Winners

Eleven-year-old Mona is out of her league. A new student at a chaotic school in Berlin’s working-class Wedding neighborhood, she hardly speaks German, she is bullied relentlessly, she misses her dear Aunt Helin back home in Syria, and—worst of all—she can’t play soccer. That is, until her teacher Mr. Chepovsky recognizes her talent and encourages her to join the girls’ soccer team. With an intermural tournament fast approaching, Mona and her teammates need to learn to set aside their differences, work together, and find common ground using the one language they all understand. 

Through the eyes of its bold protagonist, director Soleen Yusef’s second film offers an energetic and compassionate look at immigrant and city kids seeking fulfillment and camaraderie through competition. WINNERS opened the Generation Kplus section at the 2024 Berlinale and was later awarded Best Children’s Film at the German Film Awards.

Image © Stephan Burchardt - DCM