Aktuality

A year goes to an end.

Finally we can make a point after the year 2007. It was a turbulent year for us. With our task as organizers of the 1^st Bavarian- Czech film festival we had so much work and responsibility. Daniela used her free time from university to work on the program, the organization and the financial things. The festival was successful and was honoured by the film authors from Bavaria and Czech and also by the cultural political representatives from Regensburg.

The task was so much work that we had no time for other projects. Although we got our 240^th international award this year for our film work in 12 years. In December I was invited to be a member of the jury at the Seniorforum in Czech Republic. It was so much fun to work with the professionals.

A great honour was the photo documentation of our work at the filming in the house of culture, Kromeriz. This exhibition was made by the Czech club for film and video.

With new energy we finally got to our project about the North American Indians, a documentation we are working on. Especially Daniela has to work a lot on her free time. Background information, translation and comments are in work. So we start in 2008 with our documentation.

We wish all our readers and active filmmakers a merry Christmas and many ideas and successful new film projects in the New Year 2008.

Your videoAktiv Team

Oskar and Daniela Siebert

35th Festival of the Nations - Festival of the Superlative

Not without a reason the festival director of the Festival of Nations wrote into the program: “The best non- commercial short films and videos from all over the world”. This year the pre- jury had to sort out the best films from over 900 competitors from different countries, until they had the best ones to show the jury and the audience.

On the 17^th June, Erich Riess the festival director and numerous proms from culture and politics started the 35^th Festival of the Nations. From 10 a.m. until late in the night the films are shown every day. The international jury beside the head Mr. Dave Watterson from England, were Mag. Monika Haskova from Prague (CZ), Rolf Leuenberg from Switzerland, Mag. Art Willhelm Krausshar from Austria and Citrad Stipl from Czech. They had no easy task to fulfill, not only to make a fair appraisal but also give skilled advices and talk about the films. On the day of the “prominent juror” I had the honor to meet and experience Mr. Mag. Arno Aschauer, head of the film school in Vienna, Book- author, director and program leader of the Austrian TV. I was amazed by his professional and highly qualified judgment. At the program is not only work and watching films.

The numerous helpers of the organizers under the head Eva and erich Riess had a colorful program for all visitors. Everybody who comes to Ebensee has not only the possibility to see great films, but also to meet the film- authors, to build up contacts and friendships with people from all over the world.

Everybody who visits Ebensee and the Festival of Nations only once will come back every time. And this is not only a great honor for the organizers, but a from the heart spoken “THANK YOU”

A report by Oskar Siebert/ Regensburg, Germany

Photogallery here

The little knight successful in Passau

On Saturday, the 18^th June, Toni Wallner organized for the European Author circle for film and video, the Euroforum for South- Germany. At the representative club rooms the film amateurs from Passau met and also fans of the non- professional films. 16 competition films had to be judged by the jury under the director of the EAK president Peter Klüver. It was very hard to decide the right decision, but the jury was perfect. The best film and gold medal won Peter Skodawessely for his amazing documentation with the title Unforgettable. The little knight won the silver medal. Our congratulations to all film amateurs.

Daniela Siebert

Photogallery here

A great visit at videoAktiv

It was an honour for us when Mr. Dave Watterson and his wife Jan visited us in Regensburg. Dave is a member of the English organization of non- professional film, member at the UNICA and a highly honoured international juror.

Dave wanted to convince himself of the work of videoAktiv Regensburg and visited the town for 3 days. The Wattersons were impressed by the city, its beauty and attractiveness. “Regensburg surely owned being in the UNESCO list”, were his last words when Dave and his wife travelled on to Ebensee (Austria), where he will be the head of the jury. He has to judge over hundreds of short films from all over the world.

Over 900 movies take part at the “Festival of Nations” in Ebensee. Our “Little Knight” also takes part.

Daniela Siebert

Photogallery here

Our Visit in Czech Republic

Since October 2006 works the artistic director of videoAktiv Regensburg, Oskar Siebert together with the theatre group of the Privat Pindl Realschule e.V. from Regensburg. Under the directions of the teacher Robert Prill, the pupils made a video with numerous sketches. This video impressed the audience at the Christmas party. After this success, the Czech culture minister and the organisers of the Czech filmfestival, invited the representatives of the acting group. The teacher and the pupils had wonderful 3 days and got a diploma as honor for their video and their visit. At the last day, Oskar Siebert showed them Prague downtown and the Charles bridge with his knowledge about history and answered their questions.

We are looking forward to visit the film festival Usti nad Orlici next year 2008, with the pupils.

Daniela Siebert

Photogallery here

Honor of the film colleagues

The head of the Amateur filmclub Passau, Rudi Obermeier invited the regensburg filmmaker Oskar Siebert to an Club event in Passau on 11th May. In the representive club rooms, the Passau film colleagues did an amazing exhibition of Siebert’s pictures of his short movies at the filming.

The program showed “The Prague Romance”, “Mother”, “The Key” and “Rescued”. The ending made “My shortest movie” and after the projection, there was a friendly discussion about the short movies and the father- daughter team. As a gift of honor, Rudi Obermeier gave Oskar a cup with the film club sign and for Daniela as co-author a huge MERCI chocolate box.

We say thank you so much to Passau and we will see you at the next Bataviale 2008.

Daniela Siebert

Photogallery here

More than just a film award,

was the honour of the American movie makers for the short movie "Mother" and the director with his team. As we were informed in the "Magazine of Amateur Movie Makers Association" from America, the short film was not only shown at the international film festivals but also at numerous film clubs which found it nearly professional. (Long Island Movie Makers Inc- in New York)

For this award we say "Thank you so much to America".

More than just a film award,

For this award we say "Thank you so much to America".

EU - Who is Who / Europe

Oskar Siebert’s biography was published in the EU - Who is Who / Europe Person encyclopedia, with the facts of his job and work as a physiotherapist and filmmaker. Not only his life dates with wife and children , but also the facts about his career and the successful filmmaking at the international non- professional festivals in the film branch.

Amateurfilm goodbye ?.

I can remember with which enthusiasm I started with amateur filming 20 years ago. Full with ideas and hopes, not only to produce movies but also show them to the public and being active. Later on I tried to break the cultural borders of Europe with international projects with political and moral background. Our short movies won international honor in a very short time.

We were honored in Australia, England, Canada over to the USA and Europe and so we won more than 200 international movie awards. Our aim was not to collect the awards, but it was the only opportunity to show our movies to the public. The prices were acknowledgement of our cultural work. Numerous movies were realized in neighbored countries. We didn’t accept smoking or violence in our movies. It should also be a pedagogical method with good aims for the people and so people and society were always in the front.

This idealism disappeared with the experiences with BDFA and UNICA. With the change from amateur to non- professional the moral principals were gone. The amateur movie was going to be a sport. There fight no amateurs, but good paid professionals. It is because of prestige and honor. This 21st century process began also in the amateur movie branch and of course at the UNICA. It is not a fight of honor, but a fight for medals and comments of the nations. Everyone should represent his own country and not trying to push his own personality.

There has been a greed for film awards, so many filmmakers participate with a pseudonym at the festivals like at „Golden Knight Malta“, Canadian International Film Festival; AMPS, The American International Film and Video Festival“ etc. There are many festivals where you can participate as INDEPENDENT instead with another name, just for collecting film awards.

And so it is time for me to say goodbye of my active times as a movie maker. A good time, because the amateur film goes with the time of the uncompromising politics. So it losses (slowly and pretty sure) its human task and fulfillment.

Oskar Siebert

videoAktiv Regensburg

Germany