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THE SUMMER ISSUE
DIRECTORS Susann Maria Hempel, Christoph Girardet & Matthias Müller PRODUCERS Port-au-Prince Film & Kultur Produktion ACTOR Frederick Lau GERMAN FILMS QUARTERLY 3-2015 S02_Contents_U2_GFQ_3_2015_Layout 1 23.07.15 11:37 Seite 1
CONTENTS GFQ 3-2015
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GFQ 3-2015 CONTENTS IN T H I S I S S U E
SPOTLIGHT ON NEW SHORTS
THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD IN THE JUNGLE OF THE PROVINCES ALLES WIRD GUT A portrait of short film director Susann Maria Hempel ...... 4 EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY Patrick Vollrath ...... 32
ENJOY THE SILENCE MIR FEHLT NICHTS The films of Christoph Girardet and Matthias Müller ...... 6 I DON’T MISS ANYTHING Petra Lottje ...... 32
NEVER ACCEPT THE HORIZON SYMBOLIC THREATS A portrait of Port-au-Prince Film & Kultur Produktion ...... 8 Mischa Leinkauf, Lutz Henke, Matthias Wermke ...... 33
A MARLON BRANDO FROM BERLIN-STEGLITZ A portrait of actor Frederick Lau ...... 10 UPCOMING FILMS
24 WOCHEN Anne Zohra Berrached ...... 34 NEWS & NOTES ...... 12 DIE EINSIEDLER Ronny Trocker ...... 34
NEW FEATURES FUCKING BERLIN Florian Gottschick ...... 34
BLACK WEDDING FÜNF FRAUEN Olaf Kraemer ...... 35 Tom Bohn ...... 17 GEBURT Jessica Krummacher ...... 35 FONOTUNE – AN ELECTRIC FAIRYTALE Fabian Huebner ...... 18 DER GEILSTE TAG Florian David Fitz ...... 35
FREISTATT GRÜSSE AUS FUKUSHIMA Doris Dörrie ...... 36 SANCTUARY Marc Brummund ...... 19 DIE HABENICHTSE Florian Hoffmeister ...... 36 HEIL Dietrich Brüggemann ...... 20 MANN IM SPAGAT Timo Jacobs ...... 36
HERBERT MARIE CURIE Marie Noëlle ...... 37 A HEAVY HEART Thomas Stuber ...... 21 NEBEL IM AUGUST Kai Wessel ...... 37 HIGHWAY TO HELLAS Aron Lehmann ...... 22 RICO, OSKAR UND DER DIEBSTAHLSTEIN Neele Leana Vollmar ...... 37 HÖRDUR – ZWISCHEN DEN WELTEN HÖRDUR – BETWEEN THE WORLDS Ekrem Ergün ...... 23 SALT AND FIRE Werner Herzog ...... 38
DER NACHTMAHR DER TRAUMHAFTE WEG Angela Schanelec ...... 38 Achim Bornhak (AKIZ) ...... 24 DIE VAMPIRSCHWESTERN 3 Tim Trachte ...... 38 OREGON PINE Nicolai Max Hahn ...... 25 Shareholders & Supporters ...... 41 DER STAAT GEGEN FRITZ BAUER THE PEOPLE VS. FRITZ BAUER Lars Kraume ...... 26 Film Exporters ...... 42
THE TRAPP FAMILY – A LIFE OF MUSIC Imprint ...... 43 Ben Verbong ...... 27
VERFEHLUNG THE CULPABLE Gerd Schneider ...... 28
VOLL PAULA! FULL PAULA! Malte Wirtz ...... 29
WIR MONSTER WE MONSTERS Sebastian Ko ...... 30
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SPOTLIGHT ON DIRECTOR SUSANN MARIA HEMPEL GFQ 3-2015 A PORTRAIT OF SHORT FILM DIRECTOR SUSANN MARIA HEMPEL
THE WHOLE Henne © Samuel photo WIDE WORLD IN THE JUNGLE OF THE PROVINCES 4 S04-05_PORTRAIT DIRECTOR SUSANN MARIA HEMPEL_Layout 1 20.07.15 12:48 Seite 2
GFQ 3-2015 SPOTLIGHT ON DIRECTOR SUSANN MARIA HEMPEL
SEVEN TIMES A DAY WE BEMOAN graduation film entitled THE MAN WHO DID OUR LOT AND AT NIGHT WE GET UP NOT WANT TO CRY, presented in 2009, is a TO AVOID DREAMING – a short piece Kafkaeske parable about social pressure to Swith a long title, which caused a conform. Its choreographic style already national and an international sensation in points towards THE WORLD IN STILLNESS 2014. CLOUDED but is still bound to a traditional fable structure. Quite the contrary must be No other German short film has manag ed to said of THE BIRDS II dating from 2010: setting gather more prizes over the past year. Among the piece to a soundtrack of electronic music others, it won the major awards in the by pioneer Oskar Sala – who also comes from German competitions at festivals in Dresden, Greiz – and using a high-speed camera Hamburg, Osnabrück and Ober hausen, went develop ed for scientific purposes, Hempel on to triumph at the Com pétition Labo in conceived a video-triptych in which the Clermont-Ferrand, and finally received the insects of the title are the graceful pro - prize as Best Experimental Film at the tagonists. An ironic miniature setting is German Short Film Awards 2014. This series employed to create a surprising correlation of successes was surprising for several between their activities and the human – the reasons. For one thing, here a young film - all too human. maker suddenly appeared on the scene, who had been seen very little before in the tightly THE BIG ROT (2012) recounts the disappear - networked field of short filmmaking. Susann ance of a highly traditional, provincial Maria Hempel did not study at one of the theater. This experimental documentary film major film academies, and her previous concentrates very seriously on irreversible Scenes from SEVEN TIMES A DAY WE BEMOAN OUR LOT works had not been shown at festivals or even cultural-historical losses. Any sentimentality AND AT NIGHT WE GET UP TO AVOID DREAMING noticed very much. is cancelled out by the work’s visual- analytical design. Then THE WORLD IN In her multiple-prize-winn ing film she also STILLNESS CLOUDED: various people busy The many awards of the past year have crea- deals with an obviously dark subject, wrapped with ritualized actions inside impenetrably ted an ambivalent situation for Susann Maria in a highly experimental form. Her “story of inter connected interiors. Doors open and Hempel. On the one hand, they mean she can the passion of an EU-pensioner from Eastern close against all logic, perspectives are keep her independence; on the other hand, of Thuringia” is based on taped protocols recor- penetrated layer by layer, leading the viewer’s course, she must bear the growing pressures ded in a small town in East Germany over the gaze astray repeatedly. A paralyzed society of expectation. It is hugely important for her course of several years. (In this context, EU has become entrenched in this hermetic to take the opportunity presented, deciding does not refer to the “European Union” but to scenario. It operates using practiced without haste what genre, technique and “Erwerbsunfähigkeit” – incapacity to work.) gestures, its home situated in the settings of film-length are best suited to her next project. a supposedly better age, conjuring up a Her small œuvre to date already constitutes The texts, newly recorded by Hempel herself, solidarity that probably never existed at all. a huge enrichment of the German film world. unfold as a sequence of minor handicaps and major tragedies, circling around illness, Overall, Susann Maria Hempel’s short films Dr. Claus Löser loneli ness, imprisonment, and abuse. The are characterized by their stylistic diversity – distinction between victims and perpetrators nevertheless, they reveal a powerful indi - blurs increasingly. In a cabinet of horrors and vidual signature. In this context, again it is marvels – an “exploding doll’s house” (jury striking that the artist cannot be assigned to statement, Oberhausen) – she conjures these any school or group. She is a loner. Perhaps traumas, finding for them images, words and her most discernible intellectual affinity is to sounds that will continue to haunt the viewer the great animation filmmakers of Eastern long afterwards, showing a great deal but ex- Europe (like Jan Švankmajer, Zbigniew plaining nothing. Rybczyński or Walerian Borowczyk), who were capable – in the middle of the Cold War – of The filmmaker’s success did not suddenly creating their own artificial universes and come from nowhere, of course. Several no setting them up in opposition to the misery of less innovative works preceded her success- Socialist Realism. ful film, consistently preparing an individual creative signature. Born in Greiz in southern The fact that Hempel returned to her home Thuringia in 1983, Hempel was initially a town Greiz after her studies possibly reflects member of the artists’ group Theaterhaus a similarly positioned, anti-cyclic attitude of Weimar. During her study of Media Design/ resistance. At first sight, this autobio - Media Art at the Bauhaus University in graphical background reveals little to rejoice Weimar she worked on some of her fellow in: de-industrialization, young people moving students’ film projects and soon made her away, the associated erosion of society – it is own initial attempts as a filmmaker. difficult to find East Germany’s “blooming landscapes” in this location. However, the The experimental film PELÍCULA was pro - filmmaker’s creative energy and originality duced in 2007, following the tradition of are so immense that they easily navigate formally avant-garde works by Stan around the shallows of mere accusation. Scenes from THE BIG ROT Brakhage, for example. The Spanish word These films hold out re markably and “Película” is understood here in its admirably against the trend, setting a mark double meaning of both skin and film. Her of enduring tenacity.
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SPOTLIGHT ON DIRECTORS CHRISTOPH GIRARDET & MATTHIAS MÜLLER GFQ 3-2015 ENJOY THE SILENCE THE FILMS OF CHRISTOPH GIRARDET AND MATTHIAS MÜLLER
n the vast array of film genres, from And yet Girardet and Müller are more than (1990) convey a far more acute sense of per- mainstream to experimental, you may be merely dry formalists, curating what has gone sonal narrative, often relying on spoken word forgiven for thinking that the area of work before. Far from being a sterile evisceration accompaniment or even amateur found foot - Ithat uses ’found footage’ could be con - of classic tropes and clichés, their work uses age in their explorations of sexuality and sidered redundant, especially in a post-You- technical skill and an almost encyclopaedic relation ships. Tube world filled with mash-ups, parodies knowledge of the classics to create poignant and digital manipulation. And yet, while commentary on longing, space and mystery, Their working relationship was born in 1999 the work of Christoph Girardet and Matthias often delivered with barbed humor that belies when Müller was called upon to contribute to Müller has its basis in such a methodology, it the arena in which they operate. As Girardet a major group show exploring Hitchcock’s im- has long been recognized as being far more says: “The absence of a narrative (in a literary pact on contemporary art and realized that profound and prescient than the mere pick ’n’ manner) doesn’t necessarily mean the ab- the workload (and the themes) involved de- mix trappings of pop culture. sence of dramaturgy or structure. So I manded the contributions of a second artist. wouldn’t call this formalism.” This first work, PHOENIX TAPES, was a sextet With their partnership now in its sixteenth of themed shorts, each using re peated motifs year – long predating the digital zeitgeist – The pair’s early solo works shared a predilec- from the master’s catalogue to highlight the Christoph Girardet and Matthias Müller’s tion for similar working methods – a ’horizon- language of symbols and gestures used re- names have become a common sight in the tal’ rather than traditional ’linear’ approach’ peatedly by Hitchcock as well as creating a lists of the prize winners and critically-ac - to a film’s narrative arc. A simplified overview newer language entirely their own. claimed on the international experimental of solo both past and present work might festival circuit. Their films often contain pain- point to Girardet’s films demonstrating more Indeed, it’s important to the duo that the pre- stakingly edited and researched footage, technical panache and a sense of ’space’ or cision and expertise used in compiling these taken from the vast wealth of 20th century silence. His SIXTY SECONDS (2002) combines short films never manages to obscure the filmmaking and re-contextualized to tease tiny clips of the second hands of watches to personal themes and more emotional out new meanings and emotions. The co- mark out a minute in real time; pre-dating aspects reflected in the work. Müller says: creators’ explore these darker or concealed Christian Marclay’s notorious THE CLOCK by “There’s a lot of talking before we decide on aspects of film language, often unveiling hid- nearly a decade. Meanwhile, work such as a theme, and whatever subject we chose is den meanings by the random juxtaposition of PIANOFORTE (2007) or ABSENCE (2002) com- based on the intersection of our personal ex- similar themes such as childhood (METEOR, pile classic Hollywood footage, paired with his periences. No matter how visible they are: 2011), sight and perception (CONTRE-JOUR, own personal interest in minimalism, to draw those personal issues are more than a back- 2009 and MAYBE SIAM, 2009), memory the viewer into the work’s enigmatic silences. drop to our artistic practice; they deeply in- (BEACON, 2002), bodily mutilation (CUT, Conversely, Müller’s early works such as fluence any artistic decision made. However, 2013), or travel (LOCOMOTIVE, 2008). SLEEPY HAVEN (1994) or HOME STORIES both of us need to be affected and to feel Christoph Girardet, Matthias Müller (photo © Kristina Tieke) © Kristina (photo Müller Matthias Girardet, Christoph
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GFQ 3-2015 SPOTLIGHT ON DIRECTORS CHRISTOPH GIRARDET & MATTHIAS MÜLLER
challenged by the matters addressed by us to John Smith, creator of experimental land- a similar extent.” mark pieces such as THE GIRL CHEWING GUM (1976). Girardet and Müller’s work can work its magic on the viewer in several subtle and in- And always there’s the sense of playfulness genious ways. The cumulative effect of re - at the heart of Girardet and Müller’s work. petition and reiteration can simulate dream This humor often comes counteracted by states, while often the links between the other darker emotions, tragedy, or even pieces of found footage lead one through an sheer dread. Their 2003 collaboration, PLAY, ever-changing narrative thread that unfolds manages to be at first amusing, as its prota- like a maze. gonists (various members of theater audi- ences picked from feature films) are made to This portrayal also demands repeated view - interact via sardonic editing, but gradually
ings, which explains why you’re equally likely leaves them abandoned in empty, silent Scene from CONTRE-JOUR to see the pair’s work represented within the theaters or alone in their elitist boxes. Simi- more contemplative surroundings of Euro- larly, in MAYBE SIAM a series of clips portray- screen to juxtapose scenes of railway travel, pean art galleries as in a screening room: ing blind characters are literally cut adrift creating an imaginary journey which calls on their work has featured in many major inter- from the accompanying soundtracks, which some of the duo’s favorite themes once more, national exhibitions including, in 2014, a huge play separately to a black screen and wryly as though they were stops along the way: the retrospective at Hannover’s Kunstverein: Tell emulate the protagonist’s plight. The film’s landscape of dreams (filled with crashing Me What You See. As Müller himself explains, title comes from a Perry Como song that lists locomotives), the pain of parting, the poetry this appreciation of their work in a less hectic the world’s marvellous sights that the film’s of motion and the mechanics of travel by rail. context is crucial to a truer understanding: “It subject will never see: In its format this may be their most ’cinema- obviously needs repeated viewing to figure tic’ of works. It echoes the widescreen glories this out; a single festival screening is just not ’They call me a dreamer, well maybe I am./ of Kubrick or Abel Gance while still perfor- enough. This is one reason why we like to But I know that I’m burnin’ to see. /Those far ming some kind of alchemical magic that have our work displayed in galleries and away places with the strange-soundin’ names/ produces more than the sum of its parts. This museums: this context invites viewers to re- Callin’, callin’ me…’ may be attributable to the pair’s fluid working visit works already watched. To me, this also procedures as outlined by Müller: “Our roles says something about the ongoing crisis of Matthias Müller regards this aspect as a are not fixed; they may shift and even re- film criticism: professional critics are being necessary outcome of the pair’s working verse… Over the course of 16 years, I’ve underpaid… they need to produce a lot to methods: “As long as our work revolves always thought that what I can contribute survive. Dense, disparate and complex works around the dismantling of stereotypes of benefits from Christoph’s influence and that such as ours, films that offer multiple read - cinematic representation, there often is a I do not sacrifice anything. In other words: ings, are easily reduced to one simple alleged humorous, ironic, sometimes sarcastic un- what we talk about here is not a shared, but a theme in this situation. The most rewarding dertone to our work. It’s easier for us to laugh doubled authorship.” and thoughtful reviews and in depth explora- about phenomena seemingly detached from tions we have received lately were either from us… until we realize that objects in the rear film scholars or bloggers.” view mirror may be closer than they appear. In our more recent works, the succession of The pair’s methodology has evolved to images is pretty unpredictable in part. A motif include more post-production manipulation may pop up so unexpectedly, that this effect (KRISTALL, 2006) or even actors or narration may be compared to that of a startling punch- such as those used as punctuation in their ex- line. Such effect makes your synapses work amination of the roles of sight and perception faster. Ideally, this generates both amuse- in narrative, CONTRE-JOUR (2008). More ment and cognition – which are closely linked recently, METEOR (2011) draws on more in many found footage films.” obscure (and fanciful) material such as Eastern European science fiction to piece to- This humor is always balanced with a sense gether a moving meditation on childhood, ac- of loss and longing. The artists’ most lavish
companied by the voice of none other than work, LOCOMOTIVE (2008), uses a tripartite Scene from METEOR
This doubling of the artistic input may well be why their work always leaves one with a sense of the profound, drawn from the personal: liberating the poetry of mainstream imagery from the banality of commercialism and back into the realm of art.
Chris Jones
Scene from KRISTALL
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SPOTLIGHT ON PORT-AU-PRINCE FILM & KULTUR PRODUKTION GFQ 3-2015 NEVER ACCEPT THE HORIZON A PORTRAIT OF PORT-AU-PRINCE FILM & KULTUR PRODUKTION
Never accept the horizon“ – “From the very outset, the idea of a harbor After premiering in the Berlinale’s Competi- “ that’s the motto Oliver Rihs and creative factory was something that I wel- tion in 2014, JACK was sold to 10 territories and René Römert took to heart comed with open arms,“ recalls Krüger, who worldwide and, to date, has opened theatri- Nwhen they set up their pro - studied Production at the University of Film & cally in France, Spain and Japan, in addition duction house Port-au-Prince Film & Kultur Television (HFF) in Babelsberg. “Everyone to the release by Camino Filmverleih in Ger- Produktion in 2008 as a “harbor for travelers who comes into this harbor should have the many. united by a single passion – film!“ freedom to realize their project as they desire and along with other people they meet here.“ The company’s output is eclectic, moving With their idea of a “Creative Factory“, they He points as illustration to the example of from Oliver Rihs’ comedies BLACK SHEEP wanted to provide fellow professionals from Edward Berger’s last feature film JACK which and DANCING LANZELOT to such docu- the film industry with a platform for the ani- won the Silver Lola for Best Feature Film at mentaries as Noel Dernesch and Moritz mated exchange of ideas “to make films that this year’s German Film Awards in June and Springer’s award-winning JOURNEY TO JAH entertain and inspire their audience. Films was also nominated for Best Screenplay and – now available in 80 territories on iTunes – that dare to be different, be it in terms of con- Best Director. “JACK turned out so well be- and Olli Waldhauer and Farid Eslam’s tent, visually, or in the way they are created.“ cause both Eddie and his co-author Nele ISTANBUL UNITED which premiered in Mueller-Stöfen as well as the cinematog - Karlovy Vary’s competition last year. In 2010, Rihs and Römert were joined by rapher Jens Harant were able to realize the the creative producer/dramaturg Melanie film with that necessary freedom which we Moreover, following the harbor analogy, Möglich and Jan Krüger as partners, with could give them at Port-au-Prince,“ he ob - Port-au-Prince also provides “shelter“ for a Krüger taking over sole responsibility of serves. growing number of filmmakers and pro - manag ing the production activities from April ducers. A new arrival is writer-director 2014. Hannes Stoehr, known for such films as Jan Krüger (photo © Winfried Veil) © Winfried (photo Krüger Jan
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GFQ 3-2015 SPOTLIGHT ON PORT-AU-PRINCE FILM & KULTUR PRODUKTION
Karl “Baumi“ Baumgartner and is now managed by Andreas Pichler in Bolzano. ÖTZI – DER MANN AUS DEM EIS (working title) will be directed by Felix Randau (co-author with Martin Persiel of KOLIBRI) and will feature
JACKA Film by EDWARD BERGER & NELE MUELLER-STÖFEN Jürgen Vogel as the victim of the world’s longest ever unsolved crime story from 5,000 years ago. “We are planning ÖTZI to be a film coming out of Europe that is relevant for the whole world,“ Krüger explains. “After all, the museum about Ötzi attracts some 3 million visitors a year, so this story is very well known internationally. He was on the front covers of Der Spiegel and Time and as far afield as Japan.“ Development support came from South Tyrol’s BLS regional fund and the pro- ject was one of the first recipients of the newly created German-Italian Co-Develop-
A PORT-AU-PRINCE Production ment Fund.
WITH IVO PIETZCKER, GEORG ARMS, LUISE HEYER, NELE MUELLER-STÖFEN, ODINE JOHNE, VINCENT REDETZKI, JACOB MATSCHENZ
A PORT-AU-PRINCE FILM PRODUCTION IN CO-PRODUCTION WITH CINE PLUS, MIXTVISION, NEUE BIOSKOP & ZERO WEST
WRITTEN BY EDWARD BERGER & NELE MUELLER-STÖFEN DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY JENS HARANT SET DESIGN CHRISTIANE ROTHE COSTUME DESIGN ESTHER WALZ MAKE UP MILENA PFLEIDERER
EDITING JANINA HERHOFFER SOUND PETER SCHMIDT SOUND DESIGN KIRSTEN KUNHARDT MIX HOLGER LEHMANN MUSIC CHRISTOPH M. KAISER & JULIAN MAAS
CASTING SIMONE BÄR LINE PRODUCER JUDITH BARTHEL CO-PRODUCERS ANDREAS EICHER, HELGE NEUBRONNER, FRANK EVERS, SEBASTIAN ZEMBOL, Apart from overseeing Port-au-Prince’s pro-
DIETMAR GÜNTSCHE, WOLFGANG BEHR, MARTIN HAGEMANN EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT GEORG STEINERT, JÖRG HIMSTEDT PRODUCED BY JAN KRÜGER & RENÉ RÖMERT DIRECTED BY EDWARD BERGER duction activities, Krüger was also instru- WWW.JACK-FILM.DE Foto: Joachim Gern Plakatgestaltung: Tina Obladen Tina Joachim Gern Plakatgestaltung: Foto: mental in setting up the distribution arm Port-au-Prince Pictures in 2012. “I’ve always found it important to follow what happens to BERLIN IS IN GERMANY, BERLIN CAL LING, the films after they are completed and to International Film Festival at the beginning of and GLOBAL PLAYER, who is now develop ing learn how you reach those audiences who are July. a “political love story“ based on true events not necessarily the core cineaste target between an American and a German woman group,“ he adds. “However, it was hard to Future releases by the distribution arm in Bavaria. Entitled ANNA, the project has al- wear both the production and distribution will include Theresa von Eltz’s 4 KINGS by ready received script funding and is set to hats,“ Krüger admits, “and I had the great for- C-Films about a Christmas with a difference shoot next year. tune in finding Leila Hamid to take over the for four teenagers spending the holidays in a running of the distribution arm.“ Hamid wor- psychiatric clinic, starring Jella Haase, Euro- And Martin Persiel is in development on a ked for seven years as Head of Marketing at pean Shooting Star Jannis Niewöhner and futuristic vision of Brazil in the year 2035 in X Verleih with responsibility for handling Clemens Schick, SCHROTTEN by the pro - KOLIBRI, centering on a girl and her termi- campaigns on films as diverse as Michael mising director Max Zähle who previously won nally ill and mentally disturbed brother Hum- Haneke’s THE WHITE RIBBON and the the Student Oscar® for his film RAJU, and mingbird as they make one final journey to Oscar®-winning AMOUR and Jan-Ole Ger- Rihs’ DER AFFENKÖNIG, among others. find untarnished nature as it was in their ster’s OH BOY. childhood. “We are currently in negotiations with a While the distribution arm handled in-house strong partner for booking and billing for a In addition, Krüger is working with Cyril productions such as BLACK SHEEP and long-term partnership to handle our films,“ Tuschi on the long gestating LEAKS (working DATING LANZELOT and the documentary Krüger reveals. “DER AFFENKÖNIG has a title) which has seen cooperation from Julian ISTANBUL UNITED, the modest portfolio has great crossover potential, especially when you Assange from his bolthole in the Ecuadorean expanded to include such titles as Tom Sho- see that we should be able to build on the fol- Embassy in London. “After another film ap- val’s Berlinale entry YOUTH and Rick Oster- lowing for Oliver’s debut BLACK SHEEP. The peared on this subject, we completely re- mann’s WOLFSKINDER which premiered in film was released with only seven prints and structured the development,“ Krüger recalls. Venice and won the Bernhard Wicki Peace reached nearly 100,000 cinema-goers.“ “The action is now set in Germany and the Prize - The Bridge as well as the Best New story will focus more on the reasons behind Director trophy at the New Faces Awards in And if you’re wondering why the company becoming a whistleblower.“ June. chose Port-au-Prince for its name, Krüger has a romantic explanation: “the founders This summer will already see principal Meanwhile, the decision to pick up the Bul - thought that the name covered numerous photogr aphy beginning on Oliver Rihs’ new garian thriller TILT for German cinema re- elements: suffering, beauty of the landscape, feature, DER AFFENKÖNIG, with an impres- lease came after Krüger met the producer the earthquake, struggle for survival, love and sive cast line-up including Hans Jochen Borislav Chouchkov when they were both hope – and the place was swarming with Wagner, Marc Hosemann, Julie Böwe, Oliver participating in the EU-funded producers pirates. What’s more, it’s has been a name Korittke and Samuel Finzi. “Ten years after training program Ateliers du Cinéma Euro- that people can remember easily,“ he says. his debut BLACK SHEEP, Oliver returns to the péen (ACE). One thing led to another and lowdown Berlin characters which populated Krüger joined forces with Chouchkov to Martin Blaney that film and has them coming together – this launch the Leipzig-based elemag pictures time with their families in tow – in a pictur - which is managed by Bulgarian-born Tanja esque part of France.“ Georgieva and concentrates on producing documentaries. A case in point is the outfit’s The international dimension is also reflected latest production, ONCE UPON A DREAM – in another project the company is developing, A JOURNEY TO THE LAST SPAGHETTI this time with the Italian production outfit WESTERN by Tonislav Hristov, which had its Echo Film which was co-founded by the late international premiere at the Karlovy Vary
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SPOTLIGHT ON ACTOR FREDERICK LAU GFQ 3-2015
A MARLON BRANDO FROM BERLIN- STEGLITZ A PORTRAIT OF ACTOR FREDERICK LAU photo © Nadja Klier/photoselection © Nadja photo 10 S10-11_A PORTRAIT OF ACTOR FREDERICK LAU.qxp_Layout 1 20.07.15 10:00 Seite 2
GFQ 3-2015 SPOTLIGHT ON ACTOR FREDERICK LAU
hat kind of a person is Frederick Lau should know. He is an expert in Frederick Lau? That can German film: although a mere 25 years old, be shown in a flash: simply he has been involved already in the making of Wby watching the moment, at more than 70 film and television productions. the presentation of the 65th German Film And yet his film career began rather by Awards in Berlin, when he was announced as chance. As a nine-year-old boy he responded the winner of the prize for Best Actor for his to a newspaper advert for his first role. A role in VICTORIA. His name is called out, and sporty-looking lad was required for a pro - first he thanks his team along with their duction for children’s television. He got the director, Sebastian Schipper. But then, in- job. And that’s how it all started. stead of going straight on stage as expected in such situations, he rushes over to his com- Frederick Lau has a firm handshake and a petitors, Christian Friedel and Hanno Koffler muscular, well-trained body. He is not the – also nominated in the category Best Actor intellectual artist type. On the contrary, the – and embraces them. And he does it so impression he gives is that of a sportsman. quickly that the television cameras are unable And he would certainly have been talented to follow him. That’s typical of Frederick Lau. enough for a career as a professional With one sympathetic gesture, he casts aside sportsman. As a teenager he was a Berlin the director’s instructions and the protocol of champion, not only in ice hockey but also in the gala award ceremony, just to share his judo. “I thought everything to do with sport triumph with others and to truly live the mo- was terrific. It gave me everything,” Frederick ment. Lau recalls. “Sport was my ‘happy place’. I had ice hockey training every day, and after He repeatedly succeeds in this in front of that I often went to judo as well. And at the the cameras, as well: from one second to weekends there were league games or com- the next, he can seem so hard and then make petitions. It was hard, but the elixir of life as such a gentle impression. It’s a meta - far as I was concerned.” morphosis reminiscent of the young Marlon Brando. Only Frederick Lau comes from the But then a time came when he was being of- Berlin district of Steglitz, as you can hear as fered more and more roles, and he had to soon as you meet him. He was born there, and choose. With a heavy heart, he abandoned his he doesn’t think it’s at all unusual that he still chance to make a career as an ice hockey pro- lives there today: “I like it there, it’s wonder- fessional: “If only it were possible, I would like ful. That’s my home,” Frederick Lau says, to do both. But that’s unrealistic because of laughing. “Yes, of course, I do go out quite my shooting timetable. It’s a shame, isn’t it, often with the lads in Neukölln or Kreuzberg. that you always have to make choices in life.” But I need the peace and quiet in Steglitz.” Well, he made the right choice. His film The actor has a liking for characters that are career is growing in interest and success broken, outsiders or those with problems. “I from year to year. Meanwhile, he is one of the have an analogy there: in a bar, I would be most sought-after actors of his generation, more interested in the lonely beer drinker having impressed critics and audiences alike than in the sociable, good-looking man in a with films like Dennis Gansel’s drama THE suit,” the actor says. “I don’t find normality WAVE (2008) or Philip Koch’s PICCO (2010). particularly stimulating. Really good stories The range of emotions he can show on the big are always about something people experi- screen is quite astonishing. Not only is he ca- ence or live through. I enjoy telling the stories pable of drama, but also of comedy – as de- of rough, sharp-edged characters. I get more monstrated this year in TRAUMFRAUEN and out of that.” in Oskar Roehler’s tragicomedy PUNK.
It’s a man like this that he plays in VICTORIA, He has given up sport. However, the time as a feature film – made in a single take – about a top sportsman continues to shape his a bank robbery after a night partying in character, even today. He always regarded Berlin. Two hours and twenty minutes long, his success as Berlin ice hockey and judo the work received six Lolas at this year’s Ger- champion as a team achievement. And he is man Film Award ceremony, and it is very im- still a team player to the present day. portant to Frederick Lau – for several reasons. “I am a team player, in film as well,” the 25- year-old actor declares. “I work together with “German film has incredible potential and we my team to achieve success or to create a need to get bolder still, to exhaust all its good product. And I would never manage possibilities,” the actor explains. “We can tell with out them.” many more stories, and very different ones. If people unleash their imagination, in the end Bettina Aust something fantastic will emerge from that, something like VICTORIA. I am immensely proud of this film.” photo © Nadja Klier/photoselection © Nadja photo 11 S12-15_News_3_2015_Layout 1 23.07.15 11:47 Seite 1
NEWS & NOTES GFQ 3-2015 NEWS1 & NOTES
director German Films: “The German Films were packed screenings also for Oliver 1 Previews have once again demonstrated Hirschbiegel with his drama 13 MINUTES, themselves to be an excellent platform for which was followed by long and intensive GERMAN FILMS PREVIEWS 2015 making deals and having productive discus- discussions with the audience. The film was IN DRESDEN sions.” released by StudioCanal in the United King- dom mid-July. THE CHAMBERMAID LYNN by For the third time, the German Films Pre- Ingo Haeb received a warm welcome and views returned to the city of Dresden. During young German short filmmaker Julia Stiebert three days over 80 distributors and buyers introduced her debut A MOTHER’S LOVE. from more than 35 countries had the oppor- Burhan Qurbani (WE ARE YOUNG. WE ARE tunity to screen 15 new German films in the STRONG.) and Cem Kaya (REMAKE, REMIX, theater and see additional titles provided 2 RIP-OFF) were also very well received. The through an extensive DVD library. The event festival offered daily networking events for the proved to be the perfect setting for effective GERMAN GUESTS IN EDINBURGH German guests in order to meet other inter- networking and several deals and negotiati- national directors and filmmakers attending ons were made on site: BECK’S LAST SUM- After last year’s focus on German cinema at the festival. One highlight was the famous MER was sold to Korea, the dramas A the Edinburgh International Film Festival, Scottish dancing experience Ceilidh. BREATH, A HEAVY HEART, COCONUT HERO, again a large number of contemporary works DER NACHTMAHR and the comedy HIGHWAY with a total number of 19 German films and TO HELLAS generated a lot of interest as well. international co-productions were shown in An additional highlight for distributors who Scotland. All German screenings were UK had bought 13 MINUTES by Oliver Hirsch - premieres. German Films supported the biegel was the opportunity to talk to lead presence of director Telemach Wiesinger actor Christian Friedel about the film’s re- who introduced his experimental film lease in their respective territories. Invita - KALEIDO SCOPE as a world premiere. Jochen tions to Korea, Taiwan, Japan and the UK Alexander Freydank presented KAFKA’S THE were issued. Mariette Rissenbeek, managing BURROW in two sold-out screenings. There
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German Films Previews 2015 in Dresden (photo © Tobias Sauer) Oliver Hirschbiegel (photo © Nicole Kaufmann)
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GFQ 3-2015 NEWS & NOTES 3 5
Christian Wagner, Mariette Rissenbeek, Lilith Stangenberg, Maike Schantz, Christoph Hochhäusler (photo © Alberto Nevado)
tion of the festival also featured a special Focus opened with SANCTUARY by Marc 3 presentation of the restored classic THE Brummund, which celebrated its inter - CABINET OF DR. CALIGARI by Robert national premiere in Shanghai at a packed NEW ADMISSIONS RECORD IN MADRID Wiene. In collaboration with Bertelsmann, cinema with 400 cinema-goers. The film’s the screening was transformed into a very lead actor Alexander Held answered the The Festival of German Films in Madrid con- special event thanks to the live musical ac- questions from the audience in a very lively tinued its successful run into 2015 and – with companiment by the well-known DJ Raphaël Q&A and satisfied many requests for auto- an additional day this year – was even able to Marionneau, which attracted a large young graphs and photos. Producer Leopold increase the remarkable admission figures audience with over 700 admissions alone. Hoesch was also delighted with two sold-out of last year’s edition. Over 6,000 spectators – screenings in the documentary section for almost 1,500 more than in 2014 – came to the NOWITZKI: THE PERFECT SHOT by director Cine Palafox from 9 to 14 June 2015 to dis - Sebastian Dehnhart. Around 170 guests from cover new German cinema. The press reac- the international film industry came together tion was considerable, including extensive in the garden of the residence of the German reports in the two biggest daily newspapers consul-general Peter Rothen for a reception of El Pais and El Mundo. For the first time, a 4 to honor the German films at the festival. four-week online festival then followed from They included buyers, producers, represen- 15 June in collaboration with the Spanish VoD GERMAN FOCUS IN SHANGHAI tatives of international film festivals and the platform filmin. Yet another new theatrical international press as well as members release was announced for a German film in The Shanghai International Film Festival and of the delegation of the BRIDGING THE the important Spanish market: WHO AM I – German Films have enjoyed many years of DRAGON initiative aimed at bringing Euro- NO SYSTEM IS SAFE by Baran bo Odar was working well together. The festival has pean and Chinese producers together. not only shown at the festival, but was also existed for the past 18 years and German discovered during the selection period and Films has been a partner for the program’s bought for Spanish cinemas by the jury German focus for the last 12 years. This year member Luis Gisbert from the distributor saw numerous guests presenting eight Abordar Casa de Películas. This year’s edi- German films at the festival. The German
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Press conference in Shanghai: Dennis Ruh, Alexander Held, Jochen A. Freydank, Tomasz E. Rudzik, Florian Mischa Böder (photo © SIFF)
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NEWS & NOTES GFQ 3-2015
& Europa Cinemas Label Award), THE WED- 5 NESDAY CHILD (by Lili Vorváth, East of the West Award & FEDEORA Award), and BOX (FIPRESCI Award).
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FFF BAYERN GREETS GUESTS FROM CANADA IN CANNES
Around 60 guests followed FilmFernseh- Fonds Bayern’s invitation to their annual Business Lunch this year in Cannes. FFF
On the set of FRITZ BAUER in NRW (photo © zero one film) managing director Klaus Schaefer welcomed an international crowd, including Carolle Brabant (president of Telefilm Canada), Karen National Socialist race ideology in 1942. The Thorne-Stone (CEO of the Ontario Media 5 film, shooting in Warstein, is being produced Development Corporation), and Monique by Collina Filmproduktion, with Sebastian Simard (CEO of SODEC). Producers from GERMAN CONTEMPORARY HISTORY Koch, Fritzi Haberlandt, and Titus Pünder in various regions in Canada and Bavaria were PRODUCED IN NRW the leading roles. also among the guests of this year’s event, in- cluding Wasiliki Bleser (Starhaus Filmpro- The Film- und Medienstiftung NRW is in - duktion) whose FFF-funded film THE GIRL volved in three elaborate film productions KING will be released in US cinemas this year. dealing with German contemporary history – The Bavarian-Canadian-Swedish-Finnish co- and all three were shot in North Rhine- production was realized with Tryptich Media Westphalia. THE PEOPLE VS. FRITZ BAUER 6 (Canada) and Galafilm (Montreal) under the (director: Lars Kraume), which was shot in direction of Mika Kaurismäki with a star- Cologne and Düsseldorf, portrays the life of ANNIVERSARY & AWARDS studded cast in Turku and Bavaria. Michael the Attorney General Fritz Bauer and his role IN KARLOVY VARY Coldewey, who recently opened a branch of- in the investigation of Nazi war crimes. zero fice of his company Trixter in Toronto and pro- one produced the film together with Terz This year’s main competition at the 50th duced the FFF-funded TV format HEXE LILLI Film, WDR, HR and ARTE, with Burghart Karlovy Vary International Film Festival wel- as a Bavarian-Canadian co-production with Klaußner, Ronald Zehrfeld and Lilith comed three productions from Germany: Viva Vision (Montreal), was also on hand. Stangenberg in the leading roles. Hans HEIL by Dietrich Brüggemann, which cele- Constantin Film, represented at the lunch by Steinbichler’s adaptation of ANNE FRANK is brated its international premiere, as well as Martin Moszkowicz and Christine Rothe, shot the first German film about the life of the the co-productions BABAI by Visar Morina parts of LOVE, ROSIE (which was seen by over young woman who hid from the Nazis with (DE/XK/MK/FR) and BOX by Florin Serban 500,000 cinemagoers in Germany last year) in her family in Amsterdam. Zeitsprung (FR/DE/RO). In total, eight German films and Toronto. Another big Constantin Film project, Pictures and Spektrum Pictures are pro - co-productions were invited to screen in the RESIDENT EVIL, shot several parts in Toronto, ducing together with Universal Pictures and various competition sections and numerous Brampton, Hamilton and Winnipeg. Con - shooting in Cologne as well as other loca - other German productions were program- stantin Film is also currently producing the tions. In FOG IN AUGUST, director Kai Wessel med in other festival sections. And there was fantasy series SHOWDOWHUNTERS (based approaches the subject of euthanasia during plenty of reason to celebrate: not only the on the best-sellers The Mortal Instruments) the Third Reich with the story of Ernst Lossa 50th anniversary of the prestigious festival, for the US cable channel ABC Family and is (14) who gets caught up in the wheels of but also the awards for BABAI (Best Director shooting in Toronto.
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The HEIL team in Karlovy Vary (photo © KVIFF) Élaine Dumont, Klaus Schaefer, Monique Simard and Martin Moszkowicz (photo © FFF Bayern/ Kurt Krieger)
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GFQ 3-3015 NEWS & NOTES 8 4
Mariette Rissenbeek, Klaus Schaefer, Vered Heller, Dieter Kosslick, Katriel Schory in Jerusalem (photo © Nir Shaanani)
TRENKER AND RIEFENSTAHL – A FINE LINE the Seattle International Film Festival. 8 BETWEEN TRUTH AND GUILT by Wolfgang SYMBOLIC THREATS by Mischa Leinkauf, Murnberger from the New German Television Lutz Henke and Matthias Wermke received a 50 YEARS OF GERMAN ISRAELI section. MY FRIEND RAFFI by Arend Agthe nomination for the European Film Award RELATIONS CELEBRATED IN JERUSALEM was shown from the Children’s Film Fest 2015 (EFA) at the Norwegian Short Film Competition. A total of 23 German films and Festival Grimstad. Already an EFA nominee, A special program of five German films was co-productions were shown in Jerusalem DISSONANCE by Till Nowak adds the Krakow shown on the occasion of the 50th anniver- this year. Matthijs Wouter Knol, director of Don Quixote Award to its expanding list sary of German-Israeli diplomatic relations the Berlinale’s European Film Market, was a of awards, as well as the Cinema Jove in addition to the German films that had member of the festival jury. German Films Valencia’s Premio Canal+ and the Annecy already been selected for the program of collaborated with FFF Bayern and the Animation Festival’s Best Original Music the Jerusalem Film Festival. The special pro- Jerusalem International Film Festival in Award for a Short Film. Also in Annecy, gram was organized in cooperation with organizing a reception in the Cinematheque ROADTRIP by Xaver Xylophon won the Junior Filmfest München, with support from to honor the German productions and festival Jury’s Award for a Graduation Film, following German Films and FilmFernsehFonds guests in the program. its Audience Award in the Brussels Short Bayern. A large delegation from Germany Film Festival’s International Next Generation traveled to Jerusalem to present the films Competition. EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY by there in person. The official program in Patrick Vollrath won the Alberto Sánchez Jerusalem – Israel’s most important film Special Award at the Huesca Film Festival festival after Haifa – included such festival 9 and was selected for the European Film Pro- successes as VICTORIA by Sebastian motion’s inaugural Future Frames Program Schipper, WE ARE YOUNG. WE ARE STRONG. AWARDS FOR GERMAN SHORTS AT at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival. Short Tiger by Burhan Qurbani, and FROM CALIGARI INTERNATIONAL FESTIVALS 2015 winner THE PRESENT by Jacob Frey TO HITLER by Rüdiger Suchsland. In co - received the Hermína Tyrlová Award for operation with Filmfest München and sup- In recent months, German short films gained Young Filmmakers under 35 at the Zlin Festi- ported by FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, there awards recognition at many international val for Children & Youth, the Best Children’s were also screenings of ALKY ALKY by Axel festivals, here’s a selection: THE CHICKEN Film Award at the Animafest Zagreb, an Ho- Ranisch, HEIL by Dietrich Brüggemann and by Una Gunjak continues its successful run norable Mention-Best Student Animation at THE PROCEDURE by Alexander Costea from that started 2014 in Cannes by winning the the Palm Springs ShortFest and the Best the New German Cinema sidebar, as well as Grand Jury Prize – Best Live-Action Short at Curtinhas Short Award at Curtas Vila do Conde. Other German prize-winners at Vila do Conde include BÄR by Pascal Flörks as Best Documentary of the International Com- petition. And finally, SHIFT by Alex Gerbaulet, 9 winner of the 2015 German Competition at Oberhausen, was honored with the First Film Prize upon its international premiere at the FIDMarseille.
THE PRESENT (photo © Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg)
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NEW FILMS GFQ 3-2015
NEWFILMS
14 FEATURES 3 SHORTS 15 UPCOMING
32 new German productions are presented on the following 22 pages. Please visit our website www.german-films.de for more information on German features, documentaries and shorts.
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GFQ 3-2015 NEW FEATURES
photo © Indie-Stars Filmproduktion BLACK WEDDING
LACK WEDDING is a pitch-dark TOM BOHN was born in Wuppertal in 1959 GENRE Comedy, Experimental, Psycho comedy on marriage. Not a single and trained at television studios in Munich Thriller YEAR OF PRODUCTION 2015 DIREC- word is spoken, but murder is ubi- and in the USA. Winner of two Golden Lions TOR Tom Bohn SCREENPLAY Tom Bohn Bquitous. It’s the uproarious story of and several Silver Lions in Cannes, he has CINEMATOGRAPHY Frank Glencairn CAST a husband and wife that artfully try to kill directed around 100 commercials and more Beate Maes, Diego Wallraff, Mersiha Husagic, each other – again and again, for 73 minutes, than 40 feature films. In 2014, he co-founded Timur Karakus PRODUCER Tom Bohn without speaking a single word. It’s the way it the Snowdance Independent Film Festival PRODUCTION COMPANY Indie-Stars Film- is sometimes in a marriage. But the crafty and serves as its artistic director. His films produktion RUNTIME 73 min LANGUAGE couple pursue their devious plans without include: HELD VON HEUTE (short, 1982), English their daughter, who has sinister intentions TIME ZONES (short, 1985), VIVA (1986), MAGIC all of her own. And so, one dramatic event MUELLER (TV, 1993), THE PLAN – AN SALES chases the other – hilariously, surprisingly, ECOMEDY (DIE AKTION – EINE OEKO- Indie-Stars Filmproduktion and shockingly. MOEDIE, TV, 1996), STRAIGHT SHOOTER [email protected] (1999, with Dennis Hopper), BLACK WEDDING www.indie-stars.de (2015), and numerous episodes of the TATORT series.
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photo © Jon Britt FONOTUNE – AN ELECTRIC FAIRYTALE
ONOTUNE – AN ELECTRIC FAIRY- Featuring Kazushi Watanabe (VISITOR Q) and GENRE Art, Science Fiction, Music, Road TALE is a Japanese road-movie with music by Stereo Total, FONOTUNE is a unique Movie YEAR OF PRODUCTION 2015 DIREC- a lo-fi sci-fi touch, set on one independent film with a hybrid of influences TOR Fabian Huebner SCREENPLAY Fabian Fstrange day in an undefined time – Japanese cinema, graphic design, Manga Huebner CINEMATOGRAPHY Jon Britt CAST and place. Nature is absent, people have comics and music videos – a highly visual ex- Guitar Wolf (Seiji), Kazushi Watanabe, Kiki stopped communicating and music is an perience told through images and music over Sukezane, Yuho Yamashita, Fabian Huebner, escape from each other; nobody notices words, colored by telling details, obscure en- Jiwoon Ha, Yusuke Yamasaki PRODUCERS what’s happening around them. counters and ultimately, maybe even the end Catherine Morawitz, Sven Schnell CO-PRO- of the world! DUCER Marc Oliver Dreher PRODUCTION It follows mute drifter Mono on this odyssey COMPANIES Future Past Films, San Cinema, through Salt deserts and calm urban chaos FABIAN HUEBNER made his debut with in co-production with Mamoko Entertainment as he tries to deliver a white cassette to a AVANT*GARDE, a series discussing arthouse RUNTIME 90 min LANGUAGE Japanese mysterious rock star, played by cult Japanese films and their directors which received wide- musician Guitar Wolf (WILD ZERO). On the spread critical acclaim. The documentary SALES way, he shares a fleeting connection with a feature VISITING UWE, about the contro - Future Past Films bunch of strangers; street-hooker Stereo, lo- versial filmmaker Uwe Boll, and several [email protected] fi cowboy Analog and the sassy Bubblegum. music videos, followed. www.fonotune.com All the while, in their headphones, despairing DJ of city radio station Fonotune plays their joyous soundtrack to… destruction!
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GFQ 3-2015 NEW FEATURES
photo © Zum Goldenen Lamm/Boris Laewen FREISTATT SANCTUARY
ay 1968: Rolling Stones, bell- MARC BRUMMUND studied Psychology and GENRE Coming-of-Age Story, Drama YEAR bottoms, mini-skirts, sexual re- Journalism in Hamburg from 1991-1996 and OF PRODUCTION 2015 DIRECTOR Marc volution, protests against the Documentary Filmmaking in Bolzano from Brummund SCREENPLAY Marc Brummund MViet nam War… While Germany 1996-1999 and has directed numerous CINEMATOGRAPHY Judith Kaufmann CAST sets off for a new era of freedom, rebellious award-winning commercials. From 2004- Alexander Held, Stephan Grossmann, Max 14-year-old Wolfgang gets sent to Freistatt, a 2006, he studied Directing at the Hamburg Riemelt, Louis Hoffmann PRODUCERS Stefan foster home for difficult children. There he Media School. His films have won over 50 in- Sporbert, Rüdiger Heinze PRODUCTION shall be “educated” to become a decent boy. ternational awards and include: the shorts COMPANY Zum Goldenen Lamm Filmproduk- Wolfgang puts up a determined resistance HOME (HEIM, 2005), OUTSIDE (DRAUSSEN, tion, in co-production with SWR, ARTE, WDR, against the brutal working conditions and the 2005), COW TIPPING (KÜHE SCHUBSEN, SR, NDR RUNTIME 104 min LANGUAGE perfidious education methods of the wardens; 2005), GAINING GROUND (LAND GEWINNEN, German FESTIVALS Max Ophüls Prize Festi- he doesn’t allow them to get him down. But 2007), FISH & ONIONS (FISCH & ZWIEBELN, val Saarbrücken 2015, Shanghai 2015, Golden for how long can he manage to resist the doc, 2011), episodes of the German television Apricot Yerevan 2015, Giffoni 2015 AWARDS system of violence and oppression without series THE 25TH HOUR and DER DICKE, and Screenplay Award Emden 2013, German brutalizing himself? A movie based on true SANCTUARY (FREISTATT, 2015). Screenplay Award 2013, Bavarian Film Prize stories, about the merciless fight of a boy to 2014 (Best Upcoming Actor: Louis Hofmann), save the last bit of humanity and dignity in an Audience Award & Youth Jury Award Saar- oppressive system of society. brücken 2015, Audience Award Yerevan 2015, Best Film (Generator +13) Giffoni 2015
SALES Pluto Film Distribution Network [email protected] www.plutofilm.de
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photo © X Verleih HEIL
he acclaimed Afro-German author DIETRICH BRÜGGEMANN was born in 1976 GENRE Comedy YEAR OF PRODUCTION 2015 Sebastian Klein is on a reading tour and studied at the “Konrad Wolf” University of DIRECTOR Dietrich Brüggemann SCREEN- in the East German backwater and Film and Television in Potsdam. His films in- PLAY Dietrich Brüggemann CINEMA- Tis given a fitting welcome by local clude: the shorts HEAVY ROTATION (2001), TO GRAPHY Alexander Sass CAST Benno neo-Nazis: a blow to the head. Sebastian MEHR LICHT (2003), WARUM LÄUFT HERR V. Fürmann, Jacob Matschenz, Daniel Zillmann, promptly loses his memory and parrots AMOK (2003), KATJA KANN FAST ALLES Liv Lisa Fries, Jerry Hoffmann, Oliver Bröcker, everything people tell him. Nina, Sebastian‘s (2004), numerous music videos, and the Anna Brüggemann, Thelma Buabeng, pregnant girlfriend in Berlin, is highly features NINE TAKES (NEUN SZENEN, 2006), Richard Kropf PRODUCERS Katrin Goetter, agitated. Without further ado she travels to RENN WENN DU KANNST (2010), MOVE (3 Michael Lehmann PRODUCTION COMPANIES Prittwitz and teams up with the village police- ZIMMER/KÜCHE/BAD, 2011), STATIONS OF Real Film Berlin, Letterbox Filmproduktion, man Sascha to track down her boyfriend. He THE CROSS (KREUZWEG, 2014, Silver Bear in co-production with Bella Firma, RBB, SWR, is in the hands of the neo-Nazis and their Berlin), and HEIL (2015). ARD Degeto, in cooperation with ARTE leader Sven and feels right at home among RUNTIME 103 min LANGUAGE German them. Smirking, he appears on talk shows FESTIVALS Munich 2015, Karlovy Vary 2015, and mouths the slogans that Sven whispers Jerusalem 2015 to him. A ‘blackie’ railing against integration – the public goes crazy. And Sven sees him- SALES self finally on his way to becoming an opinion Beta Cinema leader. But he isn’t impressing his beloved, [email protected] Nazi girlfriend Doreen. She wants to see www.betacinema.com action. Historic deeds. And so Sven prepares his people for a big showdown – while at the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing, and neither can get online at the moment. What can save the world now? And Nina and Sebastian’s love?
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GFQ 3-2015 NEW FEATURES
photo © DEPARTURES Film/deutschfilm HERBERT A HEAVY HEART
ormer Eastern German boxing THOMAS STUBER was born in 1981 in GENRE Drama YEAR OF PRODUCTION 2015 champ Herbert has not been a Leipzig. He worked as a script supervisor DIRECTOR Thomas Stuber SCREENPLAY winner in life since the fall of the for various film and TV productions before Thomas Stuber, Clemens Meyer, based on a FBerlin Wall. Now a hard-up bouncer studying at the Filmakademie Baden-Würt- story by Paul Salisbury CINEMATOGRAPHY and debt collector, he tries to revive the past temberg. His student feature TEENAGE Peter Matjasko CAST Peter Kurth, Lina by coaching his young boxing protégé, Eddy. ANGST (2008) was selected for the Berlinale Wendel, Lena Lauzemis, Edin Hasanovic After a training session, Herbert suddenly and he re ceived a Silver Student Academy PRODUCERS Undine Filter, Thomas Král, collapses with spasms of pain; however, he Award® for his short film adaptation of Anatol Nitschke PRODUCTION COMPANY initially chooses to ignore the signs. When his Clemens Meyer’s OF DOGS AND HORSES DEPARTURES Film, in co-production with physical deficiencies become more and more (2012). His other films include: the shorts deutschfilm RUNTIME 111 min LANGUAGE apparent, Herbert finally sees a specialist THE FORM OF WATER (2003), WE’RE FINE German who ultimately diagnoses him with a fatal (2006), 3 episodes of the TV series GROSS- neural disease. With not much time left, STADTREVIER (2013), and A HEAVY HEART SALES Herbert struggles with himself and the hard (HERBERT, 2015). Picture Tree International outer shell he‘s cultivated over time. Not [email protected] many things really matter to him apart from www.picturetree-international.com his ‘lost’ daughter Sandra, whom he aban - doned when the family fell apart. Now a mother herself, Sandra is still deeply hurt and afraid of allowing her dying father to be a part of her life again.
Student Academy Award®-winner Thomas Stuber tells the touching story of a lone wolf who takes a long time to find the meaning of his life.
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NEW FEATURES GFQ 3-2015
photo © Pantaleon Films/ARRI Film & TV Services/Warner Bros. Entertainment HIGHWAY TO HELLAS
he Germans are coming! To nose ARON LEHMANN was born in Wuppertal in GENRE Comedy YEAR OF PRODUCTION 2015 around and control the Greeks; be- 1981. He worked for several television pro- DIRECTOR Aron Lehmann SCREENPLAY cause they are – as always – under duction companies from 2003-2005 before Arnd Schimkat, Moses Wolff, Aron Lehmann Tsuspicion of lying and cheating. With starting his studies in Film Directing at the CINEMATOGRAPHY Nikolaus Summerer good reason! Joerg Geissner, employee of “Konrad Wolf” University of Television and CAST Christoph Maria Herbst, Adam the Munich AVA bank, arrives on the Greek Film in Potsdam-Babelsberg. His films in- Bousdoukos, Akillas Karazisis, Christos island Paladiki to check a loan granted some clude: LIED (short, 2006), SO G'SELL SO Valavanidis, Giorgos Kotanidis, Errikos Litsis, years ago. He has the suspicion that the (short, 2007), LIEBE GEMEINDE (short, 2008), Georgia Tsagaraki, Kleopatra Markou PRO- hospital and power station set as collateral GERHOLD SELLE – RENTNER (short doc, DUCERS Dan Maag, Marco Beckmann, do not exist at all. But the Greeks aren’t 2009), MONDWÄRTS (short, 2010), and his Matthias Schweighöfer CO-PRODUCER Josef foolish: Geissner, constantly accompanied by graduation film KOHLHAAS OR THE PRO- Reidinger PRODUCTION COMPANY Pantaleon German-Greek Panos, a clever gigolo who en - PORTIONALITY OF MEANS (2012), which won Films, in co-production with ARRI Media, sures that Geissner won’t be too fast with his the Audience Award at the Filmfestival Max Warner Bros. Entertainment RUNTIME 89 investigations, shall come and prove that Ophüls Preis in Saarbrücken. min LANGUAGE German, Greek, English there are no collaterals at all. An odyssey be- gins for the bank employee, him against the SALES rest of the island. But the more Geissner gets ARRI Media World Sales to know about Paladiki’s people, the more he [email protected] becomes aware of the significance of his own [email protected] role: The result of his visit will settle the www.arriworldsales.de future of the island. So Geissner has to ask himself to whom he really feels responsible – the bank or the people of Paladiki.
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GFQ 3-2015 NEW FEATURES
photo © Storming Donkey Productions HÖRDUR – ZWISCHEN DEN
WELTEN HÖRDUR – BETWEEN THE WORLDS
fter a run in with the law, Aylin – a EKREM ERGÜN initially studied Media GENRE Coming-of-Age Story, Drama, Sports 17-year-old Muslim girl and part Science at the University of Potsdam, follow - YEAR OF PRODUCTION 2015 DIRECTOR of the Turkish Diaspora – finds ed by studies in Acting in Berlin and Directing Ekrem Ergün SCREENPLAY Dorothea Nölle Aherself sentenced to community at the New York Film Academy. In 2012, he CINEMATOGRAPHY Eric Ferranti CAST Almila service at an out-of-town horse stable in co-founded Storming Donkey Productions Bagriacik, Felicitas Woll, Hilmi Sözer PRO - Germany. Beset by troubles at home and with Stefanie Plattner and directed the com- DUCER Stefanie Plattner PRODUCTION school, it is here that she, despite all odds, is pany’s first short film PATCHWORK. HÖRDUR COMPANY Storming Donkey Productions set on the road to self-discovery. As the pace – BETWEEN THE WORLDS is his feature RUNTIME 83 min LANGUAGE German, quickens, her blossoming relationship with debut. Turkish the stallion Hördur and her fledgling dreams are tested to the breaking point. Can Aylin SALES build a bridge between worlds? And if she Storming Donkey Productions can, will others follow? [email protected] www.storming-donkey.de
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NEW FEATURES GFQ 3-2015
photo © OOO-Films DER NACHTMAHR
t’s a hot, humid and sweaty summer. Like ACHIM BORNHAK (aka AKIZ) studied Direc- GENRE Psycho Thriller, Fantasy, Mindbender, every year, this season seems likely to be- ting at the Filmakademie Baden-Württem- Coming-of-Age YEAR OF PRODUCTION 2015 come one endless, sexy and gorgeous berg. His short film DER MARIANENGRABEN DIRECTOR Achim Bornhak (AKIZ) SCREEN- Iparty under the open sky. Tina and her (1995) and his graduation film JOHN & LUCIE PLAY Achim Bornhak (AKIZ) CINEMATOG- friends are living the dream of a whole gene- (1996) were both nominated for an Oscar® R APHY Clemens Baumeister CAST Carolyn ration of decadent Berlin-party-kids. But in the Foreign Film category of the Student Genzkow, Kim Gordon, Julika Jenkins, Arnd after one excessive night, she’s haunted by a Academy Award. In 1995, he attended Klawitter, Wilson Gonzalez Ochsenknecht, mysterious ugly creature which visits her in the University of Southern California for Sina Tkotsch, Lynn Femme, Alexander Scheer her nightmares. The only person she talks to post-graduate studies. He produced docu - PRODUCERS Amir Hamz, Christian Springer, about her fears is her psychologist. He ad - mentaries and worked as a freelancer until AKIZ, Simon Rühlemann PRODUCTION vises her to confront her fears and to reach 2004. At the same time, he worked on sculp- COMPANY OOO-Films Produktion, in co-pro- out to the creature. At first Tina refuses, but tures, paintings and other art projects. His duction with Bon Voyage Films RUNTIME 88 after she hears about her parents plans to put short film PAINTING REALITY (2010) was min LANGUAGE German FESTIVALS Munich her in a mental hospital she overcomes her featured in Banksy‘s film THE ANTIC‘S ROAD 2015, Locarno 2015 (Cineasti del presente) panic and starts talking to the creature. SHOW. AKIZ founded the production company Slowly she realizes that the creature is more OOO-Films in 2012 which produced DER SALES of an incarnation of her fears and that the NACHTMAHR as its first feature film. Kim K5 Media Group Nachtmahr has her exact same feelings. Out Gordon presented AKIZ’s work within [email protected] of fear of being called a freak, she starts hid - “PopRally” at the MoMA in New York together www.k5international.com ing the creature in her room. She feeds it, with AdRock (Beastie Boys) in 2014. DER with time she even gets close to it. It is almost NACHTMAHR is the first part of the “demo- like a relationship to a wild stray animal. It niac trilogy“, which deals with the triptych almost seems as if Tina has the courage for “birth/love/death“ as a cinematic cycle. LOCARNO the first time in her life to be herself. But then her parents and her friends get to see the creature themselves…
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GFQ 3-2015 NEW FEATURES
photo © Kidbrother Pictures OREGON PINE
ood engineer Richard Lüders NICOLAI MAX HAHN’s films include: CIN - GENRE Drama, Erotic, Love Story YEAR OF lives a life like a construction. CINNATI KIDS (short, 1998), FRANCO & PRODUCTION 2015 DIRECTOR Nicolai Max Highly engaged in his career, MARIA (short, 2000), the screenplay for DAS Hahn SCREENPLAY Nicolai Max Hahn CINE- Whis private life consists of KARTENHAUS (2004), DIE BLAUE STUNDE MATOGRAPHY Yannick Bonica CAST Hannes nothing but short, purely sexual affairs. When (short, 2008), and OREGON PINE (2015). Wegener, Peri Baumeister, Godehard Giese, he first meets Teresa Becker it seems to Silke Bodenbender PRODUCERS Nicolai Max be just another one of these brief encounters. Hahn, Vulnet Rusani CO-PRODUCERS Bojana But this time everything changes. Although Nikolaidis, Markus Aha PRODUCTION COM- Richard tries to fight it in the beginning, PANY Kidbrother Pictures Filmproduktion the unexpected tenderness, intimacy and RUNTIME 93 min LANGUAGE German the longing it brings pulls him right in. Although his company is currently facing SALES severe financial difficulties, he busts impor- Law Office Zimmermann Kaliner tant meetings which of course leads to [email protected] problems with his business partner. But www.zimmermannkaliner.de Richard is booked for a wild ride of love, pas- sion, ease and freedom. Sharpened by the sudden awareness of what he had been miss - ing in his life, his time with Teresa becomes a journey towards his own feelings and the que- stion arises: Where do I belong? But the ans- wer Richard finds hits Teresa’s sore spot and suddenly he realizes that he basically knows nothing about her. Where she comes from, where she wants to go, who she is...
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NEW FEATURES GFQ 3-2015
photo © zero one film/Martin Valentin Menke DER STAAT GEGEN
FRITZ BAUER THE PEOPLE VS. FRITZ BAUER
ermany, 1957. Attorney general LARS KRAUME was born in Chieri/Italy in GENRE Biopic, Political Thriller CATEGORY Fritz Bauer receives crucial 1973 and grew up in Frankfurt am Main. He Feature YEAR OF PRODUCTION 2015 evidence on the whereabouts of worked for two years as a freelance photog - DIRECTOR Lars Kraume SCREENPLAY Lars GSS-Obersturmbannführer Adolf rapher before studying at the German Film & Kraume, Olivier Guez CINEMATOGRAPHY Eichmann. The lieutenant colonel, re - Television Academy in Berlin (dffb) in 1994. Jens Harant CAST Burghart Klaußner, Ronald sponsible for the mass deportation of the Since then he works as a director, script au - Zehrfeld, Lilith Stangenberg, Sebastian Jews, is allegedly hiding in Buenos Aires. thor and producer. His films include: Blomberg, Jörg Schüttauf, Laura Tonke, Götz Bauer, himself Jewish, has been trying to take DUNCKEL (1998), VIKTOR VOGEL – COMMER- Schubert, Rüdiger Klink, Michael Schenk crimes from the Third Reich to court ever CIAL MAN (2001), KISMET (TV, 2002), SAG PRODUCER Thomas Kufus PRODUCTION since his return from Danish exile. However, NICHTS (2003), WO IST MAX GRAVERT? (TV, COMPANY zero one film, in co-production so far with no success due to the fierce 2004), NO SONGS OF LOVE (KEINE LIEDER with TERZ Film, WDR, HR, ARTE RUNTIME German determination to repress its sinister ÜBER DIE LIEBE, 2005), GUTEN MORGEN 105 min LANGUAGE German FESTIVALS past. Because of his distrust in the German HERR GROTHE (2007), THE DAYS TO COME Locarno 2015 (Piazza Grande) justice system, Fritz Bauer contacts the (DIE KOMMENDEN TAGE, 2010), MEINE Israeli secret service Mossad, and, by doing SCHWESTERN (2011), DAS FAMILIEN - SALES so, commits treason. Bauer is not seeking TREFFEN (2015), and THE PEOPLE VS. FRITZ Beta Cinema revenge for the holocaust – he is concerned BAUER (DER STAAT GEGEN FRITZ BAUER, [email protected] with the German future. 2015). www.betacinema.com
LOCARNO
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GFQ 3-2015 NEW FEATURES
photo © Jan Betke/TMG THE TRAPP FAMILY – A LIFE OF MUSIC
HE TRAPP FAMILY – A LIFE OF Agathe reports many years later in the new GENRE Biopic, Coming-of-Age Story, Drama, MUSIC tells the fascinating story of American home of her young niece who, just Family Entertainment YEAR OF PRODUCTION Agathe von Trapp, who has been like her, has reached a crossroads and must 2015 DIRECTOR Ben Verbong SCREENPLAY Tsearching for her path in life since take important decisions. Tim Sullivan, Christoph Silber CINEMA - her youth: She is the eldest daughter among TOGRAPHY Jan Fehse CAST Matthew many siblings, and her relationship with her BEN VERBONG studied at the Amsterdam Macfadyen, Eliza Bennett, Yvonne Catterfeld, father, the marine officer Georg von Trapp Film and TV Academy from 1970-1974. His Rosemary Harris, Cornelius Obonya, Annette and his second wife Maria von Trapp, is often films include: DER SKORPION (1984), LILY Dasch, Johannes Nussbaum, Lauryn Canny, difficult. She develops her beautiful voice WAS HERE (1989), HOUSE CALL (1996), Robert Seeliger, Cosima Shaw PRODUCERS and stimulating musical talent together SCHOCK – EINE FRAU IN ANGST (1998), KIN- Herbert G. Kloiber, Rikolt von Gagern PRO- with her family and with the support of the DER DER GEWALT (1999), LIEBER, BOESER DUCTION COMPANY Clasart Film, in co - famous singer Lotte Lehmann. She con- WEIHNACHTSMANN (1999), THE SLURB (DAS operation with ORF, Concorde Media stantly struggles for the love of her childhood SAMS, 2001), HANNA – WO BIST DU? (2001), RUNTIME 97 min LANGUAGE English sweetheart Sigi and, not least, she must MY MAGICAL FRIEND SAMS (SAMS IN confront the menacing political and social GEFAHR, 2003), MR. WOOF (HERR BELLO, SALES constellations and the rise of fascism in 2007), LIKE IT OR NOT! (OB IHR WOLLT ODER Tele München International Germany and Austria. Emigration to the U.S. NICHT!, 2008), and THE TRAPP FAMILY – A [email protected] finally brings a decisive step toward freedom LIFE OF MUSIC (2015). www.tmg.de and world success.
How Agathe von Trapp found and shaped her own life, with empathy and commitment, emotionally and courageously; how she took up every challenge and never let go of her dream; how she faced problems and ulti - mately went her own way – this is what
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NEW FEATURES GFQ 3-2015
photo © av medien penrose/Alina Bader VERFEHLUNG THE CULPABLE
omeone is blackening our name! GERD SCHNEIDER studied Theology in Bonn GENRE Drama YEAR OF PRODUCTION 2015 “ Shit sticks if there’s enough of and Vienna, followed by studies in Film at DIRECTOR Gerd Schneider SCREENPLAY it!” Catholic minister of a state the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg. His Gerd Schneider CINEMATOGRAPHY Pascal Spenitentiary Jakob Voelz would films include: the shorts GABRIEL (2000), AT Schmit CAST Sebastian Blomberg, Kai Schu- be more than happy to believe this statement THE END OF DAYS (2001), DOOR BY DOOR mann, Jan Messutat, Sandra Borgmann, as his hieratical colleague and best friend (2002), THE LORDS OF OPERATOR (doc, 2004), Valerie Koch, Rade Radovic, Hartmut Becker Dominik Bertram is arrested under suspicion THE EDGE OF HOPE (doc, 2005), FLIM-FLAM PRODUCERS Felix Eisele, Julia Kleinhenz, of sexual abuse. Yet, what Jakob is beginning (short, 2009), THE SERVANT (2012), and his Katja Siegel, Bernd Stegmann CO-PRODU- to suspect but doesn’t want to know, becomes feature debut THE CULPABLE (VER - CERS Brigitte Dithard, Claudia Gladziejewski, a crucial test for his faith and his self-con - FEHLUNG, 2015). Barbara Häbe PRODUCTION COMPANIES av ception as a priest: There is a truth we wel- medien penrose, Penrose Film, in co-pro - come and there is a truth we fear, about which duction with SWR, BR, ARTE RUNTIME 96 min we tend to fall silent. As Jakob begins to turn LANGUAGE German FESTIVALS Max Ophüls against that silence within the church, he is Festival Saarbrücken 2015 taught a lesson – the church is a mother, and one does not beat a mother. But finally Jakob SALES must raise his hand... Pluto Film Distribution Network [email protected] www.plutofilm.de
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GFQ 3-2015 NEW FEATURES
photo © Christian von Spee, Unfiltered Artists VOLL PAULA! FULL PAULA!
he lives of Paula, Louise, Max, MALTE WIRTZ studied Directing at the GENRE Comedy, Romantic Comedy YEAR OF Randolf and Donnie get out of line. Athanor Academy in Burghausen. His films PRODUCTION 2015 DIRECTOR Malte Wirtz Love and career prospects open up. include: the shorts RED (2003), BEHIND SCREENPLAY Malte Wirtz CINEMATOGRA- TBut things come differently than FORTUNE (2006), FALLING IN LOVE (2009), PHY Christian von Spee CAST Eva Luca they should and the end could equally be the THE END OF THE WORLD OF PAUL HINZE Klemmt, Sebastian Kolb, Ulrich Faßnacht, beginning... (2010), BLIND (2011), HIER KOMMT KURT Eric Carter, Karmela Shako, Anna-Maria (2012), THE CLOSE-UPS (2015), and his Böhm, Philip Schlomm, Christoph Ortmann, feature debut FULL PAULA! (2015). Claus Wilcke, Karsten Speck PRODUCER Max Fuhrmann PRODUCTION COMPANY Unfiltered Artists RUNTIME 82 min LAN - GUAGE German
SALES aug & ohr medien [email protected] www.augohr.de/film
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NEW FEATURES GFQ 3-2015
photo © Martin Valentin Menke WIR MONSTER WE MONSTERS
aul and Christine know: Their teen- SEBASTIAN KO was born in 1971 in Walsrode. GENRE Drama YEAR OF PRODUCTION 2015 aged daughter Sarah, thrown off After completing a degree in Theater, Film DIRECTOR Sebastian Ko SCREENPLAY track by their separation, is capable and Television Studies in Cologne, he worked Marcus Siebert, Sebastian Ko CINEMA - Pof anything, including killing her in various jobs in the film trade, from driver TOGRAPHY Andreas Köhler CAST Mehdi best friend. Wanting to protect their daughter, to assistant director. After his first short Nebbou, Ulrike C. Tscharre, Janina Fautz, they thus decide to hide the crime. Their films, he studied at the University of Film & Ronald Kukulies, Britta Hammelstein, Marie joined guilt forces the family back together, Television “Konrad Wolf”. His films include: Bendig, Daniel Drewes PRODUCERS creating a web of lies and deadly intentions RESONANCE (short doc, 2001), BADEN Roswitha Ester, Torsten Reglin PRODUCTION with no way out. BADEN (short, 2003), LADYBUG (short, 2006), COMPANY Ester.Reglin.Film, in co-production SCHONZEIT (short, 2006), and his feature with WDR, ARTE RUNTIME 95 min debut WE MONSTERS (WIR MONSTER, 2015). LANGUAGE German FESTIVALS Max Ophüls Festival Saarbrücken 2015, Shanghai 2015
SALES Pluto Film Distribution Network [email protected] www.plutofilm.de
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dok-leipzig.de 26/10/– 01/11/2015
DOK Industry DOK Festival International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film
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NEW SHORTS GFQ 3-2015
EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY
divorced father picks up his eight- Sebastian Thaler CAST Simon Schwarz, Julia year-old daughter Lea. It seems Pointner, Marion Rottenhofer, Daniel Keberle, pretty much like every second Gisela Salcher, Georg Blume PRODUCER Aweekend, but after a while Lea Patrick Vollrath RUNTIME 30 min LAN GUAGE can’t help feeling that something isn’t right. German FESTIVALS Max Opühls Festival So begins a fateful journey. Saarbrücken 2015, Landshut 2015, Cannes 2015, VIS Vienna 2015, Tel Aviv ISFF 2015, PATRICK VOLLRATH was born in 1985. After Huesca 2015, Wendland Shorts 2015, New training in Film & Video at ARRI Film & TV in Directors/News Films 2015, Figari 2015, Munich, he began working as an editor, Karlovy Vary 2015, Manchester 2015, Golden follow ed by studies at the Film Academy Apricot Yerevan 2015, Kratkofil Plus 2015, Vienna with Michael Haneke. He participated Short FF Bueu 2015, BUSTER Copenhagen in the Cannes Young Lions Competition in 2015, Helsinki Love & Anarchy 2015, Festival 2011 and 2013 and in the Berlinale Talent International du Film d’Amiens 2015 AWARDS Campus in 2013. His award-winning films in- Best Mid-Length Film 2015 Saarbrücken, clude: the shorts C’EST LA WIEN (2010), Special Mention Landshut 2015, Rail d’Or SLEEPING PERV IS WORLD FAMOUS FOR 5 Award Cannes 2015, Alberto Sánchez MINUTES (2010), THIS FILM IS A CUT- Special Award Huesca 2015, Best Short Film TO GETHER (2011), KETCHUP KID (2013), Wendland Shorts 2015, Best Fiction Short BEHIND THE DOOR (2014), THE JACKET New Directors/New Films 2015, Studio Ham- (2014), and EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY burg Newcomer Award Best Director 2015 (2015), among others. SALES GENRE Drama YEAR OF PRODUCTION Patrick Vollrath 2015 DIRECTOR Patrick Vollrath SCREEN- [email protected]
PLAY Patrick Vollrath CINEMATOGRAPHY www.patrickvollrath.com photos © Sebastian Thaler
I DON’T MISS ANYTHING
DON’T MISS ANYTHING is a short ani - GENRE Animation, Drama, Experimental mation about a German family. They are YEAR OF PRODUCTION 2014 DIRECTOR Petra unable to deal with their deficits, which Lottje SCREENPLAY Petra Lottje CINEMA - Istart at the time of the Second World War. TOGRAPHY Lutz Garmsen, Andreas Gockel ANIMATION Petra Lottje CAST Bettina 69 years later... the post-war generation Theißen PRODUCER Petra Lottje RUNTIME 13 children‘s traumata are still noticeable. min 10 sec LANGUAGE no dialogue FESTI- Block ing out and refusing to question ex - VALS La Femme! 2014, Kassel Documentary periences can lead to a pathogenic process. & Video Fest 2014, LeMIAFF 2015 AWARDS Its effect can possibly be passed on to up - 1st Prize DEKALOG Guardini Foundation 2014 coming generations. SALES An irritating and monstrous story, a story Petra Lottje about displacement, rage, speechlessness. [email protected] www.lottje.de PETRA LOTTJE studied Social Work and Fine Arts in Braunschweig. Active as a freelance filmmaker and artist, a selection of her shorts include: JEDES ZIMMER HINTER EINER TÜR (2006/2007), LOOPE (2008), FREIZEIT (2009), EL MOMENTO (2010), VIELLEICHT ZU LANGE (2011), ALSO GUT (2012), MESSAGE (2012), MIR FEHLT NICHTS (2014), and THE WORLD SUMMIT (2015).
photos © Petra Lottje
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GFQ 3-2015 NEW SHORTS
oetry or threat? An act of surrender sect events – always in the hope of making the or perhaps art? These were the unseen visible and of exploring a place’s fixed theories that New York puzzled over meaning and potential use. Plast summer. How can one incident be interpreted in so many ways? By means of GENRE Art, Documentary YEAR OF PRO - press reports, SYMBOLIC THREATS allows DUCTION 2015 DIRECTORS Mischa Leinkauf, the public at large to express their extreme Lutz Henke, Matthias Wermke SCREENPLAY disparity of interpretation. Inspired by the Mischa Leinkauf, Lutz Henke, Matthias heated debate over the two “White American Wermke PRODUCERS Mischa Leinkauf, Lutz Flags” that suddenly appeared on the towers Henke, Matthias Wermke PRODUCTION COM- of New York City’s iconic Brooklyn Bridge, the PANY Wermke/Leinkauf RUNTIME 15 min film asks what kind of societal scope art LANGUAGE English FESTIVALS Berlinale has in the present day. What happens when 2015, Documenta Madrid 2015, Hamburg threatened freedom reinstates art with the 2015, Grimstad 2015 AWARDS Best German element of danger? Who or what makes it into Short & Audience Award Hamburg 2015, a threat? Are we safe in the city? What’s next? Audience Award Madrid 2015, European Film Award Nominee Grimstad 2015 MISCHA LEINKAUF, LUTZ HENKE and MATTHIAS WERMKE grew up in Berlin in the SALES 1990s when they learned to value and utilize Wermke/Leinkauf the city’s possibilities. A shared enthusiasm [email protected] for repurposing urban spaces brought the www.wermke-leinkauf.com three together early on. Today, they still focus on the same questions and locations in their work, whether it be as ‘filmmaker‘, ‘curator‘,
‘cultural scientist’ or ‘fine artist‘. They create photos © Wermke/Leinkauf, VG Bild/Kunst images and mindscapes, tell stories and dis-
Check out the new GFQ digital issue www.germanfilmsquarterly.de
Specially designed for desktop and mobile devices, to keep you informed on all the latest German films and filmmakers, and a whole lot more!
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UPCOMING FILMS GFQ 3-2015
24 WOCHEN
ilmmaker Anne Zohra Berrached has GENRE Drama CATEGORY Feature DIRECTOR picked a subject for her graduation Anne Zohra Berrached SCREENPLAY Anne Ffilm that is set to be as polarizing as Zohra Berrached, Carl Gerber CAST Julia for her feature debut TWO MOTHERS, which Jentsch, Bjarne Mädel, Emilia Pieske, premiered in the Berlinale’s Perspektive Johanna Gastorf, Maria Dragus, Karina Deutsches Kino in 2013. Berrached’s new Plachetka PRODUCERS Melanie Berke, film centers on the dilemma faced by a Tobias Büchner, Johannes Jancke,Tobias woman who is already six months pregnant Ebner PRODUCTION COMPANY zero one film, when she learns that her unborn child will in co-production with ZDF Das kleine Fern- have Down‘s syndrome as well as a serious sehspiel, Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg heart defect. Should she be able to choose LANGUAGE German the option of a late-term abortion? How can she and her husband know whether the un- CONTACT born child could have a life worth living or zero one film would only suffer? In the end, the expectant [email protected] mother realizes that only she can make this www.zeroone.de
photo © Dino Argentiero/zero one film decision.
DIE EINSIEDLER
lbert (30), now the only child of poor GENRE Drama CATEGORY Feature DIRECTOR mountain farmers Marianne and Ronny Trocker SCREENPLAY Ronny Trocker, ARudl, works in a quarry in the valley, Rolando Grumt Suárez CAST Andreas Lust, the only way to keep the centuries-old farm Orsolya Tóth PRODUCERS Susanne Mann, going. But the introverted and lonely man Paul Zischler, Arash T. Riahi PRODUCTION finds life hard, unable to fit in, sometimes COMPANY Zischlermann Filmproduktion, in returning at night to sleep in the hayloft. co-production with Golden Girls LANGUAGE When Rudl dies, Marianne fears Albert will German want to return, so she keeps it silent, now working the farm on her own, her strength CONTACT failing and winter coming. Meanwhile Albert Zischlermann Filmproduktion has fallen in love with Paola, a Hungarian and [email protected] the canteen cook; his life suddenly has a www.zischlermann.com whole new light. But when winter breaks and Marianne can no longer hide Rudl’s death, just as Paola announces her return to
Hungary, Albert now has only three days to photo © Ronny Trocker put his life in order and decide his future. FUCKING BERLIN
tudent and part-time whore Sonia Ros- or has been to Berlin knows, there are so si’s tell-all book was on Der Spiegel’s many ways to love this city! Sbestseller list for an incredible 72 weeks. Now it’s move over Mr. Grey as GENRE Coming-of-Age Story, Drama, FUCKING BERLIN hits the big screen! Literature, Love Story CATEGORY Feature DIRECTOR Florian Gottschick SCREENPLAY Young math student Sonia arrives in Berlin, Sophie Luise Bauer, Leonie Krippendorff, enjoying the city, its people and parties. But Florian Gottschick, Dominik Stegmann CAST when her money runs out she decides to try Svenja Jung, Mateusz Dopieralski, Christoph her luck with webcam sex. It’s only a hop, skip Letkowski, Charley-Ann Schmutzler, Paul and a jump to a brothel and soon Sonia’s ga- Boche, Eugen Bauder PRODUCER Rolant mely on the game, financing her studies and Hergert PRODUCTION COMPANY Arenico her unemployed Polish boyfriend, Ladja. Productions LANGUAGE German
Edgy, brutally honest and moving, Sonia’s SALES story is also an homage to the German capital Solidmovies
photo © Arenico Productions with its parties, way out residents and unique [email protected] joie-de-vivre. Because as anyone who lives in www.solidmovies.com
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GFQ 3-2015 UPCOMING FILMS
FÜNF FRAUEN
his summer will see screenwriter Olaf GENRE Drama, Psycho Thriller CATEGORY Kraemer making his feature directo- Feature DIRECTOR Olaf Kraemer SCREEN- Trial debut with the psychological PLAY Olaf Kraemer CAST Anna König, drama FÜNF FRAUEN (FIVE WOMEN) which Korinna Krauss, Kaya Marie Möller, Julia follows the weekend of five women who every Dietze, Odine Johne PRODUCERS Raphael year travel to an isolated house in the South Wallner, Stefan Elsenbruch, Rainer Kölmel, of France to celebrate the end of their studies Wasiliki Bleser PRODUCTION COMPANY at an exclusive boarding school. However, this EMERGE & SEE Filmproduktion, in co-pro- year, their idyll in the paradise-like setting is duction with Starhaus Filmproduktion abruptly disrupted by an intruding drifter who LANGUAGE German, French is accidentally killed by the women. Events take a drastic twist when, the next day, the CONTACT dead man‘s brother starts hanging around EMERGE & SEE Filmproduktion the house... [email protected] www.emergeandsee.de
Stefan Elsenbruch, Olaf Kraemer, Clemens Baumeister, Carl Evers (photo courtesy of EMERGE & SEE Filmproduktion)
GEBURT
riter-director-producer Jessica GENRE Drama CATEGORY Feature DIRECTOR Krummacher will be traveling this Jessica Krummacher SCREENPLAY Jessica Wautumn to the Turkish coastal Krummacher CAST Benno Ifland, Ender town of Mordogan in the Izmir Province for Turagankur PRODUCER Titus Kreyenberg CO- the shooting of her second feature as director PRODUCERS Nadir Öperli, Jessica Krumma- after making her debut with TOTEM in 2011. cher, Timo Müller PRODUCTION COMPANY The new film – which won the Eurimages Co- unafilm, in co-production with Liman Film, Production Development Award at the Rome kLAPPbOXfILME LANGUAGE German, Turkish Film Festival in 2012 – centers on the friend- ship between two men, Max from Germany CONTACT (played by Benno Ifland who also appeared unafilm in TOTEM) and Osman (Ender Turagankur) [email protected] from Turkey. According to the the filmmakers, www.unafilm.de GEBURT (BIRTH) will be “a film about oppo- sites, about desires and the fear of change. Mordogan tries to wake up, but it will remain
a sleepy little town.” Gerald Kerkletz, Jessica Krummacher, Cosima Degler, Ender Turagankur (photo © Gerald Kerkletz/unafilm)
DER GEILSTE TAG
ndy, aged thirty-three, and Benno, GENRE Road Movie CATEGORY Feature who is thirty-six, have only one thing DIRECTOR Florian David Fitz SCREENPLAY Ain common: they are both terminally Florian David Fitz CAST Florian David Fitz, ill and do not have much time left. With noth - Matthias Schweighöfer, Alexandra Maria Lara ing to lose, they decide to cut loose in search PRODUCERS Dan Maag, Matthias Schweig - of “the most beautiful day” of their lives. höfer, Marco Beckmann PRODUCTION COM- Several thousand miles later, and now at the PANY Pantaleon Films, in co-production with far end of the earth, they realize they are ac- Warner Bros. Entertainment, Erfttal Film- tually searching for something completely und Fernsehproduktion LANGUAGE German different… CONTACT Pantaleon Films [email protected] www.pantaleonfilms.com
photo © Pantaleon Films
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UPCOMING FILMS GFQ 3-2015
GRÜSSE AUS FUKUSHIMA
arie, unlucky in life and love, joins GENRE Drama, Melodrama CATEGORY Fea- the organization Clowns4Help and ture DIRECTOR Doris Dörrie SCREENPLAY Mtravels to Fukushima. There, to geth - Doris Dörrie CAST Rosalie Thomass, Kaori e r with the clown Moshe, she wants to bring Momoi, Mosche Cohen, Nami Kamata PRO- some joy into the lives of the survivors of the DUCERS Harald Kügler, Molly von Fürsten- triple disaster of 2011 (earthquake, tsunami berg PRODUCTION COMPANY Olga Film and radiation leak) who are still living, years LANGUAGE German on, in emergency accommodation. Unfortun - ately Marie soon discovers she is not at all cut SALES out for the task. But before she runs away The Match Factory again she decides to stay with, of all people, [email protected] the stubborn old woman Satomi, the last re- www.the-match-factory.com maining geisha in Fukushima, who wants to return to her destroyed home in the exclusion zone. Two women who could not be more dif- ferent, but who, each in her own way, are
photo © Mathias Bothor/Majestic trapped in the past and have to learn to free themselves from their memories. DIE HABENICHTSE
irector/cinematographer Florian GENRE Drama, Literature CATEGORY Feature Hoff meister made his directorial DIRECTOR Florian Hoffmeister SCREENPLAY D debut in 2005 with 3 DEGREES Mona Kino CAST Julia Jentsch, Sebastian COLDER which won the Silver Leopard for Zimmler PRODUCER Titus Kreyenberg Best First Feature in Locarno. Ten years later, PRODUCTION COMPANY unafilm LANGUAGE with a successful career as a DoP on such German, English films as THE DEEP BLUE SEA and MORTDE- CAI, he returns to the director’s chair for an SALES adaptation of Katharina Hacker’s 2006 K5 Media Group German Book Prize-winning novel Die Habe- [email protected] nichtse. Julia Jentsch (SOPHIE SCHOLL) and www.k5international.com Sebastian Zimmler (HOME FOR THE WEEK- END) play the couple Isabelle and Jacob who were in love a long time ago. On the evening of September 11th, they meet and fall in love again. But a future together seems doomed
as their love is scarred by guilt over the death Florian Hoffmeister (photo © Julia Sans) of a best friend... MANN IM SPAGAT
ollowing his low-budget comedy GENRE Comedy, Road Movie CATEGORY KLAPPE COWBOY!, actor-director- Feature DIRECTOR Timo Jacobs SCREEN- Fproducer Timo Jacobs – who appeared PLAY Timo Jacobs, Federico Avino CAST Timo in the award-winning BORNHOLMER Jacobs, Clemens Schick, Natalia Belitzki, Olli STRASSE – returns to the cinema screens Schulz, Meret Becker, David Scheller, Rolf with the character of Cowboy in the urban Zacher, Claude Oliver Rudolph, Werner Daehn fairy tale MANN IM SPAGAT. This time around, PRODUCER Timo Jacobs CO-PRODUCER Cowboy is in Berlin’s Kreuzberg district trying Mareike Bauer PRODUCTION COMPANIES to sell water he’s produced himself. When his Prophetfilms, Regenfrei Produktion LAN - agency loses patience and sends a represen- GUAGE German tative to see what he’s been up to all this time, Cowboy organizes a wacky bike rally as a dis- CONTACT traction. However, that’s all really child’s play Timo Jacobs compared to the next trial awaiting him: get - [email protected] t ing a room for his headstrong mother in the www.timojacobs.de Sohosavoyritz, the only place with an Elvis
photo © Blanka Gomilla holo gram show.
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GFQ 3-2015 UPCOMING FILMS
MARIE CURIE
roduction is underway this summer at GENRE Drama CATEGORY Feature DIRECTOR locations in Poland, Germany and Marie Noëlle SCREENPLAY Marie Noëlle, PFrance for Marie Noëlle’s film about Andrea Stoll CAST Karolina Gruszka, Arieh Marie Curie, the world-renowned scientist Worthalter, Charles Berling, André Wilms, and winner of the Nobel Prizes for Physics Malik Zidi, Samuel Finzi, Daniel Olbrychski, and Chemistry. According to the film’s direc- Izabela Kuna, Sabin Tambrea PRODUCERS tor and producer Marie Noëlle, “MARIE Marie Noëlle, Ralf Zimmermann, Mikolaj CURIE tells the story of an exemplary Pokromski, Brigitte Faure PRODUCTION woman’s fate and draws the portrait of a pas- COMPANY P’Artisan Filmproduktion, in co- sionate woman, a loving mother and sensual production with BR, Glory Film, Pokromski lover who, despite her sense of reason, Studio, Sépia Production LANGUAGE French throws herself into a man’s arms. We want to show the humanity of a woman whose private CONTACT history was extremely painful, but whose P’Artisan Filmproduktion strength was inspiring for so many of us that [email protected] she became a great role model for genera - www.partisanfilm.de
photo © P’Artisan Film/Pokromski Studio tions of women.”
NEBEL IM AUGUST
irector Kai Wessel returns to a dark audiences through the title role in Edward period in the last century for the first Berger’s award-winning JACK. Dfeature film to address one of the greatest taboos of German history – the GENRE Drama, History CATEGORY Feature Nazis’ euthanasia program during the Third DIRECTOR Kai Wessel SCREENPLAY Holger Reich. Based on Robert Domes’ 2008 histori- Karsten Schmidt, based on the historical cal novel, FOG IN AUGUST centers on the fate novel by Robert Domes CAST Ivo Pietzcker, of 13-year-old Ernst Lossa who is committed Sebastian Koch, Thomas Schubert, Fritzi to a mental hospital in 1942 because of his Haberlandt, David Bennent, Henriette origins in a family of travelers. He soon dis- Confurius, Karl Markovics PRODUCER Ulrich covers the truth behind the hospital’s façade Limmer PRODUCTION COMPANY Collina and sabotages its euthanasia program to help Film produktion LANGUAGE German his new-found friends, but his actions have not gone unnoticed... SALES STUDIOCANAL Ernst is played by the young Berliner Ivo [email protected]
Pietzcker who left a lasting impression on www.studiocanal.com photo © Studiocanal/Anjeza Cikopano
RICO, OSKAR UND DER DIEBSTAHLSTEIN
aving just won the Lola for the Best GENRE Children & Youth, Family Entertain- Children’s Film at this year’s ment CATEGORY Feature DIRECTOR Neele HGerman Film Awards, THE PASTA Leana Vollmar SCREENPLAY Martin Gypkens DETECTIVES now dish up another great serv - CAST Anton Petzold, Juri Winkler, Karoline ing of children’s and family entertainment. Herfurth, Ronald Zehrfeld, Ursela Monn, Once again, the well-matched and insepar - Milan Peschel, Heiko Pinkowski, David Kross, able Rico and Oskar have a new, exciting case Detlev Buck, Genija Rykova, Fahri Yardim, to break, one that takes them this time to the Heike Makatsch, Henry Hübchen, Charlotte Baltic Sea. Old man Fitzke has died, leaving Pasewald, Emma Pasewald PRODUCERS his beloved collection of stones to Rico. The Philipp Budweg, Robert Marciniak CO-PRO- boys discover that the most valuable one of DUCERS Magdalena Prosteder, Anna Maria them all has been stolen. Their true detective Zündel PRODUCTION COMPANY Lieblings- instincts are now in top gear! Even better, the film, in co-production with Fox International grown-ups are away on holiday in Sri Lanka, Productions (Germany) LANGUAGE German so that’s too far off to prevent the boys doing some real detecting. Of course, this being SALES Beta Cinema
photo © Olczyk Jurgen/JAT-PHOTO Rico and Oskar, there is far, far more to the [email protected] case than first meets the eye. www.betacinema.com
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UPCOMING FILMS GFQ 3-2015
SALT AND FIRE
aura, a scientist sent by the United GENRE Fantasy, Science Fiction, Thriller CA- Nations, and her male colleagues TEGORY Feature DIRECTOR Werner Herzog Larrive in Bolivia only to be kidnapped SCREENPLAY Werner Herzog CAST Veronica and held in a remote location by a masked Ferres, Michael Shannon, Gael Garcia man and his armed gang. Despite the circum- Bernal, Volker Michalowski PRO DUCERS stances, she spends a lot of time with him, Werner Herzog, Nina Maag, Michael Bena- feeling herself strangely and increasingly roya, Pablo Cruz PRODUCTION COMPANY drawn to the man. An unusual, almost magi- Construction Film, in co-production with cal dynamic develops between them, Laura Skellig Rock, Canana Films LANGUAGE winning his trust through her empathy. As English their intimacy grows and their conversations become more personal, she learns it is not SALES ransom money that is the mysterious International Film Trust (IFT) stranger’s motive, but rather something far, [email protected] far greater; the urgent need to prevent an www.iftsales.com environ mental catastrophe and human
photo © Lena Herzog tragedy of almost unimaginable proportions.
DER TRAUMHAFTE WEG
heres and Kenneth are both young GENRE Drama CATEGORY Feature DIRECTOR when they first meet whilst on holiday. Angela Schanelec SCREENPLAY Angela TThey fall in love but are unable to pre- Schanelec CAST Miriam Jakob, Maren Eggert, vent themselves from losing each other. Thorbjörn Bjornsson, Phil Hayes PRO - Thirty years later, in another country, another DUCERS Frieder Schlaich, Irene von Alberti couple: Ariane leaves her husband David be- PRODUCTION COMPANY Filmgalerie 451 cause she no longer loves him. The paths they LANGUAGE German, English both take lead them to Kenneth and Theres. CONTACT DER TRAUMHAFTE WEG (THE DREAMLIKE Filmgalerie 451 PATH) is a film about powerlessness and [email protected] happi ness, showing what it means to be part www.filmgalerie451.de of a society that develops unheeding of our needs and capabilities, putting economic and power political interests first, one in which the individual feels extremely helpless, bound
and exhausted by a prescribed and unsway- photo © Angela Schanelec able context. DIE VAMPIRSCHWESTERN 3
he beloved VAMPIRE SISTERS are GENRE Children & Youth, Family Entertain- back! This time they have a new baby ment CATEGORY Feature DIRECTOR Tim Tbrother, Franz, a sweet half-vampire. Trachte SCREENPLAY Ursula Gruber, Sigrun But he is in danger! The evil vampire queen De Pascalis CAST Laura Roge, Marta Martin, Antanasia wants him in her castle, as her Christiane Paul, Stipe Erceg, Michael Kessler, heir. When Silvania accidentally hypnotizes Jana Pallaske, Tim Oliver Schultz, Alexander her parents Mihai and Elvira, thus putting Schubert PRODUCERS Jakob Claussen, Uli them temporarily out of action, Antanasia Putz PRODUCTION COMPANY Claussen+Putz kidnaps baby Franz. Daka pursues her to Filmproduktion, in co-production with Deut- Transylvania to rescue him. With Murdo’s help sche Columbia Pictures LANGUAGE German she breaks into the castle, but is, instead, captivated by Antanasia because she is living SALES what Daka has always dreamed of, the life of ARRI Media World Sales a free vampire! Meanwhile Silvania and Dirk [email protected] van Kombast are on their way to the castle. [email protected] Together with Murdo they have to free Franz www.arriworldsales.de
photo © Claussen+Putz Filmproduktion and Daka from Antanasia’s clutches before Franz is crowned successor to the throne.
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SHORT FILM PROGRAM
AVAILABLEVAILAILAVAILA ABLE FOR FESTIVFESTIVALALL SCREENINGS NGS
DVD screenersscreenersDVD and moremor information:inforand mation:e nextgeneration@nextgeneration@tgeeneration@neration@ Wee thW thankank our parpartners:s:tner german-films.deggerermaan-films.den-films.de S40_Profile_3_2015_Layout 1 23.07.15 13:28 Seite 1
GERMAN FILMS: A PROFILE GFQ 3-2015 GERMAN FILMS SERVICE + MARKETING
is the national infor mation and advisory .SUPERVISORY BOARD center for the promotion of German films worldwide. It was established in 1954 under Peter Herrmann Chairman the name Export-Union of German Cinema as Jana Cernik the umbrella association for the Association Katharina Cramer-Hadjidimos of German Feature Film Producers, the Peter Dinges Association of New German Feature Film Antonio Exacoustos Producers and the Association of German Petra Müller Film Exporters, and operates today in the legal form of a limited company. In 2004, the TEAM company was re organized and now operates under the name: German Films Service + Mariette Rissenbeek Managing Director Marketing GmbH Christine Harrasser Distribution Support, Business Affairs Angela Hawkins Communications & Marketing SHAREHOLDERS are the Association of Nicole Kaufmann Regional Coordinator: USA, UK & Northern Europe German Film Pro ducers, the German Pro- Birgit Koch Press & PR ducers Alliance, the Association of German Verena Köstler Accounts Film Exporters, the German Federal Film Dennis Ruh Festival Relations Board (FFA), the Deutsche Kinemathek, the Maike Schantz Regional Coordinator: Southern Europe & Latin America German Documentary Association, FilmFern- Martin Scheuring Project Coordinator & Short Film sehFonds Bayern, Film- und Medien stiftung Sabrina Schrödl Assistant to the Managing Director NRW, Medien board Berlin-Brandenburg, and Bernhard Simek Regional Coordinator: Eastern Europe & Australia, Documentary Film the German Short Film Association. Konstanze Welz Television, Regional Coordinator: Asia
German Films’ budget of presently €4.55 RANGE OF ACTIVITIES million comes from film export levies, the office of the Federal Government Com - Close cooperation with major interna - Publication of informational literature missioner for Culture and the Media, and the tional film festivals, inc luding Berlin, Cannes, about current German films and the German FFA. The seven main regional film funds Venice, San Sebastian, Locarno, Rome, film industry, as well as international market (FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Filmförderung Karlovy Vary, Montreal, Toronto, New York, analyses and special festival brochures Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, Film- und Shanghai, Warsaw, Moscow, and Busan Medien stiftung NRW, Medienboard Berlin- A website (www.german-films.de) offer - Brandenburg, MFG Baden-Württemberg, Organization of umbrella stands for ing inf orma tion about new German films, a Mittel deutsche Medien förderung, and Nord- German sales companies and producers at film archive, in formation and links to German media) make a financial contribution – international television and film markets and international film festivals and institu - currently amounting to €319,000 – towards (Berlin, Cannes, AFM Los Angeles, Shanghai, tions the work of German Films. Toronto, Clermont-Ferrand, Annecy) Organization of the selection procedure German Films is a founding member of the Staging of Festivals of German Films in for the German entry for the Oscar® for Best European Film Promotion, a network of selected inter national territories in coopera- Foreign Language Film European film organizations with similar tion with the Goethe-Institut responsibilities to those of German Films. Collaboration with Deutsche Welle’s The organiza tion, with its headquarters in Staging of the German Premieres industry DW-TV KINO program which features the Hamburg, aims to develop and realize joint screenings in New York latest German film releases and intern ational projects for the pre sentation of European productions in Germany films on an inter national level. Providing advice and information for rep - resentatives of the international press and Organization of the German Films Pre- In association and cooperation with its share - buyers from the fields of cinema, home views geared toward arthouse distributors holders, German Films works to promote fea- entertainment, and television and buyers of German films ture, documentary, television and short films. Providing advice and information for Selective financial Distribution Support In addition, German Films has foreign re p - German filmmakers and press on inter - for the foreign releases of German films resentatives for Eastern Europe, China/ national festivals, conditions of participation, Southe ast Asia, and the USA/Canada. and German films being shown Organization with Unifrance of the annual German-French film meeting Organization of the annual Next Genera- tion Short Tiger short film program, which presents a selection of shorts and is inter - nationally premiered at Cannes
40 S41_Supporters_3_2015_Layout 1 23.07.15 13:30 Seite 1
GFQ 3-2015 SHAREHOLDERS & SUPPORTERS
Allianz Deutscher Produzenten – Film & Fernsehen e.V. German Producers Alliance Kronenstr. 3 | 10117 Berlin/Germany phone +49-30-2 06 70 88 0 | fax +49-30-2 06 70 88 44 | [email protected] | www.produzentenallianz.de
Arbeitsgemeinschaft Dokumentarfilm e.V. German Documentary Association Schweizer Str. 6 | 60594 Frankfurt am Main/Germany phone +49-69-62 37 00 | fax +49-61 42-96 64 24 | [email protected] | www.agdok.de
Arbeitsgemeinschaft Kurzfilm e.V. German Short Film Association Förstereistr. 36 | 01099 Dresden/Germany phone +49-3 51-4 04 55 75 | fax +49-3 51-4 04 55 76 | [email protected] | www.ag-kurzfilm.de
Deutsche Kinemathek Museum für Film und Fernsehen Potsdamer Str. 2 | 10785 Berlin/Germany phone +49-30-30 09 03-0 | fax +49-30-30 09 03-13 | [email protected] | www.deutsche-kinemathek.de
FilmFernsehFonds Bayern GmbH Gesellschaft zur Förderung der Medien in Bayern Sonnenstr. 21 | 80331 Munich/Germany phone +49-89-54 46 02-0 | fax +49-89-54 46 02 21 | [email protected] | www.fff-bayern.de
Filmförderungsanstalt German Federal Film Board Große Präsidentenstr. 9 | 10178 Berlin/Germany phone +49-30-27 57 70 | fax +49-30-27 57 71 11 | [email protected] | www.ffa.de
Film- und Medienstiftung NRW GmbH Kaistr. 14 | 40221 Düsseldorf/Germany phone +49-2 11-93 05 00 | fax +49-2 11-93 05 05 | [email protected] | www.filmstiftung.de
Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH August-Bebel-Str. 26-53 | 14482 Potsdam-Babelsberg/Germany phone +49-3 31-74 38 70 | fax +49-3 31-7 43 87 99 | [email protected] | www.medienboard.de
Verband Deutscher Filmexporteure e.V. (VDFE) Association of German Film Exporters Robert-Koch-Str. 1 | 80538 Munich/Germany | Berlin office: Winterfeldtstr. 56 | 10781 Berlin/Germany phone +49- 89-57 08 77 53 | fax +49-89-57 08 77 60 | [email protected] | www.vdfe.de
Verband Deutscher Filmproduzenten e.V. Association of German Producers Bavariafilmplatz 7 | 82031 Grünwald/Germany phone +49-89-64 95 64 18 | fax +49-89-35 46 60 60 [email protected] | www.filmproduzentenverband.de
Die Beauftragte der Bundesregierung für Kultur und Medien Federal Government Commissioner for Culture & the Media Köthener Str. 2 | 10963 Berlin/Germany | phone +49-30-18 681 0 fax +49-30-1 86 81 54 43 51 | [email protected] | www.kulturstaatsminister.de
Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein GmbH Friedensallee 14–16 | 22765 Hamburg/Germany phone +49-40-398 37-0 | fax +49-40-398 37-10 | [email protected] | www.ffhsh.de
MFG Medien- und Filmgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg mbH Bereich Filmförderung | Breitscheidstr. 4 | 70174 Stuttgart/Germany phone +49-7 11-90 71 54 00 | fax +49-7 11-90 71 54 50 | [email protected] | www.film.mfg.de
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ASSOCIATION OF GERMAN FILM EXPORTERS GFQ 3-2015 ASSOCIATION OF GERMAN FILM EXPORTERS
Verband deutscher Filmexporteure e.V. (VDFE) Robert-Koch-Str. 1 80538 Munich/Germany phone +49-89-570 877 53 Berlin office: fax +49-89-570 877 60 Winterfeldtstr. 56 [email protected] 10781 Berlin/Germany www.vdfe.de phone +49-30-8 61 23 93
Aktis Film International GmbH Films Boutique GmbH SOLA Media GmbH Hauptmannstr. 10 Köpenicker Str. 184 Filderhauptstr. 49 04109 Leipzig/Germany 10997 Berlin/Germany 70599 Stuttgart/Germany phone +49-3 41-35 54 09 07 phone +49-30-69 53 78 50 phone +49-7 11-96 89 44 40 fax +49-3 41-35 54 09 09 fax +49 30-69 53 78 51 fax +49-7 11-96 89 44 51 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.aktis-film.com www.filmsboutique.com www.sola-media.com
ARRI Media World Sales Global Screen GmbH Transit Film GmbH Türkenstr. 89 Sonnenstr. 21 Dachauer Str. 35 80799 Munich/Germany 80331 Munich/Germany 80335 Munich/Germany phone +49-89-38 09 12 88 phone +49-89-24 41 29 55 00 phone +49-89-59 98 85-0 fax +49-89-38 09 16 19 fax +49-89-24 41 29 55 20 fax +49-89-59 98 85-20 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] www.globalscreen.de www.transitfilm.de www.arriworldsales.de
Beta Cinema GmbH Media Luna New Films UG Grünwalder Weg 28d Kaiser-Wilhelm-Ring 38, 6th Floor 82041 Oberhaching/Germany 50672 Cologne/Germany phone +49-89-6 73 46 98 28 phone +49-2 21-51 09 18 91 fax +49-89-6 73 46 98 88 fax +49-2 21-51 09 18 99 [email protected] [email protected] www.betacinema.com www.medialuna.biz
Constantin Film Verleih GmbH Picture Tree International GmbH Feilitzschstr. 6 Zur Börse 12 80802 Munich/Germany 10247 Berlin/Germany phone +49-89-44 44 60 0 phone +49-30-420 824 80 fax +49-89-44 44 60 666 fax +49-30-420 824 812 [email protected] [email protected] www.constantin-film.de www.picturetree-international.com
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GFQ 3-2015 IMPRINT & FOREIGN REPRESENTATIVES
German Films Quarterly is published by: Editor FOREIGN REPRESENTATIVES Angela Hawkins German Films Service + Marketing GmbH Eastern Europe Herzog-Wilhelm-Str. 16 Contributors Simone Baumann 80331 Munich/Germany Bettina Aust, Martin Blaney, Chris Jones, Saxonia Entertainment phone +49-89-5 99 78 70 Simon Kingsley, Dr. Claus Löser Altenburger Str. 9 fax +49-89-59 97 87 30 04275 Leipzig/Germany [email protected] Translations phone +49-3 41-35 00 45 36 www.german-films.de Lucinda Rennison fax +49-3 41-35 00 77 45 36 [email protected] Cover THE PEOPLE VS. FRITZ BAUER (photo © USA & Canada zero one film/Martin Valentin Menke) Oliver Mahrdt Hanns Wolters International Inc. Design & Art Direction 599 Eleventh Ave., 3rd Floor Werner Schauer www.triptychon.biz New York, NY 10036/USA ISSN 1614-6387 phone +1-212-714 0100 Printing Office [email protected] Credits are not contractual for any of www.esta-druck.de the films mentioned in this publication. China German Films supports the use of paper from sustainable forestry. The pages of this magazine are made of PEFC certificated cellulose. Anke Redl © German Films Service + Marketing GmbH PEFC (Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification China Media Management Inc. schemes) is the largest independent organization worldwide for securing and continuously improving a sustainable forest manage- Galaxy SOHO, Tower D-50931 All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or ment and it guarantees ecological, social and economic standards. No. 7 Xiaopaifang Hutong Currently there are 258 million hectares of PEFC certificated forest transmission of this publication may be made worldwide. Dongcheng without written permission. Beijing 100010/China phone +86-10-65 20 64 30 fax +86-10-65 20 64 50 [email protected] GmbH worldwide transport solutions Int. Medienspedition FILMTRANSPORTS . FIRST CLASS SERVICE ! AIRFREIGHT WORLDWIDE: EXPORT . IMPORT . WAREHOUSE INTERNATIONAL COURIERSERVICE: WORLDWIDE „DOOR TO DOOR“ TRUCKING SERVICE . OVERNIGHT FESTIVALS . FILMPRODUCTION-HANDLING
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