Spotlight shines on German Emerging Filmmakers at Winter Film Awards Indie Film Fest #WFA2015

NEW YORK - Feb. 5, 2015 - PRLog -- New York City’s rapidly growing Winter Film Awards (WFA) Indie Film Festival, now in its fourth year, is establishing itself as a dynamic celebration of emerging filmmakers from around the world.  The Festival runs February 25-28 in New York City with three packed days of film screenings, discussion panels, and networking events.

Opening night for the 2015 Festival (http://winterfilmawards.com/2015-winter-film-awards-indie-film-festival-wfa2015/) will take place February 25 with a filmmaker's reception and kick-off party at Van Diemens NYC (383 3rd Avenue, New York, NY 10016).  The Festival will come to a close on the evening of February 28^th with a glittering Awards Ceremony and after-party at Club 230Fifth (230 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10001), livestreamed globally by Worldcast Inc (http://worldcastlive.com/).

Among the 76 Official Festival Selections to be screened at the Blue Diamond Theater in the heart of Times Square  (777 8th Ave New York, NY 10036), the WFA team is proud to showcase an exciting slate of nine films from German filmmakers, providing a fascinating overview of the best of Germany's indie film community.

GARTENFIEND:  Short film / 15 minutes.  Screens Feb 27 in 12pm Block.  Directed by Julia Walter.  Garden plot tyrant Gerti can't believe her eyes - her young teenage granddaughter is falling for the much older Berlin-bred hipster-hottie who recently started chilling in the neighbouring garden - often topless! This has to stop and Gerti decides that drastic measures must be taken to get rid of him.

GENERATION `89 - ERWACHSENWERDEN IM WENDEJAHR:  Documentary film / 71 minutes.  Screens Feb 26 in 12pm Block.  Directed by Anke Ertner. Generation '89 is the untold story of the reunification - the year of change from the perspective of six teenagers from East Germany.  Anke and her friends were between 14 and 18 years old when the Berlin Wall fell, and in the transition from child to adult, the cornerstones of their existence are put into question as their entire lives are abruptly declared invalid.

INNENKIND:  Feature film / 75 minutes.  Screens Feb 27 in 12pm Block. Directed by Thomas Lee. Suzanna is facing the ruins of her marriage. Her husband Rudolph is in despair, trying to cope with her extreme mood swings. During the daytime, she locks herself inside her apartment; at night, she is wandering through the empty Berlin streets. Even with her own family, Suzanna has no more contact as she tries to cope with her situation and her traumatic experiences.

LEBEN!:  Short film / 18 minutes.  Screens Feb 26 in 12pm Block.  Directed by Carolin Färber. Ben suffers from anxieties and an obsessive-compulsive disorder which he can't stand any longer. Ben's most burning desire is to be normal again, but even having a job again would be a big step into the right direction. When he's invited for a job interview, he decides to risk it all and to face his fears for one day.

LEGACY:  Music Video / 4 minutes.  Screens Feb 27 in 4pm Block.  Directed by Bryn Chainey. Directed by Bryn Chainey, the video for "Legacy" chronicles the loss of a beloved pet mouse, and a young girl's fascination with death and eclectic funerals. Set against the lush, horn-infused melodies of the four minute track, the video explores cultural ceremonies ranging from a customary Japanese funeral to a space burial.

OMUL:  Short film / 11 minutes.  Screens Feb 26 in 4pm Block.  Directed by Brigitte Drodtloff. He is a silent man. He walks the streets, watching, looking for the right place. He finds it. In the middle of a market. He sets up a stand. But instead of selling his goods, the silent man gives them away for free. The other sellers watch. They feel provoked. The situation escalates. They lose control. But in the end... there is hope.

SCHLUSSPUNKT:  Short film / 15 minutes.  Screens Feb 27 in 4pm Block. Directed by Stephanie Olthoff.  Late one night in Munich, Germany. Sara Felber enters a police station. She wants to press charges. But while the policeman is reporting her testimony, the tide is turning... POINT OF NO RETURN is a deceptively simple drama about domestic violence anchored by a remarkable performance from its leading actress, Stefanie von Poser.

THE HOPPER:  Animated film / 17 minutes.  Screens Feb 27 in 4pm Block.  Directed by Alex Brüel  Flagstad.  Clay-Motion, Stash House Stick-Ups, West Baltimore, and fluffy pancakes. The Hopper is not your average clay-animation story. 16 year-old Dexter lives with his grandmother in West Baltimore, Maryland. One night Dexter and his friend Kevin rob local drug dealers, but things do not work out as planned and violence spins out of control.

TSCHÜSS PAPA:  Short film / 27 minutes.  Screens Feb 28 in 5pm Block.  Directed by Hendrik Maximilian Schmitt. "Goodbye Papa" is a touching drama about a boy coping with the death of his father and the grief that comes with it. Young Benedict is very attached to his father's old set of medieval armor and it is the only thing that gives him any comfort. Trying to be a knight, he ends up getting into a fight at school with a long-time bully and his mother is forced to sell his suit of armor. Benedict must then go on a great adventure. Along the way, he learns what it is to be a true knight, with or without his armor.

Corporate and local support of Winter Film Awards plays an critical role in the life of the Festival and underscores WFA’s commitment to quality, adventure and diversity in the art of cinema. WFA is privileged to continue our collaboration with Gray Line New York, Ride of Fame, B&H Photo & Video, The Village Voice, Video Blocks/ AudioBlocks/ GraphicStock, Sony Creative Software, Jungle Software, Cyberlink, Glidecam, Rooftop Films, Worldcast Inc, JT Talent, and ProductionHUB, Inc. an online marketplace for broadcast TV, motion picture, pro video, live event, corporate & digital media production.

WFA is delighted to welcome new partners BtOVEN Music studio, Bonnie Ann Bruderer Coaching The Celebrity Life Coach, Deep Eddy Vodka,  DJI Camera Drones, Edelkrone film making solutions, Fluff n’ Stuff bakery, Gotham Sound production audio solution, Gotham Mini Storage, FeverUp curated event site, Mike’s Hot Honey,  Museum of Sex the most stimulating museum in NY,  NI3 Inc,  PS Print quality and dependable online print services, Quad Cinemas,  Satin Fine Foods,  Spirit Animal Creative Studio, Uber ride share, Van Diemens NYC Restaurant & Bar, Yelp and Zacuto film rigs.

Winter Film Awards (WFA) is a volunteer-run and operated 501(c)3 organization dedicated to showcasing emerging filmmakers and the celebration of the diversity of local and international film-making. For more information on tickets, schedules, sponsors, film descriptions and more, please visit www.WinterFilmAwards.com and find us on Facebook.