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Home , Agnes Esterhazy, Artur Brauner, Autumn Milk, Ben Becker, Bernhard Wicki, Bibiana Beglau

Martina Gedeck, Maxime Foerste (photo © Astrid Wirth) Kino German FilmAwardGerman the 50 Years of SPECIAL REPORT by INVINCIBLE theYear” “Lion of Competing for AT VENICE Focus Cinema onGerman in Competition& Films 4 German AT MONTREAL in Competition Peter Dilthey Sehr&Iain and MOSTLY MARTHA Piazza Grande AT LOCARNO 3/2001 OF GERMANCINEMA EXPORT-UNION

KINO 3/2001

32 The Red Phone 6 50 Years of the Jerry Jameson 32 Die Spielwütigen 14 The Presence of the Andreas Veiel Past in the Present 33 Toter Mann Director’s Portrait Volker Koepp Christian Petzold

15 An Experiment on the the Subject of Love 34 German Films at this Summer’s Director’s Portrait Vivian Naefe International Film Festivals

17 Treasurers of German Film History 36 German Films at the Sidebars Portrait Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau Foundation and German-international Co- Productions at the International 18 A Small, but High-Quality Company Summer Festivals World Sales Portrait Transit Film

20 A Vision with Nostalgia 38 Series: The 100 Most Producers’ Portrait Ö Filmproduktion Significant German Films (Part 2)

22 KINO news 38 Der blaue Engel 39 Die freudlose Gasse 26 In Production THE STREET OF SORROW Georg Wilhelm Pabst 26 : Sinfonie einer Großstadt 40 Thomas Schadt TO WHOM DOES THE WORLD BELONG? 26 Big Girls Don’t Cry Slatan Dudow Maria von Heland 41 Der Student von Prag 27 Blindflug THE STUDENT OF Thomas Bergmann, Mischka Popp Stellan Rye 28 Brief einer Unbekannten Jacques Deray 28 Der gläserne Blick 42 New German Films Markus Heltschl 29 Good Bye Lenin 42 3 Sterne Wolfgang Becker AT LO CA R N O MOSTLY MARTHA PIAZZA GRANDE 30 Klassenfahrt Sandra Nettelbeck Henner Winckler 43 2000 Jahre Christentum 30 Lass mich nicht allein – 2000 YEARS OF CHRISTIANITY und Werner Herzog, Georg Graffe, Jürgen Czwienk et al Andreas Kleinert 44 Birthday AT KARLOVY VARY 31 IN COMPETITION Stefan Jäger Andrew Horn 45 Black Box BRD BLACK BOX AT LO CA R N O Andres Veiel FILMMAKERS OF THE PRESENT CONTENTS

46 Denis Katzer Expedition: 57 Malunde – Eine Freundschaft Die große Reise wider Willen DENIS KATZER EXPEDITION: MALUNDE – AN UNLIKELY THE BIG JOURNEY FRIENDSHIP

Denis Katzer AT MONTREAL Stefanie Sycholt 47 Endstation: Tanke FOCUS ON GERMAN CINEMA 58 Null Uhr 12 THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE 12 PAST MIDNIGHT Nathalie Steinbart Bernd Michael Lade 48 Engel & Joe AT MONTREAL IN COMPETITION 59 Rave Macbeth Vanessa Jopp Klaus Knösel 49 Herr Schmidt und Herr Friedrich 60 Die Reise nach Kafiristan Ulrike Franke, Michael Loeken AT LO CA R N O THE JOURNEY TO KAFIRISTAN PIAZZA GRANDE 50 Ich werde Dich auf AT LO CA R N O Fosco Dubini, Donatello Dubini IN COMPETITION Händen tragen 61 Sainkho I’LL WAIT ON YOU HAND AND FOOT Erica von Moeller Iain Dilthey 62 Salamander 51 It Don’t Mean a Thing, Barbara Gebler If It Ain’t Got That Swing 63 Sass – Die Meisterdiebe Niels Bolbrinker Carlo Rola 52 Jazz Seen 64 Vortex Julian Benedikt Michael Pohl 65 Was tun, wenn’s brennt? WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF FIRE? Gregor Schnitzler

68 Film Exporters 70 Foreign Representatives 70 Imprint

53 Königskinder Lutz Gregor 54 Lammbock – Alles in Handarbeit LAMMBOCK Christian Zübert 55 Leo & Claire AT MONTREAL IN COMPETITION

56 Love the Hard Way AT LO CA R N O Peter Sehr IN COMPETITION The ”new“ German– ”Lola“ Film Award The ”old“ German– Film Ribbon in Gold Film Award

50 YEARS OF THE

50 years of the German Film Award – where should one begin their impressive acting performances: the directors and producers to tell the story, and where should one stop? The list of prize- Volker Schlöndorff, Peter Schamoni, Alexander winners includes – almost – every star produced by post-war Kluge, , Hans W. Geissendörfer, German cinema. So instead of numbers and facts, let us first of all Werner Herzog, and Bernd take a look at a few names which speak for themselves. Make way Eichinger, as well as actors , Götz George, for a small selection of prize-winning stars from past and present: Horst Buchholz, and .

Heinz Rühmann, Bernhard Wicki, Gustaf Gründ- Not forgetting the stars of today: , Klaus- gens, Lilli Palmer, Martin Held, Erich Kästner, Maria Brandauer, , Joachim Król, , Helmut Käutner, Therese Giehse, , , Heinz Hoenig, and or – directors such as Sönke Wortmann, Helmut Dietl and artists who are now dead, but who wrote film history. Others . These were all among the most prominent once awarded the German Film Award were drawn to America, prize-winners during the last ten years. where they established a second great career for themselves in Hollywood: , , Armin Mueller-Stahl, , Nastassja The most highly-endowed prize Kinski, , – to name but a few. in the German cultural sphere

Then there are the ”old hands“ of the film business, some of Enough of names – now to the facts. The German Film Award, whom have been active in the field for 30 years and longer, and which has been awarded since 1951, is acknowledged to be a top who – both then and now – set standards with their films and award in the field of film, and it is also the most highly-endowed

6 50 YEARS OF THE GERMAN FILM AWARD

prize for culture in Germany. It is the focal point of film promo- tion from the federal government – assigned to the Secretary of From candelabra to art-déco figure State until 1998, and to the Federal Government Commissioner for Cultural Affairs and the Media, a minister directly subordinated The award ceremonies began with rather unusual trophies: to the Federal Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, since 1999. The examples being a six-armed candelabra, a dish on dolphin feet, a first representative with this function was Michael Naumann, this stand bearing balls of rock crystal, a silver dish in the form of a year the position has been occupied by Julian Nida-Rümelin. ship’s bow, a vase with a golden branch, a silver cigarette case or On the basis of recommendations from the German Film Award a gilt jewelry case – these awards were presented to producers, commission, the prize is given for feature films, documentaries, directors, actors, authors, cameramen, set designers, composers children’s films and outstanding individual achievements – at present, the commission consists of a jury of twelve, including film experts, journalists and representatives of the Church and politics.

In addition to its character as an award for outstanding achieve- ments, the German Film Award also has a promotional function: the producers of an award-winning film receive considerable prize money, which must be invested for the purpose of producing a new film. Within the framework of those regulations for the German Film Award, newly-introduced in February 2000, the budget has been reviewed and increased, meaning that prize money (including premiums for a nomination) amounting to 5.6 million marks per year has been available since then.

The concrete figures: between 1951 and 2000, more than 70.3 million marks flowed into those productions awarded silver and gold. In addition, there were 30 million marks already linked with the nomination of a film. Honors for individual achievements have only involved prize money since 1991 – the sum of these prizes has amounted to something over 165 million marks. Bernhard Wicki, Carola Höhn, , Antje Weisgerber (photo © Mario Mach) GERMAN FILM AWARD

and editors. From 1954 onwards, the Film Ribbons in Gold and Silver were agreed upon – this became a uniform symbol from then until 1999, when the newly-designed prize was introduced – an art-déco female figure wrapped in the traditional film ribbon. On the 50th anniversary of the awards, statistics record more than 700 prize-winners!

However, in the category ”Best Feature Film“ there was an addi- tional award alongside the Film Ribbon in Gold and the two in Silver: the Golden Dish. This was abandoned in 1996, since it had not been awarded for seventeen years. The fact that each year the possible number of awards was not fully exhausted is one aspect – and the jurors’ restraint, especially with regard to the Golden Dish, was naturally an evaluation of the films on offer. On Doris Dörrie, (photo © Askania Media) the other hand, since this trophy was only awarded a total of ten times between 1954 and 1996, the question may certainly be permitted whether its conferment or non-conferment was always justified. There is no doubt that the films which did receive the Golden Dish (including Canaris, Der Hauptmann von Köpenick, Nachts, wenn der Teufel kam, Die Brücke, Der Fußgänger and finally, in 1979, Die Blechtrommel) were not always of the same standard, by any means. Conversely,

7 50 YEARS OF THE GERMAN FILM AWARD

one might ask whether some of the films awarded the Film Ribbon in Gold might also have merited the ultimate prize. It all began with Kästner’s Looking back, this question is futile. Of course, the attitudes and evaluation criteria altered with the jury members. But what is Das doppelte Lottchen obvious, and this is what makes the German Film Award credible and representative, is that – on average – the number and the It all began in 1951 with a single feature film: Das doppelte general bias of the awards certainly corresponded to stronger Lottchen. In that year, this classic by Erich Kästner won all and weaker cinema years. the existing categories: ”Best Feature Film“, ”Best Director“ (Josef von Baky) and ”Best Screenplay“ (Erich Kästner). In the coming years and decades, the various categories changed; new ones were added, others only survived for a few years. The

Lilli Palmer prize for a film "which promoted the idea of Europe", for exam- ple, was awarded exactly three times between 1953 and 1957. In the 50s, particular attention was given to ”films which contributed to democratic thinking“. In 1957, Käutner’s film Der Haupt- mann von Köpenick, which received several awards, be- longed to this genre. Other examples were Don Camillo und Peppone (1953) and Der 20. Juli by (1956). Only on one single occasion was an award given to a ”film with special state political content“: Nachts, wenn der Teufel kam with Mario Adolf in the role of the murderer of women, Bruno Lüdke. The prize for a "culture film", a firm category from the beginning of the German Film Award, was bestowed for the last time in 1967.

Just as the prizes altered, so German film developed and changed. Whilst the 50s were still determined by material aimed at entertainment, historical subject matter or the filming of literary The location of the award ceremony, apart from a brief interlude originals (for example Bekenntnisse des Hochstaplers in the ballroom of the German Parliament in during 1952, Felix Krull, Ich denke oft an Piroschka, Der Haupt- has always been in Berlin. But there was a frequent change in mann von Köpenick, Ludwig II, Anastasia – die letzte settings within the ”old new“ capital city. From the Titania Palast in Steglitz, where the first gala took place in 1951, the awards moved to the Gloria Palast on Kurfürstendamm, where celebra- tions took place in a more modest context. From 1957 onwards, the ambience became somewhat superior: the new concert hall of the Berlin Academy of Music. One larger building was followed by another – and in 1962, the guests even met at the German Opera House. In 1968, the celebrations became more modest once again (the Academy of Arts), and during 1972 and 1973, the ceremony withdrew from the public eye altogether: prize-winners, politicians and some journalists formed a private party in a hotel reception area. But whether the best filmmakers were honored at the Zoo-Palast, Theater des Westens, Friedrichstadtpalast or last

but not least (from 1999 onwards) in the German State Opera Josef Erich Kästner Jutta & Isa Günther, von Baky, House on Unter den Linden: the presentation of the German Film Award has been, and remains a very special event.

Zarentochter), during the 60s the ”New German Film“ began to dominate the scene increasingly. Here films including Der junge Törless by Volker Schlöndorff, Es by Ulrich Schamoni or ’s Abschied von gestern paved the way. In an informational brochure on the German Film Award published by the office of the Secretary of State, Ulrich Gregor, the spokesman of this year’s jury, wrote: ”What was noticeable in the first works of Young German Film was a great interest in German history, in particular in the past of the Nazi regime. But it was just as important to represent the present in the Federal Republic. Directors did not want to adopt Rainer Fassbinder (Filmbild Fundus Robert Fischer) Werner anything that was alien, but sought to relate something of what they themselves had experienced“. This was the birth of the so- called ”Autorenfilm“, and with it German productions became

8 50 YEARS OF THE GERMAN FILM AWARD

Rosenheim by Percy Adlon and Joseph Vilsmaier’s Herbstmilch.

The ultimate breakthrough in German cinema produced at home was made by Sönke Wortmann’s Der bewegte Mann in 1995. With six and a half million viewers, this is considered one of the greatest audience successes of German cinema in the post- war period. The nineties brought a new generation to the helm: Peter Sehr, Max Färberböck, Detlev Buck, Romuald Karmaker, Nico Hofmann and Tom Tykwer, whose works offer the entire range from comedy (e.g. Männer- pension) to historical films (e.g. Kaspar Hauser) and psycho- logical drama (e.g. Die tödliche Maria), but also to material concerning the National Socialist past (e.g. Aimée und Jaguar). A special place must surely be given to Tykwer’s Lola rennt: on the one hand, in 1999 this film established a new German Film Award record by receiving awards in eight categories (six of these decided by the jury, plus the two audience prizes for ”Film of the Year“ and ”Actress of the Year“ – for the main actress Franka Potente), and in addition – and this can George Tabori, , Heribert Sasse (photo © Dieter Baganz) Michael Verhoeven, George Tabori, scarcely be maintained of any other German hit – it ”ran and ran“ more capable of establishing a reputation world wide. During the all over the world. 70s, there were great successes at the big international festivals. For what would be the significance of a great cultural award if it One man who has come to represent this epoch like no other only left traces within the national sphere? The German Film Award was the newcomer Rainer Werner Fassbinder. From 1970 has certainly also had an international effect. to 1979, he won the German Film Award a total of six times as director or screenplay author, for example for Katzelmacher, Warum läuft Herr R. Amok? and Die Ehe der Maria A view abroad is always desirable Braun. But prizes also rained on Völker Schlöndorff during the 70s, making the list of his awards into an impressive read: for On the one hand, there are prize-winners, like Tom Tykwer, Der plötzliche Reichtum der armen Leute von who have found world-wide recognition: in 1981, Margarethe Kombach (1971), Fangschuss (1977) and Die Blech- von Trotta’s Die bleierne Zeit received awards at festivals trommel (1979). Wim Wenders received the German Film including Venice and Chicago, in 1982 Werner Herzog was Award for the first time in the mid-seventies – for Falsche Bewegung (1975) – and since then he has been one of the record-holders among the prize-winners (he has received the award personally four times, whilst on two other occasions his films have received a prize).

During the 80s, experts explained the considerable decline in audience interest in film in general by pointing to a change in lei- sure time habits, in particular to an increase in television viewing, but a decrease in the birth-rate was also relevant. On the basis of

audience analyses, it also emerged that primarily the young gener- Egon Günther (photo © Roger Melis) ation was interested in what cinema had to offer during this period. At the time outstanding films included by Wolfgang Petersen, Margarethe von Trotta’s Die bleierne Zeit, Oberst Redl by István Szabó, , Texas and Der Himmel über Berlin by Wim Wenders, Doris Dörrie’s film Männer, an internationally successful film- ing of ’s The Name of the Rose, Out of

presented with the director’s prize in Cannes for . Whether Herbert Achternbusch’s Das letzte Loch, Wim Wenders’ films Der Stand der Dinge, Paris, Texas and Der Himmel über Berlin, Michael Verhoeven’s Die weiße Rose, István Szabó’s Oberst Redl, Hark Bohm’s or Wolfgang Petersen’s OSCAR-winning war drama Das Boot – not only the produc- tions, but also individual achievements from these films met with considerable recognition beyond the German borders. Scene from ”Heinrich“ (Filmbild Fundus Robert Scene from Fischer) 9 50 YEARS OF THE GERMAN FILM AWARD

in 40 m2 Deutschland. In 1988, the first French prize-winner took to the stage of the German Film Award: Michel Piccoli was ”Best Leading Actor“, awarded for his part in Das weite Land. Fecht’s and Piccoli’s compatriots Zuhal Olcay and have also received prizes – in 1989 and 1991 respectively, being presented with the Film Ribbon in Gold for their performances in Abschied vom falschen Paradies and Malina. As well as to , honorary awards have also been made to the US American actress Jennifer Jones (1997) and the veteran American star (1998). Julian Nida-Rümelin (photo © Askania Media) The most recent great international moment was only two years ago: in 1999, the actor, director and screenplay writer not only delighted the OSCAR jury, but also that of the German Film Award: his world-wide cinema success La vita è bella () received an award for the ”Best Foreign Film“.

It was not by chance that this special category ”Best Foreign Film“ was introduced in 1996: ”The aim was to avoid an isolation of the German Film Award within the European field, establishing connections and links across the borders“ according to Friedrich-Wilhelm Moog from the responsible film department K35, assigned to the State Minister Julian Nida- Rümelin. ”This category also motivates people to view the

The other way around, the German Film Award has also invited famous colleagues from abroad or even from the "dream factory" of Hollywood to receive an award in Berlin.

This began in 1964 with the two Yugoslavian actresses Mira Stupica and Nevenka Benkovich, who performed in ’s Herrenpartie and won Film Ribbons in Gold. This was not an easily made, undisputed decision, not least as it was being made for the first time and therefore required some familiarization. In 1973, the Austrian Billy Wilder re- ceived an honorary Film Ribbon in Gold. The star director, who had already been world famous for some time for such as Some Like it Hot, The Seven Year Itch and Irma la Douce, was presented with this award again almost 25 years later, in 1997. received the prize in 1987: the British actor was awarded the Film Ribbon in Gold for his acting Volker Schlöndorff, Franz Seitz (photo © Askania Media) achievement in The Name of the Rose. In the same year, the Turkish actress Özay Fecht received an award for her role entire film world with balance. Up until now, the names of the prize-winners in this category, in addition to La vita è bella, have been Smoke, Sense and Sensibility, Brassed Off, The Full Monty and the current holder ; all films which have delighted the jury as well as critics and cinema audiences.

It appears regrettable, therefore, that shortly after this gesture of opening out, a similar category was cut: the honorary award for a foreign film personality. According to Moog, ”The introduction of this category took place originally for the same reasons as that of the ”Best Foreign Film“ – the aim was to avoid a restrictedly national view. But at the beginning of the 90s, there were simply too many prizes. The cut was necessary to tighten things up, and it shouldn’t be seen as a devaluation.“

Michael Ballhaus, Wim Wenders (photo © Askania Media) Wim Wenders Michael Ballhaus, With a view to international connections, foreign award-winners are also included within the sphere of individual acting achieve- ment. The only condition: they must have played a role in a purely

10 50 YEARS OF THE GERMAN FILM AWARD

necessary to create a worthy framework to document the signifi- cance of German film to the rest of the world, and at the same time, the event must walk a tightrope between ’family party’ and TV entertainment with sufficient audience effect.“ The gala on 22 June 2001 was televised live for the first time, and two days later – in addition – the highlights could be seen on the screen once again. Hofmann: ”Every viewer of the transmissions on N24 and ProSieben was a potential cinemagoer, and we want to sharpen

Tom Tykwer (photo © X Verleih) Tykwer Tom each person’s awareness of German film.“ Amidst such efforts for a modern presentation of the cultural prize, it surely goes without saying that since 1999 the German Film Award has had a detailed home page (www.deutscherfilmpreis.de), which lists all prize-winners in a data base, for example, and even presented live takes from the award ceremony.

Not only gratitude, also criticism

What is left to be said about more than 50 years of the German Film Award?

For 50 years, there have been tears of joy, moving moments, German or a German co-production. ”More than ever, we are anger, annoyance and disappointment. Producer Bernd looking for co-productions", Moog says, referring to the most Eichinger (The Name of the Rose), for example, admitted recently concluded German-French film agreement. "Artists who only last year: "I received a Film Ribbon in Silver in 1987. I was make a name for themselves outside the national borders are beside myself. Look, if you make a film like that, you want gold, or always welcome, since they also render outstanding services to nothing at all!" We have also witnessed records, successes and German productions." defeats, box-office hits and flops, films oriented on the audience and outsiders, stars and the up-and-coming generation, young and old. In addition, there have been amusing speeches on the stage, More splendor and glamour like that of the comedian Vicco von Bülow, alias Loriot, in in the new millennium

Of course the fact that German productions, apart from a few exceptions, have had quite some problems at cinema box-offices in their home country during recent years has also had an effect on the awarding of the German Film Award. Attempts are being made to counteract this with a glamorous gala. Whether it be the (photo © Askania Media) introduction of the new trophy in 1999, which recently received the name "Lola", the creation of the nomination event in March, or the increasingly opulent nature of the gala in June of each year – the Ministry’s film department and the State Minister are making obvious signs for the future, polishing up the German Film Award. This is a real challenge for the man responsible for producing the events until 2002, Martin Hofmann from the Film Florian Gallenberger with Honorary ”Mini - Lola“ offshoot Askania Media in : ”This is a question of German cinema’s position in an international comparison. It is

1989: ”The worst thing which could possibly have happened has happened; I can’t think of anything funny to say on this occasion!“ or complacent criticism like that from the producer Günther Rohrbach, who received an award for Schtonk in 1992: ”First of all, I asked the minister whether he had seen the film. He said: ’some excerpts’. I see we are making progress....“ Some artists only bathed in glory for a short time, others experienced the start of a great career after the award and have accompanied cinema and TV viewers for many years and decades since – but they all go on living in the films for which they were awarded prizes.

And ultimately, we have to admit: cinema is the most enjoyable trivial pursuit in the world. , Annemarie Düringer, Mario Adorf Carolina Heske

11 Winners of the German Film Award in Gold (and Silver) for “BEST DIRECTOR“ were:

1951 Josef von Baky for Das doppelte Lottchen 1975 Wim Wenders for Falsche Bewegung (Two Times Lotte) (False Move) 1952 –* 1976 – 1953 Rudolf Jugert for Nachts auf den Straßen 1977 Volker Schlöndorff for Der Fangschuss (Detour) 1978 Rainer Werner Fassbinder for Eine Reise ins 1954 Helmut Käutner for Die letzte Brücke Licht – Despair (Despair) and (The Last Bridge) (Silver) Wim Wenders for Der amerikanische Freund 1955 for Canaris () 1956 – 1979 Rainer Werner Fassbinder for Die Ehe der Maria 1957 Helmut Käutner for Der Hauptmann von Braun (The Marriage of Maria Braun) and Köpenick (The Captain from Köpenick) Werner Schroeter for Neapolitanische 1958 for Nachts, wenn der Teufel Geschwister (The Kingdom of Naples) kam (The Devil Came at Night) 1980 Heidi Genée for 1 + 1 = 3 1981 Walter Bockmayer and Rolf Bührmann for Looping 1982 Werner Schroeter for Tag der Idioten (Day of the Idiots) 1983 Lutz Konermann for Aufdermauer and Peter Lilienthal for Dear Mister Wonderful 1984 Josef Rusnak for Kaltes Fieber and Uwe Schrader for Kanakerbraut 1985 Maria Knilli for Lieber Karl and Bernhard Wicki for Die Grünstein-Variante 1986 – 1987 Verena Rudolph for Francesca and Peter Lilienthal for Das Schweigen des Dichters State Opera (photo © Askania Media) 1988 Dominik Graf for Die Katze 1989 – 1990 Uli Edel for Letzte Ausfahrt Brooklyn (Last Exit to Brooklyn) and Bernhard Wicki for Das Spinnennetz (Spider's Web) 1991 Werner Schroeter for Malina 1992 Helmut Dietl for Schtonk 1993 Adolf Winkelmann for Nordkurve (North Curve) 1994 Peter Sehr for Kaspar Hauser 1995 Sönke Wortmann for Der bewegte Mann (Maybe, Maybe Not) 1996 for Der Totmacher () 1997 Helmut Dietl for Rossini 1998 Wim Wenders for Am Ende der Gewalt () 1999 Tom Tykwer for Lola rennt () 2000 Pepe Danquart for Heimspiel 1959 for Hunde, wollt ihr ewig leben 2001 Esther Gronenborn for alaska.de (Stalingrad: Dogs, Do You Want to Live Forever?) (Silver) 1960 Bernhard Wicki for Die Brücke (The Bridge) 1961 – 1962 – 1963 – 1964 – 1965 for Das Haus in der Karpfengasse 1966 Volker Schlöndorff for Der junge Törless (Young Torless) and Ulrich Schamoni for Es 1967 Alexander Kluge for Abschied von gestern (Yesterday Girl) 1968 Johannes Schaaf for Tätowierung 1969 Peter Zadek for Ich bin ein Elefant, Madame

1970 – ”The Devil Scene from Came at Night“ 1971 Michael Fengler and Rainer Werner Fassbinder

for Warum läuft Herr R. Amok? (Why Does Herr (Film Museum Berlin/Deutsche Kinemathek) R. Run Amok?) and Volker Schlöndorff for Der plötzliche Reichtum der armen Leute von Kombach (The Sudden Wealth of the Poor People of Kombach) 1972 Johannes Schaaf for Trotta and Bernhard Wicki for Das falsche Gewicht (The * In the years for which information is missing, this category was taken into account by the jury, False Weight) but no prize-winner was chosen. 1973 – 1974 Roland Klick for Supermarkt (Supermarket) Lists of all prize-winners from 1951 onwards can be found on the Internet at www.deutscherfilmpreis.de

12 Winners of the German Film Award in Gold (Special Prize*) for "BEST FEATURE FILM" were the producers of:

1951 Das doppelte Lottchen (Two Times Lotte) 1976 Es herrscht Ruhe im Land (Calm Prevails Over (Golden Candelabra) – P: Carlton Film, the Country) (Golden Dish) – P: FFAT-Film, D: Josef von Baky D: Peter Lilienthal 1952 Die Schuld des Dr. Homma – P: Nord/Lux, 1977 Heinrich (Golden Dish) – P: Ziegler Film, D: D: Helma Sanders-Brahms 1953 Nachts auf den Straßen (Detour) 1978 Die gläserne Zelle (The Glass Cell) – P: Solaris (Golden Candelabra) – P: Neue Deutsche Film- Film, D: Hans W. Geissendörfer gesellschaft, Intercontinental-Film, D: Rudolf Jugert 1979 Die Blechtrommel (The Tin Drum) 1954 Weg ohne Umkehr (No Way Back) (Golden Dish) (Golden Dish) – P: Franz Seitz Filmproduktion, – P: Occident-Filmproduktion, Trans-Rhein-Film, D: Volker Schlöndorff D: Victor Vicas 1980 Die letzten Jahre der Kindheit (The Last Years of 1955 Canaris (Golden Dish) – P: Fama F.A. -Film, Childhood) – P: Film-Fernsehproduktionsges. D: Alfred Weidenmann für Autoren-Team, D: Norbert Kückelmann 1956 – ** 1981 – 1957 Der Hauptmann von Köpenick (The Captain von 1982 Die bleierne Zeit (Marianne & Juliane) – Köpenick) (Golden Dish) – P: Real Film, P: Bioskop-Film, D: Margarethe von Trotta D: Helmut Käutner 1983 Der Stand der Dinge (The State of Things) – 1958 Nachts, wenn der Teufel kam (The Devil Came at P: Road Movies Filmproduktion, D: Wim Wenders Night) (Golden Dish) – P: Divina Film, D: Robert Siodmak 1984 Wo die grünen Ameisen träumen (Where the 1959 Helden (Arms and the Man) (Golden Dish) – Green Ants Dream) – P: Werner Herzog Filmproduktion, P: Bavaria Film, D: D: Werner Herzog 1960 Die Brücke (The Bridge) (Golden Dish) – 1985 Oberst Redl (Colonel Redl) – P: Mafilm – Manfred P: Fono Film, D: Bernhard Wicki Durniok Produktion, D: István Szabó 1961 – 1986 Rosa Luxemburg – P: Bioskop-Film, Pro-ject Film 1962 – im , Ziegler Film, Bären-Film, 1963 – D: Margarethe von Trotta 1964 Kennwort: Reiher – P: Franz Seitz Filmproduktion, 1987 – Filmaufbau, Independent Film, D: Rudolf Jugert 1988 Der Himmel über Berlin () – 1965 Das Haus in der Karpfengasse – P: Independent P: Road Movies Filmproduktion, D: Wim Wenders Film, D: Kurt Hoffmann 1989 Yasemin – P: Hamburger Kino-Kompanie, D: Hark Bohm 1966 Der junge Törless (Young Torless) – 1990 Letzte Ausfahrt Brooklyn (Last Exit to Brooklyn) P: Franz Seitz Filmproduktion, Nouvelles Editions, – P: Neue Constantin Film, Bavaria Film, Allied Filmmakers, D: Volker Schlöndorff D: Uli Edel 1967 Abschied von gestern (Yesterday Girl) – 1991 Malina – P: Kuchenreuther Film, Neue Studio Film, P: Kairos Film, D: Alexander Kluge D: Werner Schroeter 1968 Tätowierung – P: Houwer Film, D: Johannes Schaaf 1992 Schtonk – P: Bavaria Film, D: Helmut Dietl 1969 Die Artisten in der Zirkuskoppel: ratlos (Artists 1993 – Under the Big Top: Disoriented) – P: Kairos Film, 1994 Kaspar Hauser – P: Multimedia München, D: Peter Sehr D: Alexander Kluge 1995 Der bewegte Mann (Maybe, Maybe Not) – 1970 Katzelmacher – P: Antitheater X-Film, P: Neue Constantin Film Produktion, D: Sönke Wortmann D: Rainer Werner Fassbinder and 1996 Der Totmacher (Deathmaker) – P: Pantera Film, Malatesta – P: Manfred Durniok Produktion D: Romuald Karmakar für Film & Fernsehen, D: Peter Lilienthal 1997 Rossini – P: Diana Film, Fanes Film, D: Helmut Dietl 1971 Erste Liebe (First Love) – P: Alfa/Seitz, 1998 Comedian Harmonists – P: Perathon Film- und D: Maximilian Schell and Fernseh, D: Joseph Vilsmaier Lenz – P: Literarisches Colloquium, D: George Moorse 1999 Lola rennt (Run Lola Run) – P: X Filme Creative 1972 Trotta – P: Johannes-Schaaf-Produktion, Pool, D: Tom Tykwer D: Johannes Schaaf and 2000 Die Unberührbare (No Place to Go) – P: Distant Ludwig – Requiem für einen jungfräulichen Dreams, D: Oskar Roehler König (Ludwig – Requiem for a Virgin King) – 2001 Die Innere Sicherheit (The State I Am In) – P: TMS-Film, D: Hans Jürgen Syberberg P: Schramm Film Koerner & Weber, D: Christian Petzold 1973 – 1974 Der Fußgänger (The Pedestrian) (Golden Dish) – * The Golden Candelabra and the Golden Dish are both ”Challenge Trophies“ which are passed P: Franz Seitz Filmproduktion, Alfa Film, MFG-Film, on to the next winner each year D: Maximilian Schell ** In the years for which information is missing, the Film Ribbon in Gold or the more valuable 1975 – trophy available that year was not awarded. P: = Producer, D: = Director Pepe Danquart (photo © Askania Media) Pepe Maximilian Schell (photo © Askania Media) Robert Siodmak (Film Museum Berlin/Deutsche Kinemathek)

13 Director’s Portrait Volker Koepp

Volker Koepp was born in Stettin in 1944. After his school graduation in 1962, he trained as a machine fitter. From 1966 to 1969, he studied at the German Academy of Film Art in Potsdam . Volker Koepp was employed as a director at the DEFA studio for documentary films from 1970 to 1991. In 1974, he began long–term observations in Wittstock an der Dosse, focusing on the women workers in a textiles factory. Up until 1997, he made a total of seven films about Wittstock. Das weite Feld (1976) was the first of Koepp’s landscape films: the first of a series of portraits showing people in historical areas. This series also in- cludes works from the 90s: Cold Homeland (Kalte ,1995), Herr Zwilling und Frau Zuckermann (1999) and Uckermark (2001). He has been a freelance director since 1990, and a member of the Academy of the Arts Berlin/Brandenburg since 1996. His films Neues in Wittstock (1993) and Herr Zwilling und Frau Zuckermann (1999) were both nominated for the German Film Award.

THE PRESENCE OF THE PAST IN THE PRESENT If one wanted to find a particular phrase to describe Volker Koepp’s documentary films, then it would be ”warmth and distance“. As few other directors do, Koepp understands how to make his figures – quite ordinary people – shine. He finds and directs characters which we encounter at our own eye level. We come close to these people because Koepp comes close to them. It is impossible for a documen- tary portrait to succeed in any other way.

That is why so many viewers recall the heroine in Herr Zwilling und Frau Zuckermann, a clever Jewish woman from Czernowitz, whose irony had survived the terror which she had experienced. Or they remember Elsbeth from Brandenburg, whose development from 1973 to 1998 was shown in Koepp’s ”Wittstock“ films. As in fictional cinema, these are characters whose effect is concentrated. But this impression of intimacy has nothing in common with the exhibitionism of private television. This is a protected sphere – distance is always maintained.

And that’s the reason that there are so very few ”bad“ characters in Koepp’s films; there are no villains. Not because of the pressure for harmony which was dominant in the German Democratic Republic (GDR), where only homeopathic doses of criticism could be smuggled in – it is a direct result of the director’s attitude. Koepp creates space in which his figures (usually women) can develop, space where they can flirt with the presence of the camera. A cri- tic once referred to this as ”social eroticism“. This explains why the GDR provinces looked like a grey fairy–tale country in the ”Wittstock“ films the Märkische Trilogie (1988–1991). Using this method, it is possible to discover beauty in the Volker Koepp

14 Director’s Portrait Volker Koepp unprepossessing, but it is not possible to make a film in opposition In his new film, too, which will probably be coming to cinemas to anyone – perhaps that is not conceivable in the documentary during the autumn, interest is focused on the presence of the past field, anyway. in the present. It is not, however, set in Czernowitz or Kaliningrad, but in the Uckermark, one hundred kilometers away from Berlin. Even the radical political changes of 1989, the disappearance of Uckermark draws the portrait of a province which appears to the GDR, also happened on the sidelines in Koepp’s films. His have lost its place in time. The camera shows ruined manor eye is always focused on detail, on small, concrete things. We do houses, its eye lingering on ornaments, signs of a past era. not see the revolution by the Brandenburg Gate, but in the provinces, where no television camera was watching. And for The nobility return from western Germany, making efforts to precisely this reason, those who want to know – in fifty years re–establish agriculture or to save a business producing animal time – what everyday life was like then, what sort of atmosphere feed. The Prussians are returning, but not as junkers, not as there was, will watch these films and not the Spiegel TV features. arrogant ”Wessis“. They appear as figures almost comical, as melancholy characters seeming to rebel against the times. They History is often the center of interest: the devastation of the too are Koepp heroes: those who have been expelled, left Second World War, expulsion and exile. Cold Homeland over, signs of a lost epoch just like the ornaments on the ruins. (Kalte Heimat,1995) shows the way in which terror marked eastern . Koepp always relates the great events of history from the perspective of smaller happenings; without off Stefan Reinecke commentaries, through the memories of his characters, and sometimes by means of things which appear trivial at first.

Director’s Portrait Vivian Naefe

AN EXPERIMENT ON THE SUBJECT OF LOVE

”A good comedy is about sad and serious things. A romantic this as a form of self–defense. If you laugh about serious things, comedy, which always includes a love story, is the greatest they do not hurt as much“, the filmmaker says, and adds: ”Of discipline of all.“ This is how Vivian Naefe has expressed her course, a precondition is that you have a sense of humor.“ entirely romantic leanings towards a genre which has become something of a trademark for her work as a filmmaker. And in And she certainly does, otherwise she would not have survived in terms of film history, she is in good company: this field, never mind have been so successful. And Vivian (It Happened One Night), Billy Wilder (Sabrina), Naefe does not define humor as narrowly as comedy alone; she Howard Hawks (Bringing Up Baby) – and above all, sees it as an attitude to life and of the spirit. So she has made films Woody Allen, whom Vivian Naefe views as one of the which relate serious things in a dramatic way, her theme tending to true romantic comedians, her eyes beginning to shine when she be the lunacy and absurdity of the real world in which we all live. lists titles such as Annie Hall and Manhattan. My Daughter Belongs to Me (Meine Tochter gehört mir), the story of a child affected by divorce and abducted by its Four cinema films and around twenty television films in the course father to his homeland in Greece, is a seriously argued and enter- of two decades – that is a remarkable achievement for a woman taining film, without any false emotions, with pace, psychological who originally wanted to become a doctor, or to be more precise, tension and a consistently clear, unhappy end. It was nominated as a psychiatrist, but who then, more or less by chance, landed in ”Best Feature Film“ for the German Film Award and received journalism and became a practicing film critic. Although as the awards for the leading role (Barbara Auer) and its camera daughter of 50s star actress, Jester Naefe, who died young, she work (). This compassionate and socially political did not really want to have anything to do with film. But the more drama by Naefe manifests a stylistically confident narrative talent films she saw for professional reasons, the more her desire to for emotionally exciting, committed material. make films herself developed. Zuckerhut was Vivian Naefe’s graduation film, completing her studies at the Academy of Tele- She has an exact eye for reality, as is indicated by the realistically vision and Film in , and when it was shown at the Berlinale, exciting film Kleine Diebe, made for the TV crime series this film brought her success and international attention straight Tatort, a film for which Vivian Naefe received the Bavarian away: she had been wise enough to conceive the film as a full– Television Award for direction in 2001; it is concerned with gangs of length feature, and was thus also able to realize it as such. Casually Romanian children in Germany. Again and again, it is reality which and lightly, it relates the story of a friendship between women, of is reflected in her films, films which are always set in situations existential plans and emotional failures, and it includes plenty of where people act both with and against each other, in the often humor. ”To recognize comedy in life is helpful, perhaps we also do amusing and frequently dramatic jungle of personal and existential

15 Director’s Portrait Vivian Naefe

Vivian Naefe was born in in 1956. After graduating from high school in Baltimore in 1972, she returned to Germany to finish her schooling. She then went on to study American Studies and Journalism in Munich, before finally deciding to pursue Film Studies at the Academy of Television & Film in Munich (HFF/M) from 1978–1983. During her studies, she made a name for herself working as a film critic and documentary scriptwriter and director for Bavarian Television’s series Kino, Kino. Her graduation film Zuckerhut (1983) was shown at the Berlin Film Festival in 1983. Her next film, Pizza Express, appeared five years later in 1988. My Daughter Belongs to Me (Meine Tochter gehört mir, 1992) was nominated at the German Film Awards in 1983 for ”Best Feature Film“, and received the German Film Award in Gold for ”Best Actress“ for Barbara Auer and ”Best Cinematography“ for Gernot Roll. Her fourth feature–length film Four for Venice (2 Männer, 2 Frauen, 4 Probleme) followed in 1998. Also active in television, her most important television films include: Ticket nach Rom (TV, 1985), Der Boss aus dem Westen (1985), Blutiger Asphalt (1995), Eine unge- horsame Frau (1997), Frauen lügen besser (1999), Kleine Diebe (2000) – winner of the Bavarian Television Award in 2001 for ”Best Directing“, Einer geht noch (2000) – winner of the Adolf Grimme Award in 2001 for ”Best Directing“, and Bobby (2001). Since 1980, Naefe has been an instructor for Directing at the Film Academy Ludwigsburg, at the HFF in Munich, and at the University of Mainz, and is deputy chairman of the advisory committee of the HFF in Munich. Naefe is currently planning her next television film So schnell du kannst in October 2001 and is working on the screenplay of another feature–length film, which she plans to start shooting in the summer of 2002.

contradictions. Certainly Naefe’s comedies are never a flight from reality: ”Perhaps I would like to escape my own reality, but in my films I want to be still closer to reality. Einer geht noch, for example, despite all its realism, describes basic, archaic problems. And I am actually more interested in them than in reality as such. My ideal would be to be able to create something similar to the British directors, those who link basic problems to social conditions and manage to do this with just the right dose of humor. I am thinking of both ’s My Name is Joe and also Monty Python’s The Meaning of Life, which I think is so Vivian Naefe (photo © Edith von Welser-Ude) wise and so wonderful.“ Fortunately, the jury of the renowned Adolf Grimme Award also found Vivian Naefe’s precisely observed study of women’s everyday life in the Ruhrgebiet Einer geht noch wonderful, and presented it with awards for direction, the screen- play by Christian Jeltsch and the leading actress, Stephanie Gossger.

Her cryptic comedy of relationships Four for Venice (2 Männer, 2 Frauen, 4 Probleme) – flattering the mainstream as it does – came to the cinemas with a major international distributor, and it was well received by audiences and the critics. ”Romanticism“, Vivian Naefe says, ”means that you go beyond existing condi- tions into a Utopia, you dream up something better for yourself.“ So her next cinema material, with the working title Romeo und Julia und andere Versager, is another love story, but this time one with a fantastic ele- ment: ”It is an experiment on the subject of love. What is love precisely? Coincidence or necessity? Is it possible to force yourself to love someone? Or does love come about because of proximity? What attracts people – opposites or similarities? I am particularly interested in chance. In the story, which I wrote together with Harald Göckeritz, the two lovers die at the very moment they meet. Then a mosaic–like game with diverse possibilities begins – the experiment on the sub- ject of love."

And surely that is the best definition of cinema.

Frauke Hanck spoke to Vivian Naefe

16 Portrait Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau Foundation

Establishedd in 1966 Managing Director Friedemann Beyer Additional contacts Sabine Schorn (Legal Affairs), Gudrun Weiss (Technical Dept.) Main fields of activity Acquisition and cultivation of classic German films Number of titles on offer 3000 feature films (2000 of which are silent films) and 5000 short films Percentage of German titles on offer 100% Most well-known current titles on offer Metropolis, The Blue Angel (Der blaue Engel)

Address Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Foundation Kreuzberger Ring 56 · D-65205 Wiesbaden phone +49-6 11-97 70 80 · fax +49-6 11-9 77 08 19 www.murnau-stiftung.de · email: [email protected] TREASURERS OF GERMAN FILM HISTORY

The economic miracle offered a world of opportunities for the resourceful. At the beginning of the fifties, traders from home and abroad were making determined efforts to gain the rights to productions of German film history. It is now a matter for speculation whether they really knew what treasures – in an economic sense as well – Friedemann Beyer were actually slumbering there. The German Parliament in Bonn seemed to have very few cineastic ambitions, mere- ly passing a ”law for the handling and de-concentration of formerly state-owned film property“ in 1953.

This could easily have given a signal to open the chase after many masterpieces of German film history, films which would have become objects of desire world-wide as a result. However, the responsible people within the leading organizations of the German film business (SPIO-Spitzenorganisation der Filmwirt- schaft) were obviously especially clear-sighted at that time: they acquired the film stocks which were up for sale, and ultimately – in 1966 – they founded the non- profit-making Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau Foundation, named after a director whom many experts consider the greatest in German film history. From then onwards, this foundation was to be in charge of the film stocks of former state-owned film companies such as Ufa Filmkunst, Universum Film, Berlin Film, Bavaria Film, Terra, Tobis and several other firms.

The foundation’s constitution gives a precise definition of its task: the Murnau Foundation was to ”preserve and manage (the films), permitting these to be exploited in the interests of the general public, in this way serving the promotion of German film culture. Profits are to be used for the promotion of German film culture and film art.“ The leading body was the foundation committee,

17 Portrait Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau Foundation made up of five representatives from private business and four mation and services for historians and other academics. government representatives. But the Murnau Foundation does not only work in the Of necessity, the Murnau Foundation's first concern was with service of film history. Its efforts for the present and the future of the preservation of the collection; the care and storage of the German film include the founding of the Friedrich-Wilhelm- films – and in particular the safeguarding of endangered Murnau Award for short films, which has been awarded material by the production of copies. This task was shared by the annually since 1994. ”My most important aim“, according to Federal Archives, the Murnau Foundation and Transit Friedemann Beyer, the new managing director of the founda- Film (cf. below), which had also taken on the commercial distri- tion since July 2001, ”is to open up classical German film to a bution of the films. The non-commercial distribution was managed younger audience once again. Today we must approach potentially by the German Film Institute (DIF). interested young people, future lovers of classical German film, at the places where they spend their leisure time: on the Internet, in For some time now, the activities of the foundation have front of their DVD players.“ extended far beyond this. In the meantime, it has earned interna- tional recognition in the restoration and reconstruction of films, The Blue Angel on DVD is only a beginning; Beyer is think- whilst its world-wide collaboration with festivals and film libraries ing about a possible edition of films oriented on lists of the 100 has also led to a universal reputation. In addition, the Murnau most important German films (cf. KINO series ”The 100 Most Foundation plays an important role within the Association Significant German Films, p. 38). And he has already indicated an of German Film Archives and is responsible for the techni- additional task for the Murnau Foundation: a ”critical investi- cal running of Transit’s distribution. In the course of the years, gation into German cinema between 1933 and 1945. In our collec- these comprehensive activities have led to an enormous compe- tions, anyone with an interest in the history of the Third Reich will tence in the field of archive work. The foundation's computer be able to find interesting documents concerning everyday culture data-base documentation of all the titles in the collection and of at that time.“ other relevant material make it an inexhaustible center of infor- H. G. Pflaum spoke to Friedemann Beyer

World Sales Portrait Transit Film A SMALL, BUT HIGH-QUALITY COMPANY

Several firms which trade with the supposedly perishable The distribution section, with around 300 feature films ranging commodity film have made enormous profits in recent decades from silent films to productions from the 50s, works on an and yet have not been able to survive in the long run. Transit international level. Around 20 percent of the films loaned out are Film has just celebrated its 35th birthday: it has been earning its sent abroad. and Japan are among the best customers, but money with old German films for a quarter of a century now, orders also come in from the USA and South America. Recently and it is as much alive today as ever. ”We are a small, but high- the greatest hit has been ’s Metropolis; there quality company“, says Loy W. Arnold, managing director has been a great world-wide demand for the film since the of Transit. screening of the reconstructed version at the Berlinale 2001.

Transit Film was founded as a limited company in 1966, its Distribution of the Murnau Foundation’s 3000 films is only one of purpose being to undertake a trustee function for the Friedrich- Transit Film’s many activities. ”The license trade is our main Wilhelm-Murnau Foundation (cf. above) and for the business“, Loy W. Arnold explains. Most of those applying for Federal Republic of Germany. Transit took on the commercial licenses are television companies at home and abroad – and they distribution of the Murnau Foundation’s films and film rights, are interested in feature films, but also in pictorial documentation as well as of film documents from the Federal Archives. and the rights to film extracts. Transit’s favorable market posi- In addition, Transit handles its own film stock; this consists of tion is based on traditional business relations with Degeto Film ”surety films“ from the Federation (that is, films whose rights (for ARD) and the ARD Third Programs, in particular with lie with the federal government), and of other titles for which the . But Transit also works together Transit has acquired the rights during the last ten years. with firms like MultiThématique (Canal +) and

18 World Sales Portrait Transit Film

Established in 1966 Managing Director Loy W. Arnold Additional contacts Mark Grünthal (Head of Sales), Susanne Schumann, Sabrina Kovatsch, Danièle Guerlain Main fields of activity TV (free, pay-TV), video, DVD, cinema in Germany, France, Spain, , Switzerland, Great Britain, USA, and Japan Regular attendance of the following film and TV markets MIP TV, MIPCOM, Cannes, Venice Number of titles on offer 1000 feature films, 2000 silent films (300 of which are in distribution) Percentage of German titles on offer 100% Buyers include , MultiThématiques, ORF, , SF DRS, Nippon Cine TV, Kino International, ARD, ZDF, BMG, PTM Entertainment, Third Program ARD Most well-known current titles on offer The Blue Angel (Der blaue Engel), Metropolis, Die Königin – , Dance with Death – The Ufa-Star (Tanz mit dem Tod – Der Ufa-Star Sybille Schmitz), Hans Warns – My 20th Century (Hans Warns – Mein 20. Jahrhundert) Best-selling titles currently on sale The Blue Angel (Der blaue Engel), Metropolis,

Address Transit Film GmbH · Dachauer Str. 35 · D-80335 Munich phone +49-89-5 99 88 50 · fax +49-89-59 98 85 20 · email: [email protected]

delivers material to their specialized channels such as CineClassics in France, Spain and .

The colleagues at Transit Film are aware of the new perspectives opened up by developments such as ”Video on Demand“, and of the possibilities resulting from wider dis- tribution of DVDs. Not only have DVD licenses been sold, but the firm also plans its own editions. At present Transit, together with the Murnau Foundation, the Film Museum Berlin and BMG, is preparing a DVD edition of The Blue Angel (Der blaue Engel), which Loy W. Arnold (photo © Transit Film) Arnold (photo © Transit Loy W. will also include an English version, unused trial takes, and material illustrating the historical and film historical context. Metropolis is due to follow.

In the future, Transit aims to put two of its own DVDs on the market each year. This modesty with regard to quantity is symptomatic of the firm's policy. Quality is more important than quantity. This is also true of activities in the field of production, where Transit has operated since 1998: on average there are two productions per year, usually co-productions to which Transit contributes film rights or rights to film extracts. This has facilitated works which would have been scarcely viable in financial terms otherwise: Peter Buchka’s film essay The Haunted Screen: German Film After World War One (Die dämonische Leinwand), Werner Schroeter’s Die Königin – Marianne Hoppe or Achim Podak’s Dance with Death – The Ufa-Star Sybille Schmitz (Tanz mit dem Tod – Der Ufa- Star Sybille Schmitz). In order to complete these tasks more effectively, Transit also has its own camera team with equipment and an Avid editing desk.

And Transit’s employees are correspondingly well-quali- fied. Teamwork is necessary: ”Each one of us must have some expertise in every field, for specialization in one limited area does not work out in such a small company.” And so the motto is: ”Old films and ultra-modern management!“ H. G. Pflaum spoke to Loy W. Arnold

19 Producers’ Portrait Ö Filmproduktion

Ö-Filmproduktion was founded in December 1990 by Frank Löprich and Katrin Schlösser – hence the ”ö“ of the com- pany’s name – and has established itself over the last ten years as a supporter for quality documentaries and feature films outside of the mainstream. Among the documentaries produced by the duo are Thomas Heise’s Jammed – Let’s Get Moving (Stau – Jetzt geht’s los,1992) about right-wing youth in Halle-Neustadt and the sequel Neustadt – Jammed, The Status Quo (Neustadt - Stau, Der Stand der Dinge, 1999), Gerd Kroske’s Bahnhof Brest (1994), and Helga Reidemeister’s Lights from Afar (Lichter aus dem Hintergrund, 1998). The company was also behind features by Yilmaz Arslan (Passages/Langer Gang, 1992), Carolin Otto (Pi – The Policewoman/Pi – Die Polizistin, 1997) and Pierre Sanoussi-Bliss (Return to Go!/Zurück auf los!, 2000). In 1999, Ö Film’s production of Andreas Kleinert’s Paths in the Night (Wege in die Nacht) was the opening film of the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes and its co-production – with BojeBuck Filmproduktion and SAT.1 - of Leander Haußmann’s Sun Alley (Sonnenallee) was one of the year’s top box- office successes. Ö Film’s productions have been awarded a number of prizes including several German Film Awards and awards at international festivals in San Sebastián, Rotterdam, Karlovy Vary, Cairo, and Aspen/Colorado.

Ö Filmproduktion Löprich & Schlösser GmbH · Lychener Str. 82 · D-10437 Berlin phone +49-30-4 46 72 60 · fax +49-30-44 67 26 26 · email: [email protected] A VISION WITH NOSTALGIA ”Relatively soon in 1990 it became clear that the East German and Thuringia in Die Wismut (1993), to Gerd Television and the DEFA would not exist much longer“, says Kroske’s medium-length Clever Women – Bright Girls Ö-Filmproduktion’s Frank Löprich, recalling the back- (Kluge Frauen – Helle Mädchen, 1991) about the changes ground to setting up the company with Katrin Schlösser in experienced by former ”East German women“ after the fall of the the December of that year. Wall, as well as his study of the border train-station Bahnhof Brest (1994). ”We had opportunities to work for other companies, but thought it would be more attractive to have our own company with col- With Yilmaz Arslan’s 1992 film Passages (Langer Gang), which was nominated for the German Film Award and won awards at festivals throughout Europe, the production outfit expanded into handling fiction as well. ”Projects then started coming to us and we were making one a year from that point on, with each one receiving a nomination for the German Film Award“, Löprich notes. This is also when their first collaboration with Andreas Kleinert came about, resulting in his 1995 drama Outside Time (Neben der Zeit) which won audience awards in Saarbrücken and Schwerin as well as a German Film Award nomina- tion for lead actress Julia Jäger.

That year also saw Löprich and Schlösser begin work on packaging two projects which would come to fruition four years later: Kleinert’s Paths in the Night (Wege in die Nacht) and Haußmann’s Sun Alley (Sonnenallee). ”We knew Sun Alley’s (Sonnenallee) screenwriter Thomas Brussig because he lives in the same street as our office and I had worked together with him on Bernd Michael Lade’s Revenge (Rache)", Katrin Schlösser recalls. ”He came to us with two Frank Löprich, Katrin Schlösser (photo Frank Löprich, Katrin © Harry Schnitger/TIP Verlag) exposés – for Sun Alley (Sonnenallee) and Die Ent- führung des Intendanten. We decided to go for Sun Alley (Sonnenallee), but, initially, we were turned away by a lot of people: by the public funds and TV stations. It didn’t seem to interest anyone five years after the fall of the “. leagues, and to be able to realize those ideas which we had been carrying around with us all this time“, Löprich explains. ”But we had a vision“, she continues, ”looking forward to the 50th anniversary of the founding of the German Democratic Republic So, initially, the company focused on the production of documen- (GDR), we thought that maybe 10 years after the fall of the Wall, taries with former DEFA colleagues who were looking for a ”new people would have worked out the frustration they had had in the home“, ranging from Thomas Heise’s Jammed – Let’s Get GDR and would then be interested in a kind of nostalgia, in some- Moving (Stau – Jetzt geht’s los), his controversial study of thing that could capture a mood which could provide a different right-wing teenagers in a suburb of the East German town of image of the GDR, rather than the one which people normally Halle, through Volker Koepp’s history of uranium ore mining in saw of a circus. We wanted to show everything quite differently

20 Producers’ Portrait Ö Filmproduktion and show that the East was also about life, love and passion“. The etc.) was all uncharted territory for the young production outfit. collaboration with Detlev Buck and Claus Boje was initially ”What I found particularly interesting were the screenings organ- intended to be on the level of distribution through their Delphi ized by the Quinzaine in cinemas at places outside of Cannes“, Film outfit, but Ö-Filmproduktion’s difficulties in getting the Schlösser recalls, ”because it was fascinating to see how the financing together prompted them to approach BojeBuck to French accepted the story and the main character and how, in par- come onboard as co-producer. ”This really helped because we ticular, this film enabled them to reflect about their own lives“. could now benefit from a real concentration of power and draw on Claus’ experience in handling larger projects for a wide audience“. ”The financing of projects does seem to have become easier after our successes with Sun Alley (Sonnenallee) and Paths in The rest is – as they say – history. After a successful run in the the Night (Wege in die Nacht), Löprich admits, "but that German cinemas, Haußmann’s film has been a regular feature was possibly because people have come to us with some extraor- on the international festival circuit - for example, it was named dinary projects in the last couple of years, such as Gordian ”Best Feature Film“ at the Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen/ Maugg’s Zutaten für Träume. In addition, Ö-Film has Colorado this year – and at the Export-Union’s festivals of Ger- been able to attract TV work with commissions from ZDF’s child- man cinema, opening the week of German films in London last ren’s show Achterbahn for 25-minute films by Carolin Otto, December. In addition, the film provided the launch-pad for the Marc-Andreas Bochert and Klaus Krämer, and a seven- careers of two promising new acting talents: Robert Stad- part series is planned to go into production next year. lober, who went on to appear in Hans-Christian Schmid’s Crazy, and Alexander Scheer, who headlined with Götz Ö-Film is currently developing the feature film Jargo in George in Lars Kraume’s comedy Viktor Vogel – collaboration with X Filme. A tale of love and betrayal set Commercial Man. And an impressive outside set was built on among youth in the high-rise apartment blocks of Berlin, where the Babelsberg Studios’ lot to recreate the Berlin Wall and the relationship between newcomer Jargo, gang-leader Kamil, his the border fortifications with a row of shops and houses. girlfriend Mona and a housekeeper’s daughter Emilia becomes a game of life and death. Paths in the Night (Wege in die Nacht) was quite a dif- ferent film, Schlösser declares. ”It was a metaphorical film, Meanwhile, Ö-Film’s interest in the documentary genre remains while Sun Alley (Sonnenallee) was crazy and bursting with as strong as ever. One project – in co-production with Hamburg- life. They addressed the cinema audience in very different ways, based Cinecentrum – entitled Deutsches Glück will have but both of them did this in a particularly extreme fashion“. Andreas Kleinert and Jan Schütte sharing the director’s chores. ”Germany is an awfully difficult subject to address The invitation for Kleinert’s film to open the Directors’ Fortnight because one has to decide on the parameters“, Schlösser at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival was another high point in Ö-Film- observes, ”But I think it will be fascinating to have these two produktion’s short history and also something of a baptism of directors - who have each made documentaries and features in the fire since the experience of taking a film to Cannes and all that past – give their own personal perspective on Germany“. entails (employing a press attaché, producing publicity materials, MB

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European Symposium: Documentary Films for Children

Children are a much sought-after media target group. Their viewing and consumer habits are constantly analyzed to

achieve the best possible ratings, stimulating their buying Gabriele Röthemeyer (MFG), Thiltges, Paul power to the fullest. Children, in this context, are regarded Sami Bouajila Sabine Brodersen, Gabriel Axel, merely as a consumer group, not as individual viewers with a right to aesthetic and formal variety. Children’s programs are dominated by animation films; even feature films have a Brodersen, Renate Roginas and Paul Thiltges, selected the film hard time there – let alone documentary films. among 14 European feature films in competition. The film ”shows that solidarity can grow despite the constraints of The Symposium wants to draw attention to documentary films life.“ Furthermore, the jury appreciated that ”this very un- for children. What documentary formats for children exist? pretentious film has a serious tone which emphasizes that Where are they shown? Who produces them? How are they even in a situation of misery, you can live your life with dignity.“ supported and promoted? How can producers and creators work towards a greater diversity of documentary formats? The MFG Distribution Award will support this ambitious What can television and cinema distributors do to make these European film to find its way onto the German big screen. accessible to children?

From 21 – 23 September 2001, five workshops will take stock Pro-Pitch-Seminar 2001 of the current situation, develop perspectives for the future and present best practice examples from Germany and its Supported by MFG Baden-Württemberg, the first part European neighbors at the International Film School of the Pro-Pitch-Seminar took place from 9 –11 July in (Glückauf-Haus, Werderstr. 1). Arguments and Lille, France. Pro-Pitch is organized by MEDIA Desk strategies to broaden the range of documentary formats for France in cooperation with Antenne Strasbourg and children are to be discussed and developed. In addition to the northern French film fund CRRAV. Four ambitious this, international cinema and television productions will be producers of documentaries from Baden-Württemberg were presented. given the opportunity to develop their film projects with the help of experienced European trainers. After the second part The Symposium is intended not least as an appeal for a more of the seminar (13 – 15 September 2001), they will have the adventurous artistic discussion on how to generate a broad opportunity to ”pitch“ their projects to representatives of range of viewing habits in children. Filmmakers, producers, European TV channels. The Baden-Württemberg participants editors, distributors, film funding institutions, festival directors, are ”Eikon Südwest“ and ”Filmareal“ from , teachers, students and journalists from Germany and its ”Planet Film“ based in Ettlingen, and the Filmakademie European neighbors are invited to take part. Baden-Württemberg, Ludwigsburg.

The event is organized by the Dokumentarfilminitiative (dfi) im Filmbüro NW, the North Rhine-West- in St. Petersburg phalian Government Ministry of Urban Development and Housing, Culture and Sport, the and Jerusalem Goldener Spatz Foundation, the Bundesverband Jugend und Film (Federal Association Youth and Film) and Sven Düfer’s documentary debut film Kurt Weill was the European Children’s Film Association (E.C.F.A.) very well received at the 9th Festival of Festivals in St. Petersburg. Cast members Kaja Plessing, Applications are available from 15 June 2001 at Stefanie Wüst and David Lefkowitz enthused crowds www.filmbuero-nw.de/dfi with a closing concert featuring Weill interpretations. Participation fee: DM 110,- (DM 70,- for students) Supported by the Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, For further information please contact: the film was also shown at the 18th Jerusalem Inter- Dokumentarfilminitiative im Filmbüro NW national Film Festival in July and is planned to hit Stefanie Görtz, Bettina Schiel German cinemas in the fall of 2001. Postfach 100 434 · D-45405 Mülheim/Ruhr phone +49-2 08-47 19 34 · fax +49-2 08-47 41 13 www.filmbuero-nw.de/dfi Short-Tiger: FFA Awards email: [email protected] Short Film Prize with a Total of DM 250,000 MFG-Distribution Award 2001 The FFA (German Federal Film Board) awarded seven This year’s distribution award of DM 50,000, sponsored by students of German film schools again this year with the short MFG Baden-Württemberg, was given to the French film film prize Short Tiger. The Short Tiger, for the La faute à Voltaire by director Abdel Kechiche during promotion of the creative young generation of filmmakers the Filmfest Stuttgart/Ludwigsburg. ”Tolerance and Civil with a total of DM 250,000 in prize money, was awarded in Courage“ was the motto of this year’s distribution award, and July within the framework of the Munich International Film accordingly the members of the jury, Gabriel Axel, Sabine Festival. The main prize, an award of DM 50,000, went to the 22 Kino news

Hamburg film student Wolfgang Dinslage for his short Operations, Production, Pre-Production and Post-Production Quak. The category ”animation“ was also recognized this Techniques, Script and New Technologies. year, with the award of DM 50,000 going to Johannes Weiland for his short Hessi James. Five promotion prizes There are no deadlines and applications may be submitted of DM 30,000 each went to Ina Weisse for her film year-round. Further information and official application forms Sonntags, Kathrin Feistl for Wilde Ehe, Oliver are available from: European Film Institute Seiter for Der Pilot, Sylvie Lazzarini for Adrian Gartenstr. 72 · D-76135 Karlsruhe und der Wolf, and Gudrun Falke for Herr im Haus. phone +49-7 21-9 85 05 20 · fax +49-7 21-9 85 05 25 email: [email protected] The FFA supports short films and young new talent annually with more than DM 1 million. The Short Tiger offers students an initial financial impetus with which they can shoot a new short or feature length film.

European Film Institute Offers More Internships for Media Students

The European Film Institute helps graduates of European film schools in obtaining practical experience working on film sets. The validity period of the FILM

STUDENT PLACEMENT PROGRAM ”ESP“ has winds didn’tthe groupsmiling! keep from Hamburg’s been extended through December 2001. German Film Commissions This program, operated by the European Film Institute Discuss Cooperation Plans (EIKK) and co-financed by the European Community’s MEDIA plan and the ALLIANZ Culture Foundation, This June, film commissions and location offices from through- has been operative for the past three years in helping gradu- out Germany followed the invitation of the FilmFörderung ates of European film and similar schools in obtaining positions Hamburg and met to discuss common standards and joint on commercial films as assistants, and offers participation in presence at international festivals and film markets. The agenda master classes of which the film set internships form a part. focused on improving communication and included such topics as a comparison of the regional characteristics in film funding and other possibilities for support, as well as a report on recent experiences in Cannes. The participants agreed in their determination to initiate a uniform representation as German film commissions for the international market, in addition to the funding alliance FOCUS Germany, and they

(photo Hell) © Irene also discussed potential international cooperation plans for a ”Planet Film Commission“ in Cannes. In the afternoon, a double-decker bus carried the film commissioners to some of the most interesting locations in Hamburg, ending at the har- bor, where the meeting finished with a sightseeing boat trip.

German Documentaries in Cannes Jörg Langer, Caroline Elias, Gunnar Dedio, Michel Morales Gunnar Dedio, Elias, Caroline Jörg Langer, The contracts with the European Community have been The arbeitsgemeinschaft dokumentarfilm (ag dok) extended to the end of 2001 and thus more internships are once again presented a selection of German documentary now available. It is estimated that the available funds will make films at the international television fair MIPDOC/MIPTV in it possible to place an additional dozen students this year. Cannes in April. The ag dok registered 30 films for the The purpose of the program is to assist the European film screenings, each of which was screened three times for pro- industry in creating opportunities for fresh talent, to help in gram buyers – not a bad average among 1,144 registered films. the information of a common, European sense of cinema Caroline Elias and Joerg Langer provided information identity, while at the same time preserving the individual about German documentaries and distributed the recently traditions of each member nation. Students are only placed in updated brochure ”German Documentaries“ at the countries outside of their own. ag dok’s stand. ”German Documentaries“ is a comprehensive, English-language guide to over 270 recent Candidates are chosen from among those students who have German documentary films with information about content, graduated (or are graduating this year) in practical filmmaking authors, producers and film sales companies. Both the updated skills such as Direction, Camera, Decor, Script, etc., but guide as well as the ag dok’s presence in Cannes was made precedence is given to students in the areas of Managerial possible through the support of the Federal Government Commissioner for Cultural Affairs and the Media. 23 Kino news

Bavarian Film Scene Goes to Government Commissioner for Cultural Affairs and the Media as well as several German film funds. Six long and China: Successful Presentation several short documentaries were presented with Russian at 5th Shanghai International voice-overs. Film Festival A workshop with Russian colleagues was offered on 18 June New fans for Franziska Petri (lead actress in Vanessa 2001 for German producers, filmmakers, film funders and Jopp’s Vergiss Amerika) and new valuable contacts for television editors. The president of this year’s festival jury was producers and exporters on both sides: These are only two of Thomas Frickel, chairman of the ag dok. the successful results of ”German Cinema Made in Bavaria“, organized by the FilmFernsehFonds Bayern For more information, please contact: at this year’s Shanghai International Film Festival. arbeitsgemeinschaft dokumentarfilm (ag dok) Schweizer Str. 6 · D-60594 Frankfurt phone +49-69-62 37 00 · fax +49-61 42-96 64 24 www.agdok.de · email: [email protected]

Filmstiftung NRW Supports Two New Little Shark Productions

When Christian Zuebert’s comedy Lammbock starts in cinemas this August, Sönke Wortmann (Maybe, Maybe Not/Der bewegte Mann) might be more nervous than at a premiere of one of his own films. Lammbock is the first feature-length film by Wortmann’s production company Little Shark Entertainment, founded in 1998 in Cologne. ”A functioning infrastructure has been established in North Rhine-Westphalia with qualified The presentation to an enthusiastic audience included eight people and very good companies,“ Wortmann said about films by Bavarian producers: Campus (introduced by director his choice of location. Tom Spiess, managing director at Sönke Wortmann), Vergiss Amerika (presented by Little Shark Entertainment added, ”We want to support the Franziska Petri), Marlene, Im Juli, Lola rennt, long-term development and implementation of up-and-coming Eine Hand voll Gras, Pünktchen und Anton and young talent.“ alaska.de. During an international seminar about film pro- Sonja Seewald, Thorsten Schaumann, Dr. Klaus Schaefer, Dieter Menz, Sönke Wortmann Dieter Menz, Sönke Klaus Schaefer, Sonja Seewald, Thorsten Schaumann, Dr. duction and film financing, Dr. Klaus Schaefer, managing And this was the case for Zuebert’s debut film about a director of FFF Bayern, introduced models of European cannabis mail order company disguised as a pizzeria, with and Bavarian film funding to representatives of the Chinese Moritz Bleibtreu in the leading role. Co-producer Ministry of Culture and film executives. The participating Senator will release the Filmstiftung NRW-supported Bavarian exporters Thorsten Schaumann (Bavaria comedy. In Little Shark’s next project, the boss will take over Film International), Sonja Seewald (Telepool) and direction again: in Das Wunder von Bern - supported by Dieter Menz (Atlas Film) discussed possibilities of the Filmstiftung NRW with 2.25 million Euro – international co-productions with the China Film Group Wortmann tells the family story about the victory of Corporation. Bavarian producer Eberhard Junkersdorf Helmut Rahn and his 10 friends during the finale of the 1954 was a member of the festival’s international jury. The next Football World Cup in Bern. presentations of Bavarian films will take place in Moscow, Cairo and Cracow. Das Monstrum: MDM-Supported German Documentaries at Project Premiers in

St. Petersburg Film Festival On 8 August 2001, the film Das Monstrum will have its premiere in Leipzig. Miriam Pfeiffer’s and René The international documentary film festival in St. Petersburg Reinhardt’s debut film, supported by the Mittel- ”Message to Man“ (17 – 22 June 2001) presented a deutsche Medienförderung, was produced on a small ”Spotlight on Germany“ with a selection of documen- budget but with great élan by the newly founded sunset taries in recognition of the creative potential of the German movie production. Corinna Harfouch plays a documentary film branch. marketing expert in this clever criminal-comedy, who coincidentally finds out that the famous Battle of the Nations The ”Spotlight on Germany“ was organized in close monument in Leipzig is to be sold to America and has to cooperation with the arbeitsgemeinschaft dokumen- move heaven and earth to uncover the conspiracy. tarfilm (ag dok), one of the largest German film policy organizations. The project was supported by the Federal

24 Kino news

New FFA Study: Third Festival of German Cinemagoers Potential 2010 Cinema in Madrid

Who are the cinemagoers of the future? According to recent From 29 May – 2 June, a total of 4,800 spectators attended social-demographic developments in Germany, the important 18 screenings during the Third Festival of German target groups for the film industry, particularly cinemagoers in Cinema in Madrid. This year again saw the Export-Union their thirties, will drastically reduce in the coming years. In offering an extensive program with seven feature films, two order to maintain stable development within the film branch, short film programs, the presentation of a silent film as well as new target groups must be identified in addition to the a documentary film. intensification of the frequency of current cinemagoers viewing habits. As part of an initiative organized by the Home Deutsch language school, the audience was able to vote on the films in In order to prognosticate the effects of population changes, the main program. Oskar Roehler’s No Place to Go the FFA continues to follow population development in the (Die Unberührbare) proved to be the festival-goers’ recently published study Cinemagoers Potential 2010. favorite. This detailed report is based upon the findings of the GfK opinion research institute regarding cinemagoers’ market The festival was very well received by both the public and the shares and the corresponding frequency of their cinema visits press. Considerable interest was generated in the directors from the years 1992 to 1999. and actresses attending the festival to present their films: Gran Paradiso by Miguel Alexandre, Sumo Bruno Content and goal of the new analysis (based on a special GfK by Lenard Fritz Krawinkel, Sun Alley (Sonnen- opinion poll from November 2000) is, particularly in relation allee) by Leander Haußmann, and Zoom by Otto to the film industry’s future marketing campaigns, to identify Alexander Jahrreiss. Oskar Roehler and the potential for further expansion of the viewing habits, mo- Hannelore Elsner were both present to introduce No tives and preferences of the most interesting target groups. Place to Go (Die Unberührbare). The festival was The attitudes of cinemagoers, including their motives and opened by In July (Im Juli) with main actress Christiane preferences in relation to the type of cinema, technical Paul, director Fatih Akin and producer Ralph equipment and decor, product advertising, catering, service, as Schwingel in attendance. well as to admission price and films offered, are for the first time extensively described. Also shown were Crazy by Hans-Christian Schmid, the short films program by German film students Next The investigative report Cinemagoers Potential 2010 Generation, the documentary Herr Zwilling und Frau offers information with unique insight about the behavior and Zuckermann by Volker Koepp, as well as three of the profile of cinemagoers which could prove to be of great inte- Erotic Tales produced by Regina Ziegler. The closing rest and use for cinemas, distributors, producers, as well as event – a screening of the silent classic Metropolis, with live advertising and marketing agencies. musical accompaniment – was sold out.

The report can be ordered under The partners for all of the Festivals of German Cinema www.ffa.de/Publikationen/index.html abroad are the Federal Government Commissioner for Cultural Affairs and the Media (BKM), the German Federal Film Board (FFA), the six major regional film funds and Gripsholm in Competition at Goethe Institut Inter Nationes e. V. The festival in Madrid Jerusalem was supported by Lufthansa, Media Festivals, Transit Film, Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Foundation, Cinemanía, Erdinger Weißbräu, Daimler Chrysler and Home Deutsch. The Swiss director Xavier Koller was in the competition ”In Spirit of Freedom“ at the Jerusalem International Film Festival (12 - 21 July 2001) with his film Gripsholm. A total of nine German films and seven co-productions were Three German Co-Productions shown in Jerusalem this year, including alaska.de by Esther Win at Banff Gronenborn, Berlin is in Germany by Hannes Stöhr, Im Juli (In July) by Fatih Akin, No Place to Ilona Ziok won the Rocky Award at the Banff Television Go (Die Unberührbare) by Oskar Roehler and The Festival (10 - 15 June 2001) for her artistic documentation State I Am In (Die Innere Sicherheit) by Christian ’s Karussell, a co-production between Petzold. Jochen Ehmann’s short Hobo was shown in ARTE and SFB. Other winning German co-productions were the section ”Best International Animation Film“. Shinichi Murata, winning the NHK President’s Prize for the animal documentary Wild Asia: Creatures of the German co-productions in Jerusalem included: Stephan Thaw (Kranich und Lachs - Japans Tierwelt an Frear’s Liam, Escape to Life (Flucht ins Leben) by Fluss und See) – German co-producers were NDR Wieland Speck and Andrea Weiss, Super 8 Stories Naturfilm and Studio Hamburg Fernseh Allianz – as well as by Emir Kusturica, Werckmeister Harmonies by Johan Asard and Folke Rydén, winners of the Special Béla Tarr, Angela by Amos Kollek and Lovely Rita Jury Award for the sport documentary The Gold Rush by Jessica Hausner. (Goldrausch) – German co-producer was ZDF. Banff is Canada’s most important television festival and is considered one of the most important events in television world-wide. 25 In his film, Ruttmann set the movements of Berlin, its residents and transportation, to a musical score. His aim was to present an authentic portrait of life without artificial direction.

Schadt compares Ruttmann’s way of observing and docu- menting to ”street photography“ and draws reference to the early photography of Heinrich Zille, and Lee Friedländer.

Schadt’s subject is Berlin. ”Here,“ he says, ”is where you find the most facets.“ Among the themes in his Symphony are the every- day things: ”People going to work, meeting in bars and clubs, visit- ing department stores.“ Also featured are images which represent Berlin’s history, such as remnants of the Wall, the city’s architec- ture, such as the Reichstag, and events, like the Love Parade or the Film Festival.

Composer won the 1992 Composition Competition for Synthesizer- and Computer Music and in 1997 the ”Blaue Brücke“ international composition contest. Her co- Thomas Schadt (photo © SWR/Marion Bührle) composer, Helmut Oehring, counts among his awards the (1997) and the Schneider-Schott Music Prize (1998). Both live in Berlin and know the city from the western and Berlin: Sinfonie eastern perspective. Their symphonic concept is to make the city’s overlapping micro- and macrostructures in speaking and breathing einer Großstadt audible. Jointly composing means, for them, ”relying on, getting into, the voice of another.“ Original Title Berlin: Sinfonie einer Großstadt English Title SK Berlin: Symphony of a City Type of Project Theatrical feature Genre Symphonic Documentary Production Companies teamWorx, Berlin, Odysee-Film, Berlin, in association with SWR, Big Girls Baden-Baden, ARTE, Strasbourg, SFB, Berlin With backing from MFG Filmförderung Baden-Württemberg, Filmboard Berlin- Don’t Cry Brandenburg, BKM Director/Screenplay/Director of Photography/Editor Thomas Schadt Music by Iris ter Original Title Big Girls Don’t Cry Type of Project Feature Schiphorst & Helmut Oehring, SWR Symphony Orchestra, Film Genre Melodrama Production Company Deutsche Conductor Roland Kluttig Format 35 mm, b&w, 1:1.66 Columbia Pictures Filmproduktion, Berlin, in co-production with Shooting Language German Shooting in Berlin from Egoli Tossell Film, Berlin With backing from Filmboard Berlin- December 2000 - December 2001 German Distributor Brandenburg, Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA) Producers Andrea Telepool - Europäisches-Fernsehprogrammkontor GmbH, Willson, Judy Tossell Director/Screenplay Maria von Heland Munich Director of Photography Roman Osin Principal Cast

World Sales: teamWorx Produktion für Kino und Fernsehen GmbH Mommsenstr. 73 · D-10629 Berlin phone +49-30-88 56 59 73 · fax +49-30-88 56 59 67

Berlin: Symphony of a City brings together the talents of the multi-Adolf Grimme Award winning Thomas Schadt (Der Kandidat, Leben ohne Arbeit) and the equally celebrated contemporary composers, Iris ter Schiphorst and Helmut Oehring, in a remake of Walter Ruttmann’s classic of the same name.

The challenge for the artists is to create new visual and acoustic metaphors for today’s Berlin. In this symphonic documentary, pictorial and musical rhythms merge to create a brand new sen- sory texture to this most fascinating of cities.

Ruttmann’s original (from 1927) belongs to the avant-garde of HerfurthAnna Maria Mühe, Karoline (photo © Gabriella Meros) the experimental films of the 1920s. For Thomas Schadt, this remake is ”the greatest challenge of my life. But alongside my own vision, Walter Ruttmann will accompany me on my journey. We’ll have our fun, argue occasionally, and finally dance with each other once again.“

26 in production Anna Maria Mühe, Karoline Herfurth, Josefine Domes, Tillbert World Sales: Strahl-Schäfer, Nina Petri, Gabriela Maria Schmeide Format Pandora Film Produktion GmbH 35 mm, color, 1:1,85, SDDS Shooting Language German Ebertplatz 21 · D-50668 Cologne Shooting in Berlin from 17 July to 10 September 2001 phone +49-2 21-97 33 20 · fax +49-2 21-97 33 29 email: [email protected] Contact: Deutsche Columbia Pictures Filmproduktion GmbH Blindflug is a film with blind people and a film about seeing. Kemperplatz 1 · D-10785 Berlin Blindness is both a clinical condition and a metaphor for the way we perceive the world. phone +49-30-25 75 59 11 · fax +49-30-25 75 59 19 www.columbiatristar.de There are ways to see and ways not to, ways to be seen and ways email: [email protected] not to. There is the notion that the blind can see in the dark, but, of course, they see exactly as they can in the light. It is only the A screening of Maria von Heland’s first full-length film sighted who are truly blind in the dark. Recycled at the Hof Film Days in 1999 set the ball rolling for her first cinema feature Big Girls Don’t Cry. ”I had been talking to The US and Germany are considered leaders in this field of Andrea Willson [of Deutsche Columbia Pictures] research. Frankfurt’s foundation for the blind, the Stiftung for some time about working together“, recalls producer Judy Blindenanstalt, is the city’s oldest private venture, founded in 1837. Tossell. “She saw Maria’s film and we then had some brain- storming meetings at Columbia, which wanted to do something Starting with the foundation, those born blind, those who later about teenage girls“. went blind, Blindflug tells their stories in scraps and fragments that encapsulate the whole; not from the standpoint of the social worker or perspective of the victim, but ringing the changes on For , ”it was clear that to do this one, I would have von Heland the central question of what it is like to be blind. to find out what teenage girls really care about“. So she set to work on a lengthy and intensive research project interviewing People who can see live in the world. The blind man lives in his around 40 girls (some of whom will also appear as extras in the consciousness. From that consciousness there is no escape, or film) to ensure that her screenplay was authentic. ”We were only an occasional escape in dreams. When that escape is permit- certain from an early stage that we wanted to do a melodrama ted, it is paradisiacal. How long do you have to be blind before and not another teenage comedy or anything superficial“, Tossell you stop dreaming in color? Do you still dream in visual images? continues, ”Maria did all this research to find a story and genre to be able to touch on themes and emotions which teenagers really Blindflug is a film about dissolution. About reduction. About care about and can tap into.“ floods of images that begin to snag and catch. An entire range of cinematographic techniques and stylistic resources comes into play. ”It’s nice to make a film about 17-year-olds“, von Heland adds, The film accompanies blind people during their daily activities, ”because they have a foot in both worlds, one as a child and one the elements constituting existential spaces for them while, struc- as a grown-up. They look and speak and behave like grown-ups, turally, the film is divided into mini-chapters, spaces themselves, but all their references are those of a child’s because they have no such as Walking, The Stick, Seeing with the Fingers, Stairs and experience of really being a grown-up“. Escalators, The Underground, The Wind, The Blind Body, Faces, Sex and Love, Happiness, Reading, Time, Dreams. While one of the main parts is taken by Karoline Herfurth (seen last year in the box office hit Girls On Top), the other To be blind is a universal, archaic experience. But is it the same, two roles have been cast with girls who have never acted before. everywhere, in every culture? The young woman in Lapland, on ”That’s both very exciting and a bit scary“, admits von Heland the trail with the reindeer; the computer wizard in Silicon Valley; who found one of the new faces in a diner restaurant one day. the old Portuguese fisherman in his boat at night; is there some At the same time, she is supported by such experienced ”old bond that links them all? hands“ as Nina Petri (Run Lola Run), Dieter Laser (The We, who can see, will be the ones looking at all of this. And what Ogre) and last year’s discovery Gabriela Maria Schmeide we shall be seeing, in the main, is people who are blind. We can- (from Andreas Dresen’s The Policewoman). not slip in behind their sightless eyes. We can only look at them MB from the outside. But we want to know what it is like in there. We shall be flying blind. Blindflug SK

Original Title Blindflug English Title Flying Blind Type of Project Theatrical feature Genre Documentary Production Company Pilotfilm, Frankfurt, in co-production with Pandora Film Produktion, Cologne, in association with ZDF, Mainz, ARTE, Strasbourg With backing from MEDIA II, Filmstiftung NRW, Hessischer Rundfunk Filmförderung Producer Raimond Goebel Directors/Screenplay Thomas Bergmann, Mischka Popp Directors of Photography Andreas Höfer, Mario Masini Editor Format 35 mm, Beta, Mini-DV, color Shooting Language English, German Shooting in Russia, , Brazil, USA, Switzerland, Slovenia, Germany, Mongolia in 2002 German Distributor Pegasos Film GmbH, Frankfurt Thomas Bergmann, Mischka Popp (photo © PILOTFILM) Thomas Bergmann, Mischka Popp

27 Rank. Patricia Hirschbichler plays the woman’s mother, Brief einer Karlheinz Hackl the Count, and Joachim Bissmeier Unbekannten (Sunshine) is the servant, Johann. Stefan Zweig’s novella Brief einer Unbekannten, published in 1922, Original Title Brief einer Unbekannten, Lettre d’une Inconnue was first filmed in 1948 by Max Ophüls, starred Joan English Title Letter of an Unknown Woman Type of Fontaine, and belongs to the classics of cinema. Project TV-movie Genre Drama, Love Story Production Companies Production Générale de Films, Paris, SK-Film- & Set in turn-of-the-century (as in 1900) , noted author Fernsehproduktion, Vienna, KirchMedia, Munich With backing Albert Rank one day receives a letter from a stranger, a woman. from CNC Centre National de la Cinématographie Producer On her deathbed, she tells him of the tragic death of her child of Christine Gouze-Renal Director Jacques Deray Screenplay which he is the father and whose existence was unknown to him. Jean-Claude Carrière, based on the novella Brief einer Unbe- As a little girl, she was his neighbor and had fallen in love with him. kannten by Stefan Zweig Director of Photography Gernot As a beautiful, young woman she returns and spends a night with Roll Editor Sylvie Pontoizeau Principal Cast Irène Jacob, him, without him knowing who she is. Christopher Thompson, Joachim Bissmeier Format Super 16 mm, color Shooting Language French Shooting in Vienna, The child is born into poverty but thanks to its mother’s beauty, Summer 2001 and attraction to men of means who finance her, is raised in luxury. Years later, she meets Rank again. Again, she follows him World Sales: without hesitation. Again, he doesn’t recognize her. He believes Beta Film GmbH her to be a prostitute, pays her the next morning and forgets her. Robert-Buerkle-Str. 2 · D-85737 Munich When her child dies, she decides to take her own life, and to phone +49-89-99 56 21 34 · fax +49-89-99 56 27 03 finally write this man, whom she has loved so long and so dearly, www.betafilm.com a letter. email: [email protected] SK Der gläserne Blick

Original Title Der gläserne Blick English Title A Dead Man’s Memories Type of Project Feature Film Genre Thriller/Drama Production Company Agora Film, Munich, in co-production TTV Film - , Innsbruck With

Irène Jacob (photo © KirchMedia) backing from FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Kuratorium junger deutscher Film, Österreichisches Filminstitut, Wiener Film Fonds, Kulturamt Tirol Producer Susanne Schlaepfer Director/ Screenplay Markus Heltschl Director of Photography Christian Berger Format Super 16 mm/DV Cam, color, 1:1.85 Shooting Language German/English/Portuguese Shooting in Lisbon and Vienna from October 2001

Contact: Agora Film GmbH Dreimühlenstr. 4 · D-80469 Munich phone +49-89-2 02 16 15 · fax +49-89-2 01 14 12 email: [email protected]

With its international cast, this, the latest filmed adaptation of Stefan Zweig’s novella, Brief einer Unbekannten, joins A police inspector in Lisbon finds a video camera near to a the ranks of such literary classics as ’s Der Radetzky- corpse. The tape shows a young woman who clearly doesn’t marsch, Arthur Schnitzler’s Das weite Land or Zweig’s own Die know that she is being filmed. He succeeds in finding the woman Mondscheingasse, all of which have also made it to the screen. but then the riddles and the nightmare really begin. Is she the perpetrator or the victim? Who is the invisible cameraman? The DM 5 million co-production, between KirchMedia and Progefi, was filmed in Zweig’s place of birth, Vienna, and also ”It’s a very complex story which will not be told chronologically“, marks the continuing collaboration of director Jacques Deray explains Markus Heltschl about his forthcoming feature Der and writer Jean-Claude Carrière, both of whom were re- gläserne Blick which is set to begin shooting on location in sponsible for the 1998 version of Stefan Zweig’s tale, Clarissa. Lisbon in October. ”Everything is quite different from how one had initially imagined. The story is also about obsessions, the Deray has made his name with such films as The Swimming obsession of observing someone and then the obsession of the Pool, starring and Romy Schneider, and police inspector who takes over this role of observing“. Against Oblivion. Carrière’s credits include such world-wide hits as Cyrano de Bergerac and The Unbearable ”It will also deal with male-female relationships and how they can Lightness of Being. be affected by obsessions and lead to murder. I see it more as a drama than a straightforward crime detective story“, he suggests. In the title roles, Irène Jacob, best known from Three Colors: Red, plays the ”Unknown Woman“, while For Heltschl, this will be his first feature film proper after the Christopher Thompson (Les Misérables) plays Albert avantgarde work – As Ever (Am Rande der Arena) –

28 in production

project Schinken – which have been in development on and off over the last couple of years parallel to Good Bye Lenin, which was penned by Bernd Lichtenberg.

Set in of 1990, the story of the new film centers on the male protagonist Alex’s mother waking up from a coma shortly before the currency union. She has been away from the land of the living for some eight months – from the days when the Berlin Wall was still standing! Alex is told that his mother could easily pop off if she experiences any untoward excitement and so he moves heaven and earth to conceal the fact from his die-hard Socialist mother that no longer exists.

”It’s a real screwball comedy“, Arndt explains, ”as always with Wolfgang, there’s comedy in the foreground, but behind that you see the true side of life in all its facets“.

Markus Heltschl ”This really could be the film about this time“, he continues. ”About the two Germanies and when the Wall fell. I think it which was screened at the Rotterdam International Film Festival could be something that would also function internationally as this year and he describes as ”more no-budget than low-budget“. well“.

Der gläserne Blick also marks the continuation of a long- With Daniel Brühl in the role of Alex, the mother will be standing collaboration with director of photography Christian played by Katrin Saß who appeared in X-Filme’s production Berger who lensed the Cannes prize-winner of Michael Klier’s Heidi M. to much critical acclaim and Teacher (Die Klavierspielerin) for . won a Golden ”Lola“ at this year’s German Film Awards in the ”We both hail from Tyrol and know each other very well“, ”Best Main Actress“ category for her performance. Heltschl says, ”I was an assistant director with him on six or seven films and also wrote a script for him“. MB

Moreover, will not be uncharted territory for him as he was there for As Ever (Am Rande der Arena) although he will not be looking to capture an autumnal feel for the film. ”It is more about the characters and how the story is told. What I don’t want is to create a melancholic image of Portugal“.

MB Good Bye Lenin

Original Title Good Bye Lenin Type of Project Feature Film Genre Comedy Drama Production Company X-Filme Creative Pool, Berlin With backing from BKM, Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Filmstiftung NRW Producer Stefan Arndt Director Wolfgang Becker Screenplay Bernd Lichtenberg Director of Photography Martin Kukula Principal Cast Katrin Saß, Daniel Brühl, Chulpan Khamatova, , Hermann Beyer, Franziska Troegner Format 35 mm, color Shooting Language German Shooting in Berlin from 21 August 2001

Contact: X-Filme Creative Pool GmbH Bülowstr. 90 · D-10783 Berlin phone +49-30-23 08 33 11 · fax +49-30-23 08 33 22 www.x-filme.de · email: [email protected]

”Wolfgang’s getting to be a bit like Germany’s Terence Mallick“, Wolfgang Becker (photo © ) quips producer Stefan Arndt about the gap between Becker’s last feature – the award-winning (Das Leben ist eine Baustelle) – and his new project Good Bye Lenin which begins shooting in Berlin on 21 August 2001.

It isn’t as though Becker had been idle all of this time as he has at least another two projects – Sonne and the English–language

29 Klassenfahrt Original Title Klassenfahrt (working title) Type of Project We asked ourselves the usual questions. Are the characters inter- Theatrical feature Genre Drama Production Company esting? What do they get up to? What happens to them? Is this a Schramm Film Koerner & Weber, Berlin, in co-production with ZDF, script which makes us want to see the film? And the answer is Mainz With backing from Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg most definitely yes.“ Producers Florian Koerner von Gustorf, Michael Weber, Christian Cloos (ZDF) Director Henner Winckler Screenplay Produced together with public broadcaster ZDF, Klassenfahrt Henner Winckler, Stefan Kriekhaus Director of Photography will form part of the classic Kleines Fernsehspiel series (the Janne Busse Editor Bettina Böhler Format Super 16 mm forerunner of all German TV-movies and a byword for the finest Blow up 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Shooting Language German, in contemporary drama). It is also Schramm Film Koerner Polish Shooting in Poland (Miedzyzdroje), Stettin from August 2001 & Weber’s thirteenth such production.

Contact: In 1996, Winckler co-authored the award-winning April- Schramm Film Koerner & Weber kinder (director Yüksel Yavuz) which took, among others, Bülowstr. 90 · D-10783 Berlin the Audience Award at the Ophüls-Festival Saarbrücken. It, too, phone +49-30-2 61 51 40 · fax +49-30-2 61 51 39 was produced as a ”Kleines Fernsehspiel“. email: [email protected] With filming scheduled to begin in August, casting is still ongoing at the time of writing. ”It’s not just the need for youngsters aged fifteen to nineteen, and that there aren’t many professionals of that age,“ says Weber, ”It’s more that Winckler is looking for what I’d call normal, natural, people, not styled ones. Amateurs rather than professionals. He’s had a great deal of street casting experience for various projects, not just films, and knows exactly who he’s looking for.“ SK Lass mich nicht allein – Petra Kelly und Henner Winckler (photo © Annette Hauschild/OSTKREUZ) Gert Bastian

Original Title Lass mich nicht allein - Petra Kelly und Gert Bastian Type of Project TV-movie Genre Drama Production Company filmpool Film- und Fernsehproduktion, Cologne, in co-production with WDR, Cologne With backing from Filmstiftung NRW Producer Sytze van der Laan Commissioning Editor Katja De Bock Director Andreas Kleinert Screenplay Wolfgang Menge, based on ’s biography Eine tödliche Liebe. Petra Kelly und Gert Bastian Director of Photography Johann Feindt Principal Cast Dagmar Manzel, Michael Mendl, Nicole Heesters Format 35 mm, color Shooting Language German Shooting in Bonn, Cologne and surroundings from 7 May to 22 June 2001 A Klassenfahrt, that is a school trip, ”is something every German has experienced,“ says producer Michael Weber, Contact: ”and we want to bring that experience back.“ Not just an educa- filmpool Film- und Fernsehproduktions GmbH & tional, or supposedly educational, experience, such trips, especially Co. KG the final one when supervisory standards tend, shall we say, to be Poststr. 2-4 · D-50676 Cologne somewhat relaxed, are also somehow rites of passage. In the case phone +49-2 21-9 21 59 90 · fax +49-2 21-9 21 59 99 of older children, their schooldays are drawing to a close, the www.filmpool.de · email: [email protected] future, whatever it may hold, is already beckoning.

For sixteen-year-old Ronny and his school friends, their excursion Ten years ago this October, the German nation was rocked by the takes them to Poland and the Baltic Sea. While most of their fel- news that Petra Kelly, the figurehead of the Greens, and Gert low students spend their time in the hotel, boozing it up and acting Bastian, ex- general and a key figure in the peace out the kind of juvenile power games young people do, Isa and movement, had been found shot dead in their Bonn apartment. Ronny meet a Polish boy, Marek, and become friends. But Ronny, who is in love with Isa, grows increasingly jealous and finally chal- Police investigations concluded that Bastian had first killed Kelly lenges Marek. There are tragic and unforeseen consequences. before then taking his own life – the tragic end of two lovers who couldn’t be more different. And yet despite many attempts to Klassenfahrt is the first feature for writer-director Henner throw light on this case, much about this violent end to two Winckler and, says Weber, ”we were drawn by the story. famous lives remains enigmatic.

30 Heaven in production Contact: CAMEO Film- und Fernsehproduktion Lübecker Str. 6 · D-50668 Cologne phone +49-2 21-9 12 81 20 · fax +49-2 21-9 12 81 33 www.cameo-film.de · email: [email protected]

Klaus Nomi – it’s not a name that may be immediately familiar, but he was a cult figure in the New Wave Underground scene who sang pop music like opera and brought opera to club audiences. He provided the ”celestial voice“ for one of Ariane Mnouchkine’s spectacles, sang with on American network televi- sion, was featured in an ad campaign for Jägermeister schnaps, and is even used as the theme music for America’s notorious right-wing radio commentator Rush Limbaugh’s monthly Anti-Gay report. And on the verge of international fame, he became the first artist to die of AIDS.

Andreas Kleinert Andreas (photo © Bernd Spauke) Fifteen years after his death, Nomi is still being discovered by new generations fascinated by his very unique ”look“ – and the Now, based on Alice Schwarzer’s biography Eine tödliche Liebe. question remains: was there a man behind the ”image“ or was he Petra Kelly und Gert Bastian, award-winning writer Wolfgang really the image itself? Menge’s screenplay charts the couple’s dramatic progression from the height of fame to isolation and desperation against the After being approached by Nico-Icon producers Thomas background of more than ten years of German political history. Mertens and Annette Pisacane to make a documentary about this enigmatic figure, US-born documentary filmmaker As director Andreas Kleinert, whose past credits include Andrew Horn readily agreed, as he had often seen Nomi play Paths in the Night (Wege in die Nacht) – opening film live in . ”It was a bolt of lightning every time“, recalls of Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight in 1999, Lost Landscape Horn, whose previous film credits include East Side Stories (Verlorene Landschaft) and six episodes of Klemperer – about Socialist musicals. Ein Leben in Deutschland, points out, the makers have ”worked in the reminiscences of people who had known them Combining interviews with people who worked with, influenced both, and these different facets added a lot to the story“, but he or were influenced by Klaus Nomi, along with all of the live stresses that it is not their intention to make a docudrama about footage that seems to exist, Horn is looking to create a film that Kelly and Bastian. is ”part camp comedy, part romantic tragedy – a movie about art and artifice (...) The atmosphere of the film is stylish and stylized, ”We avoided everything that went in the direction of docu- theatrical and musical“. drama“, Kleinert declares, adding ”it will be a cineastic, stylized and fictional film. I see it, like in music, as a variation on the lives of ”It’s a story that even his biggest fans don’t know and a challenge Petra Kelly and Gert Bastian because nobody knows what really in that respect because you do a movie about a ’celebrity’ and happened between them in their private life together.“ there’s a certain amount of background everyone brings with them that you build on“, Horn explains. ”But, in this case, his As for the casting of the two central figures, Kleinert says that, whole appeal was that nobody knew anything about him“. ”from the outset, it was clear that we would have Dagmar Manzel as Petra Kelly“ – she had also appeared in the MB Klemperer series – and the right actor to play the older Bastian was found with Michael Mendl, known from such films as 14 Days To Live and As Far As My Feet Will Carry Me. Moreover, Kleinert is keen for the film to be shown at film festi- vals and have the chance of getting a theatrical release in Germany and abroad.

MB The Nomi Song Klaus Nomi (photo © George Du Bose) Original Title The Nomi Song Type of Project Documentary Film Genre Music Production Company CV Films, Berlin, in co-production with Cameo Film- und Fernsehproduktion, Cologne, in association with ZDF, Mainz, ARTE, Strasbourg With backing from Filmstiftung NRW Producers Thomas Mertens, Annette Pisacane Director/Screenplay Andrew Horn Director of Photography Mark Daniels With Klaus Nomi, various inter- viewees Format DigiBeta, color Shooting Language English Shooting in New York and Berlin in 2001

31 from The Mummy films and Michael Wincott from Along Came a Spider. And Colin Salmon recently appeared in Resident Evil“.

While Manhunt is set in Cape Town where the ”AT 2000“ team is sent in to stop a top terrorist from assassinating a visiting European head of state, Checkmate has the Austrian capital of Vienna as its setting for a race against time to stop the Russian mafia from selling uranium to a group of political extremists.

World sales are being handled by Munich-based Atlas Inter- national Film, and pre-sales have already been made to TF 1 in France and ProSieben in Germany as well as Japan’s Nippon Herald. MB Arnold Vosloo, Colin Salmon, Stan Barrett (photo © atlas Film & TV Produktion) Arnold Vosloo, Die Spielwütigen

The Red Phone Original Title Die Spielwütigen English Title Acting Crazed Type of Project Theatrical feature Genre Documentary Original Title The Red Phone Type of Project TV-movie Production Company JOURNAL FILM Klaus Volkenborn, Genre Action Thriller Production Company Atlas Film & Berlin With backing from Filmförderung Baden-Württem- TV Produktion, Munich, in co-production with Apollo Media berg, Filmbüro NW, Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg, BKM Filmproduktion, Potsdam-Babelsberg, The Red Phone Company Producer Klaus Volkenborn Director/Screenplay Andres Ltd., London, Terra Filmproduktion, Vienna With backing Veiel Directors of Photography Hans Rombach, Lutz from FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Land Salzburg Producers Reitemeier, Jörg Jeshal Principal Cast Karina Plachetka, Kristofer von Dillinger, Philipp Menz, Jan Fantl Co-producers Stephanie Stremler, Prodromus Antoniades, Constanze Becker Steven Whitney, Terry Thompson, Norbert Blecha Director Length 110 min Format Digi-Beta Blow up 35 mm Jerry Jameson Screenplay Steven Whitney, Terry Thompson Shooting Language German Shooting in Berlin, Cologne Director of Photography Fernando Arguelles Principal from 1997 – 2001 Cast Richard Chamberlain, Michael Ironside, Arnold Vosloo, Gregor Toerzs, Colin Salmon, Tobias Moretti Format Super Contact: 16 mm Shooting Language English Shooting in Munich, JOURNAL FILM Klaus Volkenborn KG Salzburg, Vienna and Cape Town from 15 May to mid-July 2001 Potsdamer Str. 18 · D-12205 Berlin phone +49-30-8 43 89 60 · fax +49-30-84 38 96 15 World Sales: Atlas international Film GmbH Rumfordstr. 29-31 · D-80469 Munich In that most classic of musicals, Singin’ In The Rain, Gene Kelly phone +49-89-2 10 97 50 · fax +49-89-22 43 32 sang ”Gotta dance!“ If there’s a song to writer-director Andres www.atlasfilm.com · email: [email protected] Veiel’s Acting Crazed (Die Spielwütigen) it is surely ”Gotta act!“

If the burghers of the Bavarian town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen Veiel’s latest excursion into the human condition puts four young were awoken by the sound of big bangs and screeching brakes in acting students under the microscope. Filmed over some six years, recent weeks, there was no need to fear – it was only another this long-form, fly-on-the-wall documentary charts their progress action-packed car chase being shot for the DM 20 million interna- from application to acting school, their subsequent admission, tional co-production The Red Phone. training and progress, right through to that first professional appearance. The film follows their highs and lows, the personal Consisting of two self-contained TV-movies entitled Manhunt and professional struggles to give form to their one, common, and Checkmate, The Red Phone is the story of a pan- burning ambition: to act. national, secret strike force with the code name ”AT 2000“, operating from hidden headquarters near Salzburg, who are But as Veiel has shown in his earlier award-winning films equipped with cutting-edge technology and operating outside (Balagan, 1993, winner of the German Film Award in Silver; national laws as the last line of defence in the fight against inter- The Survivors/Die Überlebenden, 1995/96, winner of national terrorism. the Adolf Grimme Award, as well as the Bayerischer Rundfunk’s Documentary Film Prize), his interest is for the bigger picture. Described as ”pure entertainment, loaded with fast, high-tech action“ and as ”explosive cinema for television“, The Red ”I’m looking at a whole generation,“ he says. ”A generation in Phone was developed by US TV writer Steven Whitney their early twenties, differently influenced by German history.“ (Beastmaster) in collaboration with former MI5 member Differently influenced, certainly, than the generation which swelled Terry Thompson and boasts an impressive international cast the ranks of Germany’s left-wing terrorists and which forms the featuring Richard Chamberlain, Arnold Vosloo, Michael subject of his last film, the critically and publicly acclaimed Black Ironside, Colin Salmon and Michael Wincott, and is Box BRD. directed by TV action supremo Jerry Jameson (JAG, Walker Texas Ranger). ”Acting Crazed (Die Spielwütigen) is not just about actors and acting per se, although that does form a significant part of the ”This is not regular television“, enthuses producer Philipp film, but the fact that actors are permanently confronted with cer- Menz, ”we got really lucky with people like Arnold Vosloo tain historical situations and they have to adopt positions; whether

32 Karina Plachetka Karina

Constanze Becker in production

Thomas, meanwhile, is looking for Leyla and finds a clue. He pursues it and is lead to Blum, who also happens to be his client. As he realizes the connection, it is almost too late. Leyla and Blum have disappeared.

Writer-director Christian Petzold, who trained at the German Film & Television Academy in Berlin, is best known for his previous film, the drama The State I Am In (Die Innere Stephanie Stremler Sicherheit), which he both directed and co-wrote. odromus Antoniades odromus Pr Narrated from the viewpoint of Jeanne, a fifteen-year old girl, The State I Am In (Die Innere Sicherheit) is the story of Jeanne and her parents, two members of the former left-wing of rebellion or refusal. It’s all about coming to terms with things terrorist group, the Red Army Faction or RAF. Currently living in and I’m interested in how people in their twenties react to a world Portugal, the family is constantly on the move for fear of being which has become more complex. A world where the simpler uncovered. As Jeanne meets a boy, it’s time to flee again, this time explanations have become lost." back to Germany to ask a friend of the parents for the money to travel to Brazil. As to why he chose actors and not, say, dental assistants or stock- brokers, Veiel says it’s because ”actors must always, regardless In June 2001, Petzold’s much celebrated film, a festival and of the play or text, confront and come to terms with reality. Their domestic box office success, picked up the country’s highest whole person, their whole life is involved, and any mistake, any filmmaking award, the ”Lola“ – the German Film Award in Gold. illness, any spiritual crisis has an immediate effect not just on the reality they perceive, but also on the one they project.“ Joining him for his new film as director of photography, is several times award-nominated cameraman Hans Fromm. Fromm ”There is an underlying reluctance, rejection, despair and doubt not only contributed his talents to The State I Am In (Die which seems to afflict every artistic work,“ says Veiel. ”And Innere Sicherheit) but has worked on every other feature acting in particular.“ Petzold has made.

SK Toter Mann producer is Bettina Reitz, with production company teamWorx specializing in promoting young talent. Of their most recent productions, escape from East Berlin TV-movie Toter Mann The Tunnel (Der Tunnel) achieved the kind of ratings most broadcasters can only dream of.

Original Title Toter Mann Type of Project TV-movie SK Genre Drama Production Company teamWorx Produktion für Kino & Fernsehen, Munich, commissioned by ZDF, Mainz, in cooperation with ARTE, Strasbourg Producer Bettina Reitz Director/Screenplay Christian Petzold Director of Photography Hans Fromm Editor Caroline von Senden (ZDF) Music by Stephan Will Principal Cast , André Hennicke, Sven Pippig Format Super 16 mm, color, 16:9 Shooting Language German Shooting in Berlin, Stuttgart, Wittenberge from 25 June – 2 August 2001

Contact: ZDF Enterprises GmbH Lise-Meitner-Str. 9 · D-55129 Mainz phone +49-61 31-70 49 04 · fax +49-61 31-70 58 15 Aust) (photo © Michael P. Christian Petzold www.-enterprises.de

”Toter Mann“ translates into English as dead man. It’s also a German expression describing the position of a swimmer floating on its back, legs together with arms stretched out to the side.

Fitting then, that Toter Mann opens in a thermal spa where a young woman is floating in that very same position. Her name is Leyla. A man observes her. He meets her again and falls in love with her. His name is Thomas Richter and he’s a lawyer. But after their first night together, Leyla vanishes. She later re-surfaces in another city, gets a job in a factory canteen and meets another man.

His name is Blum and he has spent the last fourteen years in prison and undergoing psychiatric treatment. But now, given another chance in life, he is taking part in a re-socialization program.

33 at Karlovy Vary in Competition Stefan Jäger Birthday

World Sales peppermint gmbh, Munich phone +49-89-9 82 47 08 30 · fax +49-89-9 82 47 08 11

in Competition/Documentaries Wilfried Huismann Lieber Fidel - Maritas Geschichte Dear Fidel – Marita’s Story

World Sales media profile & communikation, Marl phone +49-23 65-91 52 29 · fax +49-23 65-91 51 10

at Locarno in Competition Iain Dilthey Ich werde Dich auf Händen tragen I’ll Wait on You Hand and Foot

World Sales please contact Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg, Ludwigsburg phone +49-71 41-96 91 03 · fax +49-71 41-96 92 98 in Competition Peter Sehr Love the Hard Way

World Sales Storm Entertainment, Santa Monica phone +1-3 10-6 56 25 00 · fax +1-3 10-6 56 25 10

Piazza Grande Sandra Nettelbeck 3 Sterne Mostly Martha

World Sales Bavaria Film International, Geiselgasteig phone +49-89-64 99 26 86 · fax +49-89-64 99 37 20

Piazza Grande Fosco Dubini, Donatello Dubini Die Reise nach Kafiristan The Journey to Kafiristan

World Sales Media Luna Entertainment, Cologne phone +49-2 21-1 39 22 22 · fax +49-2 21-1 39 22 24 German Films at this Summer's International Film Festivals at Montreal in Competition Vanessa Jopp Engel & Joe

World Sales Bavaria Film International, Geiselgasteig phone +49-89-64 99 26 86 · fax +49-89-64 99 37 20

in Competition The Experiment

World Sales Senator International, Beverly Hills phone +1-3 10-3 60 14 41 · fax +1-3 10-3 60 14 47

in Competition Joseph Vilsmaier Leo & Claire

World Sales Bavaria Film International, Geiselgasteig phone +49-89-64 99 26 86 · fax +49-89-64 99 37 20

in Competition Roland Suso Richter Der Tunnel The Tunnel

World Sales Beta Film, Ismaning phone +49-89-99 56 21 34 · fax +49-89-99 56 27 03

at Venice in Competition ”Lion of the Year“ Werner Herzog Invincible

World Sales Film Four, London phone +44-2 07-8 68 77 00 · fax +44-2 07-8 68 77 66

at Venice in Competition ”Corto Cortissimo“

Jan Hendrik Krüger Freunde Jan Schütte Old Love The Whiz Kids

World Sales please contact Kunsthochschule für Medien, Cologne World Sales zero film, Berlin phone +49-2 21-2 01 89-3 30 · fax +49-2 21-2 01 89-17 phone +49-30-3 90 66 30 · fax +49-30-3 94 58 34 German Films at this Summer's International Film Festivals German Films at the Sidebars and German-international at Karlovy Vary Another View Eoin Moore Conamara Thomas Arslan Der Schöne Tag A Fine Day East Meets West Achim von Borries ! Dito Tsintsadze Lost Killers East of the West Andrei Nekrasov Ljubov I Drugie Koshmary Ljubov und andere Albträume (Russia - Germany) Forum of Independents Esther Gronenborn alaska.de Maria Speth In den Tag hinein The Days Between Christian Petzold Die Innere Sicherheit The State I Am In Tom Tykwer Der Krieger und die Kaiserin The Princess and the Warrior Jessica Hausner Lovely Rita (Austria - Germany) Andi Niessner Björn – oder die Hürden der Behörden Björn – The Hurdles of Bureaucracy (short) Volker Ehlers Der Braune Faden Closely Knit (short) Johannes von Gwinner Für Dich mein Herz For You My Sweetheart (short) Horizons Gérard Corbiau Le roi danse Der König tanzt (Belgium - France - Germany) Emir Kusturica Super 8 Stories (Germany - Italy) Horizons: Award-Winning Films Philip Gröning L’amour, L’argent, L’amour Inspired by Music Stefan Schwietert El Acordeón del Diablo (Germany - Switzerland) Special Video Screening Viktor Kossakovski Ja vas Ljubil Ich liebte Dich (Russia - Germany) Variety Critics’ Choice Vanessa Jopp Vergiss Amerika Forget America at Locarno Piazza Grande Peter Bogdanovich The Cat’s Meow (Germany - United Kingdom) Cinema of the Present Andres Veiel Black Box BRD Black Box Germany Harun Farocki Jean Marie Straub & Danièle Huillet bei der Arbeit an einem Film nach Franz Kafkas ”Amerika“ Andreas Teuchert Liebe Freunde, die Musik seid Ihr Valeska Grisebach Mein Stern Be My Star (Austria - Germany) Jae Eun Choi On the Way (Japan - Korea - Germany) Critics’ Week Torsten Truscheit, Ana Rocha Fernandes Rabelados – Die gewaltlosen Rebellen der kapverdischen Inseln Volker Anding, Stephan Koester Der Weisse Wal The White Whale Video Competition Harun Farocki Die Schöpfer der Einkaufswelten

We were unfortunately unable to include details of films which were invited by festivals after KINO went to press.

Information on the World Sales companies of these films is available at Export-Union of German Cinema · Sonnenstr. 21 · D-80331 Munich phone +49-89-5 99 78 70 · fax +49-89-59 97 87 30 · www.german-cinema.de · email: [email protected] Co-productions at the International Summer Festivals

at Montreal World Greats: Out of Competition Wojciech Marczewski Weiser (Poland - Switzerland - Germany) Short Films in Competition Kirsten Winter Escape Holger Ernst Kleine Fische Little Fish Focus on German Cinema Hannes Stöhr Berlin is in Germany Stefan Jäger Birthday Stefan Krömer Ende der Saison End of the Season Nathalie Steinbart Endstation: Tanke The Middle of Nowhere Michael Klier Heidi M. Iain Dilthey Ich werde Dich auf Händen tragen I’ll Wait on You Hand and Foot Maria Speth In den Tag hinein The Days Between Lars Büchel Jetzt oder Nie Now or Never Bettina Wilhelm Julies Geist Julie’s Spirit Thomas Arslan Der Schöne Tag A Fine Day Miguel Alexandre Schutzengel gesucht Looking for a Guardian Angel Hardy Martins So weit die Füsse tragen As Far As My Feet Will Carry Me Elena Alvarez Die Augenfalle The Eye-Trap (short) Menga Huonder-Jenny Berlintaxi (short) Andi Niessner Björn – oder die Hürden der Behörden Björn – The Hurdles of Bureaucracy (short) Lancelot von Naso Fenstersturz Falling for Art (short) Jochen Ehmann Hobo (short) Kathrin Feistl Wilde Ehe Hitched (short) Christian Stahl Zwei im Frack Two in Tails (short) Next Generation 2001: Student Films Tributes Fritz Lang Metropolis (restored version) World Cinema: Reflections of Our Time Amos Kollek Angela (short, Erotic Tales) Petr Zelenka Powers (short, Erotic Tales) Eoin Moore Vekehrsinsel Why Don’t We Do It in the Road (short, Erotic Tales) Wolf Gaudlitz Palermo flüstert Palermo Whispers At Venice Competition ”Venezia 58“ Ken Loach The Navigators (United Kingdom - Germany - Spain) Competition ”Corto Cortissimo“ Ruth Olshan Quién eres tu? (Germany - Cuba) Out of Competition Milcho Manchevski Dust (United Kingdom - Germany - Italy) Benoît Jacquot Tosca (France - Germany - United Kingdom - Italy) New Territories Matthias Müller Phantom (short) Critics’ Week Katherine Lindberg Rain (Spain - Germany - USA) at San Sebastian New Directors’ Competition

Tomasz Thomson Stiller Sturm Silent Storm Der blaue Engel THE BLUE ANGEL Scene from ”The Blue Angel“ (photo © Transit Film) ”The Blue Angel“ (photo Scene from © Transit

* In a small-town music hall, gorgeous Lola, who is forever ”falling in love again“, does a chansonette act every night. Amongst the admirers of her erotically-spiced delivery are several grammar-schoolboys. When strict Professor Rath finds out about his pupils’ dubious source of entertainment, he decides to pay a visit to the disreputable establishment himself. To his surprise, he finds Lola – despite her ambiguous act - to be a woman with a heart, and he helplessly falls in love with her. Their precipitate marriage makes the professor a social outcast and brings him ever further down the ladder of human degradation. His destruction is complete when the former scholar appears on stage as a clown at whom raw eggs are thrown. His life has lost all meaning, and, in desperation, he goes his somber way into hopelessness.

Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Josef von Sternberg was born in Vienna in Year of Production 1930 Director Josef von 1894 and died in Hollywood in 1969. He studied Sternberg Screenplay Robert Liebmann, Carl Literature and earned a doctorate degree in Zuckmayer, , Josef von Sternberg, based Philosophy. His films include: The Docks of on the novel by New York (1928), Morroco (1930), Director of Photography Günther Rittau, Hans Shanghai Express (1932), Macao (1952), Schneeberger Editor Sam Winston Music by Jet Pilot (1953), The Saga of Anatahan Friedrich Hollaender Production Design Otto (1957) and many more. The Blue Angel was Hunte, Emil Hasler Producer his only German film and was the breakthrough Production Company Universum-Film (Ufa), film for Marlene Dietrich in the USA. Born in Berlin Rights Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau-Foundation, 1901, this year marks the anniversary of Marlene Wiesbaden Principal Cast , Marlene Dietrich’s 100th birthday. Dietrich, Kurt Gerron, , and many more Length 107 min, 2928 m Format 35 mm, b&w, 1:1.37 Original Version German Dubbed Version English Subtitled Versions English, French German Distributor Transit Film GmbH, Munich

World Sales: Transit Film GmbH · Loy Arnold, Mark Grünthal Dachauer Str. 35 · D-80335 Munich (* no. 6 Die Mörder sind unter uns was already phone +49-89-5 99 88 50 · fax +49-89-59 98 85 20 presented within the framework of the former series

THE 100 MOST SIGNIFICANTTHE 100 GERMAN FILMS – 7 email: [email protected] ”German Classic Movies“ in KINO 3/1999)

38 Kino 3/2001 Die freudlose Gasse THE STREET OF SORROW Scene from ”The Street of ”The Street Scene from Sorrow“ (photo © Filmmuseum Berlin/Deutsche Kinemathek)

Austria, during the great inflation. The entire country has broken down; once opulent districts of Vienna, * symbols of the city’s wealth, are marked by poverty and neglect. Nonetheless, there are still those who unscrupulously take advantage of the desperate situation of others. For example, the former small-business- man Rosenow, who has now become general director of the Central European Bank. As a person, he is a good-hearted man of integrity, but as a businessman, cunning and relentless. But even other small-business- men take advantage of the desolate situation. The butcher, the baker, the seamstress. While the butcher uses his power to bend the will of beautiful young girls, the seamstress has other plans for them: she couples the young girls with well-situated men, who are eager to pay a price for a bit of physical warmth in these cold times. Not even the murder of the rich Lia Leid can keep them from their evil deeds.

Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Georg Wilhelm Pabst was born in 1885 in Raudnitz (former Year of Production 1925 Director Georg ) and died in 1967 in Vienna. He worked as a the- Wilhelm Pabst Screenplay Willy Haas Directors ater set designer and theater actor before he began his film career. of Photography Guido Seeber, Curt Oertel, In 1921, he appeared in ’s Im Banne der Kralle, after- Walter Robert Lach Editors Mark Sorkin, Georg which he served as assistant director on Froelich’s next two films. Wilhelm Pabst Production Design Hans Sohnle, Pabst’s debut film was Der Schatz (1923). His critical analysis of Otto Erdmann Producers Michael Salkin, Romain bourgeois society and moral of the time is evidenced in Die Pinés Production Company Sofar-Film- freudlose Gasse (1925) as well as in his films Pandora’s Produktion, Berlin Principal Cast , Box (Die Büchse der Pandora, 1928) and Diary of a , Agnes Esterhazy, Werner Krauß, Henry Lost Girl (Tagebuch einer Verlorenen, 1929). In 1930, Stuart, Einar Hanson, Grigori Chmara, Karl Etlinger, he became president of the ”Dacho“ organization of German Ilka Grüning, Jaro Fürth, Robert Garrison, Tamara filmmakers, and together with H. Mann, E. Piscator and others, Tolstoi, , , Mario he founded the Association of Film Arts. A selection of his most Cusmich Length 96 min, 3734 m Format 35 mm, well-known films includes: (1930), b&w, 1:1.37 Original Version German (intertitles) Kameradschaft (1931), Die Dreigroschenoper (1931), Intertitled Versions English, French German L’Atlantide (Die Herrin von Atlantis, 1932), Don Distributor Deutsches Filminstitut-DIF, Wiesbaden Quichotte (1933), Komödianten (1941), Paracelsus (1943), Der Prozeß (1948), Der letzte Akt (1955), Es geschah am 20. Juli (1955) and many more.

World Sales: Transit Film GmbH · Loy Arnold, Mark Grünthal Dachauer Str. 35 · D-80335 Munich (* no. 8 Metropolis was already phone +49-89-5 99 88 50 · fax +49-89-59 98 85 20 presented within the framework of the former series email: [email protected] ”German Classic Movies“ in KINO 1/2001) MOST SIGNIFICANTTHE 100 GERMAN FILMS – 9

Kino 3/2001 39 Kuhle Wampe TO WHOM DOES THE WORLD BELONG? Scene from ”To Whom Does the World Belong“ (photo © Filmmuseum Berlin/Deutsche Kinemathek) Whom Does the World ”To Scene from

* Boenicke and his 18-year-old son Franz have both been unemployed for a long time. The working-class family lives in Berlin and is six months behind on the rent. Since the future is uncertain, no help can be expected from social services, and the father suffers under a bourgeois moral point of view, a quarrel breaks out in the family when Franz returns home, once again unsuccessful in finding a job. When Franz is finally alone in the apartment, he commits suicide by jumping out the window, thus solving his own problem. The family’s fate is unstoppable, and they eventually even have to move out of the apartment. Daughter Anni’s friend Fritz recommends that they move to the tent camp ”Kuhle Wampe“, just outside of Berlin on Lake Mueggel. Among the others there, who have also experienced a similar fate, the Boenicke’s find a new home. However other problems arise, as Anni’s relationship to Fritz is not without its consequences. He wants his freedom, but nonetheless reluctantly proposes marriage to Anni. The celebrations take a negative turn and Anni leaves ”Kuhle Wampe“ and moves back to Berlin with a work colleague named Gerda. Shortly thereafter, Fritz loses his job as a truck driver. He cannot keep his mind off of Anni and takes off to look for her. He finds her among a group of young proletarian athletes, whose goal is to change the world to make it a better place.

Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year Slatan Dudow was born in 1903 in Bulgaria and died in 1963 of Production 1931/32 Director Slatan Dudow in Berlin, where he studied Theater from 1925-26. He worked Screenplay , Ernst Ottwald Director with Leopold Jessner and Juergen Fehling, was a chorus member of Photography Günther Krampf Editor Peter under Piscator, but it was a trip to Moscow, where he met Meyrowitz Music by Hanns Eisler Production Majakowski and Eisenstein, that proved to be the most influential Design Robert Scharfenberg, Carl Haacker Producers to his career. After his return from Moscow, he directed Brecht’s Lazar Wechsler, Georg M. Hoellering Production theater piece Die Maßnahme, while at the same time beginning Companies Prometheus Film-Studio, Berlin, Praesens- work on his film career. He was commissioned to produce the Film, Berlin Principal Cast Hertha Thiele, , film Wie der Berliner Arbeiter wohnt (1929) as part of Martha Wolter, Adolf Fischer, Lilli Schönborn, Max the documentary series Wie lebt der Berliner Arbeiter. Kuhle Sablotzki, Gerhard Bienert, Erwin Geschonneck, Alfred Wampe was originally banned because it was apparently an Schäfer, Martha Buchardi, Carlheinz Carell, Carl Dahmen, insult to the Reich’s president, the judiciary and religion. After Fritz Erpenbeck, Josef Hanoszek, Richard Hilgert 1933, he was arrested several times and imprisoned in 1939, Length 76 min, 2071 m Format 35 mm, b&w, 1:1.37 escaping in the same year to Switzerland. In 1946, he returned to Original Version German Subtitled Versions Berlin and worked as a director at the DEFA studios. His films English, French Sound Technology Optical sound include: Seifenblasen (1934), Unser täglich Brot (1949), German Distributor Filmmuseum Berlin – Deutsche Frauenschicksale (1952), Stärker als die Nacht (1954), Kinemathek, Berlin Der Hauptmann von Köln (1956), Mit Verwirrung der Liebe (1959), among others. World Sales: Atlantic-Film S.A. · Martin Hellstern (* no. 10 Der Untertan was already Münchhaldenstr. 10 · CH-8034 Zurich presented within the framework of the former series phone +41-1-4 22 38 32 · fax +41-1-4 22 37 93 ”German Classic Movies“ in KINO 3/2000)

THE 100 MOST SIGNIFICANTTHE 100 GERMAN FILMS – 11 www.praesens.com · email: [email protected]

40 Kino 3/2001 Der Student von Prag THE STUDENT OF PRAGUE Scene from ”The Student ofScene from Prague“ (photo © Filmmuseum Berlin/Deutsche Kinemathek)

The student Balduin is at his wits’ end. He has no money, but dreams of being a wealthy, society man. As Balduin mumbles this wish to himself one day, suddenly the adventurer Scalpinelli appears and dumps a load of money in front of him. All this money can be his to fulfill his dream of wealth and luxury. Scalpinelli doesn’t ask for much in return, just something from Balduin’s modest home. He agrees right away, what could Scalpinelli possibly find? However, much to Balduin’s dismay, Scalpinelli decides to take the poor student’s mirror image, which literally steps out of the mirror to follow its new master. From that moment on, Balduin lives a life of luxury among Prague’s high society. One day he meets the daughter of Count Schwarzenberg, who is engaged to her cousin, the Baron Waldis Schwarzenberg. Balduin falls in love with her, and she too returns his feelings. The situation intensifies to the point that the two rivals, Balduin and Waldis, challenge each other to a duel. The old Count Schwarzenberg hears about the duel and asks Balduin, known as Prague’s best fencer, to spare his nephew. Balduin agrees, but when he appears at the duel as a mere formality, he is met by his double, carrying a bloody sword in his hand. The duel had already taken place! From this point on, Balduin is stalked by his double. No matter where he flees, his ”alter ego“ accompanies him as a constant reminder of his past.

Genre Drama, Psycho-Thriller Category Feature Stellan Rye was born in 1880 in Copenhagen and died as a pri- Film Cinema Year of Production 1913 Director soner of war in 1914 in France. After a military career, he began Stellan Rye Screenplay writing comedies between 1907 and 1908. He directed Wilhelm Director of Photography Guido Seeber Gluckstadt’s Det Blaa Blod (1912), one of the most important Music by Prof. Josef Weiss Production Design Danish films of the time, for the Danmark Filmfabrik. Klaus Richter, Robert A. Dietrich Production Hanns Heinz Ewers brought Rye to Berlin to direct the film adap- Company Deutsche Bioscop, Berlin Principal tation of his novel Der Student von Prag. Rye’s unique style became Cast , Grete Berger, Lyda Salmonova, even clearer in his next film Das Haus ohne Fenster (1914). John Gottowt, Lothar Körner, Fritz Weidemann His other films include: Die Eisbraut (1913), Die Augen des Length 57 min, 1538 m Format 35 mm, b&w, Ole Brandis (1913), ... denn alle Schuld rächt sich auf 1:1.37 Original Version German (intertitles) Erden (1913), Bitte ohne Anhang (1914), and Erlkönigs German Distributor Deutsches Filminstitut-DIF, Tochter (1914). Wiesbaden

World Sales: Transit Film GmbH · Loy Arnold, Mark Grünthal Dachauer Str. 35 · D-80335 Munich phone +49-89-5 99 88 50 · fax +49-89-59 98 85 20 email: [email protected] MOST SIGNIFICANTTHE 100 GERMAN FILMS – 12

Kino 3/2001 41 3 Sterne MOSTLY MARTHA

Martha, in her own slightly obsessive but charming way, creates sublime masterpieces in the art of cooking as a chef of a small gourmet restaurant in Hamburg. And yet, her everyday existence is rather monotonous. She is introverted, has hardly any private life, and exists only for her work. All of that changes when her sister, a single mother, dies in an accident and Martha has to take care of Lina, her sister’s eight-year-old daughter. The little girl suffers badly from the loss of her mother. It is only the presence of Mario, Martha’s merry Italian colleague, who brings light and pasta into the lives of the two outsiders. He turns from a rival into a loving friend. A sensitive romance starts between them, just when Lina’s long- lost father appears. He wants to take Lina back with him to Italy. And Martha? Martha has to make a decision. Martina Gedeck, Maxime Foerste, Katja Studt, Sergio Castellitto (photo Martina Katja © Astrid Wirth) Gedeck, Maxime Foerste,

Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Sandra Nettelbeck was born in Hamburg in Year of Production 2000 Director/Screenplay 1966 and completed her school education in Sandra Nettelbeck Director of Photography 1984. She was a production assistant on several Michael Bertl Editor Mona Bräuer Music by Manfred films between 1984-85 and began studying Film Eicher Production Design Thomas Freudenthal at San Francisco State University in 1988, Producers Karl Baumgartner, Christoph Friedel producing several videos and films on 16 mm, Production Company Pandora Filmproduktion, including A Certain Grace (1992). She Cologne, in co-production with Kinowelt, Munich, T & C worked for Spiegel TV from 1992-93 and has Film, Zurich, Prisma Film, Vienna, Palomar, been a freelance contributor and producer Principal Cast Martina Gedeck, Maxime Foerste, for Premiere’s film unit since February 1994. Sybille Canonica, Katja Studt, , Idil Üner, She made her feature debut Loose Ends Ulrich Thomsen, Sergio Castellitto, Oliver Broumis (TV, Unbeständig und kühl) in 1995 for Casting Heta Mantscheff Length 107 min, 2928 m Luna Film in Berlin and has been commissioned Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version to develop further scripts for Luna. Her second German Subtitled Versions English, French was Mammamia (TV, 1998), winner of Technology Dolby Digital International Festival the Max-Ophüls Prize in 1998. Screenengs Locarno 2001 (Piazza) With backing from Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA), FilmFörderung Hamburg German Distributor Arthaus Filmverleih GmbH, Munich

World Sales: AT LOCARNO Bavaria Film International · Dept. of Bavaria Media GmbH Michael Weber, Thorsten Schaumann PIAZZA GRANDE Bavariafilmplatz 8 · D-82031 Geiselgasteig phone +49-89-64 99 26 86 · fax +49-89-64 99 37 20 www.bavaria-film-international.de · email: [email protected]

42 Kino 3/2001 2000 Jahre Christentum 2000 YEARS OF CHRISTIANITY

In 13 episodes, this television series tells the story of the many changes in the way humanity regards the Christian message and recounts events in the political, social and cultural background of history. It reveals the many twists and turns of the past, starting with the first proclamation of God’s rule and ranging all the way to the ecclesiastical developments and prospects in our own time. The message of Jesus of Nazareth as always has offered both the individual and the community alternatives and perspectives, which can put greater meaning into their everyday activity. It offers answers to the elemental questions of the position of man in the world, yet also comes up with ever new questions to the old answers. With it, a new dyna- mism and continuum has come into the world. Topics of the series are: Rabbinical Judaism and Christianity; Emperor Constantine and the Development of Christianity in Rome and Constantinople; Monasteries and Crusades; The Bubonic Plague and the Cult of Relics; Luther and Protestantism; Columbus, the Pilgrim Fathers and the ”New Promised Land“; National Socialism and Christianity; The Atom Bomb and Christianity. Scene from "Emperor Constantine and Christianity" (photo "Emperor © Tellux-Film) Scene from

Genre Educational, History Category Documentary TV Year Werner Herzog was born in 1942 and has produced, written and of Production 1999/2000 Directors/Screenplay Georg directed more than forty films, published more than a dozen books of Graffe, Friedrich Klütsch, Marvin Entholt, Martin Papirowski, Klaus prose, and directed as many operas. His films include documentaries such Kafitz, Michael Gregor, Jürgen Czwienk, Werner Herzog, Thomas as Fata Morgana (1970), God’s Angry Man (1980), My Best Wartmann, Thomas Riedelsheimer, Matthias Unterburg, Günther Fiend (1999), and New Worlds: God and the Burdened Klein, Gero von Boehm Directors of Photography Stephan (episode of 2000 Years of Christianity). Heinz, Gabriela Schmidt, and others Editors Monika Munck- Georg Graffe was born in 1957. Since 1987, he has worked as a writer Hoch, Lodur Tettenborn, and others Music by B. Hering, M. and director for IFAGE Filmproduction in Wiesbaden. His documentary Wester, M. Krüger Production Companies ARD, Frankfurt, filmography includes C14 – Vorstoss in die Vergangenheit (TV, IT-Media, , Tellux Film, Munich Special Effects Thomas 1993), Die Jagd nach der Bundeslade (TV, 1999), Heldensaga Frei, Stephan Hempel, Michael Vogler Length 13 x 45 min im Eismeer (TV, 2000), From Jesus to Christ and Saints and Format Digital Beta, color, 4:3 Original Version German Demons (episodes of 2000 Years of Christianity). Dubbed Version English Sound Technology Dolby SR Jürgen Czwienk was born in 1956. Since 1985, he has been active as International Awards Bavarian Television Prize 2000 With a documentary writer and director for numerous TV documentaries, backing from FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Mitteldeutsche reports and magazine clips on cultural and historical subjects. His credits Medienförderung German Distributor Degeto Film GmbH, include: Qumran: The Secret of the Dead Sea Scrolls (TV, Frankfurt 1993), Secrets of Tibet - the Ernst Schäfer Expedition 1938 (TV, 2001), and Heaven and Hell (episode of 2000 Years of Christianity).

World Sales: Cine-International Filmvertrieb GmbH & Co. KG · Lilli Tyc-Holm, Susanne Groh Leopoldstr. 18 · D-80802 Munich phone +49-89-39 10 25 · fax +49-89-33 10 89 www.cine-international.de · email: [email protected]

Kino 3/2001 43 Birthday The decision to die, the determination to live, and the friendship that comes between. Four friends meet again to celebrate their 30th birthdays, making good on a promise they had made to each other years ago. Tamara, Bibiana, Harald and Claudio had gone their own ways, getting on with their lives and dreams. The quiet Harald is the first to turn thirty, and the four are thrilled to get together again. Yet deep-seated fears and forgotten emotions soon resurface, their past slowly catching up with them. While the feisty Claudio, a bundle of contagious joy, rediscovers his love for the pretty, self-centered Tamara, Harald and Bibiana revive a secret that is to cast a long shadow on the birthdays to come: Bibiana’s plan to take her own life on her 30th birthday. The pensive, broody Bibiana is the youngest of them all. So, with three parties to go, Harald fights on with dogged determination to change her mind. But before it is too late, he realizes he has only one choice … A celebration of friendship, life and death, Birthday is the realistic portrayal of a generation of people in their late twenties, their yearnings and fears.

AT KARLOVY VARY IN COMPETITION

Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Stefan Jäger was born in 1970 in Production 2000 Director/Screenplay Stefan Jäger Switzerland and studied Direction and Directors of Photography Knut Schmitz, Stefan Runge Script-writing at the Baden-Württemberg Editors Nicholas Goodwin, Oliver Keidel Music by Angelo Film Academy from 1992-97. In 1996, Berardi Production Design Lars Janowitz Producers he founded the handsUP! Filmproduction Sabine Lamby, Giulio Ricciarelli Production Company naked company. His films include: Une petite eye Filmproduction, Munich Principal Cast Bibiana Beglau, histoire d’eau (1990), 65 Jahre Tamara Simunovic, Harald Koch, Claudio Caiolo Casting Die (documentary, 1991), Von Grund Agenten, Beate Wolgast, J.S. Productions, Marlis Heppeler, Karin auf wär ich ein Mensch zum Freitag Length 91 min, 2489 m Format Digital video Blow Leben (documentary, 1992), Mitten up 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version German in der Stadt (documentary, 1993), Subtitled Version English Sound Technology Dolby SR Im Reich der Sinne (1993), b8-el! International Festival Screenings Ophüls-Festival (1994), Schritte gegen den Wind Saarbrücken 2001, Filmkunst Fest Schwerin 2001, Karlovy Vary (documentary, 1994), Rattenfang (short, 2001 (in competition) International Awards Audience 1995), Himmelfahrt (TV, 1995), and Award, Best Screenplay, Saarbrücken 2001, Discovery Award, Misguided Angel (1998), which Schwerin 2001 With backing from MFG Baden-Württem- premiered at the Cannes Market in 1998. berg, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg German Distributor Delphi Filmverleih GmbH, Berlin

World Sales: Peppermint GmbH · Michael Knobloch Rauchstr. 9-11 · D-81679 Munich phone +49-89-9 82 47 08 30 · fax +49-89-9 82 47 08 11 www.seepeppermint.com · email: [email protected]

44 Kino 3/2001 Black Box BRD BLACK BOX GERMANY

Black Box BRD steps back into German history, it shows the Federal Republic of Germany of the 70s and 80s. The country is polarized due to the power struggle of the German state and the ”Red Army Fraction“, and thus on a constant brink of civil war. Society is torn, the fronts are irreconcilable. The life stories of both Wolfgang Grams and Alfred Herrhausen are tragically linked to this era. Grams is the one who takes up arms for moral rigor; Herrhausen however seizes power and dies when powerful. Their curricula vitae lead through the enemy camps of the Federal Republic, through opposing worlds that have had a speechless and uncomprehending attitude towards each other until now. The fight is over, but the wounds are still open.

AT LOCARNO FILMMAKERS OF THE PRESENT xxxxxx

Genre Drama Category Documentary Cinema Andres Veiel was born in 1959 in Stuttgart Year of Production 2001 Director/Screenplay and studied Psychology in Berlin from 1982-88. Andres Veiel Director of Photography Jörg Jeshel He then attended seminars in Directing and Editor Katja Dringenberg Music by Jan Tilman Schade Dramaturgy at the Artist House Bethanien in Producer Thomas Kufus Production Company zero Berlin from 1985-89. Since then, he has been film, Berlin, in cooperation with Hessischer Rundfunk, active writing film and theater scripts and Frankfurt, Südwest Rundfunk, Baden-Baden, ARTE, lectures at the Free University in Berlin. His films Strasbourg Length 107 min, 3020 m Format 16 mm include: A Winternight’s Dream Blow up 35 mm, color/b&w, 1:1.66 Original Version (Winternachtstraum, documentary, German/some Spanish Subtitled Versions English, 1991/92), Balagan (documentary, 1993) – German Sound Technology Dolby SR International winner of the IFFS Main Prize and the German Festival Screenings Locarno 2001 With backing Film Award in Silver, The Survivors (Die from Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Hessische Rundfunk- Überlebenden, documentary, 1995/96) – Filmförderung, MFG Baden-Württemberg, FilmFörderung winner of the Main Prize at the International Hamburg, Kulturelle Filmförderung des Landes Hessen Documentary Film Festival Munich and the Adolf German Distributor X Verleih AG, Berlin Grimme Award in 1998. Acting Crazed (Die Spielwütigen), a documentary observation of drama students, is currently in production.

World Sales: Telepool-Europäisches-Fernsehprogrammkontor GmbH Wolfram Skowronnek, Angelika Schulze Sonnenstr. 21 · D-80331 Munich phone +49-89-55 87 60 · fax +49-89-55 87 61 88 www.telepool.de · email: [email protected]

Kino 3/2001 45 Denis Katzer Expedition: Die große Reise DENIS KATZER EXPEDITION: THE BIG JOURNEY

The Big Journey is a journey to the borders. To and across the borders of countries, continents, peoples and cultures – and to the border of the own physical and psychological capacity, to the border of one’s own being. The Big Journey of Denis Katzer and Tanja Hofmann tells about the longest expedition in this century, about an exciting life of travelling at the turn of the millennium and about one of the riskiest undertakings since Marco Polo. Denis Katzer (photo Denis Katzer © rsg rundfunk service)

Genre Adventure, Ecology, Educational Denis Katzer was born in 1960 in Category Documentary TV Year of Nuremberg. After vocational school and Production 2000/01 Director Denis Katzer military service, he worked as a sales Screenplay Bianca Bauer-Stadler Directors of director and began travelling all over the Photography Denis Katzer, Tanja Hofmann world. In 1991, he gave up his job and Editor Florian Zimmermann Music by Romin began The Big Journey, an expedition Katzer, Peter Haider Production Company that took him, together with Tanja RSG Rundfunk Service, Nuremberg Length 13 x Hofmann, around the world. He also 26 min Format Digital Beta, color, 4:3 Original publishes reports on a regular basis for Version German Dubbed Version English various magazines, holds slide presentations Sound Technology Dolby SR and writes books and documentaries for television.

World Sales: Cine-International Filmvertrieb GmbH & Co. KG · Lilli Tyc-Holm, Susanne Groh Leopoldstr. 18 · D-80802 Munich phone +49-89-39 10 25 · fax +49-89-33 10 89 www.cine-international.de · email: [email protected]

46 Kino 3/2001 Endstation: Tanke THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE The searing heat of summer isn’t the only thing that dominates this film. It’s also the melancholy of the provinces, so spare in its spoken words. Marek, a petty thief on the run, and Heinrich, a callous financial advisor, meet up one hot day. Each is unaware that fate awaits them at a forlorn filling station in the countryside of reunited East- Germany. There, in the tiny town of Friedfelde, is where Margot lives and works as the filling station attendant, despite her disability ever since a reckless car accident. Margot daydreams of a better life which could come true if she could only win the prize money for the crossword puzzles she fanatically solves every day – without ever posting them. Marek, who has stolen Heinrich’s car, blows into Friedfelde, a village of 238 souls, and passes himself off as a financial whiz kid. Unwittingly, he stumbles into the pent up anger of the community who thinks that he is the man who not only stole their money but also their pride. One beer-soaked night, the furious mob, armed with lit torches, set out on a march with fatal consequences. The very filling station to which Marek flees for safety, surprisingly provides the setting for a tender love story, leading up to an explosive showdown. Playing on the myth of the wild west, The Middle of Nowhere relates deep fears and suppressed emotions running riot on a single summer day somewhere in an emaciated rural district of eastern Germany. Tamara Simunovic, Vadim Glowna, Florian Panzner (photo © Bavaria Film International) Glowna, Florian Panzner Simunovic, Vadim Tamara

Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Nathalie Steinbart was born in 1966 in Düsseldorf. In Production 2001 Director Nathalie Steinbart Screenplay 1984, she was one of the founding members of the cabaret Peter d’Ambrosio, Nathalie Steinbart Director of Photog- group EXEKUTION 27/b and directed various children’s raphy Charlie Koschnick Music by Wohlklang, Lovekrauts theater productions from 1984-89. She then studied Acting Producers Pit Riethmüller, Bernd Vorjans Production at the Etage e.V. in Berlin from 1990-93, followed by studies Company Octopus Media, Berlin, in co-production with Linda in Direction and Script-writing at the German Film & Film, Munich, Tellux-Film, Dresden, Cine Image, Munich Television Academy (dffb) in Berlin from 1993-99. Her films Principal Cast Tamara Simunovic, Florian Panzner, Oliver include: Ein moderner Tod and Taschendiebe Bröcker, Vadim Glowna, Horst-Günter Marx, Hendrik Arnst, (shorts, 1994), Neulich, im Antiquariat (short, 1995), Marc Richter, Tobias Schenke Casting Annette Borgmann, Der Großwildjäger (short, 1996), Aussen/Nacht Chun Mei Than Length 84 min, 2298 m Format 35 mm, (short, 1997), and Motown (short, 1998). Endstation: color, 1:1.85 Original Version German Subtitled Tanke is her graduation film. Version English Sound Technology Dolby Stereo International Festival Screenings Montreal 2001 With backing from Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA), Kuratorium junger deutscher Film, Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, BKM AT MONTREAL World Sales: FOCUS ON Bavaria Film International · Dept. of Bavaria Media GmbH Michael Weber, Thorsten Schaumann GERMAN CINEMA Bavariafilmplatz 8 · D-82031 Geiselgasteig phone +49-89-64 99 26 86 · fax +49-89-64 99 37 20 www.bavaria-film-international.de · email: [email protected]

Kino 3/2001 47 Engel & Joe AT MONTREAL IN COMPETITION

It’s the love of their lives. When the punk Engel and the runaway Joe meet, that adventure called life just begins for them. Engel gets by on a day to day basis, and Joe learns from him how to dream. They fall head over heels in love and Joe gets pregnant. But where do they belong? Where can they be just as they are? They decide to have the baby. Their feelings promise a future for them, if they could just overcome their fears and believe in their dreams. So they mount their desires against the rest of the world. But before the dream of a life in the mountains can come true, they have to fight against the reality of life on the street and societal expectations. The screenplay by ”Stern“ reporter Kai Hermann (Christiane F. – Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Zoo) is based on true events and, in the hands of director Vanessa Jopp (Forget America), Engel & Joe becomes a merciless yet poetic drama of youth. German shooting stars Robert Stadlober (Crazy) and Jana Pallaske (alaska.de) shine in this dense, authentic story. Jana Pallaske, Robert Stadlober (photo © Prokino) Jana Pallaske,

Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Vanessa Jopp, born in 1971, studied at the Year of Production 2001 Director Vanessa Jopp Academy for Television & Film (HFF) in Munich Screenplay Kai Hermann Director of Photography from 1993-99. After shooting several films on Editor Martina Matuschewski Music by video, she directed her first short on film, Beckmann Producers Michael Eckelt, Volker Stolberg Aquavitae, in 1994. This was followed by Production Company Neue Impuls Film Produktion, Alpaliens (short, 1995), One Night Hamburg, in co-production with Prokino Filmproduktion, Suicide (short, 1996) and This Is A True Munich, in cooperation with WDR, Cologne Principal Story About A Puker On The Roof Cast Robert Stadlober, Jana Pallaske Casting Filmcast, (short, 1997). Jopp has also made some music Sabine Schwedhelm Length 96 min, 2627 m Format 35 videos and has worked for the comedy show mm, color, cs Original Version German Subtitled Wochenshow. Together with six other HFF Version English Sound Technology Dolby SR students, she co-directed the episodic film International Festival Screenings Montreal 2001 (in Honolulu (1999) which opened in German competition) With backing from Filmstiftung NRW, cinemas in July 2001. Her first feature film FilmFörderung Hamburg, Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA), BKM, Forget America (2000) opened in the Cine Tirol German Distributor Prokino Filmverleih autumn of 2000. GmbH, Munich

World Sales: Bavaria Film International · Dept. of Bavaria Media GmbH Michael Weber, Thorsten Schaumann Bavariafilmplatz 8 · D-82031 Geiselgasteig phone +49-89-64 99 26 86 · fax +49-89-64 99 37 20 www.bavaria-film-international.de · email: [email protected]

48 Kino 3/2001 Herr Schmidt und Herr Friedrich Scenes from the life of an aging homosexual couple – Wilfried Friedrich and Kurt ”Kuddel“ Schmidt. A relationship-comedy and at the same time, a trip into the German past and provincial life. The two men lead a life full of passion for trivial things, and they lead a pretty good marriage. Their story began before the fall of the Wall: one was a salesman in the west, the other was a waiter at a train station restaurant in East Berlin. The days of employment are long gone and the two men, both in their mid fifties, are confronted daily with the question of the meaning of life. They occupy them- selves with various hobbies, like mini-golf, gardening, grilling, and above all, various well-maintained collections. For example, records, video cassettes, decorative plates, model trains, letters, and secret police files. Wilfried and Kuddel open closets to display their unbelievably well-organized collection of things and are themselves overwhelmed by all the memories. Herr Schmidt and Herr Friedrich let us participate in their lives. They grip us, surprise us, move us and make us laugh. But be careful! He who finds these two petit bourgeois men amusing, will discover the same – in himself. Wilfried Friedrich, Kurt "Kuddel" Schmidt (photo © Filmproduktion Loeken Franke) Schmidt (photoLoeken © Filmproduktion "Kuddel" Wilfried Friedrich, Kurt

Genre Love Story, Tragicomedy Category Documentary Ulrike Franke was born in 1970 in Dortmund and studied Cinema Year of Production 2001 Directors/ Theater, Film & Television Studies, Romance Languages and Art Screenplay Ulrike Franke, Michael Loeken Director of History at the University of Cologne. She then worked on several Photography Jörg Adams Editors Timothy McLeish, television and film productions as well as independent work in Dagmar Filoda Producers Michael Loeken, Ulrike Franke script-writing and documentaries. Since 1996, she has been active Production Company Filmproduktion Loeken Franke, as a screenplay writer, director and producer. Cologne, in cooperation with NDR, Hamburg Principal Michael Loeken was born in 1954 in Neviges/Rhineland and Cast Wilfried Friedrich, Kurt ”Kuddel“ Schmidt Length studied Theater, Film and Television Studies in Cologne. In 1981, 72 min, 1966 m Format Digi-Beta Blow up 35 mm, he wrote the screenplay for and directed the documentary Ich color, 1:1.66 Original Version German Subtitled hatte schon begonnen die Freiheit zu vergessen. He Version English Sound Technology Dolby SR worked from 1992-96 as a recording supervisor for numerous International Festival Screenings International documentary and feature film productions. Since 1996, he too has Documentary Film Festival Munich 2001, The New Festival been active as a screenplay writer, director and producer. Their New York 2001 With backing from Filmbüro NW, other films include Und vor mir die Sterne - Das Leben Kulturelle Filmförderung Niedersachsen German der Schlagersängerin Renate Kern (1998), Ein Distributor Filmproduktion Loeken Franke, Cologne Sommer und eine Liebe (1999), a documentary series directed by Dieter Bongartz, and Truppenbetreuung (2001).

World Sales: please contact Filmproduktion Loeken Franke · Michael Loeken, Ulrike Franke Neusser Platz 22 · D-50670 Cologne phone +49-2 21-94 33 91 01 · fax +49-2 21-94 33 91 06 email: [email protected]

Kino 3/2001 49 Ich werde Dich auf Händen tragen I'LL WAIT ON YOU HAND AND FOOT

Ramona, not quite 18, leaves Vienna for a German provincial town to be reunited with Toni, the love of her life and her baby's father. The girl puts all her faith in Toni’s promise, made on a whim, to marry her. Straight after her arrival, she begins to realize that he's no longer interested in her. All the same, Ramona tries to make her dream of a family come true. Eva Löbau

Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Iain Dilthey was born in 1971 in Scotland. Production 2000 Director Iain Dilthey Screenplay From 1992-97, he studied Chemistry and Iain Dilthey, Silke Parzich Director of Photography Pharmaceutics in Marburg and Mainz, followed Sibylle Grunze Editors Barbara Hoffmann, Dirk Stoppe by work as a scriptwriter and director’s and Music by Stefan Schulzki, David Steffen Producer Silke production assistant on various television Parzich Production Company Filmakademie Baden- programs, reports and short films. He began Württemberg, Ludwigsburg Principal Cast Eva Löbau, studying Directing in 1997 at the Film Academy Dirk Waanders, Manfred Kranich, Sigrid Skoetz, David Baden-Württemberg in Ludwigsburg. His other Steffen, Maximilian Hummler Length 62 min, 1800 m films include the shorts: Es war einmal ein Format Super 16 mm Blow up 35 mm, color, 1:1.66 Kind (1995), Gegen die Stille (1996), Original Version German Subtitled Versions English, Bergpredigt (1998), Joseph 98 (1998), French Sound Technology Dolby SR International Partisanen! (1999), Sommer auf Festival Screenings Hof 2000, Biberach 2000, Horlachen (1999). He is currently working International Festival of Film Schools Munich 2001, Locarno on his graduation film Glaube, Liebe, 2001 (in competition) International Awards Hoffnung. Nachwuchsförderpreis Biberacher Festspiele 2000, German Film School Award in Gold 2001, Student Camera Award 2001 With backing from MFG Baden-Württemberg AT LO CA R N O German Distributor Filmakademie Baden-Württem- berg, Ludwigsburg IN COMPETITION World Sales: please contact Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg · Peter Beutel, Eva Steegmayer Mathildenstr. 20 · D-71638 Ludwigsburg phone +49-71 41-96 91 03 · fax +49-71 41-96 92 98 www.filmakademie.de · email: [email protected] [email protected]

50 Kino 3/2001 It Don’t Mean a Thing, If It Ain’t Got That Swing It Don’t Mean a Thing, If It Ain’t Got That Swing, named after the legendary Duke Ellington song from the 30s, shows what ”swing“ really meant in the post-war years. When songs like Meine gute alte Tante or Put’n on are played, Alfred Erblich, an active dandy at the Hot Club , knows that music has more to do with the heart than with the mind. Together with Heinz Both, the ”Mr. Swing“ of the British occupied zone, Alfred Erblich, another still active swing-veteran, experienced how fingers were snapped and feet flew in Hanover, Berlin and Paris to old role-models like Louis Armstrong. Swing was like a language that everyone understood; it brought people together and was part of a lifestyle between ruins and a new beginning. Swing popularized jazz, the music of the liberators, and post-war Germany experienced the liberation from dictators and chamber music with a new form of music that caused goose-bumps then just as much as it does today. Robin Merill & The Savoy(photo Dance Orchestra © Niels Bolbrinker)

Genre Music Category Documentary TV Year Niels Bolbrinker was born in 1951 in Hamburg. He studied of Production 1999-2001 Director Niels Bolbrinker Photography in Hamburg and graduated with a degree in Visual Screenplay Niels Bolbrinker, Claus Ivar Bolbrinker Communication. He began working as a cameraman in documen- Director of Photography Niels Bolbrinker Editor tary films with the Bauhaus-student and cultural film director Kerstin Stutterheim Music/Principal Cast Heinz Both, Alfred Ehrhardt and continued his work in various TV produc- Gerhard Evertz, Kurt Wiegemann, Horst Wagner, Robin tions. In 1978, he was one of the founding members of the Merill, Hubertus Krohne, Gerhard Lehner, Alfred Erblich, Wendländischen Filmkooperative. He won the German Film Award Stefan Warmuth, Wilhelm Baumeister, Marko Paysan, for cinematography and editing for the short film Tue recht Claude Luter, Eddie Hayes, Sebastian Wittstock, Mowgli und scheue niemand (1977) and the Film Critics’ Award for Jospin, Konstantin Krohne Producers Michael Sombetzki, Zwischenzeit (1986). He continued work in the fields of Klaus Armbruster Production Company Trigon Film, camera, editing and writing for films, including Schuss Hamburg, in co-production with interartes, Essen Length Gegenschuss (1989/90), Das Ende des blauen Montag 90 min, 2462 m Format Digi-Beta Blow up 35 mm, (1992), Das industrielle Gartenreich (1994/95), Original color, 1:1.85 Original Version English/French/German Wolfen. Aus der Geschichte einer Filmfabrik (1995), Subtitled Version English Sound Technology Dolby Der Heringsexpress (1996/97), and Bauhaus – ein With backing from Filmförderung NDR Niedersachsen, Mythos der Moderne (1997/98). Filmbüro NW German Distributor Trigon Film, Hamburg

World Sales: please contact Trigon Film · Michael Sombetzki Donnerstr. 5 · D-22763 Hamburg phone +49-40-39 75 88 · fax +49-40-3 90 77 88 email: [email protected]

Kino 3/2001 51 Jazz Seen

Jazz Seen is a feature-length journey through decades of American entertain- ment history and the remarkable life and talent of jazz photographer William Claxton. The film focuses on the man whose eyes have seen images of people we have all grown up with: film stars, jazz musicians, top models, icons of the American dream. Claxton started his career in the early fifties with a photograph of a young Chet Baker, who became a role model for the young rebels of that time. Claxton captured the moments when a young actor turned into Steve McQueen, an elderly lady into Marlene Dietrich, a saxophone player into Gerry Mulligan. The style of the film is very personal, a mix of interviews with celebrities who recall working together with Claxton including Chico Hamilton, Burt Bacharach, Russ Freeman, , , Helmut Newton, Vidal Sassoon, and many others. Chet Baker (photo Chet Baker © William Claxton)

Genre Art, Biopic, Music Category Documentary Julian Benedikt has served as associate Cinema Year of Production 2001 Director/ producer for commercials, documentaries and Screenplay Julian Benedikt Director of Photog- motion pictures in Germany, France, Italy and raphy Matthew J. Clark Editor Andrew Hulme Music the . Additionally, he has created by Till Brönner Production Design Vincent de Felice music videos and electronic press kits for EMI, Producer Marina Mueller Production Company BLUE NOTE Records and others. He is also an EuroArts Entertainment Filmproduktion, Berlin, in co-pro- award-winning actor for both film and stage. duction with North by Northwest Entertainment, Spokane, His films include: Begegnung/Rencontre Bravo Television, New York, in association with ZDF, (TV, 1992-93), Chico Hamilton – Mainz, ARTE, Strasbourg Length 77 min, 2190 m Dancing to a Different Drummer Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version English (documentary, 1993/94), Voodoo Chile – Subtitled Version German Sound Technology The Music of (documen- Dolby SR International Festival Screenings tary, 1995), Blue Note – A Story of Stuttgart/Ludwigsburg 2001, Emden 2001, Valladolid 2001 Modern Jazz (documentary, 1996/97) – With backing from MFG Baden-Württemberg, winner of the C.I.C.A.E Award for Best Film in Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA) German Distributor 1997, as well as the Vision Award and the Salzgeber & Co. Medien GmbH, Berlin Peabody Award in 1998.

World Sales: EuroArts Entertainment GmbH · Bettina Kunde Hohenzollerndamm 150 · D-14199 Berlin phone +49-30-88 70 81 00 · fax +49-30-88 70 81 70 www.euroarts.com · email: [email protected]

52 Kino 3/2001 Königskinder

The story of the friendship between a deaf boy and a dancer, set in a small town in Italy. A film about the desire for hearing and moving, the sounds of silence, the beauty of sign language. Deaf can dance. A film nearly without words. Physical cinema. Juan Kruz Diaz de Garaio Esnaola (photo © Wahid Rofaga) Juan Kruz Diaz de Garaio Esnaola (photo © Wahid

Genre Art, Drama, Theater, Music Category Lutz Gregor was born in 1952 in Berlin. Feature Film Cinema Year of Production He studied German and Political Science and 2001 Director/Screenplay Lutz Gregor has since then worked in Media Education. Director of Photography Michael Ole Since 1983, he has been a freelance filmmaker Nielsen Editor Verena Neumann Music by for television broadcasters, particularly in the Patricio Wang Production Design Annette fields of dance and film. After establishing Bätz Producer Lutz Gregor Production himself in the sphere of experimental docu- Company Contact Film, Cologne mentaries, he began to specialize in video Principal Cast Juan Kruz Diaz de Garaio dance film. His other films include: The Esnaola, Walid Agoune, Liane Stephan, Olivier Wall (Die Mauer, short documentary, Schetrit, Jean-Luc Yerlès, Thomas Falk, and others 1986), Der Gehängte im Garten der Length 70 min, 1915 m Format Digi Beta Venus (short, 1988), Angelus Novus Blow up 35 mm, color, 1:1.66 Original (1991), and Kontakt Triptychon (1992) Version English/French/Italian/German – winner of a cinematography award at the Subtitled Version English Sound Grand Prix Vidéo Dance Paris in 1992. Technology Dolby SR With backing from Several dance film productions have resulted Filmbüro NW from his own dance practice, Contact Improvisation.

World Sales: Ave s.p.r.l. · Jochen D. Girsch rue des Visitandines 1/48 · B-1000 Brussels phone +32-2-5 11 91 56 · fax +32-2-5 11 81 39 email: [email protected]

Kino 3/2001 53 Lammbock - Alles in Handarbeit LAMMBOCK

”Take a drag first“ – that’s the motto of the best friends Stefan and Kai when they start talking about life’s great topics, like women, the future, and their favorite football player Mehmet Scholl. So that others don’t go hungry, they set up a pizzeria called Lammbock. When their customers order a pizza under the code word ”pizza gourmet“, they expect to receive one of the finest cannabis products available on short order - home grown, of course. While Kai is satisfied with his lifestyle, Stefan has his doubts if their debates about style, coolness, and ”God and the world“ are enough in life. As a long-time student and son of a judge, he feels obligated to make something of himself. But everything goes awry when their new friend and cannabis-expert Achim turns out to be an undercover narcotics officer. Suddenly, Kai and Stefan have only one option - and this could mean the end of their time together at Lammbock and the end of their friendship … Moritz Bleibtreu, Lucas Gregorowicz (photo © Senator Film) Lucas Gregorowicz Moritz Bleibtreu,

Genre Comedy, Coming-of-Age Story Category Feature Christian Zübert was born in 1973 in Film Cinema Year of Production 2001 Director/ Würzburg. Since 1997, he has concentrated Screenplay Christian Zübert Director of on scriptwriting and has written numerous Photography Sonia Rom Editor Andrea Mertens screenplays for film and television. Sönke Music by Chris Jones Production Design Stefan Wortmann took up contact with him upon Schönberg Producers Sönke Wortman, Hanno Huth recommendation, and after receiving Zübert’s Production Company Little Shark Entertainment, script for Lammbock, convinced him to Cologne, in co-production with Senator Film Produktion, take over direction of the film, making Berlin, WDR, Cologne, ARTE, Strasbourg Principal Cast Lammbock his directorial debut. He has Lucas Gregorowicz, Moritz Bleibtreu, Marie Zielcke, also co-written the scripts for the films Alexandra Schalaudeck Casting Anja Dihrberg Length Fandango (1998) and Girls on Top (Mädchen, 90 min, 2462 m Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Mädchen, 2001). Version German Sound Technology Dolby SR International Festival Screenings Munich 2001 With backing from Filmstiftung NRW, Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA), FilmFernsehFonds Bayern German Distributor Senator Film Verleih GmbH, Berlin

World Sales: please contact Little Shark Entertainment GmbH · Sönke Wortmann, Tom Spieß Eifelstr. 19 · D-50667 Cologne phone +49-2 21-33 61 10 · fax +49-2 21-3 36 11 12 email: [email protected]

54 Kino 3/2001 Leo & Claire Germany 1933. Leo Katzenberger is a wealthy businessman, a prominent member of the community. At heart a German patriot, born in Nuremberg where he spent all his life, he is also a Jew. His company resides in a court- yard he considers to be his own little kingdom. Leo's world is shattered when he rents an apartment out to the young and attractive photographer Irene. She capriciously flirts with Leo and soon people are talking about the Jew and the German girl … In a time when ”the purity of the Aryan race“ is ascendant, this mild affair rapidly becomes a political issue – Leo, after all, is a Jew. Denounced by his hate-filled neighbors, he is condemned to be executed via the guillotine. Leo & Claire captures in straightforward imagery a chapter of Nazi history based on a true story as documented in the book Der Jude und das Mädchen by Christiane Kohl. Michael Degen, Franziska Petri (photo © RolfMichael Degen, Franziska Petri d. Heydt/KLICK) v.

Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Joseph Vilsmaier was born in 1939 and grew Production 2001 Director Joseph Vilsmaier Screen- up in Munich and Pfarrkirchen. He undertook an play Reinhard Klooss, Klaus Richter Director of apprenticeship at Arnold & Richter (ARRI) from Photography Joseph Vilsmaier Editor Hans Funk Music 1953 to 1961 as well as studying Music at the by Gert Wilden Jr. Production Design Uwe Szielasko Munich Conservatory. In 1961, he became a Producers Reinhard Klooss, Joseph Vilsmaier camera assistant at Bavaria Film and has been a Production Company Odeon Film, Munich, in co-pro- director of photography since 1972. He made his duction with Perathon Film, Grünwald Principal Cast directorial debut in 1988 with Michael Degen, Franziska Petri, Suzanne v. Borsody, (Herbstmilch) followed by Rama Dama , Jasmin Schwiers, Rüdiger Vogler, (1990), Stalingrad (1992), Charlie & Louise Jochen Nickel, Andrea Sawatzki, Axel Milberg, Dietmar (1993), (Schlafes Schönherr, Jürgen Schornagel Casting Rita Serra-Roll Bruder, 1995), Comedian Harmonists Length 106 min, 2915 m Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 (1997) and Marlene (1999). Original Version German Subtitled Version English Sound Technology Dolby Digital International Festival Screenings Montreal 2001 (in competition) With backing from Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA), Filmstiftung NRW, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern AT MONTREAL IN COMPETITION

World Sales: Bavaria Film International · Dept. of Bavaria Media GmbH Michael Weber, Thorsten Schaumann Bavariafilmplatz 8 · D-82031 Geiselgasteig phone +49-89-64 99 26 86 · fax +49-89-64 99 37 20 www.bavaria-film-international.de · email: [email protected]

Kino 3/2001 55 Love the Hard Way Claire, a brilliant graduate student, is searching for the answers to life’s questions in the quiet logic of her biology laboratory. One day at the local cinema, she meets a mysterious young man named Jack. Claire is intrigued by his style, his surly demeanor, and the sense of danger that surrounds him. Jack is, in fact, a bona-fide con artist. With his loyal partner Charlie and two struggling actresses, he runs a regular scam conning foreign businessmen. But he also has a secret side beneath his tough surface – a passion for antiquarian books and a dream of one day writing a novel. Jack is thoroughly charmed by Claire’s hopefulness, purity, and curiosity about life. An unlikely romance begins between the innocent college co-ed Claire and the hard-boiled Jack. But Jack won’t allow anyone to get too close and retreats behind his tough exterior. Abandoned and con- fused, Claire begins to neglect her studies and throws herself info a self-destructive downward spiral. Jack tries to ignore her and concentrate on his scams. But detective Linda Meier is on to him. Jack and Charlie barely escape by the skin of their teeth. Once so self-assured and coolly confident, Jack finds his world crumbling. His emotions, once fully under his control, are tugging him into strange territory. Claire has affected him more profoundly than he ever expected. Only when Jack and Claire both hit rock-bottom can Jack admit how much she means to him. Adrien Brody, Pam Grier (photo © Abbot Genser) Pam Adrien Brody,

Genre Drama, Love story Category Feature Film Peter Sehr earned a degree in Physics and Chemistry Cinema Year of Production 2000/01 Director Peter in Zurich. After a year in South America, he pursued doc- Sehr Screenplay Peter Sehr, Marie Noëlle, based on the toral studies in Biophysics in Oxford from 1975-1979. novel Yi ban shi huo yan, yi ban shi hai shui by Wang Shuo During this period, he ran the University Film Society and Director of Photography Guy Dufaux Editor made his first short films To Shoot a Bicycle (1978) Christian Nauheimer Music by Dahoud Darien, Susan and A Group of People (1979). In 1980, he moved Jacobs Production Design Debbi De Villa Producers to Paris, where he spent two years as a research scientist Wolfram Tichy, Peter Sehr Production Companies Vif at the Institut Curie. At the same time, he began to work International Films, Babelsberg, P’Artisan Film Produktion, as an assistant director. In 1982, he moved back to Munich, in co-production with Open City Films, New York, Germany and worked with various German and French Daybreak, New Zealand Principal Cast Adrien Brody, directors. In 1988, he founded P’Artisan Filmproduktion Charlotte Ayanna, Jon Seda, Pam Grier, August Diehl with Marie Noëlle. His other films include: Und nicht Casting Ellen Parks Length 106 min, 2600 m Format ein Tohuwabohu (1987), Serbian Girl (Das 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version English Serbische Mädchen, 1991) – winner of the main Subtitled Version French Sound Technology Dolby prize at Uppsala and nominated for the German Film Digital International Festival Screenings Locarno Award, Kaspar Hauser: Crime Against a Man’s 2001 (in competition) With backing from Soul (1993) – winner of three German Film Awards for FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, BKM Best Film, Best Director and Best Actor, and Obsession (1997), also nominated for the German Film Award. World Sales: Storm Entertainment · Michael Heuser 127 Broadway Avenue, #200 · USA-Santa Monica, California 90401 phone +1-3 10-6 56 25 00 · fax +1-3 10-6 56 25 10 email: [email protected] AT LO CA R N O IN COMPETITION 56 Kino 3/2001 Malunde - Eine Freundschaft wider Willen MALUNDE – AN UNLIKELY FRIENDSHIP

South Africa, post-apartheid. Wonderboy, a wiry 11-year-old, is trying to survive on the streets of crime-ridden Johannesburg. Kobus, a former soldier of the apartheid army, can’t forget the ”good old days“ when he was ”somebody“ – a man honored for his bravery. Now he’s hoping for something to make life worth living again. Kobus takes on a job as a travelling delivery man. His pick-up loaded to the brim with tins of Rainbow Wax, he meets up with Wonderboy at a traffic intersection, where the boy eagerly cleans the car’s windscreen, hoping for some small change. A gangster arrives on the scene, waving a gun - he wants to kill Wonderboy. The boy has only one chance: he leaps into Kobus’ car, urging him to drive like hell because he is about to be ”car-jacked“. Kobus buys the story and they race off, shaking the gunman off their tail. Kobus wants to get rid of the ”little gangster“ as soon as he can. But he needs someone to guard the car – and he is not much of a salesman. Wonderboy uses all his street-wise skills to make Rainbow Wax big business! And so begins a journey which moves from mutual antagonism and suspicion, even hatred, to friendship, coming to terms with a troubled past and creating an unexpected future. Ian Roberts, Kagiso Mtetwa (photo Ian Roberts, Kagiso © Traumwerk)

Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Stefanie Sycholt was born in 1963 in Year of Production 2001 Director/Screenplay Pretoria, South Africa. She studied African Stefanie Sycholt Director of Photography Jürgen Studies, Philosophy and Literature from 1985-89 Jürges Editor Ulrike Tortora Music by Annette Focks in Natal and Cape Town. During her studies, she Production Design Birrie Le Roux Producers Dieter worked in the anti-apartheid movement and as a Horres, Jürgen Biefang Production Company journalist. In 1990, she began studying at the Traumwerk Filmproduktion, Munich, in cooperation with Academy of Television & Film in Munich. Her Bayerischer Rundfunk, Munich Principal Cast Ian graduation film was MBUBE: The Night of Roberts, Kagiso Mtetwa Length 119 min, 3256 m the Lion (1998), a documentary on the most Format Super 35 mm, color, 1:2.35 Original Version important South African music group Ladysmith English Sound Technology Dolby Digital Inter- Black Mambazo. Her other films include: One national Festival Screenings Munich 2001 With Step Forward, Two Steps Back (1991), backing from FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, BKM, Born to Shop (1993), and A Changing of Filmstiftung NRW, Kuratorium junger deutscher Film the Seasons (1996).

World Sales: please contact Traumwerk Filmproduktion GmbH · Jürgen Biefang Oberföhringerstr. 186 · D-81925 Munich phone +49-89-95 99 55 00 · fax +49-89-95 99 55 01 email: [email protected]

Kino 3/2001 57 Null Uhr 12 12 PAST MIDNIGHT

An armored truck is robbed in Berlin. The loot: 30 million. On a subway platform, nearby, at twelve past midnight, five unusual suspects, each carrying a bag: Frank, the unemployed gambler and loose cannon; Kathrin, the harassed waitress and single mother of two; Martin, the seemingly apathetic cleaning gear salesman and family father; Jonas, the war site photographer turned taxi driver and Marie, the beautiful computer programmer on the verge of rediscovering her own sexuality. ”Arrest them“ says Ben, the chief inspector, to his four young colleagues. But after a relentless interrogation procedure, the five police officers are undecided on the question of guilt: an unlikely lot to have committed such a perfect crime. Ben’s verdict: ”Let them go, but keep an eye on them …“ 12 Past Midnight is the story of five seemingly ordinary young adults altered forever by one singular, radical event. A flip of a switch and nothing is as it used to be: Is it chance, or is it five individuals trying to wring a brighter future from a dismal present? Or does it even matter? What matters is, like in life itself, dreams can shatter and lies can become true … Isabella Parkinson, Dieter Landuris, Bernd M. Lade, Mario Irrek, (photo BerndBecker © Christa Köfer) Dieter Landuris, M. Lade, Mario Irrek, Meret Isabella Parkinson,

Genre Drama, Love Story, Ensemble Drama Category Bernd Michael Lade was born in 1964 in Berlin. Feature Film Cinema Year of Production 2001 He studied Acting at the ”Ernst Busch“ Academy of Director Bernd Michael Lade Screenplay Stefan Kolditz Television & Film in Berlin and Directing at the Director of Photography Michael Paul Heiter ”Konrad Wolf“ Academy of Film & Television in Editor Sabine Brose Music by Michael Kobs Production Babelsberg. He has acted in numerous television films Design Thomas Kuhn Producers Olivier Deflou, Peter including Tatort (1991-2001), Babysitter (1992), Lohner Production Company Clasart Film & Fernseh- Verrückt nach Dir (1994), Wolff ’s Revier (1997), produktion, Munich Principal Cast Meret Becker, Bernd M. Helicops: Euro (1998), Der letzte Zeuge (2000) and Lade, Isabella Parkinson, Dieter Landuris, Mario Irrek, Reiner Heimat Ost (2001), as well as in the feature films Schöne, Uwe Kockisch, Esther Esche Casting Simone Bär Karniggels (1991), Looosers (1994), Dumm gelaufen Special Effects Geyer Video Length 91 min, 2500 m (1996), Viehjud Levi and Kai Rabe gegen die Vatikankiller Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version German (1998), and Komm’ süßer Tod (2000). He began Sound Technology Dolby SRD German Distributor directing for the theater in 1991 with Pippi Langstrumpf Concorde Filmverleih GmbH, Munich and Dreigroschenoper, and directed his first film, Rache (Revenge), in 1995.

World Sales: Tele-München Fernseh GmbH & Co. Produktionsgesellschaft · Olivier Deflou Kaufingerstr. 24 · D-80331 Munich phone +49-89-29 09 30 · fax +49-89-29 09 31 09 www.telemuenchen.de · [email protected]

58 Kino 3/2001 Rave Macbeth

Marcus (as a modern-age Macbeth) and his friend Troy fling themselves into an ecstatic rave, driven by the pumping beats and sounds. They have just been named seconds to Dean, a drug czar who is the ”king of the rave“. They are to control the sale of ecstasy on the dance floor. Their girlfriends Lydia and Helena are ecstatic about their promotion: all four friends share the same aim: to rave and have fun - the longer the better. But the good mood doesn’t last long – Marcus and Lydia are intoxicated by the new position of power. Soon they are conspiring to take over control of the rave, goaded on by the dark premonitions and promises of the Petry Girls. Set entirely to brand new techno tracks, adapted to the rave milieu from the apocalyptic and morbid settings of the Shakespearean drama, Rave Macbeth is a ”rave’olution“, the first completely digital feature film, shot on SONY 24P 1080, digitally post-produced, and mixed on the hard disk. (photo © Dirk Grimminger/FRAMEWERK) Jamie Elman, Marguerite Moreau, Nicki Lynn Aycox, Michael Rosenbaum Jamie NickiAycox, Elman, Marguerite Moreau, Lynn

Genre Drama, Music Category Feature Film Cinema Klaus Knösel was born in 1964 in Erlangen. After Year of Production 2001 Director Klaus Knösel studying Theater, he worked as an assistant director in Screenplay Harry Ki Director of Photography theaters in Berlin and Munich. From 1987-1992, he Arturo Smith Editor Birgit Klingl Music by Mona Davis, attended the Academy of Television & Film in Munich, Tom Novy, Tomcraft, Phil Fuldner Producer Stefan Jonas specializing in directing and producing feature films. Production Company Frame Werk Filmproduktion, He worked on the computer animation of Roland Munich, in co-production with MEDIA!, Munich, Silhouette Emmerich’s film Moon 44. Knösel also directs Media Group, Toronto Principal Cast Michael commercials and video clips. His films include: Ein Rosenbaum, Nicki Lynn Aycox, Kirk Baltz, Jamie Elman, Tryptychon von Otto Dix (short, 1989), Marguerite Moreau Casting Susan Peck Special Effects co-direction with Holger Neuhäuser on the films Star DAS WERK, Munich Length 89 min, 2435 m Format Track – The Next Generation (short, 1990), Sony 24P-High Definition Blow up 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Supermantas räumen auf – und zwar Original Version English Subtitled Version German gründlich (1991), G.E.Z. - er kam aus Sound Technology Dolby Digital SR 5.1 Inter- dem Nichts (short, 1992), Die Vorboten national Festival Screenings Munich 2001 With Armageddons (short, 1992) and High Crusade backing from FilmFernsehFonds Bayern German – Frikassee im Weltraum (1994), as well as Distributor Filmwelt Verleihagentur GmbH, Munich independent direction for Drei Tage Angst (TV, 1997) and Doggydog – Eine total verrückte Hundeentführung (TV, 1998).

World Sales: 310 Entertainment · Chris Bialek 1801 Century Park East, Suite 2300 · USA-Los Angeles, California 90067 phone +1-3 10-5 59 83 10 · fax +1-3 10-5 59 31 08 www.ravemacbeth.com · email: [email protected]

Kino 3/2001 59 Die Reise nach Kafiristan THE JOURNEY TO KAFIRISTAN

In 1939, the author Annemarie Schwarzenbach and the ethnologist Ella Maillart travel together by car to Kabul, but each is in pursuit of her own project. Annemarie Schwarzenbach, who was among Erika and Klaus Mann’s circle of friends in the 30s, is searching for a place of refuge in the Near East to discover her own self. Ella Maillart justifies her restlessness, her need for movement and travel, with a scientific pretext: she would like to explore the mysterious Kafiristan Valley and make a name for herself with publications on the archaic life of the nomads living there. Both women are on the run, but political developments and their own biographies catch up with them again and again. Their mutual journey through the outside world, which runs from Geneva via the Balkans and Turkey to Persia, is compounded by the inner world of emotions with a tender love story. As both women arrive in Kabul, World War II breaks out and puts an end to their plans. Scene from "The JourneyScene from to Kafiristan" (photo © Dubini Filmproduktion/Bernd Spauke)

Genre Art, Biopic, Drama, History, Literature, Love Fosco Dubini was born in 1954 in Zurich. From 1975 – Story, Women’s Film Category Feature Film Cinema 1981, he studied Drama, Film and Television at the University Year of Production 2001 Directors Fosco Dubini, of Cologne. From 1977-79, he was a member of the Film Donatello Dubini Screenplay Fosco Dubini, Donatello Collective Zurich. Since 1991, he has been an instructor Dubini, Barbara Marx Director of Photography at the ESAV Ecole Supérieure d’Art Visuel in Geneva. Matthias Kälin Editor Christel Maye Music by Donatello Dubini was born in 1955 in Zurich. He pursu- Madredeus, Jan Garbarek, Ustad Fateh Ali Khan, ed Film Studies at the Film Academy in Vienna from 1975-77, Wolfgang Hamm Production Design Gudrun followed by studies of Drama, Film and Television Studies at Roscher Producers Fosco Dubini, Donatello Dubini the University of Cologne. He too was a member of the Film Production Company Dubini Filmproduktion, Collective Zurich from 1977-79 and is also a member of the Cologne, in co-production with Tre Valli Filmproduktion, filmmakers’ and distributors’ initiative ”Der Andere Blick“. Zurich, Artcam The Netherlands, Arnhem, in association Their films include: Blindgänger (1983), Über mir der with ZDF, Mainz, ARTE, Strasbourg Principal Cast Himmel, unter mir ein schwarzes Loch, The Jeanette Hain, Nina Petri Length 100 min, 2900 m Disappearance of Ettore Majorana (Das Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version Verschwinden des Ettore Majorana, 1986), Klaus German Subtitled Versions English, French Sound Fuchs – Atom Spy (Klaus Fuchs – Atomspion, Technology Dolby Stereo SR International documentary, 1989), J.K. - Experience in Dealing Festival Screenings Locarno 2001 (Piazza) With with One’s Own Ego (J.K. - Erfahrungen im backing from FilmFörderung Hamburg, Filmbüro NW, Umgang mit dem eigenen Ich, documentary, 1991), Filmförderung Berlin-Brandenburg, Filmstiftung NRW, Ludwig 1881 (1993), Jean Seberg – American Filmförderung Zürich, Suissimage, Eurimages Actress (documentary, 1995), and P. – A Journey into the Mind of Thomas Pynchon (documentary, 2001). World Sales: Media Luna Entertainment GmbH & Co. KG · Ida Martins Hochstadenstr. 1-3 · D-50674 Cologne phone +49-2 21-1 39 22 22 · fax +49-2 21-1 39 22 24 email: [email protected] · [email protected]

AT LOCARNO 60 Kino 3/2001 PIAZZA GRANDE Sainkho

At a time of globalization and reclining traditions, Sainkho is an attempt to investigate the ways artists deal with the phenomenon of missing links. Sainkho Namchylak is an exceptional singer and musician from the far deserts of the Tuva, a small country on the border to Mongolia. She has created an outstanding style that combines musical traditions of her nomad past with influences of the present in a world of drum ’n bass, hip hop and jazz. London, Rome, Berlin, Vienna and the breathtaking landscapes of the Tuva are the backdrop for a journey that explores the source of Sainkho’s inspiration and talent. Sainkho Namchylak is an icon of a generation that bridges the gap between the modern and the traditional. Sainkho Namchylak

Genre Music Category Documentary Cinema Erica von Moeller was born in Wiesbaden Year of Production 2000/01 Director/ in 1968. After studying Fine Arts at the Screenplay Erika von Moeller Director of University of Mainz, she went on to study Film Photography Daria Moheb Zandi Editor at the Academy of Media Arts in Cologne. Her Gesa Martens Producer Titus Kreyenberg other films include: Borders (1997), Wenn Production Company Colonia Media wir schreiten (documentary, 1996-99), Filmproduktion/Label 131, Cologne, in mariemarie (1999), and Von einem association with WDR, Cologne, , Cologne, Sommer (2000). Academy of Media Arts, Cologne Principal Cast Sainkho Namchylak Length 80 min, 2190 m Format Digital video Blow up 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version English Sound Technology Dolby SR With backing from Filmbüro NW German Distributor Colonia Media Filmproduktions GmbH, Cologne

World Sales: Colonia Media Filmproduktions GmbH · Titus Kreyenberg, Frank Döhmann Moltkestr. 131 · D-50674 Cologne phone +49-2 21-9 51 40 40 · fax +49-2 21-9 51 40 44 www.coloniamedia.de · email: [email protected]

Kino 3/2001 61 Salamander

For one very last time, Sandra agrees to help her ex-lover Ronny with the risky delivery of some forged passports. But as Ronny continues to lay his weirdo-routine on her, Sandra finally gives him the boot. To make sure that she will not change her mind in the very last minute, she swallows two sleeping pills and hits the sack. In the middle of the night Sandra is surprised by a burglar. Mike, who is literally over-powered by the young lady’s expert martial art abilities, comes out with some not so surprising news: Ronny has run into trouble – big time. Sandra forces Mike to lead her to her awkward friend, and thus slips into the very maneuver she positively meant to avoid. The night ride in Mike’s beat-up Peugeot turns into a tricky cat-and-mouse game between the drug-hazed kung-fu-fightress and the seemingly left-handed burglar. Henriette Heinze

Genre Thriller Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Barbara Gebler, born in 1963 in Rhein- Production 2000 Director Barbara Gebler Screen- felden, first studied German, History and play Wieland Bauder Director of Photography Eeva Philosophy at the University of Constance, Fleig Editor Birgit Berndt Music by Andreas Koslik followed by an apprenticeship and work as an Production Design Ingrid Jebram, Katia Fouquet editor in London, Wiesbaden and Mainz. She Producers Christian Hohoff, Anke Scheib, Lucas Schmidt then studied Directing at the German Film and Production Company dffb, Berlin, in co-production Television Academy Berlin (dffb). Her films with Colonia Media Filmproduktion, Cologne, ZDF, Mainz include: Die Ermittler (short, 1992), Principal Cast Henriette Heinze, Bela B. Felsenheimer, Selber schuld (1994), Svevo (music video, Mario Mentrup Length 60 min, 1710 m 1995), Fangt schon mal an (short, 1996), Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version I Like the Fire (short, 1996), A Rough German Subtitled Version English Sound Idea (Geheime Pläne, short, 1997), and Technology Dolby SR International Festival 40 Love (short, 1999). Salamander is her Screenings Hof 2000, Berlin 2001 (Forum), Saarbrücken graduation film from the dffb. 2001 German Distributor dffb Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin GmbH, Berlin

World Sales: Colonia Media Filmproduktions GmbH · Anke Scheib Moltkestr. 131 · D-50674 Cologne phone +49-2 21-95 14 04 35 · fax +49-2 21-9 51 40 44 www.coloniamedia.de · email: [email protected]

62 Kino 3/2001 Sass – Die Meisterdiebe

Berlin in the Golden Twenties. Social unrest and joblessness are side-by-side with incredible wealth and decadence – it is a time when everything is possible! This is the world of the working-class brothers Franz and Erich Sass, who started out going through life as honest men and ended up becoming Berlin’s most notorious gangsters – loved by the people, hunted by the cops. After carrying out a series of robberies which leave the police wringing their hands in frustration, Franz and Erich Sass become Berlin’s most celebrated heroes. The newspapers report admiringly and the brothers are the talk of the town. As their fame grows, so does their fortune. Exhilarated by their success, the brothers plan a final, daring coup: Berlin’s richest and most highly-guarded bank, where the Nazis also have 15 million Reichsmarks campaign funds deposited. Although they get away with the loot, they are apprehended at the Danish border. As their trial proceeds, the suspense mounts. Could this really be the end for the daring duo? To everyone’s surprise, Franz and Erich are acquitted by the jury. But the Nazis won’t let anybody get away with stealing from them … Jürgen Vogel, (photo– the art Ben Becker © MOOVIE ofJürgen Vogel, entertainment)

Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Carlo Rola, born in 1958 in Germany, began his Production 2001 Director Carlo Rola Screenplay Law Studies in Frankfurt in 1976 and earned a living Uwe Wilhelm, Holger Karsten Schmidt Director of working as a stuntman at the theater. Starting in Photography Martin Langer Editor Friederike von 1981, he decided to focus fully on the theater and Normann Music by Georg Kleinebreil Production opera, and was a director’s assistant, working with, Design Bettina Schmidt Producer Oliver Berben among others, Hans Neuenfels, and Production Company MOOVIE-the art of entertain- for various productions in Hamburg, ment, Berlin, in co-production with TaurusProduktion, Frankfurt and Berlin. His debut as a director was in Munich, Roxy Film, Munich, Constantin Film, Munich Frankfurt in 1983 with the English language perfor- Principal Cast Ben Becker, Jürgen Vogel, Henry Hübchen, mance of A Streetcar Named Desire. Also at this time, Karin Baal, , Jeanette Hain Casting Drews he was the production manager of numerous feature Casting Studio, Berlin Special Effects Spezialeffekte Gerd films and TV movies. In 1994, he was an instructor Voll, Effective, Flash Art Length 110 min, 3009 m for Promotional Film at the ”Konrad Wolf“ Academy Format Super 35 mm, color, 1:2.35 Original Version of Film & Television in Potsdam-Babelsberg, in 1999 German Sound Technology Dolby Digital 6-Channel he was an instructor for Direction at the German With backing from Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Film & Television Academy (dffb) in Berlin. Since then, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Filmstiftung NRW, he has directed over 60 national and international Filmförderungsanstalt (FFA) German Distributor commercials, trailers and music videos. In 1996, he Constantin Film Verleih GmbH, Munich founded MOOVIE-the art of entertainment together with Oliver Berben in Berlin, where he has lived for 20 years. World Sales: Beta Film GmbH · Dirk Schürhoff Robert-Buerkle-Str. 2 · D-85737 Ismaning phone +49-89-99 56 21 34 · fax +49-89-99 56 27 03 www.betafilm.com · email: [email protected]

Kino 3/2001 63 Vortex

Somewhere in the distant future … the United Nations have decided on a new system of imprison- ment as an answer to escalating street violence: VORTEX, a mysterious and completely isolated prison complex that is said to securely keep anyone arriving from ever going back. Vincent, a constructional engineer in his mid-thirties, is attacked by a man in a dark alleyway. To protect his own life, he shoots the man. Vincent must stand trial for murder – despite his protest and affirmations that he only acted in self-defense, he is found guilty and sent to VORTEX, where according to the judge, he will have to fulfill a certain ”rate“ each week. Once in VORTEX, he realizes that he has been cast out into what is in fact a whole subterranean city solely inhabited by criminals. And his ”rate“ is that from now on he is supposed to execute one fellow prisoner per week. Deeply shocked and repelled, Vincent refuses to kill his first assigned victim. But the system is merciless: if he doesn’t comply, he himself will be assigned to be killed. Vincent is drawn deeper and deeper into a vortex of fear, aggression and violence, with no apparent way out … Gilbert von Sohlern, Hardy Krüger Jr. (photo © Candela Film) Gilbert von Sohlern, Hardy Krüger Jr.

Genre Fantasy/Science-Fiction Category Feature Film Michael Pohl was born in 1967 in Wolfsburg. During his Cinema Year of Production 2001 Director/ schooling, he did work in marketing and decoration of display Screenplay Michael Pohl Director of Photography windows for various cinemas as well as in graphic print design. Dixie Schmiedle Editor Uli Schön Music by Philipp F. From 1988-1990, he worked as an assistant location manager Kölmel Production Design Renate Huber Producer on various productions for Creative Media Productions in Markus Zimmer Production Company Candela Film, Munich, followed by an internship and work as a production Munich, in co-production with ARRI Film & TV, Munich, assistant for Bavaria Film. In 1992, he began his studies at the Academy of Television & Film, Munich, Fieber Film, Munich Academy of Television & Film in Munich. His films include: Principal Cast Hardy Krüger Jr., Arne Fuhrmann, Harald Leben und Sterben in Transylvanien (short, 1991), Leipnitz, Gilbert von Sohlern, Inés Gress Special Effects Phantasmagoria (short, 1993), Der fliehende ARRI Digital Film, Munich, UPSTART Filmproduktion, Teppich (short, 1993), Ausgestorben (short, 1994-95) – Wiesbaden Length 50 min, 1368 m Format 35 mm, winner in 1996 of the Audience Award at the International color, 1:1.85 Original Version German Subtitled Fantasy Film Festival Brussels, the Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau Version English Sound Technology Dolby Digital/SR Short Film Award and First Prize in Pro7’s CINEMA-TV short film With backing from FilmFernsehFonds Bayern competition, Emmeran (TV, 1996), Ohne Gewähr (TV, 1997), and Cineon – Einführung in die digitale Filmbearbeitung (documentary, 1998).

World Sales: Candela Film GbR · Markus Zimmer Blutenburgstr. 108 · D-80636 Munich phone/fax +49-89-1 23 48 20 www.vortex-derfilm.de

64 Kino 3/2001 Was tun, wenn’s brennt? WHAT TO DO IN CASE OF FIRE?

In the 80s, the ”Autonomen“ were a group of hippie-like anarchists – rebellious Tim, pretty Flo, crazy Terror, dynamic Nele, creative Maik, and the Berliner Hotte were a sworn fraternity. House squatters during Berlin’s heyday of punk and new wave, they led wild and unruly existences, enjoying life to its fullest during their street demonstrations. Like many of their peers who gave up their passionate participation in demonstrating in exchange for starting a family or profession, they too grew up and conformed, well, almost all of them. Tim and Hotte have remained true to fighting the causes they believed in 12 years ago. But the others developed into exactly the types that they once viewed as their enemy, the revolting establishment. Commercial producer Maik has successfully brought his company onto the stock market, the blossoming punk Flo will soon marry into money, and Terror is an attorney with the prospect of a career in the prosecutor’s office. Nele, a single mother raising two children, is one of those that got stuck, like Tim and Hotte. The ”winners“ would be discussing real estate deals during power lunches, if the past hadn’t suddenly brought them all back together: more than twelve years ago, they placed one of their Molotov cock- tails in an abandoned American military-occupied villa in Berlin’s wealthy area. It never exploded, but Tim, passionate about his hobby of filmmaking, had documented the entire process on his Super 8 camera. And when the villa is sold and the dormant bomb explodes, the past brings the group together once again … , Sebastian Blomberg, (photoNagel) © Marco Schweiger, Til

Genre Action/Adventure, Comedy Category Feature Film Gregor Schnitzler was born in 1964 in Berlin. Cinema Year of Production 2000 Director Gregor Schnitzler At the age of 14, he began performing live with a Screenplay Stefan Dähnert, Anne Wild Director of Photog- band and at age 16 produced his own albums raphy Andreas Berger Editor Hansjörg Weißbrich Production together with his father. From 1987-1999, he stud- Design Albrecht Konrad Producers Andrea Willson, Jakob ied Social and Economic Communication in Berlin, Claussen, Thomas Wöbke Production Company Deutsche with an emphasis in Visual Communication. He Columbia Pictures Filmproduktion, Berlin, in co-production with founded his own production company and pro- Claussen + Wöbke Filmproduktion, Munich Principal Cast Til duced and directed music videos for various bands Schweiger, Doris Schretzmayer, Martin Feifel, Nadja Uhl, Sebastian as well as television advertisements. His films Blomberg, Matthias Matschke, Klaus Löwitsch Casting Nessie include: Das Fenster (short, 1991), Sonntage Nesslauer Special Effects CA Scanline Production, Munich, SFX (short, 1992), Im Namen des Gesetzes (TV, Department, Berlin Studio Shooting Magicmove, Munich Length 1994-98), Team Berlin – Unternehmen 100 min, 3600 m Format Super 35 mm, color, 1:2.35 Original Feuertaufe (TV, 1997/98), Team Berlin – Version German Sound Technology Dolby SR/SRD & SDDS Tödlicher Wind (TV, 1998), Balko – With backing from FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Filmförderungs- Gefährliche Vaterschaft (TV, 1999) and anstalt (FFA), Filmförderung Berlin-Bandenburg, MFG Baden- Finnlandia (1999) which he co-directed with Württemberg German Distributor Columbia TriStar Film Eleni Ampelakiotou. GmbH, Berlin

World Sales: Columbia TriStar Film Distributors International · Sal Ladestro 10202 West Washington Blvd. · USA-Culver City, California 90232-3195 phone +1-3 10-2 44 20 73 · fax +1-3 10-2 44 18 75 www.sony.com · email: [email protected]

Kino 3/2001 65 www. german- cinema. de/

INFORMATION ON GERMAN FILMS.

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Verband Deutscher Filmexporteure e.V./ Association of German Film Exporters please contact Lothar Wedel Tegernseer Landstr. 75, D-81539 Munich phone +49- 89-6 92 06 60, fax +49-89-6 92 09 10 email: [email protected]

Filmförderungsanstalt Große Präsidentenstr. 9, D-10178 Berlin phone +49-30-27 57 70, fax +49-30-27 57 71 11 www.ffa.de, email: [email protected]

Beauftragter der Bundesregierung für Angelegenheiten der Kultur und der Medien Referat K 36, Graurheindorfer Str. 198 , D-53117 Bonn phone +49-18 88-6 81 36 43, fax +49-18 88-6 81 38 53 email: [email protected]

Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH August-Bebel-Str. 26-53, D-14482 Potsdam-Babelsberg phone +49-3 31-7 43 87-0, fax +49-3 31-7 43 87-99 www.filmboard.de email: [email protected]

FilmFernsehFonds Bayern GmbH Sonnenstr. 21, D-80331 Munich phone +49-89-5 44 60 20, fax +49-89-54 46 02 21 www.fff-bayern.de email: [email protected]

FilmFörderung Hamburg GmbH Friedensallee 14–16, D-22765 Hamburg phone +49-40-3 98 37-0, fax +49-40-3 98 37-10 www.ffhh.de email: [email protected] or [email protected]

Filmstiftung NRW GmbH Kaistr. 14, D-40221 Düsseldorf phone +49-2 11-93 05 00, fax +49-2 11-93 05 05 www.filmstiftung.de email: [email protected]

Medien- und Filmgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg mbH Filmförderung Breitscheidstr. 4, D-70174 Stuttgart phone +49-7 11-90 71 54 00, fax +49-7 11-90 71 54 50 www.film.mfg.de email: [email protected]

Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung GmbH Hainstr. 17-19, D-04109 Leipzig phone +49-3 41-26 98 70, fax +49-3 41-2 69 87 65 www.mdm-foerderung.de email: [email protected] Film Exporters

Members of the German Film Exporters’ Association please contact Lothar Wedel · Tegernseer Landstr. 75 · D-81539 Munich phone +49-89-6 92 06 60 · fax +49-89-6 92 09 10 · email: [email protected]

ARRI Media Worldsales DWF Progress Film-Verleih GmbH please contact Antonio Exacoustos jun. Dieter Wahl Film please contact Christel Jansen Türkenstr. 89 please contact Dieter Wahl Burgstr. 27 D-80799 Munich Sörgelstr. 15b D-10178 Berlin phone +49-89-38 09 12 88 D-81477 Munich phone +49-30-24 00 32 25 fax +49-89-38 09 16 19 phone +49-89-53 27 21 fax +49-30-24 00 32 22 www.arri-mediaworldsales.de fax +49-89-53 12 97 www.progress-film.de email: [email protected] email: [email protected] email: [email protected]

Atlas International Exportfilm Bischoff & Co. GmbH Road Sales GmbH Mediadistribution Film GmbH please contact Jochem Strate, please contact Denise Booth please contact Philip Evenkamp Clausewitzstr. 4 Dieter Menz, Stefan Menz, Christl Blum Isabellastr. 20 D-10629 Berlin Rumfordstr. 29-31 D-80798 Munich phone +49-30-8 80 48 60 D-80469 Munich phone +49-89-2 72 93 60 fax +49-30-88 04 86 11 phone +49-89-21 09 75-0 fax +49-89-27 29 36 36 www.das-werk.de fax +49-89-22 43 32 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] www.atlasfilm.com email: [email protected] german united distributors RRS Entertainment Gesellschaft für Programmvertrieb GmbH Filmlizenzen GmbH Bavaria Film International please contact Silke Spahr please contact Robert Rajber Dept. of Bavaria Media GmbH Richartzstr. 6-8a Sternwartstr. 2 please contact Michael Weber, D-50667 Cologne D-81679 Munich Thorsten Schaumann phone +49-2 21-92 06 90 phone +49-89-2 11 16 60 Bavariafilmplatz 8 fax +49-2 21-9 20 69 69 fax +49-89-21 11 66 11 D-82031 Geiselgasteig email: [email protected] email: [email protected] phone +49-89-64 99 26 86 and fax +49-89-64 99 37 20 Bavaria Media Television Telepool – Europäisches- www.bavaria-film-international.de please contact Rosemarie Dermühl Fernsehprogrammkontor GmbH email: [email protected] Bavariafilmplatz 8 please contact Wolfram Skowronnek D-82031 Geiselgasteig Sonnenstr. 21 Beta Film GmbH phone +49-89-64 99 36 66 D-80331 Munich please contact Dirk Schürhoff fax +49-89-64 99 22 40 phone +49-89-55 87 60 Robert-Buerkle-Str. 2 email: [email protected] fax +49-89-55 87 61 88 D-85737 Ismaning www.telepool.de phone +49-89-99 56 - 21 34 Kinowelt Lizenzverwertungs GmbH email: [email protected] fax +49-89-99 56 - 27 03 A Division of Kinowelt Medien AG www.betafilm.com please contact Jochen Hesse, Transit Film GmbH email: [email protected] Annegret Rönnpag please contact Loy Arnold, Mark Grünthal Schwere-Reiter-Str. 35/Geb. 14 Dachauer Str. 35 cine aktuell D-80797 Munich D-80335 Munich Filmgesellschaft mbH phone +49-89-3 07 96 70 60 phone +49-89-59 98 85-0 please contact Eugen Schaarschmidt, fax +49-89-3 07 96 70 67 fax +49-89-59 98 85-20 Ralf Faust, Axel Schaarschmidt www.kinowelt-world-sales.com email: [email protected] Werdenfelsstr. 81 email: [email protected] D-81377 Munich Uni Media International GmbH & Co. phone +49-89-7 41 34 30 Media Luna Entertainment Produktions- und Vertriebs KG fax +49-89-74 13 43 16 GmbH & Co.KG please contact Irene Vogt email: [email protected] please contact Ida Martins Bayerstr. 15 Hochstadenstr. 1-3 D-80335 Munich Cine-International Filmvertrieb D-50674 Cologne phone +49-89-59 58 46 GmbH & Co. KG phone +49-2 21-1 39 22 22 fax +49-89-5 50 17 01 please contact Lilli Tyc-Holm, Susanne Groh fax +49-2 21-1 39 22 24 email: [email protected] Leopoldstr. 18 email: [email protected] D-80802 Munich [email protected] Waldleitner Media GmbH phone +49-89-39 10 25 please contact Michael Waldleitner, fax +49-89-33 10 89 Metropolis Angela Waldleitner www.cine-international.de Filmvertrieb GmbH Münchhausenstr. 29 email: [email protected] please contact Luciano Gloor D-81247 Munich Schönberger Ufer 71 phone +49-89-55 53 41 D-10785 Berlin fax +49-89-59 45 10 phone +49-30-26 39 56 30 email: [email protected] fax +49-30-26 39 56 59 email: [email protected] 68 The Export-Union of German Cinema – A Profile

The Export-Union of German Cinema is the national information EXPORT-UNION’S RANGE OF ACTIVITIES: and advisory center for the export of German films. It was estab- lished in 1954 as the ”umbrella“ association for the Association of Close cooperation with the major international film German Feature Film Producers, the Association of New German festivals, e.g. Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Montreal, Toronto, Feature Film Producers and the Association of German Film San Sebastian, Tokyo, New York, Locarno, Karlovy Vary; Exporters, and operates today in the legal form of a limited company.

Shareholders in the limited company are the Association of Organization of umbrella stands for German sales companies German Feature Film Producers, the Association of New German and producers at international TV and film markets, e.g. Feature Film Producers, the Association of German Film Exporters MIP-TV, MIPCOM, NATPE, AFM; and the German Federal Film Board (FFA).

The members of the board of the Export-Union of Staging of German Film Weeks in key cities of the interna- German Cinema are: Jochem Strate (chairman), Rolf Bähr, tional film industry (2001: Buenos Aires, London, Los Angeles, Antonio Exacoustos Jr. and Michael Weber. Madrid, Mexico City, New York, Paris, Rome, Warsaw);

The Export-Union itself has nine permanent staff: • Christian Dorsch, managing director Providing advice and information for representatives of • Susanne Reinker, PR manager the international press and buyers from the fields of • Julia Basler, project manager cinema, video, TV; • Angela Hawkins, publications editor • Andrea Rings, assistant to the managing director • Stephanie Weiss, PR assistant Providing advice and information for German filmmakers and • Nicole Kaufmann, project coordinator press on international festivals, conditions of participation • Petra Bader, office manager and German films being shown, e.g. publication of a • Barbara Hirth, accounts comprehensive guide to international film festivals as well as a German film festival guide; In addition, the Export-Union shares foreign representatives in eight countries with the German Federal Film Board (FFA). (cf. page 70) Publication of informational literature on the current German cinema: KINO-Magazine and KINO-Yearbook; The Export-Union’s budget of presently approx. DM 4 million (including projects, administration, foreign representatives) comes from the export levies, monies from the office of the Federal An Internet website (http://www.german-cinema.de) Government Commissioner for Cultural Affairs and the Media, and offering both information about new German films as well the FFA. In addition, the six main economic film funds as a film archive; (Filmboard Berlin-Brandenburg, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, FilmFör- derung Hamburg, Filmstiftung NRW, Medien- and Filmgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg and Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung) have Organization of the selection procedure for the German made a financial contribution, currently amounting to DM 0.45 entry for the OSCAR for Best Foreign Language Film. million, towards the work of the Export-Union. In 1997, the Export- Union and five large economic film funds founded an advisory committee whose goal is the ”concentration of efforts for the The focus of the work: feature films; documentaries with promotion of German film abroad“ (constitution). theatrical potential and shorts that have been invited to the main sections of major festivals. The Export-Union is a founding member of the ”European Film Promotion“, an amalgamation of twenty national film-PR agencies (UNIFRANCE, the Scandinavian film institutes, Italia Cinema, Holland Film, among others) with similar responsibilities to those of the Export-Union. The organization, with its headquarters in Hamburg, aims to develop and realize joint projects for the presentation of European films on an international level. Foreign Representatives

Argentina Italy United Kingdom Dipl. Ing. Gustav Wilhelmi Alessia Ratzenberger Iris Kehr Lavalle 1928 · 1º Piso Angeli Movie Service Top Floor C1051ABD Buenos Aires Piazza Massa Carrara, 6 113-117 Charing Cross Road phone +54-11-49 52 15 37 I-00162 Rome GB-London WC2H ODT phone + fax +54-11-49 51 19 10 phone +39-06-86 20 44 14 / 8 60 54 21 phone +44-20-74 37 20 47 email: [email protected] fax +39-06-8 60 74 75 fax +44-20-74 39 29 47 email: [email protected] email: [email protected]

China & South East Asia Japan USA/East Coast & Canada Lukas Schwarzacher Tomosuke Suzuki Brigitte Hubmann G/F, 71-B Peak Road Nippon Cine TV Corporation 1202 Lexington Avenue, #352 Cheung Chau, Hong Kong Suite 123, Gaien House New York, NY 10028, USA phone +8 52-29 86 85 55 2-2-39 Jingumae phone +1-2 12-4 39-07 70 e-fax +1-240-255-71 60 Tokyo, Shibuya-Ku, Japan fax +1-2 12-4 39-91 93 email: [email protected] phone +81-3-34 05 09 16 email: [email protected] fax +81-3-34 79-08 69 email: [email protected]

France Spain USA/West Coast Cristina Hoffman Stefan Schmitz Corina Danckwerts 33, rue L. Gaillet Avalon Productions S.L. Capture Film, Inc. F-94250 Gentilly C/ Duque de Rivas, 2-2°D 2400 W. Silverlake Drive phone + fax +33-1-49 8644 18 E-28012 Madrid Los Angeles, CA 90039, USA email: [email protected] phone +34-91-3 66 43 64 phone +1-3 23-6 68-01 12 fax +34-91-3 65 93 01 fax +1-3 23-6 68-08 53 email: [email protected] email: [email protected]

Imprint published by: Editors Angela Hawkins, Susanne Reinker

Export-Union des Production Reports Martin Blaney, Simon Kingsley Deutschen Films GmbH Sonnenstr. 21 Contributors for this issue Martin Blaney, Frauke Hanck, Carolina Heske, D-80331 Munich Simon Kingsley, Hans-Günther Pflaum, phone +49-89-5 99 78 70 Stefan Reinecke fax +49-89-59 97 87 30 www.german-cinema.de Translations Lucinda Rennison email: [email protected] Design Group triptychon · agentur für design und kulturkommunikation, Munich ISSN 0948-2547 Art Direction Werner Schauer Credits are not contractual for any of the films mentioned in this publication. Printing Office ESTA-DRUCK GMBH, Obermühlstr. 90, D-82398 Polling © Export-Union des Deutschen Films Financed by the office of the Federal Government Commissioner for Cultural Affairs and the Media. All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made Printed on ecological, unchlorinated paper. without written permission.

70 www. german- cinema. de/

INFORMATION ON GERMAN FILMS.

GERMAN CINEMA

Export-Union des Deutschen Films GmbH Sonnenstrasse 21 · D-80331 Munich · phone +49-89-5 99 78 7 0 · fax +49-89-59 97 87 30 · email: [email protected] Bavaria Film International presents at the fall festivals

MOSTLY MARTHA by Sandra Nettelbeck Locarno International Film Festival Toronto International Film Festival

ENGEL & JOE by Vanessa Jopp

Montreal World Film Festival LEO & CLAIRE by Joseph Vilsmaier

Montreal World Film Festival

HEIDI M. by Michael Klier

Montreal World Film Festival

THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE by Nathalie Steinbart

Montreal World Film Festival

HOW HARRY BECAME A TREE by Goran Paskaljevic Venice International Film Festival Toronto International Film Festival

EMIL & THE DETECTIVES by Franziska Buch

Toronto International Film Festival

INTERNATIONAL Bavaria Media GmbH D-82031 Geiselgasteig Phone +49 - 89 - 64 99 26 86 Fax +49 - 89 - 64 99 37 20 e-Mail [email protected] www.bavaria-film-international.de