The Austrian actress Birgit Minichmayr was awarded the Hannelore Elsner Prize of the Five Lakes Film Festival on Saturday evening.
The 44-year-old briefly interrupted her stay at Salzburg, where she is currently on stage as Maria Stuart at the festival.
Starnberg
- It was only around three and a half hours that Birgit Minichmayr was in Starnberg on Saturday. But they were enough to give the Five Lakes Film Festival (FSFF) a special shine with its aura. At around 6 p.m., the 44-year-old arrived on the grounds of the Munich Rowing Club (MRC) - directly from Hallein, where she is currently shining on stage at the Salzburg Festival as Maria Stuart. A short swim in the lake, a warm welcome from festival director Matthias Helwig without any public - then the two of them took a long tour of the lake on a motorboat to tie up at the blue carpet on the festival site at around 8:20 p.m.
After Barbara Auer and Nina Hoss, Birgit Minichmayr is the third actress to award Helwig the Hannelore Elsner Prize of the FSFF in memory of “a great woman”. The evening in Hallein was enough as a reason this time, he said about his visit to the “Maria Stuart” production. "A film or a play with Birgit Minichmayr is an event that will stay in your memory for a long time," says Helwig. Thank you, thank you, ”replied the actress, who was also happy about the 500 guests in the lido. "So many beautiful people here."
Helwig then left the laudatory speech to Bibiana Beglau, who is currently playing Queen Elisabeth alongside Minichmayr and who, as she herself said, began to give a “eulogy”.
The prizewinner is “a great artist and a fine person too,” emphasized Beglau in her video message, which Minichmayer visibly moved.
“I have to call Bibi right away,” she said.
Hannelore Elsner, who died in 2019, described Minichmayer as a "very auratic person".
When she entered a room, one couldn't help but look at her.
Minichmayr emphasized that she was grateful to have met her and shot with her.
Hannelore Elsner was able to play “wild and intense”.
"And she was a very, very, very beautiful woman."
Bernd Elstner (76), Hannelore Elsner's brother, was very satisfied with the selection of the winner. "So far I have found all three award winners ideal," he said in an interview with Starnberger Merkur. The price means "a lot" to him and the family. He is grateful to Matthias Helwig for keeping the memory of his sister alive. Due to illness, Hannelore Elsner's son Dominik was not there this time. He donated the prize, endowed with 5000 euros, for the first time this year - and had it designed by his friend, sculptor Ruben Zickmann. The 48 centimeter tall and three kilogram heavy figure shows a female profile and a stylized mask and is decorated with gold leaf.
After the award ceremony, Birgit Minichmayr left Starnberg again - this time by car.
The 44-year-old was brought back to her hotel near Salzburg that evening.
The next performance of “Maria Stuart” was scheduled for Sunday evening.
Meanwhile, the visitors enjoyed the Swiss film drama "Wanda, mein Wunder", in which Birgit Minichmayr plays one of the leading roles.
The cinema release in Germany is not until January 27 of next year.
The numerous laughs during and the applause after the end of the film were clear evidence of how entertaining the 112 minutes are - and that Matthias Helwig made the right choice with the winner.