08/04/2025
LIFE and Other Problems by Max Kestner won Best Scientific Documentary at Docville 👏
We are very proud of the jury's statement:
"Among a remarkable selection, one film stood out for its exceptional balance between the personal, the topical, and the scientific.
What makes this film so impressive is its visual and narrative depth. The documentary not only delivers a cinematically rich experience but also effortlessly weaves together philosophical and scientific themes. The result is an accessible film that challenges the viewer to reflect on the essence of life.
The documentary cleverly connects the existential question “What is life?” to a moral dimension. This ethical layer not only sparks curiosity but also invites reflection on the meaning and implications of scientific progress. It is particularly commendable how these questions and themes are explored in depth and seamlessly interwoven, creating a complete and satisfying whole.
Rather than imposing a single truth or perspective, the film embraces the complexity of existence and the science that attempts to understand it. With boldness and intellectual curiosity, the filmmaker chooses to approach the mystery of life from multiple scientific angles, without turning the film into a personal ego-document.
But what perhaps makes this documentary—unanimously chosen by the jury as the winning film—most remarkable is its lasting resonance. This is not a film that only echoes in the cinema; its questions and insights linger, at the breakfast table the next morning and long thereafter. It is a film you not only want to discuss, but whose images and ideas you want to hold on to, preserving the moment and the thoughts it evokes.
With all these qualities, Life and Other Problems is a compelling winner of the ScienceVille Competition 2025. We congratulate Max Kestner on this beautiful and inspiring documentary."
DR Sales International
Plattform Produktion Hopscotch Films UK
