The International Jury of the 64th Internationalen Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg will decide who will receive the GRAND NEWCO

In the 64 Edition of this traditional film festival the jury consists of three members who are appointed to decide who of the newcomers will be awarded this year.

This year the decision lies in the hands of director Marion Hänsel and two men of the film industry: Mark Spratt and Jef Nuyts. Aside of the newly renamed GRAND NEWCOMER AWARD – Main Award of Mannheim-Heidelberg the international jury also awards the Special Newcomer Award and the Special Achievment Award for an outstanding performance as an actor, direction, screenplay etc. as well as the Special Mention of the Jury.

The International Jury 2015

The director and screenwriter Marion Hänsel was born in France and raised in Antwerp. She hase made her debut film "Palaver" in 1969. In 1995, her film "Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea" made her world famous. She founded her own company, Man's Films and started to produce not only her own screenplays but also those of other young directors.

"Having five days, just to look at films is a great opportunity to feel what is going on around the world, which are the themes that the young filmmakers from all over the world want to talk about." (Marion Hänsel, International Jury 2015)

Mark Spratt has always had a great passion for any form of cinema and used to work within the film industry in the area of distribution. In 1989 he established his own independent film distribution company Potential Films.

"There is always a chance for at least one film to break out and be noticed from any festival if it can speak to both audiences and commercial interests. Keeping a watch on the future works of filmmakers with talent is also the job of industry professionals." (Mark Spratt, International Jury 2015)

Jef Nuyts life is film. He started a film club in the university and later turned his hobby into a veritable profession by establishing an art house film distribution company named Ossessione Film in Belgium in the late 1970s. Jef Nuyts is no stranger to the International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg - he was a member of the International Jury in 2003.

"Sales agents or distributors are not often invited in a jury because we are not considered as a part of the “artistic” team of a film although we are the link between the film and a regular audience." (Jef Nuyts, International Jury 2015)