Ghost bus stop, funfair barkers and suburban rock

Besides the renowned Grimme award and the Grimme online award, there has been the Grimme video competition since 2010. What had been focused on the Ruhr metropolitan region in 2010 turned into a nation-wide tender this year - the Grimme video competition NRW.Spot. During the "Marler Tage der Medienkultur 2011" (Marl Days of Media Culture 2011; translator's note), 2010LAB.tv interviewed the three award winners.

Michael Steinbrecher mit Simon Glass, Michael Binz und Lars Klostermann

The first prize among the three minute clips went to Michael Binz for his documentation Placebus. A Düsseldorf-based home for people suffering from dementia or Alzheimer's disease runs a ghost bus stop. That's where patients wait for a bus that is never going to arrive. The alternative meeting point is a healing getaway from everydaylife in the home.

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Power Tower

Second prize went to Simon Glass for the portrait Recommandeur. A barker is more than just an announcer at a funfair. The fun ride Power Tower can be experienced at the funfairs in Crange or Düsseldorf. Kevin Hoffmann does not only operate it by pressing buttons but also by his unique rhetoric.  

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Hochfeld, mon amour

Third prize went to Lars Klostermann with his music video "Mein Herz". Nine pupils from Duisburg-Hochfeld interpret the Song "Dreck in meinen Adern" (Dirt in my Veins; translator's note) in their very own personal style. This view is mirrored right from their neighbourhood.

All three winners are invited to join a two-hour behind the scenes presentation with director Prof. Adolf Winkelmann (Die Abfahrer, Jede Menge Kohle, Nordkurve, Contergan). The winner who was awarded first prize will also travel to London to shoot a film there.

Text: Boris Alexander Knop