German actress Nicolette Krebitz's (The Tunnel) feature directorial debut Jeans won this year's 'Luedia' Audience Award at Kinofest Luenen's annual celebration of German cinema.

Apart from a specially created bronze statue, the award includes a slot in the 'Berlin And Beyond' festival in San Francisco's Castro Cinema in January 2003, financing of the film's subtitling by the German Federal Film Board (FFA), and Euros 5,00 for Krebitz and others to attend the festival. Jeans will be released by X-Verleih on December 5.

Another award - for the best film title - sponsored by local publisher Berndt Media Service (BMS) was presented to Kai Pieck's Ein Leben Lang Kurze Hosen Tragen (literally - A Life Spent Wearing Short Trousers) by the jury of Tobis Studio Canal's Marlies Weber, PR specialist Heike Melba-Fendek and the Berlinale's Alfred Holighaus. BMS will provide Euros 2,000 worth of advertising and marketing spend in its publications in North Rhine-Westphalia for the film's release .

Meanwhile, the short films competition saw awards going to Philipp Fleischmann's Mehmet and Sinan Akkus' Lassie.