Press Release / Awards Ceremony                           2024-10-19                    

Tegernsee Mountain Film, 21st International Festival from 16–20 October 2024

 “Mongolia” Receives Great Prize of the City of Tegernsee

 The winning film of the 21st Tegernsee International Mountain Film Festival has been decided: This year’s Great Prize of the City of Tegernsee, endowed with 3,000 euros, goes to Hamid Sardar’s film “Mongolia – Valley of the Bears”. The German Alpine Club’s Prize for the Best Alpine Film in the category Mountain Experience goes to Hugo Clouzeau for “Nuptse: l’inaccessible absolu” (Nuptse: Absolutely Inaccessible). In the categories of Mountain Nature, Mountain Life and of the Otto Guggenbichler Young Talent Award, “Sauvage – le chamois, l’aigle et le loup” (Wild – Chamois, Eagle and Wolf), “Un Pasteur” (A Shepherd) and “Shouhare Iran Khanoum” (Mrs Iran’s Husband) each win 1,000 euros.

 Hamid Sardar from France is the big winner of the 21st Tegernsee Mountain Film Festival. His film “Mongolia – Valley of the Bears” prevails against approximately 85 international productions and wins the Great Prize of the City of Tegernsee, endowed with 3,000 euros. According to the jury, Hamid Sardar’s work combines “all the qualities of a truly outstanding film: high-quality images, a strong and poignant story, rhythm and emotions.” This beautiful, authentic documentary raises a universal environmental question: How can we imagine the coexistence of humans and wildlife in a time marked by climate change? “The underlying message – that change is still possible and that the actions of individuals can make a big difference – is a glimmer of hope for the future,” the jurors unanimously explain their decision.

Ambitious Expedition
Completing a multi-year project as ambitious as this expedition to the South Face of Nuptse – one of the highest and most difficult faces on the planet – requires extraordinary determination. Hugo Clouzeau’s film “Nuptse: l’inaccessible absolu” contains rare footage of high-end climbing, masterfully interwoven with humour and artistic touches. The jury was convinced by the approach: “This is an authentic insight into the world of today’s extreme high-altitude-alpinism with all its highs and lows.” The film therefore receives this year’s Prize by the German Alpine Club (DAV) for the Best Alpine Film in the category Mountain Experience.

With Finesse and Incredibly Precise
With finesse, the camera explores the lives of chamois, eagle and wolf throughout the seasons. “Incredibly precise framing and the unfathomable dedication of Véronique, Anne and Erik Lapied at tracking these animals’ movements in even the harshest of environments offer a convincing, vibrant spectacle of the circle of life,” the jury explains its decision to highlight “Sauvage – le chamois, l’aigle et le loup” as the Best Film in the category Mountain Nature.

Careful and Emphatic
With simple images, Louis Hanquet reveals the careful and empathetic work of the lonely mountain shepherd. He cannot protect his herd from all threats, but accepts the losses he suffers as part of this life. His tasks change with the rhythm of the seasons. “The film is an impressive homage to transhumance as an ancient way of life, one that is well adapted to the harshness of the mountains,” states the jury and confers the Award for the Best Film in the category Mountain Habitat to “Un Pasteur” (A Shepherd).

Young Talent Award goes to Woman from Iran
The 2024 Otto Guggenbichler Prize for a Junior Filmmaker goes to young Iranian director Marjan Khosravi. Her film “Shouhare Iran Khanoum” (Mrs Iran’s Husband) “is marked by stunning image quality and portrays the complex relationships of a man with his two wives and a possible third. No commentary is given, just a raw and poignant testimony in the beautiful cinematic style of Marjan Khosravi,” the jury shares. Director Marjan Khosravi already won the Otto Guggenbichler Young Talent Award in 2022. This year, she travelled all the way from Tehran for the Tegernsee Film Festival.

Best Cinematography, Special Film and Honourable Mentions
The Prize for the Most Outstanding Camera Work goes to Pierre Cadot from France for “Painting the Mountains”. This year’s Prize for the Special Film goes to “Via Sedna” by Ramona Waldner and Alexander Brugger from Austria. In addition, three films receive an Honourable Mention from the jury: “Resistance Climbing” by Nick Rosen and Zachary Barr (USA); “The Carpenter” by Xelîl Sehragerd (Kurdistan); as well as “Am Steilhang” (On the Steep Slope) by South Tyrolean Thomas Schäfer.

This year’s Bayern 2 Audience Award goes to “Shouhare Iran Khanoum” (Mrs Iran’s Husband), a film by Marjan Khosravi..

Proud of the Achievement: Sum-Up by New Festival Director
This year’s jury members were Monika Dalmasso (France), Josef “Sepp” Wörmann (Germany), Nicholas Hobley (Italy), Babsi Vigl (Austria) and Richard Goedeke (Germany). They spent many hours in the dark screening room and in video conferences, analysing the strengths and weaknesses of 80+ films. Numerous winners made the journey to attend the final Awards Ceremony on Saturday, during which competition victors were honoured and winning films shown in excerpts. Others sent a video message. The Awards Ceremony unites everyone in celebration – filmmakers, jury, supporters and organisers. “It was great. Fun was had,” concludes new Festival Director Tom Dauer, diagnosing a solid success. “The festival was well attended. The films were impressive. Everyone’s response was outstanding. I’m looking forward to more of this next year.” The 22nd Tegernsee International Mountain Film Festival will run from 15 to 19 October 2025.

Festival Hack: If you didn’t attend the Awards Ceremony, you can still watch a shortened recording at the ARD media library: www.ardmediathek.de/br/berge-und-wandern

Further Information: Sonderbüro Bergfilm-Festival Tegernsee, Phone +49(0)8022-1801 – 37; bergfilm@tegernsee.de, online: www.bergfilm-tegernsee.de