Wow, what a party! We are still in a daze from all the impressions and have to let the experiences sink in mentally and emotionally. We are aware that you are probably all waiting for photos and reports. Don't worry: come on! Our media partners will also be delivering in the foreseeable future, so keep your eyes peeled! For our part, however, we're simply taking a moment to catch our breath, linger a while and recover our nerves.
What we don't want to wait any longer with, of course, is the announcement of the films that ultimately made the running for our two Audience Awards and the Méliès D'Argent. It was a close race. You could almost say: it's never been so close! There were sometimes only a few thousandths between first and second place. So as not to keep you in suspense any longer, here they are: our 2025 winners!
Audience Award - Best Short Film
Our "Silver Razor Blade" goes to the brightly colored plasticine short film COSMIC CRASH. The lumpy alien parasites not only conquered the brains of their human hosts, but also the hearts of the audience as the bouncer of our first short film block. The childlike two-minute film about the rescue mission of an extraterrestrial creature, garnished with several splatter moments, caused a rollercoaster of emotions and an exuberant atmosphere in the packed movie theater. We hope the German director James Smith is just as happy as we are. Congratulations!
Audience Award - Best Feature Film
Who will win the Audience Award in the Feature Film category? Perhaps, in keeping with tradition, the 13:00 Sunday movie again this year? Oh no! There was an absolute novelty here too. For the first time in the history of HARD:LINE, a film from the Directors' Spotlight won the Audience Award. The "Golden Razor Blade" for 2025 went to Turkish filmmaker Can Evrenol and his female revenge thriller SAYARA. Evrenol was taken aback because he didn't even realize that his film was part of the competition, and we were because we've never had a case like this before. Surprised but happy, we met in the spotlight on stage. Round thing!
Jury Award - Méliès d'argent
The awarding of the Mèliès D'Argent, the prestigious short film prize that HARD:LINE is the only German member of the Méliès International Festivals Federation (MIFF), was once again particularly exciting. The winner of the Regensburg competition will compete against the winning films from all other Federation festivals in October for the award for best European fantastic short film. The jury, consisting of Irish director Aislinn Clake (FRÉWAKA), producer Verena Gräfe-Höft ("Junafilm") and Tino Hahn ("Genre Geschehen"), opted for the uplifting Italian short film ELEVATION, which creates a feeling of weightlessness. Congratulations to director Matteo Macaluso!
Jury statement
This short horror film impresses with its dense, ominous atmosphere, which envelops the audience like a dark veil from the very first minute. With great cinematic precision, the director creates a field of tension that goes far beyond mere moments of shock.
The outstanding acting performances contribute significantly to the success of the film - credible and nuanced.
The film works on several levels: As psychological horror, excellently photographed and as an impressive reflection on loneliness, loss of faith and grief.
It is a work that resists quick consumption, that asks questions instead of giving simple answers. A movie that stays in the memory.
Congratulations to the director of ELEVATION Matteo Macaluso!
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This short horror film captivates with its dense, ominous atmosphere, casting a dark veil over the audience from the very first minute. With great cinematic precision, the director creates a field of tension that goes far beyond mere shock value.
The deftly handled and nuanced acting performances contribute significantly to the film's success.
The film works on several levels: as a psychological horror film, superbly photographed, and as a striking meditation on loneliness, faith and grief.
It is a film that defies passive consumption, that poses questions instead of providing simple answers. A film that lingers in the memory.
Congratulations to the director of ELEVATION Matteo Macaluso!
