The feature film Bitter Gold, directed by Juan Francisco Olea and produced by JUNTOS in co-production with Plotless Films (Germany), is competing against two of the most acclaimed German films of the year: Hysteria and September 5.
The Hessian Film and Cinema Awards (Hessischer Film- und Kinopreis) were established in 1990 to recognize and promote audiovisual creation linked to the state of Hesse. Over time, they have become one of the most prestigious distinctions in German cinema.
Organized by the Ministry of Science, Research, Art and Culture of Hesse in collaboration with Hessen Film & Medien GmbH, the awards annually honor achievements in feature films, documentaries, short films, screenwriting, and career excellence, while also recognizing cinemas and initiatives that foster film culture. The event has become a key platform for international productions and a major meeting point for the European film industry.
In the Best Feature Film category, Bitter Gold shares its nomination with two major works of contemporary German cinema: September 5 by Tim Fehlbaum, a sci-fi thriller set in a post-apocalyptic world that further establishes the Swiss director after his acclaimed films Hell (2011) and Tides (2021); and Hysteria by Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay, the German-Turkish filmmaker who gained international recognition with Oray (2019), winner of the Best First Feature Award at the Berlinale. In Hysteria, he continues to explore identity and political tensions through a striking visual language.
The nomination reinforces Bitter Gold’s international trajectory. Premiered in 2024, the film previously received the Ecumenical Jury Award at the Warsaw Film Festival, and has been officially selected at Cairo and Goa, among other major festivals.