#BRAVEFUTURES: BERLIN, GERMANY (2020)
During the largest film festival to enter Berlin, OTV - Open Television teamed up with DADDY to take over Moviemento, the oldest cinema in the city to screen six new short-films created by over two dozen Berlilin-based intersectional artists for the first-ever, #BraveFuturesFilmRace.
Borrowing elements found in traditional 48-hour film competitions from around the world, #BraveFutures reimagined the concept by challenging creatives, storytellers and filmmakers of all skill levels to create short-films exploring authentic themes that relate to their intersectional experiences and identities. Entering into their fifth year of programming and community building, OTV believes it is imperative that artists are able to dream and build #BraveFutures that are unapologetically QUEER / TRANS / FEMME /NON-BINARY / DISABLED / FAT / WOKE / BROKE / LIVING.
After a successful #BraveFutures competition in Johannesburg, South Africa, the OTV team was eager to extend the simple question that began it all: How do we create #bravefutures? Over the course of two days, the six competing teams had a chance to screen the films they conceived, produced, edited and submitted the previous weekend (Feb 15-17). All voting was conducted by over 100 people that attended the screenings via their phones.
Unlike traditional film races that place an emphasis on technicality and production value (i.e. cinematography, acting, original score, etc.) OTV chose to focus on diverse awards that created more opportunities for inclusion, inspiration and impact: Most Brave , Most Intersectional , Most Thought-Provoking, Most Intersectional and more.
In addition to these, two of the awards featured premiere prizes: 1). OTV Staff Pick: The Time is Now Award featured an exclusive premiere at #OTVtonight, taking place at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago on April 7 and 2). Best In Show: Most Brave Film Award featured a cash prize and tickets to Afropunk Johannesburg 2019. All six of the short-films will be released on OTV in early 2020 and earned a year-long, non-exclusive distribution deal with the platform. For a full list of awardees and honorable mentions see below or visit bravefuturesfilmrace.com
#BRAVEFUTUTES BERLIN 2020 FILM SELECTIONS
FREEDOM TICKET (3:48)
Team Name: Emotional Labour (Lorraine Yakubu, Alexander Chigbue, Jacqueline Loaiza, Alexander Chigbue, Esther Makalo, Edem Nutakor)
Film Synopsis: Freedom ticket is a short film that questions government funded security and safety in public places, in particular in Berlin public transportation. It references real and current events of crime and brutality and highlights victims that are marginalised groups from the black and LGBTQI•+ community. It appeals to the public and government and calls for a protection system.
Awards: Most International Film Award
Honorable Mentions: OTV Staff Pick: The Time is Now Award, Most Unapologetic Film Award
HERE IS WHERE YOU'LL FIND ME (4:39)
Team Name: Sunlight (Jacob Lefton, Betty Kaplan, Thabo Thindi, Pussy Ranz, Joris Dragoman, Henriette Abitz, Minuit De Lacroix)
Film Synopsis: A wanderer looks for his past but a present stranger interrupts him.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE? (7:00)
Team Name: Santos Schwarze (Nasheeka Nedsreal, Ze de Paiva, Kathleen Kunath, Chinedum Muotto, Danielle Bullock, Khadijah Gray)
Film Synopsis: When the original cast fails to show up for a film shooting, 4 actors and 2 videographers spontaneously come together to create a film. With only three hours to be together, what comes after is a conversation on now, never, future, whether.
Honorable Mentions: Most Unapologetic Film Award
WHEN RIVERS RUN INTO THE OCEAN (4:01)
Team Name: When Rivers Run Into the Ocean (Daniele Caetano, Natasha Vergilio)
Film Synopsis: Experimental film about the time, collective consciousness and the confusion of our individual actions.
SEVEN OF TENTACLES (6:55)
Team Name: OKTOPUS (Melanie Lyn, Lydia Sarges, Miriam Chebaibai Koch, Sarah Mounia Kachiri, Elsa Klée, Aureille, Klara Mohammadi)
Film Synopsis: The Oktopus can rapidly alter its shape and colour to adapt to any situation, communicate emotions or escape from danger. When self care becomes synonymous with self-optimisation and pop culture aestheticizes diverse sisterhood without acknowledging its complexity – what can we learn from these deep-sea dwellers about surviving in a world that wants us to consume or be consumed?
Honorable Mentions: Most Intersectional Film Award
Awards: OTV Staff Pick: The Time is Now Award, Most Innovative Film Award
THICK SKIN (7:00)
Team Name: Sächsisch For Beginners
Film Synopsis: Life teaches us: "You will need to develop a thick skin in order to survive“. For every slap and every fail, we need another layer. The thicker, the safer. But what if I don't just want to survive? When the coat is too heavy, the protection becomes a burden, and the urge to be myself screams. Where can I be naked and vulnerable?
Honorable Mentions: Most Innovative Film Award
Awards: Best In Show: Most Brave Film Award, Most Thought-Provoking Film Award