The IFFF Dortmund+Köln organises this globally unique competition for young cinematographers and awards the Female Gaze – CineOne & sPOTTlight National Award for Women Directors of Photography. The prize honours emerging female cinematographers for feature and documentarie films, raising awareness of their work and promoting it. This is because the number of women in this key technical and creative film profession urgently needs to increase further. The Dortmund-based film technology companies CineOne and sPOTTlight have been supporting the competition since 2024. The prizes are each endowed with 2,500 euros.

The winners were selected in advance of the festival from 39 nominations by a jury comprising renowned cinematographers Greta Isabella Conte, Eva Maschke and Gisela Tuchtenhagen. They will present the awards on 26 April at the award ceremony in the Orangerie Theater Cologne. Both films can be seen in the programme of the IFFF Dortmund+Cologne.

Lisa Jilg receives the »Female Gaze – CineOne & sPOTTlight National Award for Women Directors of Photography« for her cinematography in the feature film Vena.

About the film: Chiara Fleischhacker tells the story of Jenny, who is sent to prison during her pregnancy. Jenny turns to crystal meth. When the youth welfare office finds out, it orders her to seek help from family midwife Marla. Together, they overcome the situation.

Jury statement: “Lisa Jilg’s camera work in VENA is radical in a way that allows no distance. It is courageous, relentless and has a documentary quality that draws the audience into the life, body and inner struggle of the protagonist Jenny. The camera moves close to the characters. It stays where it hurts. It does not shy away when confinement, loss of control and dependence dominate the space. This moving, raw visual language creates a physical closeness that is rarely seen so uncompromisingly and which thus unfolds an enormous emotional force. (…)”

Film screening on 24 APR 3 p.m. Odeon Cologne, guest: Lisa Jilg

Sophia Fenn receives the »Female Gaze – CineOne & sPOTTlight National Award for Women Directors of Photography« for her cinematography in the feature-length documentary Where the Waves Took Her.

About the film: The Mediterranean route is one of the most dangerous in the world. As more and more women and children flee, midwives are now working on rescue ships. Director Jana Stallein, together with Sophie Fenn, accompanies one of them and lets survivors tell their stories.

Jury statement: “Sophia Fenn develops outstanding camera work that approaches a highly complex topic with great sensitivity and a clear stance. Her camera is close to the action without ever becoming intrusive, moving confidently between observational documentary and poetic imagery. Particularly impressive is the deliberate use of long exposures and blurred images during the actual sea rescues. This formal decision protects the anonymity of those rescued, defuses the brutality of the situation and conveys the emotional impact in a powerful visual language that leaves room for the audience to form their own impressions.

Film screening on 25 APR 3:30 p.m. Odeon Cologne, guest: Sophia Fenn

Special mention for Sophie Krabbe
The jury also awards an Special Mention to Sophie Krabbe for her cinematography in the docu-fiction short film Halima – A Guide to Being Strong (directed by Linda Verweyen and Fahma Abdukader Farah). The film deals with female genital mutilation, everyday racism and resilience. Five women from Somalia co-wrote the script and acted in front of the camera.

The programme and tickets for the 43rd IFFF Dortmund+Köln will be available here on this website and via Rausgegangen from the end of March.