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Ruth Beckermann
AT 2024 118'
⚬ Human Interest ⚬ Kids & Youth
Favoriten is one of the most culturally diverse neighborhoods in Vienna and the starting point of Ruth Beckermann’s latest documentary, in which she accompanies a class of pupils from the age of seven to ten. Their ambitious teacher, Ilkay, is determined to create an inclusive, supportive and safe environment for the kids. The majority of children don’t speak German at home, some families are wounded by war experience and many face discrimination. Despite few resources from the educational system, Ilkay gently navigates her class through daily adventures, defeats and victories. The result is an astonishingly cheerful portrait of a small community mirroring the complexities of contemporary European society. The film is an ode to childhood, celebrating the work of educators and lifelong learning in and outside the classroom.
"a vibrant, provocative and ultimately optimistic portrait" - Variety
"Favoriten effectively navigates ideas of race, community and opportunity through its endearing, and often surprisingly insightful, subjects." - Screen Daily
"Favoriten is a firework of shiny ideas and optimism, with great chances of conquering the world." - Ubiquarian
Director | Ruth Beckermann |
Producer | Ruth Beckermann |
Writers | Ruth Beckermann & Elisabeth Menasse |
Cinematography | Johannes Hammel |
Editor | Dieter Pichler |
Sound | Andreas Hamza |
In collaboration with | ORF |
Peace Film Prize | Berlinale 2024 |
Firebird Award Best Documentary | Hong Kong International Film Festival 2024 |
Healthy Workplaces Film Award | Docslisboa |
Jury of Vienna Film Award | Viennale 2024 |
Berlinale Encounters 2024 |
CPH:DOX 2024 |
Visions du Réel 2024 |
Diagonale 2024 |
Hong Kong IFF 2024 |
Ambulante FF 2024 |
Doc Aviv 2024 |
Viennale 2024 |
IDFA 2024 |
| Runtime | 118' |
| Production Country | Austria |
| Spoken Languages | German, Turkish, Arabic, Albanian |
Filmmaker and author Ruth Beckermann is based in Vienna. Her films include THE PAPER BRIDGE, EAST OF WAR and AMERICAN PASSAGES. In 2014 her film THOSE WHO GO THOSE WHO STAY received the big documentary film prize at the Diagonale in Graz.
Two years later THE DREAMED ONES was also honored there as best feature film. THE WALDHEIM WALTZ received several awards, including the Glashütte Original – Documentary Award for best documentary film at the Berlinale 2018, and was Austria's official Academy Awards submission for Best International Film. In 2019, Ruth Beckermann created the installation Joyful Joyce for the Salzburg Festival. Her film MUTZENBACHER was part Berlinale’s Encounters Competition in 2022, where it won the award for best film.
