German Actor Jürgen Vogel is patron of Michel Children’s and Youth Film Festival


Hamburg, 20th August 2008 – Functioning as the festival’s patron, Jürgen Vogel will open the Michel Kinder- und JugendFilmfest (Children’s and Youth Film Festival) in the CinemaxX Dammtor cinema on 26th September 2008.

Supporting the “Michel” festival is a matter of personal importance to the much-awarded actor. For this year’s patron, the children’s emotional world and imagination during cinema visits lie at the centre of concern. And another aspect is particularly important: “Cinema is at its best when the big screen lets you experience new stories and adventures and brings you to places you’ve never been to before.”

This is possible on a daily basis at the “Michel” festival. Children and adolescents can travel to distant countries, such as Brazil, Australia, Serbia and Norway, or they can discover the diversity of life at their own doorstep.

The opening film of the “Michel” children and youth section within the framework of Filmfest Hamburg will be the Norwegian film “S.O.S. – Summer of Suspense” by Arne Lindtner Næss, a thrilling story for both adults and children, set in the fabulous fjord landscapes of Norway. Further highlights include the films “Mutum” by Sandra Kogut, “Planet Carlos” by Andreas Kannengießer and “Princ od papira”, the first feature film by Serbian director Marko Kosti.

Altogether nine feature films and one animated film are competing for the “Michel” film prize, donated by Universal Pictures Germany and endowed with 5,000 euros. A jury made up of children and adolescents will determine the best children’s and youth film in the international competition. The children’s channel Jetix is participating for the first time, presenting the audience award “Jetix-Movie-Award”.

The competition programme is complemented by the documentary film “Da kann noch viel passieren” by Calle Overweg and the experimental and fantastical puppet film from Chile, “31 Minutes”, by Pedro Peirano and Álvaro Díaz, which is also being presented in the “Vitrina” section of Filmfest Hamburg. An interesting supporting programme of readings and workshops rounds off a manifold and carefully selected range of films.

The programme can be viewed under www.filmfesthamburg.de and will be available at the ticket agencies at Levantehaus, CinemaxX Dammtor, Abaton and 3001 Kino as of 11th September 2008.

The 6th Michel Kinder- und JugendFilmfest (Children’s and Youth Film Festival) takes place from 26th September – 2nd October 2008 at the CinemaxX Dammtor.