Heiner-Carow-Prize for FABW alumnus Philipp Döring
On February 22, 2025, the Heiner Carow Prize of the DEFA Foundation, endowed with 5,000 euros, was awarded for the twelfth time at the 75th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale). This year, a three-member jury honoured documentary film director and Filmakademie graduate Philipp Döring for his film PALLIATIVSTATION (PALLIATIVE CARE UNIT). The touching film celebrated its world premiere in the “Forum” section of the festival programme.
In his documentary debut, Philipp Döring (director, cinematographer, editor and producer) accompanies doctors on their rounds and in their conversations with relatives at the Franziskus Hospital in Berlin, and listens in on the internal discussions of the team, in which grievances are not kept secret. In doing so, he gets very close to death, but also to life.
The independent jury panel consisted of Annika Pinske (director), Barbara Barlet (DEFA Foundation) and Jide Tom Akinleminu (cameraman and director). In their statement, they said: "Facing death, this film focuses on what it means to be human. The film observes the daily routine in a clinic for terminally ill patients with empathy and clarity. Together with the staff and the dying, the audience is confronted with existential questions and reminded of what is essential in life: listening, comforting, and being there for one another sincerely – in the face of this film, it is inconceivable that we live in such hateful times. PALLIATIVSTATION is deeply humanistic and shows the indispensable importance of empathy, which we all actually have within us. The most precious thing is time. This film shows how valuable it is. It is a quiet but deeply moving tribute to life, which also includes dying."
The Heiner Carow Prize is awarded to the director of a first or second German documentary or fictional feature film in order to promote German cinematic art across sections. The three-person jury, which changes annually, is appointed by the Artistic Director of the Berlinale and the DEFA Foundation.