Favoriten (film)

2024 Austrian documentary film

Favoriten

Theatrical release poster

Directed by| Ruth Beckermann
Written by|

* Elisabeth Menasse-Wiesbauer
* Ruth Beckerman

Produced by| Ruth Beckerman
Starring| Ilkay Idiskut
Cinematography| John Hammel
Edited by| Dieter Pichler

Production
company

* Ruth Beckermann film production [at]

Distributed by| Autlook Filmsales

Release date

* 16 February 2024 (2024-02-16) (Berlinale)

Running time

| 118 minutes
Country|

* Austria

Language| German

Favoriten is a 2024 Austrian documentary film, named after Vienna's tenth district in which the action is set, directed by Ruth Beckermann. It is a film about teaching and learning in what some consider the equivalent of an inner-city school in Austria's largest city in response to recent migrations. It is a hopeful movie, with often surprising experiences oscillating between the roles of learner and teacher.[1][2] The central theme revolves around a class of 25 elementary students whose engaged teacher is doing what is in her might to create chances for her students that they otherwise, for a lack of education in the parental home and a lack of school-institutional support alike, would not have.[3]

Favoriten had its world premiere on 16 February 2024 in the Encounters at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival.[4] It was also nominated for the Berlinale Documentary Film Award.[5]

## Content

[edit]

The documentary by Ruth Beckermann portrays the daily experiences of students at a challenging school in Vienna-Favoriten. The film tracks the kids as they go through their third grade at elementary school, which is an important stage in their learning paths. The students deal with problems in school and personal life and encounter big obstacles. However, they also demonstrate how much power and talent they possess when they get help and motivation.

## Production

[edit]

The film directed by Ruth Beckermann on the concept from her and Elisabeth Menasse-Wiesbauer, has Johannes Hammel as director of photography and Dieter Pichler as the editor.[1]

The film was funded by the Austrian Film Institute, which provided €120,000 as part of production funding and €62,363 as part of reference funding (as of January 2021). The ORF contributed €70,000 as part of the film/television agreement. €120,000 in production funding came from the Vienna Film Fund and €113,000 from FISA Filmstätte Austria.[6][1]

Principal photography began on 1 July 2021 in Vienna, Austria, and ended in February 2023.[1]

## Release

[edit]

Favoriten had its world premiere on 16 February 2024, as part of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, in Encounters.[7][8]

The film had its first screening at CPH:DOX on 13 March 2024 in Artists & Auteurs section.[9]

It was also screened at the 48th Hong Kong International Film Festival on 5 April 2024 in Firebird Awards Documentary competition.[10][11]

It was screened at Lichter Filmfest Frankfurt International, Frankfurt on 17 April 2024.[12] The film was also screened in 'Horizons' at the 58th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival on 28 June 2024.[13][14]

On 10 October 2024, the film was shown in a special screening in Cineplexx 3 organized by "Bildung grenzenlos" und AK, with post-screening discussion. Ruth Beckermann was announced to partake.

## Reception

[edit]

On the review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes website, the film has an approval rating of 100% based on 5 reviews, with an average rating of 10/10.[15]

Susanne Gottlieb reviewing the film at Berlinale for Cineuropa wrote, "Beckermann offers a moving glimpse into a world, into the potential of young minds – the minds of people who, despite having the odds stacked against them, are often willing to fight the uphill battle for self-realisation."[16]

Jessica Kiang writing in Variety gave positive review and said, "Ruth Beckermann filmed a Viennese grade-school class over three years to deliver a vibrant, provocative and ultimately optimistic portrait of good kids responding to good teaching." She opined, "The judicious honing of the material not only allows the film to flow, it makes commentary on the Austrian schooling system’s failures... all the more eloquent for being evoked rather than underlined." Concluding Kiang described the film as "one of her [Ruth Beckermann's] most straightforwardly enjoyable films" and felt "sadness at the passing of childhood’s sweetest phase," but on the other side she had "warm feeling with regard to the future".[17]

Nikki Baughan reviewing at Berlinale for ScreenDaily wrote, "Favoriten effectively navigates ideas of race, community and opportunity through its endearing, and often surprisingly insightful, subjects."[18]

## Accolades

[edit]

Award  | Date of ceremony  | Category  | Recipient  | Result  | Ref.

|
|
|
|
|

Berlin International Film Festival | 25 February 2024 | Encounters Golden Bear Plaque for Best Film  | Ruth Beckermann | Nominated  | [19]
Berlinale Documentary Film Award  | Nominated  | [5]
Peace Film Prize  | Favoriten | Won  | [20]
Hong Kong International Film Festival | 7 April 2024 | Documentary Competition, Firebird Award  | Won  | [21]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "The Children of Vienna". Austrian Film Institute. 1 July 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
2. ^ "Die Kinder von Wien" [The Children of Vienna]. Film Starts (in German). 1 July 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
3. ^ "Schulalltag in Favoriten: Alleingelassene Kinder, alleingelassene Lehrerinnen". www.falter.at. Retrieved 20 September 2024.
4. ^ Abbatescianni, Davide (22 January 2024). "The Berlinale unveils its Competition and Encounters titles". Cineuropa. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
5. ^ a b "Berlinale Documentary Award and Jury". Berlinale. 1 February 2024. Retrieved 2 February 2024.
6. ^ "Favoriten: Documentary, 2021-2024 – Austria". Crew United. 1 July 2021. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
7. ^ Ntim, Zac (22 January 2024). "Berlin Reveals 2024 Competition Lineup: Rooney Mara, Mati Diop, Isabelle Huppert, Abderrahmane Sissako Movies Among Selection". Deadline. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
8. ^ "Favoriten". Berlinale. 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
9. ^ "Favoriten: Ruth Beckermann / Austria / 2024 / 118 min". CPH:DOX. 23 February 2024. Retrieved 23 February 2024.
10. ^ Patrick Frater (8 March 2024). "Hong Kong Film Festival to Open With Ray Yeung's 'All Shall Be Well,' Close With Japanese Charmer 'All the Long Nights'". Variety. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
11. ^ "Favoriten". HKIFF. 6 March 2024. Retrieved 10 March 2024.
12. ^ "Favoriten". Lichter Filmfest. 17 April 2024. Retrieved 4 May 2024.
13. ^ "Catalogue of Films – Horizons". The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. 28 June 2024. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
14. ^ Kudlac, Martin (14 June 2024). "Karlovy Vary unveils the full line-up for its 58th edition". Cineuropa. Retrieved 1 September 2024.
15. ^ "Favoriten (2024, Documentary)". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 2 May 2024.
16. ^ Gottlieb, Susanne (16 February 2024). "Review: Favoriten". Cineuropa. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
17. ^ Jessica Kiang (16 February 2024). "'Favoriten' Review: The Classroom Is a Community in a Lively, Poignant Primary-Education Doc". Variety. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
18. ^ Baughan, Nikki (16 February 2024). "'Favoriten': Berlin Review". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 16 February 2024.
19. ^ Rosser, Michael (22 January 2024). "Berlin film festival reveals 2024 competition line-up". ScreenDaily. Retrieved 1 February 2024.
20. ^ Scott Roxborough (24 February 2024). "Berlin: Indie Juries Pick 'Sex', 'Dying' and 'Cake'". Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 24 February 2024.
21. ^ "HKIFF 48 – Firebird Awards and Fipresci Prize announced at the Hong Kong International Film Festival". UK-China Film Collaboration. 7 April 2024. Retrieved 7 April 2024.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Favoriten at IMDb
* Favoriten at Austrian Films
* Favoriten at Rotten Tomatoes
* Favoriten at Berlinale

*[Ref.]: Reference(s)