Big-Screen Family Fun Scoring at the Movies: UFA Cinema’S Next Steps
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25 March 2010 week 12 Big-screen family fun Scoring at the movies: UFA Cinema’s next steps Germany United Kingdom Super RTL announces winners Dawn Airey speaks at the of ‘Bob Helps Kindergartens’ Australian Broadcasting Summit France Belgium Groupe M6 and Sidaction RTL Belgium launches fight Aids RTL Sport HD week 12 the RTL Group intranet 25 March 2010 week 12 Cover: Scene from UFA Cinema’s movie Teufelskicker. Big-screen family fun Scoring at the movies: UFA Cinema’s next steps 2 Germany United Kingdom Super RTL announces winners Dawn Airey speaks at the of ‘Bob Helps Kindergartens’ Australian Broadcasting Summit France Belgium Groupe M6 and Sidaction RTL Belgium launches fight Aids RTL Sport HD week 12 the RTL Group intranet Prodigious Productions UFA Cinema was founded in January 2008, and recently its first movie opened in German cinemas: Teufelskicker. Backstage spoke with Thomas Peter Friedl about recent developments at the company. Thomas Peter Friedl Germany - 25 March 2010 UFA is one of the oldest and most famous Avatar. “We got off to an excellent start as the names in German media: it produced such week’s best new opening, comparable to the classic films asDer blaue Engel and Metropolis. opening figures of Die Wilden Kerle (The Wild When Bertelsmann took over the company Soccer Bunch),” explains Thomas Peter Friedl. in 1964, UFA increasingly concentrated on In all, Die Wilden Kerle attracted 900,000 viewers the production of TV content, but at the end and became – with four sequels – one of the of 2007 the company announced that it was most successful German teen franchises of the ready to return to its roots. “This completes recent past. Friedl adds: “The second weekend UFA’s programme portfolio again,” Wolf Bauer, maintained the high level set by opening Chairman and CEO of UFA, said at the time. weekend. More than anything, we’re excited to see what happens in the Easter holidays, which A good two years have passed since then and begin soon.” the company has initial successes to present. “We are very happy with the company’s development,” declares Thomas Peter Friedl, one of UFA Cinema’s four Managing Directors. “We already finished shooting our first four films last year.” The movies are distributed in Germany, Austria and Switzerland by Universal Pictures International Germany in co-operation with UFA Cinema. “Universal Pictures is the best possible partner for us,” says Friedl. “Their international business approach, global production partnerships and ties to filmmakers around the world makes them unique among US studios.” This month, Teufelskicker (Devil’s Kickers), the first UFA Cinema production, opened in German cinemas. “The film turned out exactly as we imagined,” beams Friedl. “Not a children’s film, but big-screen family fun, with lots of comedy, and girls like it just as much as boys do.” The box- office sales speak for themselves: on opening weekend, Teufelskicker attracted 130,000 viewers to German movie theatres, making it the number four most-watched film of the weekend, behind Alice in Wonderland, Shutter Island and Teufelskicker poster 3 week 12 the RTL Group intranet He says UFA Cinema is already working on a And the company has even bigger plans for the sequel to the film, in close coordination with months ahead. In September 2008, UFA Cinema the YourChance.de casting portal. Users can had announced eight upcoming productions register here, create a comp card and submit – in January 2009, another eight were added. videos to audition for certain roles. “Of course After four productions were completed last we’re working closely with YourChance.de,” year, the company is now tackling the rest of says Friedl. “We found some of our Teufelskicker the roster: “We are currently preparing another cast members through the site, and are currently six productions for this year, and a total of working with them to prepare the casting call for eight cinematic projects for 2011, including the the second part.” major international production Der Medicus (The Physician), based on the eponymous UFA Cinema has no intention of resting on international bestseller by Noah Gordon. We’re its Teufelskicker laurels. Other projects are in going to pull off this ambitious volume in the production or have already finished shooting. first three years of production,” Friedl says The next box-office opening is scheduled for confidently. early summer. “On June 17, Hanni & Nanni (The O´Sullivan Twins) will open in cinemas,” Numerous projects are currently underway, too. reports Thomas Peter Friedl. In her series for “This week we began shooting Dschungelkind young readers, the author Enid Blyton created (Jungle Child) in Malaysia, starring Thomas a world that continues to captivate millions. Kretschmann and Nadja Uhl. We’re also in the The adventures of the twin sisters are fresh and process of casting the male lead to star opposite ageless and it’s no coincidence that they are still Jessica Schwarz in the romantic comedy Jesus the number one most checked out children’s liebt mich (Jesus Loves Me),” Friedl reports. and teen library books in German libraries. UFA “I’m especially delighted to be able to work with Cinema’s screen adaptation marks the big- Denis Gansel again after Die Welle (The Wave). screen debut of Enid Blyton’s classic books. He will direct the thriller Im Jahr des Hundes “Die kommenden Tage (Days to come) starring (The Year of the Dog), which we will be shooting Bernadette Heerwagen, Daniel Brühl, Johanna in Germany and Russia come September. But I Wokalek and August Diehl will follow in October can’t tell you yet when exactly these productions of this year,” says Friedl. will be opening in theatres.” Hanni & Nanni: The O’Sullivan Twins 4 week 12 the RTL Group intranet ‘Together for our children’ The German musician Xavier Naidoo and his band, Söhne Mannheims, will perform at the SAP Arena in Mannheim in an event tying in to the RTL Spendenmarathon telethon. Germany - 25 March 2010 Wolfram Kons, Dietmar Hopp, Xavier Naidoo and Robert Lübenoff (from left to right) Xavier Naidoo will perform with the band Söhne for 24.5 hours straight for the 15th year in a Mannheims as well as solo in two separate row, is grateful for their involvement. “People concerts on 17 November, and will also be like Dietmar Hopp, Xavier Naidoo and the band joined on stage by several surprise guests. Söhne Mannheims show social responsibility. The aim of the event is to be able to present They use their special status to benefit others. a large check to the RTL Spendenmarathon That is what the RTL Spendenmarathon stands telethon on 19 November 2010 in Cologne. for as well. We help – you have our word on This, along with donations from viewers, will go that!“ Kons, who has raised well over EUR to the projects “Aufwind” (Updraft) in Mannheim 70 million with the telethon to date, is “delighted and “Sonnenkinder” (Children of the Sun) in to be part of such a remarkable partnership in Bensheim. As Xavier Naidoo promises, “We will our anniversary year.” make sure our fans and all the people who are helping us realise this project are treated to a For the projects this joint initiative represents very special evening at the SAP Arena.” the economic basis they need to continue their effective efforts in the coming years. The For SAP founder Dietmar Hopp, this partnership “Aufwind-Mannheim e.V.” society is devoted to is “a pact in the struggle against social inequality,” combating child poverty and supporting families one that his Dietmar Hopp Foundation was in difficult life situations and emergencies. Their happy to join. “We’re familiar with the idea from aim is to effectively change children’s living sports: together, you’re stronger. And in this circumstances and promote their wellbeing case, a very strong team has been assembled in a comprehensive way. “Sonnenkinder” is a to champion children in need.” Wolfram Kons, parents’ initiative that takes care of children with who is in charge of the RTL Spendenmarathon disabilities in many different ways. and this year will be cheering people to donate 5 week 12 the RTL Group intranet The winners are in Hundreds of kindergartens from all over Germany participated in Super RTL’s charity campaign ‘Bob Helps Kindergartens’. The five winning kindergartens have now been picked. Germany - 23 March 2010 This is the fifth time that Bob the Builder, the The “Super RTL für Kinder e.V.” society had beloved children’s character featured in Super given EUR 25,000 for the renovations. This RTL’s Toggolino preschool programming, has was generously matched by a EUR 25,000 set out to make Germany’s kindergartens a bit gift from the RTL Spendenmarathon telethon. safer and more beautiful. This year he’s focusing The company Naturholz-Gestaltung Kästner on outdoor equipment: new swing sets, slides (Natural Wood Design) also donated playhouses and jungle gyms will help provide children with worth EUR 10,000. After a careful review of all a safe, child-friendly and worry-free playing applicants, the winners have now been selected. environment. His handymen will be the cause of Located in Berlin, Bremen, Duisburg, Frankfurt a lot of shining eyes and happiness when they and Leverkusen, the five winning kindergartens take up their work in the kindergartens over the can look forward to new playground equipment next few weeks. And of course Bob the Builder worth a total of EUR 60,000. himself will stop by to inspect and inaugurate the new equipment with the kids. Bob the Builder providing a kindergarten with new playground equipment 6 week 12 the RTL Group intranet Serving an important cause Groupe M6 will lend its full support to the campaign led by Sidaction to fight against Aids.