Thrilling Reel Adventure: "The Secret Floor" Takes the Golden Sparrow award!
Hidden Level Inside Building - Hidden Chamber Secures Golden Sparrow Award
"The Secret Floor," cleverly directed by Norbert Lechner, has bagged the top honor for the best feature film at the prestigious Golden Spatz children's media festival held in Erfurt and Gera. The film follows a boy's incredible journey back in time, right before World War II, where he meets and befriends a bravery-personified Jewish girl. The children's jury hailed "The Secret Floor" as a "dazzling kaleidoscope of fantasy and crime, brimming with insights into the horrifying era of National Socialism."
A Bold Approach to a Grim Subject
The jury heaped praise upon the audacious attempt to "address such a challenging yet crucial topic with creativity and imagination." The narrative is delivered with a sincere tone, but in a child-appropriate manner, gradually and thoughtfully introducing the complex topic of National Socialism to the audience. The film's feature-length category award also includes a special prize of 1,500 euros, which the director, Lechner, graciously received.
Competing for the Crown
This year, 32 films and series were in the running for the trophies shaped like the Golden Spatz mascot. There were also six media offerings contending in the "Interactive & Digital Storytelling" competition. As per tradition, the primary awards were given by a jury of 9 to 13-year-old kids from Germany, Switzerland, South Tyrol, Liechtenstein, Austria, Denmark, Luxembourg, and Romania.
A Cultural Treasure Trove
Festival Director Elisabeth Wenk underscored the significance of children's media as a non-niche product, but rather a rich cultural heritage with immense influence. The Golden Sparrow Festival is said to be Germany's largest celebration for German-language children's media, as claimed by the organizers. It also functions as a hub for media professionals. The Golden Sparrow Festival is set to return from June 7 to 13, 2023.
Golden Sparrow Festival Future Dates:
- Norbert Lechner
- German Children's Media Festival Golden Sparrow
- Erfurt
- Children's Media Festival
- Children
- National Socialism
- Window to Europe and Beyond: Discovering Variety in Children's Media
- June 5, 2025
- KIDS Regio
- Berlinale Generation
- Prix Jeunesse
- The clever direction of "The Secret Floor" by Norbert Lechner is an example of the creative and imaginative approach to addressing challenging topics, such as National Socialism, exemplified in German Children's Media Festival Golden Sparrow.
- With the return of the Children's Media Festival Golden Sparrow in June 2023, it offers an opportunity for children to engage with a variety of media from across Europe and beyond, serving as a window into the diversity of children's media.
