Suspect (short film)

Infobox Film
name = SUSPECT aka DER VERDACHT
director = Felix Hassenfratz
producer = Mathias Casanova
writer = Felix Hassenfratz
starring = Anne Weinknecht, Heinrich Schmieder, Daniela Holtz
music = Aylin Aykan
cinematography = Yoshi Heimrath
editing = Barbara Toennieshen
distributor = SWR / arte
released = Jan. 2008
runtime = 26 min.
country = Germany
language = german with english subtitles
imdb_id = 1226841

The short feature SUSPECT (aka DER VERDACHT) is the final graduation project of director Felix Hassenfratzat the ifs Internationale filmschule köln. The story is set in southern german province with original “badisch” dialect. The film is a coproduction with the broadcast stations SWR & ARTE, supported by german film fund. The story of SUSPECT is inspired by true events, based on the documentary THE BAKER DID IT. The director quotesthat despite its regional emphasis, SUSPECT is not a Heimatfilm. It’s a universal story, focussed on human behaviour, a story about love in the face of doubt.

Synopsis

What to do and who to believe when you live in a small village and your husband (the baker) is suspected in an unresolved murder case? And that he’s not from the village? And that your mother still doesn’t accept him taking over the family business after the death the your father? And that you find a shirt stained with blood, and a gun kept in a locked cabinet? Above all he insists he’s innocent. Can love overcome doubt?

Festivals & Screenings

Germany

:2008: Film Festival Max Ophüls Preis [Filmfestival Max-Ophüls-Preis: Der Verdacht [http://www.max-ophuels-preis.de/programm/reihen/sprint] ] :2008: Munich International Film Festival:2008: 24. Int. Berlin Film Festival Interfilm:2008: Festival of German Cinema [Festival des dt. Kinos: Der Verdacht [http://www.filmz-mainz.de/lange-kurze/] ] :2008: Landshut Short Film Festival (Award won):2008: Sehsüchte int. student film festival Potsdam:2008: International Filmfest Emden:2008: Film Festival Shorts At Moonlight:2008: Wendland Shorts (Award won) :2008: New Talents Biennale Cologne:2008: Int. Film Festival Passau:2008: Regensburger Kurzfilmwoche

International

:2008: St. Petersburg White Nights Festival :2008: 32. Montreal World Film Festival [Montreal Film Festival - screenings of SUSPECT [http://www.ffm-montreal.org/cgi-bin/ffmfilms?Action=fest_detail&num=26109&lng=EN] ] :2008: Palm Springs International Festival of Short Films [Palm Springs Film Festival - catalogue [http://www.psfilmfest.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=20107&FID=37] ] :2008: Encounters Short Film Festival, Bristol:2008: Foyle Int. Film Festival, Ireland:2008: Atlantic Film Festival, Halifax:2008: Buenos Aires Film Festival:2008: Goethe Institute Paris - selection of contemporary german cinema:2008: Zagreb Film Festival

Awards

*2007: The film rating agency FBW labeled the movie "of special merit" [film entry at the film rating agency - in german [http://www.fbw-filme.de/pdw/Erscheinungsjahr%202007/Verdacht/verdacht.htm] ]
*2007: short film of the month - german film rating agency
*2008: BMW short film prize [website of the film festival Landshut - in german [http://www.landshuter-kurzfilmfestival.de/] ]
*2008: Prize of the jury - Wendland Shorts
*2008: Best Screenplay Studio Hamburg Newcomer Award [Die Welt in german: [http://www.welt.de/berlin/article1890436/Die_Talente_des_jungen_Films_raeumen_ab_.html Die Talente des jungen Films räumen ab] , vom 11. April 2008, gefunden am 11. April 2008]
*2008: First Steps Award - nominee best german short film [First Steps Award 2008: [http://www.firststeps.de/nominierungen.html] , Nominees 2008]

Weblinks

* [http://www.shortfilmcentral.com/film/867/ Various information on SUSPECT at Shortfilmcentral - in english]
* [http://www.epic-event.de Official web site of the film]
* [http://www.psfilmfest.org/festival/film/detail.aspx?id=20107&FID=37 SUSPECT at the Palm Springs Short Film Festival]
* [http://www.ffm-montreal.org/cgi-bin/ffmfilms?Action=fest_detail&num=26109&lng=EN SUSPECT at the Montreal World Film Festival]