The winners of the Oldenburg International Film Festival 2025

The official closing film “The Chronology of Water” by Kristen Stewart was screened at the awards ceremony at the Oldenburg State Theater, where the award winners were announced. “Broken Voices” by Ondřej Provazník won the German Independence Award for Best Film, “Keep Quiet” by Vincent Grashaw was honored with the Spirit of Cinema Award, and “Under the Burning Sun” by Yun Xie won the Audacity Award. “Harakiri, I Miss You” by Alejandro Castro Arias was awarded the Hans Ohlms Prize for Best Debut Film. “The Flower of Fear” by Jorge Florez Arcila won the German Independence Award for Best Short Film. In addition, Sabrina Amali for ‘Maysoon’ and John Connors for “Crazy Love” were honored with the Seymour Cassel Award for their outstanding acting performances.

German Independence Award – Best Film

„Broken Voices“ by Ondřej Provazník

Jury Statement: Inspired by true events, this film masterfully navigates the subtle, delicate, and intense territory of a young girls journey into adulthood – as dreams & aspirations are challenged by forces that threaten to silence. With remarkable & gentle agility, it reaches beyond the notes to reach the magic of a profound cinematic experience - which resonates long after its ending.

Seymour Cassel Award – Best Actor / Actress

John Connors for „Crazy Love“

Jury Statement: Like the rare true greats of Cinema, in every seemingly imperceptible moment onscreen, the complexity of the human heart & soul resonates through the pores of this Artist. Fearless, vulnerable, and purely present, in a performance that seamlessly dives into and through the depths of darkness and the lightness of being.

Sabrina Amali for „Maysoon“

Jury-Statement: Seymour Cassel was nominated for an Oscar for a performance alongside his favorite onscreen partner – the iconic Gena Rowlands. As if infused by the spirit of Gena, this actress takes us on an emotional roller-coaster ride, flawlessly authentic, nuanced – a tour de force into the soul of a character and the heart of a story which needs to be heard.

German Independence Award – Spirit of Cinema
„Keep Quiet“ by Vincent Grashaw

Hand crafted in bronze by Mongolian Artisans, this extraordinary piece was created specifically for the Oldenburg International Film Festival and sponsored by THREE FLAMES PICTURES – winners of the inaugural award for THE STEED 5 years ago.

The SPIRIT OF CINEMA AWARD was created to honor those filmmakers who, while reminding us of the grand traditions of the masterful filmmakers of the past, also carve a new path for the future, as they display - for all of us to experience- how this most wondrous of art forms finds its greatest of expressions on the big screen.

This year, in the spirit of its essence, we have asked the Audience to determine this Award, based on their visceral Cinematic experience.

German Independence Award – Originality, Daring, and Audacity

„Under the Burning Sun“ by Yun Xie

Jury Statement: In her fearless debut feature, this filmmaker pushes all boundaries in a relentless epic: Equal parts painful brutality & visual poetry, as if inspired by the great magicians of the image such as John Ford and David Lean. Post-feminist rage painted onto the screen with sweeping cinematic strokes.

Hans Ohlms Award- Best Debut Film

„Harakiri, I Miss You“ by Alejandro Castro Arias

Jury Statement: The film relentlessly and viscerally confronts viewers with the question of how loneliness, forlornness, and the inability to form genuine relationships affect us as human beings. On the verge of cinéma vérité, it unfolds as an unfiltered and honest reflection on the depths of human depravity and the need to overcome them. A film that demands discussion.

German Independence Award – Best Short Film

„The Flower of Fear” by Jorge Florez Arcila

Jury Statement: This haunting and powerful film invites us into a world of magical realism. But dont be fooled by its’ fairytale nature. It is a journey into the true terror of  child abduction, but also  the resilience of the imagination, which hast the ability to transform even the darkest nightmares into art. This short film is a remarkable achievement, a piece of filmmaking that will create an impact long after the credits fade.

Highlights of the Festival

This year's retrospective was dedicated to American director and music producer James William Guercio, who directed only one feature film, Electra Glide in Blue (1973), and later became known primarily as a music producer for Chicago and Blood, Sweat & Tears, as well as the founder of Caribou Ranch. His only directorial work, one of the most exciting films of the early 1970s, was honored at the Oldenburg Film Festival.

Scott Glenn and Don Keith Opper were each honored with a tribute. With Don Opper, the author and actor, the Oldenburg Film Festival honored a cult figure of the 1980s. Together with his brother, producer Barry Opper, he presented four films during the festival.  Four other films by Scott Glenn, who starred in the opening film “Eugene the Marine,” were also shown as part of the tribute.

With the support of the Irish Embassy in Berlin and Screen Ireland, some of Ireland's most exciting filmmakers also presented their latest productions in Oldenburg. The Irish Ambassador to Germany, Maeve Collins, was present at the opening and during the festival.

The festival in numbers

The festival in numbers Audience numbers rose by just under 10% to a total of 13,000 visitors in the festival cinemas and the Oldenburg State Theater. This development is further proof that audiences are longing for authentic culture and original films beyond the mainstream, and that the festival can hold its own against easily accessible streaming services.