Munich Film Fest honors Timo Mueller

Director receives Young German Cinema Award

By ED MEZA

BERLIN -- Tyro helmer Timo Mueller's "Morscholz," hard-hitting drama that examines the lives of six characters in a small German town, has picked up the Munich Film Festival's Young German Cinema Award for best director. 

The fest jury, which included actress Fritzi Haberlandt, director Marcus H. Rosenmueller and producer Christian Becker, called the film "brave," adding that its scenes remained long in your memory and generated controversy. "Timo Mueller is a directing talent and we are eagerly anticipating his next film." 

Mueller said it was a "difficult film that would not be liked by everyone; it speaks for the bravery of the jury that they chose this film," adding that he was still perplexed about the win. 

Althought the fest doesn't have an official competition, it does boast plenty of awards. 

Additional Young German Cinema Awards went to Heiko Martens, who won best screenplay prize for his script to the psychological thriller "Narrenspiel" (Fool's Game), Susanne Wolff, for best actress for Emily Atef's "Das Fremde in mir" (The Stranger in Me) and Jan George Schutte's "Die Gluecklichen" (Lucky People), and, for best actor, Markus Tomczyk for Sven Taddicken's "Braams" (Professor Braams -- The Innocent Murderer). 

As previously announced, Marie Noelle and Peter Sehr picked up the Bernhard Wicki humanitarian film prize for Spanish Civil War drama "The Anarchist's Wife," while Julie Christie was presented with this year's CineMerit Award.

The 25th Munich Film Festival wraps up Sunday.