NL/Press Release – May 3, 2023
20th Tegernsee International Mountain Film Festival, 18 to 22 October 2023
Tegernsee Mountain Film Festival on the International Stage
The 20th edition of the Tegernsee International Mountain Film Festival calls for a proper shout-out and a celebration. That is why festival director Michael Pause and festival office manager Birgit Halmbacher are traveling to Trento, Italy this week – to attend the world’s oldest mountain film festival and to present their anniversary programme. They will also attend an informal spring gathering of the International Alliance for Mountain Films (IAMF). Noteworthy deadline for all producers and filmmakers: The latest mountain films intended for screening at Lake Tegernsee this autumn must be submitted by 31 May, in four weeks’ time.
When asked how long he’s been attending the Trento Film Festival, Michael Pause just laughs. Then, he specifies: “For over 40 years!” Initially as a journalist for Bavarian Public Broadcasting (BR), later on as the Tegernsee International Mountain Film Festival’s director. After all, “the 71st Trento Film Festival presents another unmissable get-together for the mountain film festival genre. The mother of all mountain film festivals is all about networking and encounters within ‘the scene’.” Naturally, it is a thousand times better to converse with filmmakers and producers in person than merely on the phone. Moreover, it is the ideal opportunity for Michael Pause to alert international mountain film festival makers to this autumn’s anniversary edition at Lake Tegernsee. He is happy to reveal: “We want to seize this opportunity to look into the best of 20 years of Tegernsee Mountain Film. We want to rewind even further, for example by remembering the inventor of the mountain film genre. It’s fascinating to explore the very beginnings.”
The world’s largest mountain film festival was founded in 1952 and currently takes place in the Trentino region – ending on 7 May. It promises the opportunity of forging new mountain film contacts and of gaining an overview of trends in the mountain film genre. “Our end of May registration deadline for the Tegernsee festival is optimal,” Halmbacher reveals, “because in Trento we get an excellent idea of this year’s strongest productions. Most importantly, we discover films we’d otherwise have completely missed out on!” Pause recalls times when he was able to catch as many as 50 or 60 films there.
In addition, Pause and Halmbacher are attending an informal spring gathering of the International Alliance for Mountain Films (IAMF) in Trento. The IAMF brings together the 25 most important mountain film festivals worldwide, including Trento, Les Diablerets, Graz, Kathmandu, Kendal, Autrans as well as Tegernsee. This association of mountain film festivals from all over the world has become a valuable information hub for festival organisers.
Meanwhile, preparations are in full swing at Lake Tegernsee. In autumn, an international jury will award prizes to the best mountain films in the competition. The screened films demonstrate this genre’s wide range of topics and its unique charm. Traditionally, Tegernsee and its audience value narratives outside the mainstream. Up until 31 May, producers and filmmakers may submit their latest mountain films in the categories Mountain Experience, Mountain Nature and Mountain Life.
All prizes, endowments and the call for submissions can be found at: www.bergfilm-tegernsee.de
Information: Sonderbüro Bergfilm-Festival Tegernsee, Rathausplatz 1, 83684 Tegernsee, Germany
Phone +49(0)8022-1801-37 or -53, bergfilm@tegernsee.de, www.bergfilm-tegernsee.de