Short Film News - Lost Children directed by Ali Samadi Ahadi and Oliver Stoltz was announced as the best documentary in the 56^th German Film Prize awards.  

 

Lost Children about the lives of 4 children who successfully escaped the rebels in northern Uganda won a cash prize of 200 thousand euros for the best documentary on Friday night at the Lolas, Germany's equivalent of the Oscars or Britain's Baftas.

 

The film had its world premiere in the 55^th Berlin International Film Festival in Feb. 2005 (Panorama section). So far, it has received several prizes including the UNICEF film award.

 

Also, a drama about the devastating effect of the secret Stasi police force on ordinary citizens in East Germany before the Berlin Wall fell won 7 prizes at the Lolas.

 

Among the honors earned by Das Leben der Anderen -The Lives of Others - Florian von Donnersmarck's directorial debut, were best film, director, actor, and supporting actor in the world's most lucrative film contest. The seven awards won by this film are worth a total 2.8 million euros.

 

Among the other films recognized at the Lolas was Requiem. A film about exorcism in West Germany in the 1970s, it received 10 nominations and won 4 awards, including Sandra Hueller for best actress.

The Lolas ceremony, sponsored by German government, was moved forward by two months this year from early July due to the World Cup tournament.