Tracing Addai

Director: Esther Niemeier • Animation Director: Jan Koester

Documentary • rotoscopy, compositing, 2D drawn animation • 29:54 min • © Film University Babelsberg KONRAD WOLF in co-production with Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg 2019

A true story about a war and the tragic impact it has on the lives of three people.

Based on archive material, the animated documentary TRACING ADDAI tells the story of a young man in his early twenties who leaves his life in Germany behind with the intention to help people. In 2013, Addai joins a Salafist group in Syria. A few years later Addai’s mother meets Ilias, a returnee from Syria. Through their personal stories, the film composes a clearer picture of Addai’s story.

  • Credits

    Director: Esther Niemeier

    Producer: Britta Strampe

    Editor: Sarah-Christin Peter

    Writers: Esther Niemeier, Sarah-Christin Peter, Britta Strampe

    Animation Director: Jan Koester

    Director of Photography: Omri Aloni

    Storyboard: Gregor Dashuber

    Animation: Ines Gomes Ferreira, Laurine Kotte, Sonja Rohleder, Deniz Zagli, Anne Isensee, Gregor Dashuber, Jan Koester

    Sound: Alexandra Praet

    Music: Robert Pilgram

    Mixing: Christoph de la Chevallerie

    Line Producer: Andrea Wohlfeil

    Comissioning Editor: Rolf Bergmann (RBB)

    Cast: Kais Setti, Benito Bause

    Production Designer: Max-Josef Schönborn

    Costume Design: Lili Paula Avar

    Makeup Artist: Rhiannon Cogdale

  • Awards

    Student Academy Award Finalist (Foreign Documentary)

    Best Animation: Festival d'Animation Clermont-Ferrand

    Winner Audience Award - Tampere Film Festival

    Winner Best Production - International Student Film Festival Sehsüchte 

    Winner Best Short - Docaviv International Shorts Competition

    1st Documentary Audience Award - Open Eyes Marburg

    Special Jury Award - Shortynale Klosterneuburg

    Nominations for Best Documentary, Best Production (NO FEAR Award) - First Steps Award

    Audience Award - Milano Film Festival

    Special Mention - Animatou International Animation Film Festival

    Audience Award - Konstanzer kurz.film.spiele

    Sonderpreis der Landeszentrale für Politische Bildung - video/film tage Mainz *

    CineStar-Preis für den besten Kurzfilm - Nordische Filmtage Lübeck

    Bester Dokumentarfilm - FILMZ Mainz

    Best Animation Short Film - ZINEBI - International Festival of Documentary and Short Film of Bilbao