international program. In 2020, the main topic is "Power".
In addition to the film screenings, the program includes discussion panels and talk shows for the filmmakers of the Rhine Main Area. Moreover, throughout the year further cultural events take place, such as the events of the series “Frankfurter Sequenzen” or the screenings of the open air cinema “Freiluftkino Frankfurt.”
Aside from film screenings, the year-round events include concerts and talk shows and discussion forums. In addition, the Lichter Filmfest regularly guest in the cinemas both of the region and of Frankfurt’s twin cities.

Branches

The Lichter Filmfest Frankfurt International plays at several cinemas in Frankfurt: at the cinema of the Deutsches Filmmuseum, at Mal Seh’n Kino and at Volksbühne am Großen Hirschgraben. The festival has played its films in other buildings in Frankfurt and various cities of the Rhine Main Area as well:
Starting out with an improvised cinema and 3,300 visitors in its first year, the Lichter Filmfest has evolved into a festival with more than one hundred films and events and 12,000 visitors in 2016.

Awards

The winners of the categories “Best Short Film” and “Best Feature Film” are each awarded a “Lichter-Bembel” by the jury. In addition, the best contemporary video art production receives the Lichter Art Award. This prize includes prize money of 1,000 Euros. Since 2013, there is an audience award including a prize money of 2,000 Euros. In 2016, for the first time, the International Feature Award including a prize money of 2,000 Euros has been awarded for the best contribution of the international program. 2017 the LICHTER Filmfest launched a new international competition on the subject of Virtual Reality Storytelling. Since 2017, an internationally advertised Award for the best Virtual Reality film is awarded annually. The prize money for first place is 1,000 Euros.

Lichter-Bembel

The winners are awarded the “Lichter-Bembel,” a typical Frankfurt earthenware apple wine pitcher. The Best Regional Feature Film Award sponsored bei Dr. Marschner Stiftung is endowed with 3,000 Euros. For the Best Regional Short, 1,000 Euros are awarded in cash. In addition, the Binding Audience Award with a prize money of 2,000 euros is awarded. From 2016 to 2018, the festival also honored the best contribution to the International Program with the International Feature Award, which included 1,500 Euros.
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Since 2011 the Lichter Art Award is awarded for the best contemporary video art production. The competition is curated by Saul Judd.
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In 2017 the festival launched an international competition for the best fictional or non-fictional Virtual Reality storytelling in a two- or three-dimensional 360-degree film.
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A jury of filmmakers and film experts decides on the winners of the regional categories “Best Feature Film” and “Best Short Film.” Since 2016 there is also the category “Best International Feature.” Former jury members:
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Since 2012, the international program and the accompanying program of the Lichter Filmfest focus on a specific key subject in its lectures, talk show panels, performances and experimental formats of discussion forums.