The MICHEL Film Award MAJA, endowed with €10,000, goes to the animated film Tales from the Magic Garden by David Súkup, Patrik Pašš, Leon Vidmar, and Jean-Claude Rozec. The decision was made by the MICHEL Jury, consisting of seven children and teenagers between the ages of 12 and 16. In addition, a special mention was given to the Belgian-French film Wild Foxes (directed by Valéry Carnoy).

The jury especially appreciated how Tales from the Magic Garden offers consolation and presents death from a new perspective. They were particularly impressed by the great effort put into the set design and the stop-motion technique. The jury’s statement continued: “The film was made up of many small, imaginative, and detailed episodes that were combined into a varied story. We also believe that the film is a suitable feel-good film for all ages. The music and the colors convey a very cheerful and warm atmosphere.”

The film tells the story of three siblings — Tom, Suzanne, and Derek — who process the death of their beloved grandmother, a gifted storyteller, by beginning to invent their own stories and immersing themselves together in magical worlds.

A special mention was awarded to the Belgian-French film Wild Foxes, about the young boxer Camille, who, after an accident, faces the risk of losing both his career and his self-confidence. The jury justified their decision with the film’s special mood: “The film deeply moved us. In particular, the journey of the young boxer Camille, his pressure to perform, and his friendships made us empathize deeply. Thanks to the unique atmosphere of the boarding school on the forest’s edge, the film was very distinctive.”

After seven successful days with nine feature and animated films in competition, two episodes of the series The Peppercorns, and the Reihe für Minis, the 24th MICHEL Children and Youth Film Festival ended today with the award ceremony before the closing film Honey (directed by Natasha Arthy). For the third time, the MICHEL Award MAJA, endowed with €10,000, was presented. The award is sponsored by cinema operator Hans-Peter Jansen, whose Studio Kino in Bernstorffstraße has been the MICHEL Festival Cinema since 2023.

Since 2003, the MICHEL Children and Youth Film Festival has invited young cinema fans every year, parallel to the “big” festival, to discover international productions and get to know different worlds of life. With age-appropriate moderation, films in their original language, and guests from all over the world, the festival makes cinema an exciting experience. Since 2021, the director of the MICHEL Festival has been Steffi Falk.