FLÜGGE, 25min., Germany
Directed by Leopold Schraudolph, Dani Rose Cortés
In an Austrian mountain village in 1914, the determined Amelie (20) must defy her father's wishes of running the family sewing business to pursue her own dreams of flight and seize her only chance at finding true freedom.

Get to know filmmaker Finn-Oliver Walter

1. What motivated you to make this film?

The motivation behind "FLÜGGE" came from a deep-seated fascination with aviation and a desire to highlight the largely untold stories of female pioneers in early aviation. Growing up with a pilot father, Leopold's (Writer, Director, Producer) bedtime stories were filled with epic adventures of heroic aviators. However, Amelia Earhart was the only female aviator represented in these stories. This realization inspired him to explore and celebrate the rich yet vastly underrepresented legacy of women aviators. Through Amelie's journey - a fictional tale inspired by real-life trailblazers - we aim to shed light on their incredible contributions and the timeless themes of dreams, freedom, and emancipation.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?

The journey of creating "FLÜGGE" began on October 18, 2022, during initial discussions and culminated in the final master export on July 31, 2024.

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?

DREAM BIG

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?

One of the biggest challenges was balancing historical accuracy and magical storytelling in all aspects of the story.

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?

This is a movie made for a wide audience, so seeing the positive reactions was incredibly rewarding. We couldn't stop smiling while watching them!

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?

After Leopold finished his first LEGO stopmotion animation as a child he showed it his family. In seeing how his small audience reacted to the story, he realized that this was his way of touching and inspiring people - filmmaking had taken a grasp on him. FINN REALIZED MAKING MOVIES MEANT....

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?

Star Wars, Back to the Future & Harry Potter.

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?

Offering networking opportunities would be incredibly beneficial. Additionally, creating platforms for filmmakers to collaborate on cross-cultural projects could foster creative synergies and expand our storytelling horizons.

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?

Using FilmFreeway has been a seamless and mostly user-friendly experience. It offers a straightforward interface for submitting films and provides access to a diverse range of festivals.

10. What is your favorite meal?

Maultaschen (German dumplings), Dim Sum (Chinese dumplings) & Palak Paneer (Indian spinach dish).

11. What is next for you? A new film?

We're working on a feature length version of FLÜGGE. To receive updates on the future developments of this project, send us a mail and we'll add you to our mailer: [email protected]