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"Cinema culture and film culture are an integral part of our diverse cultural landscape. They are mutually dependent - without exciting and interesting films, there would be no well-attended film theatres. On the other hand, there is no better place than the cinema to draw attention to films and to perceive films with all the senses." That is why it is also important to support cinemas with funding programmes during the pandemic and afterwards in times of rising prices and energy costs. The cinema programme prize has also been increased from 50,000 euros to 100,000 euros in 2023. "With the prize, we are specifically supporting activities that build up the cinema as a cultural venue and network it with other local offerings, and in this way succeed in attracting more people back to the cinema," saidWendt.

Helge Albers from MOIN Film Fund continued: "Ingwer Feddersen would have been delighted: the main prizes for outstanding cinema work this year go to three cinemas in Kiel and Husum. And for the first time, the Metro Kino in Kiel and the Lichtblick Filmtheater in Oldenburg have been awarded the main prize 'Cinema of the Future' - both have developed measures for more diversity and inclusion. The 30 or so other award-winning cinemas have also done great work over the past twelve months and have brought people back to the cinemas in Schleswig-Holstein thanks to their tireless efforts. I am delighted that the state of Schleswig-Holstein is once again honouring this commitment by doubling the prize money. Because what cinema can do, only cinema can do."

The award ceremony at the KinoCenter was also attended by the Rendsburg DirectorArne Feldhusen ("Der Tatortreiniger", "How to Sell Drugs Online (Fast)") as well as the Kiel filmmakerEugenia Bakurinwho presented her Cannes short film "Long Time No Techno" on location.

The prize money of around 100,000 euros was awarded to 33 cinemas in the country in five categories. Five main prizes are endowed with 7,500 euros each. The three main prizes for "Outstanding Cinema Work" in 2023 will go to the Studio-Filmtheater am Dreiecksplatz in Kiel, the Kommunales Kino in der Pumpe in Kiel and the Kino-Center Husum in Husum. The two main "Cinema of the Future" awards go to the Metro Kino im Schloßhof Kiel and the Lichtblick Filmtheater in Oldenburg. Ten cinemas also received awards for consistently good cinema work, eleven for committed good cinema work and seven cinemas received an award for high-quality programme work.

The Schleswig-Holstein Cinema Prize has been awarded annually since 2009. This year's jury consisted of Martina Harand from the state's Ministry of Culture, Nicola Jones for MOIN Film Fund, Jens-Hagen Schwadt as coordinator of the "Dorfkino einfach machbar" initiative of Filmklub Güstrow, Polina Atvi as chairwoman of CineMova, the Ukrainian cinema club in Berlin, and Bernd-Günther Nahm, the former director of Filmwerkstatt.

LIST OF AWARD WINNERS

Main prizes for outstanding cinema work (7,500 euros)

1st cinema in the Pumpe Kiel 2. cinema centre Husum 3rd Studio Filmtheater am Dreiecksplatz, Kiel

Main prizes - cinema of the future for diversity, inclusion and sustainability (7,500 euros)

1st Metro cinema in the Schloßhof, Kiel 2. Lichtblick Filmtheater, Oldenburg

Cinema prize for high-quality programme work (4,000 euros)

1. cinema centre, Rendsburg 2. 51 steps cinema in the German House, Flensburg 3rd Ratzeburg Castle Theatre 4. Lichtblick Filmtheater Heide 5th Burg Filmtheatre, Fehmarn 6th cinema KoKi Kommunales Kino Lübeck 7th Schauburg Filmtheatre, Rendsburg

Cinema prize for committed cinema work (2,500 euros)

1. communal cinema Neustadt 2. small theatre Schillerstrasse, Geesthacht 3rd KoKi Bad Schwartau 4th Kommunales Kino Rendsburg e.V. 5th Lichtblick Filmtheatre Büsum 6th Lichtblick Island Cinema Amrum 7th Astra Filmtheatre, Plön 8th Kinowelt Westerland, Sylt 9th cinema in the small theatre in Bargteheide 10th dream cinema, Kiel 11th Savoy cinema, Bordesholm

Award for continuously good cinema work (1,000 euros)

1st CineStar Neumünster 2nd Grömitz film stage 3rd cinema in the KDW, Neumünster 4th cinema Deutsches Haus, Meldorf 5th Cinema Club Pellworm 6th CineStar Filmpalast Stadthalle, Lübeck 7th Filmhaus, Lübeck 8th Capitol Lichtspiele, Kappeln 9th Burg Cinema, Uetersen 10th Beluga cinema Quickborn