In the presence of numerous filmmakers, the award ceremony of the 41st Kurzfilm Festival and the 27th Young Short Film Festival Hamburg Mo&Friese took place on Saturday, June 7, 2025. Prizes worth a total of €18,500 celebrated the diversity of the short film format. Being John Smith received two awards.
The €3,000 Hamburg Short Film Award was presented by the five-member jury of the International Competition to "Being John Smith" by British filmmaker John Smith. He also received the Audience Award, worth €1,500.
In the jury’s statement, it says:
„Though the film seems to be about how one’s name can be a disadvantage and create long-lasting prejudice in life, it is also much more. Rather, it is a witty, moving, humorous meditation on aging, life, politics, change, mortality and the role of art and the artist over time. Using economical means with no-nonsense inventiveness, the film is coherent, concise and complex all at once, flowing like gentle waves throughout.With self-deprecating gusto, but no exaggeration or narcissism, Smith creates a portrait of dignified fragility and vulnerability, but also resilience. ‚Being John Smith‘ is at once personal as it is highly political, reflecting as it does, on the current moment of dystopian disbelief as the world ploughs forward in high-capitalist mode, increasing polarization and atomization. Despite the disheartening socio-political subtext, the film at once affirms the belief in the emancipatory potential of culture and community.“
INTERNATIONAL COMPETITION
Hamburg Short Film Award
Being John Smith – John Smith, United Kingdom 2024
Deframed Award
The Moving Garden – Inês Lima, Portugal 2024
Hamburg Short Film Candidate For The European Film Awards
I believe the portrait saved me – Alban Muja, Kosovo/Netherlands, 2025
Special Mention
Water Sports – Whammy Alcazaren, Philippines 2024
GERMAN COMPETITION
Jury Award
Ich hätte lieber einen anderen Film gemacht – Suse Itzel, Deutschland 2024
Special Mention I
The Adventures of the Black Girl in her Search for Mabel Dove – Nnenna Onuoha, Ghana/Deutschland, 2024
Special Mention II
Ceasefire – Jakob Krese, Germany/Italy/Slovenia 2025
OTHER AWARDS
Triple Axel Audience Award
JAH! – Madli Lääne, Estonia 2024
Audience Award
Being John Smith – John Smith, United Kingdom 2024
Arte Short Film Award
Rain Falls Still – Đăng Tùng Bạch, Australia/Vietnam 2024
KODAK Award
Okay Keskidee! Let Me See Inside – Rhea Storr, United Kingdom 2025
KODAK Award – Special Mention
Archipelago of Earthen Bones – to Bunya, Malena Szlam, Canada/Australia/Chile 2024
YOUNG SHORT FILM FESTIVAL HAMBURG MO&FRIESE
Friese Award
Hufen auf Kufen – Ignas Meilūnas, Lithuania 2024
Friese Award Special Mention
Wasserschweine – Alfredo Soderguit, France/Chile/Uruguay 2024
Mo Award
Akababuru – Irati Dojura, Columbia 2025
Mo Award Special Mention
Was um uns herum geschieht – Krystsina Ramanava, Czech Republic 2023
NEON Award
Neun Tage im August – Ella Knorz, Germany 2024
NEON Award Special Mention
Storytelling – Nils Hedinger, Swizerland 2024
ECFA-Preis
Wir drehen einen Film – Tota Alves, Portugal 2024
ECFA-Preis Lobende Erwähnung
Dragfox – Lisa Ott, United Kingdom 2024
