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Home , Alexander Held, Alexandra Maria Lara, A Year of the Quiet Sun, Bavarian TV Awards, Christian Becker, Christian Redl

cover_GFQ_4.qxp 06.10.2008 10:53 Uhr Seite 1 German Films Quarterly 4 · 2008

AT ROME Cinema 2008 Competition LONG SHADOWS by Connie Walther Anteprima-Premiere THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX by

PORTRAITS Directors Hannes Stoehr & Neele Leana Vollmar, Rat Pack Filmproduktion, Actor Inhaltsverz_GFQ4_2008.qxp 06.10.2008 10:54 Uhr Seite 1

German Films Quarterly 4 · 2008

directors’ portraits 4 GLOBAL STORYTELLER A portrait of Hannes Stoehr 6 A SENSE OF FAMILY A portrait of Neele Leana Vollmar

producers’ portrait 8 PACKING A PUNCH A portrait of Rat Pack Filmproduktion

actor’s portrait 10 NORTHERN LIGHT IN THE MOVIE SKY A portrait of David Kross

12 news

in production 18 24 STUNDEN SCHLESISCHES TOR Eva Lia Reinegger, Anna de Paoli 18 Michael Ballhaus, Ciro Cappellari 19 DIE FREMDE Feo Aladag 20 DER GROSSE KATER Wolfgang Panzer 21 HAUS UND KIND Andreas Kleinert 22 HILDE Kai Wessel 23 HITLER VOR GERICHT Bernd Fischerauer 24 KINDERSUCHE Miguel Alexandre 25 MAENNERSACHE , Mario Barth 26 ROMY Torsten C. Fischer 26 ROSAMUNDE PILCHER: VIER JAHRESZEITEN Giles Foster 27 SCHWERKRAFT Maximilian Erlenwein 28 THIS IS LOVE Matthias Glasner 29 TRANSFER Damir Lukacevic 30 UNTER BAUERN Ludi Boeken

new german films 32 9TO5 – DAYS IN PORN Jens Hoffmann 33 88 – PILGERN AUF JAPANISCH 88 – PILGRIMAGE IN JAPANESE Gerald Koll 34 ADEMS SOHN ADEM’S SON Hakan Savas Mican 35 ANONYMA — EINE FRAU IN BERLIN A WOMAN IN BERLIN Max Faerberboeck Inhaltsverz_GFQ4_2008.qxp 06.10.2008 10:54 Uhr Seite 2

36 DER BAADER MEINHOF KOMPLEX THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX Uli Edel 37 DIE BIENEN – TOEDLICHE BEDROHUNG KILLERBEES Michael Karen 38 BUDDENBROOKS BUDDENBROOKS – THE DECLINE OF A FAMILY 39 DEM KUEHLEN MORGEN ENTGEGEN INTO THE COLD DAWN Oliver Becker, Katharina Bruner 40 FINNISCHER TANGO FINNISH TANGO Buket Alakus 41 FRECHE MAEDCHEN CHEEKY GIRLS Ute Wieland 42 CLARA Helma Sanders-Brahms 43 HINTER KAIFECK KAIFECK MURDER Esther Gronenborn 44 HOTEL SAHARA Bettina Haasen 45 IN JEDER SEKUNDE AT ANY SECOND Jan Fehse 46 JERICHOW Christian Petzold 47 KRABAT 48 MA’RIB Rainer Komers 49 MIKE FIGGIS – THE SEDUCTION OF THE EYE Ina Borrmann 50 DAS MORPHUS-GEHEIMNIS MYSTERY OF MORPHUS Karola Hattop 51 NARRENSPIEL FOOL’S GAME Markus F. Adrian 52 NEBEN DER SPUR TOUR EXCESS Detlef Bothe 53 NOBODY’S PERFECT Niko von Glasow 54 DER PFAD DES KRIEGERS THE WAY OF A WARRIOR Andreas Pichler 55 SCHATTENWELT LONG SHADOWS Connie Walther 56 SHORT CUT TO HOLLYWOOD Marcus Mittermeier, Jan Henrik Stahlberg 57 STANDESGEMAESS NOBLE COMMITMENTS Julia von Heinz 58 U-900 Sven Unterwaldt 59 WARTEN AUF ANGELINA WAITING FOR ANGELINA Hans-Christoph Blumenberg 60 WELTSTADT CITY OF THE WORLD Christian Klandt 61 ZWEIER OHNE COXLESS PAIR Jobst Christian Oetzmann

65 film exporters

67 foreign representatives · imprint A portraitofHannesStoehr.qxp06.10.200810:03UhrSeite1

Hannes Stoehr (photo © Filmfestival Locarno) STORYTELLER STORYTELLER GLOBAL DIRECTOR’S PORTRAIT DIRECTOR’S A portrait of Hannes Stoehr Hannes A portrait of International Film Festival inAugust2008. FilmFestival International had itsworldpremiere onthe PiazzaGrandeattheLocarno director – that’s thegoalof ratherthansermonizing entertaining Thoughtfully 4 ·2008 films quarterlygerman Hannes Stoehr Hannes whose latestfeature Berlin Calling I prefertragicomedies.” your for story. therightangle main thingistofind Andtherighttone: whichisbasedon research.solid storytelling Realityiscomplex,the Hannes. aclownthanpriest,”says “Ilove asmore of “I seemyself and directed histhird feature Villa Aurora inLosAngelestoworkontheproject Poland, the for andRussia.In2006,heobtainedawritingfellowship was released abroadSpain,Turkey, incinemasJapan, theUK, around theworldand Berlinale, screened atover30otherfestivals Europe actress SandraBorgmann.Hissecondfeaturefilm, Rolefor BestSupporting Television Awardof 2004inthecategory European CIVISTelevision AwardtheGerman 2004andreceived movie BestFilm2002.In2003,hewrotefor anddirected the FilmCritics’Award German Director 2002,andtheAssociationof FacesAwardBestYoungGeneration Competition,theNew for 1stPrizeinStudioHamburg’sAward actorJoergSchuettauf, for Next Audience AwardFilmCritics’ atthe2001Berlinale,German Annonay. amongothers, InGermany, received, thePanorama thefilm Spain andTurkey, inPoitiers, winningprizesatfestivals Valencia and inGermany, andreleased worldwide theatrically France, festivals wasshownatover30 withthesamenamefromshort 1999.Thefilm debut with and medium-lengthdocumentaries, hemadehisfeaturedirectorial shorts from Berlin(dffb) 1995to1999.Afteranumberof Academy ed ScriptwritingandDirectingFilm&Television attheGerman andanine-monthtripthroughservice SouthAmerica.Hethenstudi- Passau aftercompletinghiscivilian of European attheUniversity Law Stoehr Hannes www.abovetheline.de ·www.stoehrfilm.eu email: [email protected] 10 73 87 +49-30-28 30·fax 77 88 phone +49-30-2 Wielandstrasse 5·10625Berlin/ Above theLineGmbH Agent: Live inParis Libre Argentinien, SucheEuropa Baden-Wuerttemberg FilmAcademy. include: Hisotherfilms scriptwriter anddirector inBerlinandisalecturerthe atthedffb thisAugust.HannesStoehrworksasa Piazza GrandeinLocarno the film’sscore, theelectronicStarring composerPaul Kalkbrenner, whoalsowrote Odins Rache (documentary, 1997), a nie oteOfca optto fthe 2005 Competitionof totheOfficial , wasinvited Berlin isinGermany (documentary, 1998). Berlin Calling was born in in1970andstudied inStuttgart was born which was nominated for the German and theGerman which wasnominatedfor · UschiKeil Berlin Calling Prawda had itsworldpremiere onthe (short, 1995), (short, in 2001,basedona15-minute (short, 1998),and (short, director’s portrait in thesummer2007. Forty Eighters Lieber Cuba Lieber One Dayin Tatort Gosh – Biete TV 4 A portrait of Hannes Stoehr.qxp 08.10.2008 9:54 Uhr Seite 2

Hannes was born in Stuttgart and grew up in Hechingen in Baden- in a universal way. So, it is important to know the cinema styles of Wuerttemberg. Before and after civil service, he did extended back- other countries.” packing tours through Central and South America. He then studied Law, but his involvement in various art projects making films made His feature One Day in Europe – which had its premiere in the him decide to “turn my hobby into a profession.” In 1994, he moved Official Competition of the Berlinale in 2005 – he describes as his res- to Berlin. ponse to “a historical European moment coming from this chance of the fall of the Wall” with interwoven stories set in Berlin, Moscow, Hannes became part of an underground-style filmmaking movement Istanbul and Santiago de Compostela. The overall theme of the film in the reunified capital, “which was really anarchic, low budget and of was languages in Europe. course without any shooting permits. Everything was possible then because there was such a great energy in the air.” And looking back now, Hannes says that he can see his three feature films as forming a trilogy: “Berlin is in Germany shows Berlin These Super 8 films were then shown at basement bars and can now viewed from the alien perspective, One Day in Europe shows also be viewed on Hannes’ own YouTube channel. Berlin in the European context, and Berlin Calling is now the view from within.” “In fact, looking back, I think that this atmosphere at the beginning of the 90s in Berlin was very important to me,” he suggests. “It wasn’t As Hannes points out, it is not by coincidence that his three features just Germans, because you seemed to have the whole world coming to date all have English titles: “The titles may be English but the films here to find answers. That energy is something you find in my films.” have a very German content or at least a German point of view. The films are very local, but at the same time very universal. It worked His application to Berlin’s German Film & Television Academy (dffb) out: Berlin is in Germany and One Day in Europe were was accepted in 1995 where he studied until 1999, making such films released in the cinemas in France, Spain, Turkey, Poland, Russia, the as the documentaries, Lieber Cuba Libre, Gosh – Live in UK and Japan, and elsewhere. “Also, English titles are an advantage in , and a 15-minute short version of his 2001 feature debut a Google world,” Hannes quips. Berlin is in Germany. At the moment, he is promoting the release of Berlin Calling in Hannes admits that there may at times have been an ideological clash Germany and is invited to several international festivals. Berlin between him and dffb director Reinhard Hauff over his work, but he Calling portrays the world of an composer, a tra- has nothing but respect for the veteran filmmaker’s humanism. “I gicomedy in the Berlin of today, starring Paul Kalkbrenner, Rita learned a lot from Reinhard Hauff, although or maybe because he Lengyel, and Araba Walton. “Our main role and comes from a different generation.” Moreover, several of his fellow musician, Paul Kalkbrenner, is an internationally known electronic students from film school days have worked with him on subsequent music artist, so we have a worldwide audience on all continents projects such as DoPs Andreas Doub and Florian Hoffmeister, editor around the globe. We are trying to also reach our global community Anne Fabini and producer Karsten Aurich. by net guerilla activities through My Space, Facebook and YouTube. The Internet gives you a great opportunity to promote your film with- Berlin is in Germany stirred things up winning the Panorama out having so much money,” Hannes adds. “We live in a time where Audience Award at the 2001 Berlinale, the German Film Critics Prize global storytelling is possible. This is a great opportunity.” for Best Film 2002 and many others, including four international first film awards. Hannes Stoehr spoke with Martin Blaney

This feature debut played in the here and now of 2001 Berlin whereas subsequent films about the recent German past, such as Wolfgang Becker’s Good Bye, Lenin! or Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s The Lives of Others, were set during the GDR or in the autumn of ’89.

“I saw myself more in the present,” Hannes explains. “The important thing for me here was that a wall comes down and, from one day to the next, a human experiment begins which had never taken place before. A country is divided and is then brought back together.”

“With my first film I fortunately had the chance to travel around the world and see what is important for a German film,” Hannes con- tinues. “My generation of filmmakers is quite privileged because after the Second World War people had had enough of the Germans, something which I can understand fully. But after the fall of the Berlin Wall, the interest in German culture has come back strongly. People see that something is happening and the clichéd images of the Second World War are being changed. One can see more nuances there now.”

Hannes loves traveling and speaks English, Spanish, French and Portuguese. “I enjoy attending film festivals and being present for the releases of my films in other countries. I always try to tell my stories

german films quarterly director’s portrait

4 · 2008 5 A portraitofNeeleLeanaVollmar.qxp02.10.200810:20UhrSeite1

Neele Leana Vollmar (photo © Rick Ostermann) ES FFAMILY OF SENSE A DIRECTOR’S PORTRAIT DIRECTOR’S A portrait of Neele Leana Vollmar NeeleLeana A portrait of in thecloset.”However, Vollmar’s hermotherisalittletoblamefor theskeletons methat Ilookfor for beensogreat always things have about her.parents knowalmosteverything because “Itisprecisely dream family,” sheassures acloserelationship; us.have her They laughsandshakes herhead.“No,only no, isa no. Myownfamily When sheisasked thereasonthis, for thelankydirector from madness? memberstothefringeof family herdysfunctional somuch, driving life family to plumbthedepthsof other, tooneanotheristheexception. doesshelike andtalking Why each membersare ashamedof to depression, asarulethefamily eitherthechildren ortheparents families, are prone work. Inherfilm in thequietlife tors, there isnosignof amongyoungdirec- German filmmaker” Although sheisthe“family 4 ·2008 films quarterlygerman Neele Leana VollmarNeele Leana ’s to say – so why don’t you tell me, what exactly isnormal? you don’t tellme,what exactly –sowhy to say are Hercharactersseem evident. biography dictions inalmostevery plans are becomingmore and more complicatedandthecontra- light, laconictone:Vollmar’s are suitedtoanageinwhichlife’s films succeedsinrecountingShe even people’s ina andtragic events fears before that. miere tookplaceatthe32ndWorld inMontreal FilmFestival shortly pre- cinemasinSeptemberandtheinternational launched inGerman comic feature film short specialty –from thehysterical materialthatVollmar film inspiration for hasalreadymadeintoher age:anobjectlessonincomplicatedsoulsandthe atanearly films theme.Afterall,sheshowedherdaughterIngmarBergman favorite Vacation from Life features inthefull-length cinematicrelatives of and more facets more awardsworld-wide.Shehasdeveloped several which received attractedattentionin first Times like films short strated aninterest ininterpersonalrelationships inherfirst from inLudwigsburg 2000to2005.Shealreadydemon- Academy bystudiesinDirectingfollowed attheBaden-Wuerttemberg Film schooling, shewasadirector’sproductions, variousfilm assistantfor VollmarNeele Leana email: [email protected] ·www.royalponyfilm.com email: [email protected] 20 13 98 +49-89-64 20·fax 11 98 phone +49-89-64 7·82031Geiselgasteig/Germany Bavariafilmplatz Bayerisches Filmzentrum Royal Pony FilmGmbH&Co.KG Contact: person.” of kind afamily herthemeonset:“There, internalized Iamsimply even Boetcher, oftenPascal andthecameramanisvery Schmitt.Soshehas she employsregular actorslikePeter Gustav Woehler orAnna thecamera, herproductions: teamfor infront of back onafamiliar again bythewell-knownscriptwriterRuthToma. Vollmar oftenfalls byVollmar, theaimistomake more films well, butfirst writtenonce Royal Ponyfuture, Filmhopestorealize projects byotherdirectors as her ownproduction company, RoyalPony In Film,withaVGF grant. Masterclass (2003).Together withCaroline Daubesheestablished cipated intheBerlinaleTalent CampusandtheHollywood her studies,theCaligariFellowship shereceived (2002),andparti- nicht schmeckt’s Sans uneParoleSans ( Friedliche Zeiten Peaceful Times (2008/2009, currently inproduction). During (2008/2009, currently ( Urlaub vom Leben 20) e nuigteeo thefamily (2001). Herenduringthemeof My Parents was born inBremenwas born in1978.Afterher hsfl eso fthenovelwas versionof . Thisfilm , 2008),and My Parents ( Meine Eltern director’s portrait , 2004), Maria, ihm to hertragi- Peaceful , 2003), 6 A portrait of Neele Leana Vollmar.qxp 08.10.2008 9:56 Uhr Seite 2

These films appear to tread lightly, but they are also profound. And Indeed, melancholy dominated in Vacation from Life: a bank they touch people outside Germany: My Parents won three prizes employee recognizes that his existence is no more than routine. And in Clermont-Ferrand in 2004. It is not surprising: when petit-bour- because Vollmar likes to get her own way, she made her student grad- geois parents recreate the illusion of a once happy marriage and uation project into a full-length film despite the opposition. actually find themselves and each other in the process, the idea has considerable potential for identification in any country. “They are Later, she founded her own production company, Royal Pony Film, situations that everyone has experienced at some time,” Vollmar says together with Caroline Daube and made Peaceful Times. She of her films. She loves the situation comedy that develops in relation- refuses to be categorized, constantly seeking new facets of her film ships, but: “The story is always the most important thing, the laugh- theme. ter comes second.” Vollmar searches for poetry in everyday life: “I want my viewers to immerse themselves in the film for one or two The next one on the list is a witty, perceptive comedy; the film ver- hours, and for each person to leave the cinema with his own story sion of a book that has been very successful in Germany – Maria, ihm afterwards.” schmeckt’s nicht by Jan Weiler. This Claussen+Woebke+Putz pro- duction centers on a German-Italian relationship and the resultant Her most lavish project to date, Peaceful Times is set in the misunderstandings: again and again, Vollmar focuses on the minor cul- Germany of the 1960s: the Striesow family have escaped from the tural clashes – between East and West, between bourgeois and drop- GDR. Irene is still haunted by her memories of the East and her hus- out, between German and Italian mentality. “I love the cliché,” she band Dieter is a big dreamer, longing for America – the two could says, and adds that she loves to play with it. And often it conceals scarcely be less alike. The minor and major crises in life – as often in something that is simply true. But the sense of homelessness in a dif- Vollmar’s films – are set off by ironic off-screen commentary. Here, it ferent culture felt by the main character is important to Vollmar as is the naive voice of one of the couple’s children that recounts the well. That is what gives the comedy its depth. family drama. The mother constantly has fantasies of suicide in the film, certainly, but the viewer cannot hate her for it: an achievement Even though her parents sometimes find it annoying to be asked con- of actress Katharina Schubert, as well as the direction. stantly what went wrong when they were bringing up their daughter: Vollmar is not working off any kind of trauma. She has merely found Film neuroses, the decor of the times, or shooting with children: a lively source of inspiration. Vollmar never balks at such challenges. She also refused to accept the pressure to make another scurrilous comedy after My Parents. Christoph Groener spoke with Neele Leana Vollmar 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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Airport Offices: München Berlin  089/97 58 07-0  069/69 52 36-0  030/412 20 34  040/50 75 15 73 Fax 089/97 59 52 82 Fax 069/69 52 36 15 Fax 030/412 20 94 Fax 040/50 75 25 36 [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] Rat Pack Filmproduktion.qxp 08.10.2008 10:01 Uhr Seite 1

PRODUCERS’ PORTRAIT Rat Pack Filmproduktion) Rat Filmproduktion) Pack Anita Schneider, Christian Becker (photo Christian Becker courtesy of Anita Schneider,

Rat Pack Filmproduktion was founded in 2001 by Christian Schlossgespenst, dir: Sebastian Niemann, 2006), The Vexxer Becker and Anita Schneider as a production house for feature (Neues vom Wixxer, dirs: Cyril Boss and Philipp Stennert, 2007), films, TV movies, and international event productions with Constantin The Wave (Die Welle, dir: , 2008), ProSieben Film as a shareholder. A graduate of ’s University of Television Funny Movies (various directors, 2008, TV), Killing is My & Film (HFF), Becker had produced such films as Bang Boom Bang, Business, Honey (Mord ist mein Geschaeft, Liebling, dir: Kanak Attack, Was nicht passt …, 7 Days To Live and Das Phantom Sebastian Niemann, 2008/2009, post-prod), Vorstadtkrokodile whilst serving as shareholder and managing director of Indigo (dir: Christian Ditter, 2009, post-prod), Vickie the Viking Filmproduktion and Becker & Haeberle Filmproduktion before joining (Wickie und die starken Maenner, dir: Michael “Bully” forces with Curt Cress and Michael Bischoff to launch F.A.M.E. Film & Herbig, 2009, in production), Jerry Cotton (dirs: Cyril Boss and Music Entertainment on the Frankfurt stock exchange in 2000. Philipp Stennert, in preparation), The Dawn (dir: Dennis Gansel, in Meanwhile, Schneider, who oversees business affairs at Rat Pack, has preparation) and Jim Button and Luke the Engine Driver several years of experience working for such companies as (Jim Knopf und Lukas der Lokomotivfuehrer, dir: Film, ProSiebenSat.1 and Indigo Film/F.A.M.E. Rat Pack’s productions Sebastian Niemann, in preparation). include: Hunt for the Hidden Relic (Das Jesus Video, dir: Sebastian Niemann, 2002, TV), Blood of the Templars (Das Contact: Blut der Templer, dir: Florian Baxmeyer, 2005, TV), ProSieben Rat Pack Filmproduktion GmbH Fairy Tales (Die ProSieben Maerchenstunde, various Beethovenplatz 2 · 80336 Munich/Germany directors, 2005-2007, TV), Goldene Zeiten (dir: Peter Thorwarth, phone +49-89-1 21 14 87 12 · fax +49-89-1 21 14 87 77 2005), Hui Buh – The Goofy Ghost (Hui Buh – Das email: [email protected] · www.ratpack-film.de PACKING A PUNCH A portrait of Rat Pack Filmproduktion

“Big entertainment – that’s our goal and what we like to see our- As Becker and Schneider explain, their company’s name refers to the selves,” says producer Christian Becker about the strategy of the legendary Rat Pack of entertainers led by Frank Sinatra and Dean Munich-based production house Rat Pack Filmproduktion he Martin with Sammy Davis, Jr., Peter Lawford and Joey Bishop, who founded with AG, Anita Schneider and a group were friends and worked and partied together in the 1950s. of screenwriters and directors in 2001.

german films quarterly producers’ portrait

4 · 2008 8 Rat Pack Filmproduktion.qxp 08.10.2008 10:01 Uhr Seite 2

“Drawing on the original Rat Pack idea, the company aimed to bring steps after film school,” Becker says. “At Indigo we had developed TV people together who fitted well together, got on with one another movies with them and they wrote a lot for the Was nicht passt … TV and wanted to make films together,” Becker recalls. series at Westside [the NRW-based sister company of Rat Pack]. They then wrote scripts for the fairy tales series and directed some In fact, the core team of collaborators at Rat Pack had been working episodes. The next step was for them to take on directing the feature together since their film school days in the mid-1990s at Munich’s film The Vexxer.” University of Television & Film (HFF): “I have always worked with Peter Thorwarth, starting with his short films Mafia Pizza Razzia and The next project Rat Pack is planning with the duo is a feature film Was nicht passt, wird passend gemacht and then going on to his feature around the 1960s cult detective Jerry Cotton, which will be the com- film Bang Boom Bang, the feature-length version of Was nicht passt … pany’s first flagship project for 2009. Becker promises “a fantastic and Goldene Zeiten. The same is with Dennis Gansel with Wrong Trip new interpretation which will be like the way people approached and Living Dead leading to his first feature-length project Das Phantom Starsky & Hutch. It won’t be a parody because we take the character and now The Wave.” of Jerry Cotton very seriously but we see him a bit like Inspector Drebin in The Naked Gun. The film industry as well as the fans and “Sebastian Niemann was someone to emulate because he was two readers are already all very enthusiastic.” years above me at film school and had already worked with Rainer Matsutani on Over My Dead Body (Nur ueber meine Leiche),” says While the “bread and butter” TV projects keep Rat Pack quite busy, Becker. Their first collaboration was the TV movie Biikenbrennen – it is not idle on the feature film front either. made for Indigo Filmproduktion and Becker&Haeberle Film- produktion, the production companies Becker set up with former Last winter saw Sebastian Niemann working on the comedy Killing Kinowelt founder Thomas Haeberle after his graduation from the is My Business, Honey in and around Berlin with a cast including HFF. Rick Kavanian, Nora Tschirner, Christan Tramitz, Gunther Kaufmann and movie icons Franco Nero and Bud Spencer. Warner Bros. will “It was such a sensational feature debut that we said we would do all release the film next spring. of our projects together from now on,” Becker recalls. They followed the TV movie with an English-language feature film 7 Days To Live “We had a great experience shooting in Berlin and Brandenburg on aimed at the international market, produced by Indigo Film- Dennis Gansel’s The Wave,” Becker recalls, adding that the re- produktion. action to this school drama, which has been seen by over 2.5 million cinemagoers in Germany, “was the first time that one of our produc- Niemann and Becker came together for Rat Pack’s first big pro- tions had such international recognition. We have received invitations duction Hunt for the Hidden Relic which was shot on location to many festivals, won audience awards and have prints of the film in Morocco doubling up for Israel. “This production scored the best traveling around all the time.” ever ratings for a German TV mini-series on ProSieben and the record still stands,” notes Anita Schneider who is “responsible for the Meanwhile, this summer saw the company handling the production of business and financial side of the company’s operation and keeps an two feature film projects at the same time: Christian Ditter’s adap- eye on the budgets, while Christian is the one coming up with the tation of Max von der Gruen’s 1977 novel Vorstadtkrokodile, ideas for our projects.” produced with Rat Pack’s -based sister company Westside Filmproduktion and Constantin Film, and Michael “Bully” Herbig’s Rat Pack began with a focus on working for German television – rang- Vickie the Viking which is billed as the most expensive German ing from such TV movies as Hunt for the Hidden Relic or family entertainment film to be produced this year. Blood of the Templars as well as the comedy series the ProSieben Fairy Tales and the ProSieben Funny Movies And Becker and Schneider, together with their in-house creative pro- – but Becker and Schneider are aiming “to get to a situation where we ducers Lena Olbrich, Nina Maag, Mathias Loesel and Simon Happ, can make something in English every two years, although German TV have plenty in store for the future to keep German and international programs and feature films will continue to be our area of emphasis.” audiences on tenterhooks. Projects in development range from the vampire love story The Dawn and a war drama based on Gert Thus, next year will see the company embarking on an English-lan- Ledig’s novel Vergeltung – both to be directed by Dennis Gansel – to guage remake of Hunt for the Hidden Relic, to be shot again a plane catastrophe film and a western set during the Second World by Sebastian Niemann with the same team and an international cast. War by Peter Thorwarth. “The story will be more compressed, nearer to the novel, more action-laden, everything bigger and louder!,” Becker explains. Three feature films are also in the works with Sebastian Niemann: the aforementioned English remake of Hunt for the Hidden Relic, The fairy tales series has worked its way through the Brothers Grimm a big screen version of the children’s classic Jim Button and and will now turn its attention to the Arabian Tales – with a change of Luke the Engine Driver, and a sequel to his 2006 film Hui Buh production location from studio sets built in warehouses outside – The Goofy Ghost. Prague to the Antalya Studios in Turkey. “However, we will continue to use the Czech craftsmen because they are really world class. You “This time, it will be ’Hui Buh meets The Mummy’,” Becker explains. don’t see anything like this elsewhere in Europe.” “After the first part was in dark woods and dungeons, the adventure’s journey will now be going to Egypt!” The work for television also enables Rat Pack to try out young writ- ers and directors who can then progress to feature projects. A case Christian Becker and Anita Schneider spoke with Martin Blaney in point is the directorial duo Cyril Boss and Philipp Stennert. “We are really proud that we have accompanied their careers from the first

german films quarterly producers’ portrait

4 · 2008 9 A portraitofDavidKross.qxp02.10.200810:21UhrSeite1

David Kross (photo © Andreas Muehe) IN THE MOVIE SKY SKY MOVIE THE IN NORTHERN LIGHT ACTOR’S PORTRAIT would bring in its wake. I would probably have beenmuchmorewould bringinitswake. have ner- Iwouldprobably “When Imade tunity. oppor- seemstoholdevery thatcertainly young talentaboutafuture moment,wespokerecuperating tothe hisenergies. Inapeaceful before theworldpremiere of generation actor, leadingyoung asGermany’s After thisthree-year, take-off vertical DavidKross A portrait of · 2008 4 films quarterlygerman Tough Enough David Kross Krabat , I had no idea what furore thefilm , Ihadnoideawhatfurore okasottm f thisAugust timeoff took ashort , considering the future and , consideringthefuture ec htdrcosrgr stesce fhsntrlsyeo acting. hisnaturalstyleof mence thatdirectors regard as the secret of vehe- andpost-pubertal profundity themixture of eyes stillreflects inhis becomemorebutthesparkle have striking, featuresmay facial integrity. hisyouthful His opticalterms,hehaslostnothingof purely thebusiness, butin hasabetterunderstandingof old talentnaturally Now, attheground. afterthreethoughtfully mainroles, the18-year- Kross Ihadknownabout therisksbeforehand.”David gazes vous if email: [email protected] ·www.film-pr.de 10 28 68 +49-30-88 35·fax 20 68 phone +49-30-88 Rosa-Luxemburg-Strasse 17·10178Berlin/Germany Schulze &HeynFILMPR Agent: reputation. hisfaultless looks settofurther Kate Winsletinhisthird keyrole in director StephenDaldry,Hollywood whocastedKross alongside lent realization. The18-year-old actorthendrewtheattentionof itsopu- duringshootingbecauseof ready much-discussedworldwide Marco Kreuzpaintner. whichscreened inToronto, Thefilm, wasal- bestseller of role filming inthelavish secured thetitle subsequently byallthefuss, unaffected astonishingly schools. disadvantaged Kross,conditions atsocially whoseemed about triggered government asocio-politicaldebateintheGerman cinemasand drew143,000admissionstoGerman weeks thefilm world premiere duringtheBerlinalein2006,andfollowing acclaimatthe metwithgreat Hisauthenticperformance overnight. vision of world’s field district Neukoelln, catapultedhimintothefilm withthehardataschoolinBerlin’smust cometoterms life problem Tough Enough leadingrole in applicantsandlandedhisfirst against 500fellow competed himtoacastinginBerlin.There,invited hesuccessfully directorBuck thatGerman Detlev teen atthetime–spread sofast fif- hisunusualtalent–althoughhewasonly theater group, of news atactinginachildren’s efforts 1990.Afterhisfirst Bargteheide inJuly David Kross “He acts as if he has been doing nothing else all his life,” director hehasbeendoingnothingelseall hislife,” “He actsasif was born in the small northern German townof German inthesmallnorthern was born ( Knallhart .Terl fMichaelPolischka, who ). Therole of · Peter Schulze Krabat (2008) bydirector actor’s portrait (2008), which 10 A portrait of David Kross.qxp 02.10.2008 10:21 Uhr Seite 2

Marco Kreuzpaintner enthuses. And he should know – for several “It is important that I remain true to myself,” Kross says. We have weeks, he filmed Krabat together with Kross in deepest Romania – heard this statement from many an up-and-coming star before him, and he expresses only what almost everyone on the set thought of but very few sound as honest as this young actor, who looks forward the young talent. Kross’ down-to-earth personality and profession- with anticipation but without exaggerated expectations to what lies alism were even obvious after shooting was over for the day: while his ahead. “I don’t know what sort of reactions I will have to face after fellow actors spent the evenings in provincial bars, Kross stayed in his the premieres of Krabat and The Reader. But actually, I don’t hotel room, learned his texts, and studied on the Internet for his really want to know. It is all the same to me where I end up working. secondary school graduation exams. “Actually, I was quite frightened The main thing is that I am involved in filming stories with material that of the part, because in this film a lot depended on my performance," works well.” Kross sums up in retrospect. "And by contrast to Tough Enough, in the case of Krabat I knew just what I was up against.” In the meantime, David Kross has completed the first part of his own very personal story – and it has been a great success. The genre film produced by Claussen+Woebke+Putz is 120 minutes long, and Kross features in almost every scene. The tremendous past Johannes Bonke spoke with David Kross success of Otfried Preussler's original book made the role into quite a burden from the start. Krabat was sold more than 1.8 million times in Germany, translated into 31 languages, and showered with prizes. Young as he was, Kross knew that if he failed with this film, his early laurels would be forgotten as rapidly as he had earned them.

But that was highly unlikely, as must have been clear to any observant visitor to the set when they saw his level of concentration. While a hectic, up to 230-man team worked around him in the icy cold of the Carpathian Mountains, Kross listened patiently to Marco Kreuz- paintner’s explanations. As soon as the word 'action' had been spo- ken, his body pose, facial expression and breathing altered – and with astonishing speed and attention to detail, Kross – the lad from nor- thern Germany – turned into Krabat, a beggar boy from the 17th cen- tury. “Krabat is a small young man who has a hard time mentally and financially after the death of his mother. He reacts in a rather passive way to the things that happen to him. But then he falls in love, grows up, begins to question things, and finally manages to act instead of just reacting.”

This development into a thinking, acting individual is noticeable in Kross himself as well. When he saw the film for the first time at a spe- cial screening in Berlin, he analyzed his performance most per- ceptively. Afterwards, there was no word of self-praise, but a critical assessment of what he might have done better. “I cannot explain what exactly happens to me when I have to act in front of a camera. But I know that I need to experience a lot more in my life. Only experience of my own will help me to go on playing my parts well.”

Nevertheless, according to eye-witnesses, he also gave an utterly competent performance in his shared love scenes with in The Reader, brilliantly embodying the boy from a rich family who falls for the conductress on a train journey. But the 18-year-old actor still lacks assurance in personal conversations – he has a sym- pathetic, rather awkward manner. The media interest in his person apparently knows no end since Tough Enough, and several jour- nalists crowding around a table pepper him with questions at inter- views, but he is obviously not the sort of person who likes to hear himself speak or pat himself on the shoulder. “I have to confess that sometimes I am still rather uncertain,” Kross admits and then con- tinues, “but perhaps that is quite a good thing for my roles. If I felt self- confident, I would probably come onto the set without preparing so well.”

From the human perspective, at least, David Kross has kept the rural mentality of a lad from the North: modest, reserved and with an eye for the truly important. Professionally, he comes across as someone who is already experienced and privately, he is in the process of find- ing his own way.

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NEWS 4/2008 erleih GmbH) , director Uli Edel (photo , director © 2008 Constantin Film V “The Baader Meinhof Bernd Complex” producer Eichinger

“THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX” TO REPRESENT GERMANY IN THE RACE FOR THE ACADEMY AWARD®

The independent expert jury, appointed by German Films to select the sold in the most important international territories. German entry to compete for the Academy Award® for the Best Foreign Language Film, has – under the chairmanship of Alfred on the jury’s decision: “Uli Edel and I are extremely Huermer – chosen The Baader Meinhof Complex by Uli Edel. pleased. We invested a lot of energy into this film and are proud to represent German cinema in the race for the Academy Award®.” The jury on its decision: “The brilliant performance by the entire cast and the extraordinary adaptation of the story allows a view of the The Baader Meinhof Complex was supported by FilmFern- early 70s in the Federal Republic of Germany, without glorifying the sehFonds Bayern, Bayerischen Bankenfonds, the German Federal Film perpetrators.” Board (FFA), the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) and Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg. The broadcasters NDR, BR, WDR and Degeto Produced by Constantin Film Produktion/Munich (producer: Bernd were also involved in the project. Eichinger), Nouvelles Editions de Films/Paris, and G.T. Film Pro- duction/Prague, the film, based on the book by Stefan Aust, was On 22 January 2009, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and released in German cinemas on 25 September 2008 (distributor: Sciences will nominate five films from the international entries to par- Constantin Film Verleih/Munich). ticipate in the final selection to compete for the Academy Award® for Best Foreign Language Film. Films from some 100 countries are being International sales are being handled by Summit Entertainment/Los submitted for this year’s coveted trophy. The official awards cere- Angeles – The Baader Meinhof Complex has already been mony will be held in Los Angeles on 22 February 2009.

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HANDS ON HD IN HANOVER

With some 400 participants from the fields of film and television, over 40 German and European experts and exclusive technical equipment, this year’s Hands on HD, organized by nordmedia and Band Pro Munich, was once again a unique industry event. For seven days, prac- tical exercises and lectures on cinematography and post-production were on the program for workshop participants. (photo © Deutsche Kinemathek/Marian Stefanowsky) From the exhibit “Movies on Mind. PsychologyFrom and Film”

MUSEUM FOR FILM AND TELEVISION “ON TOUR”

Numerous exhibitions conceived by the Berlin Museum for Film and Television are on tour this year. In December alone, three exhibitions will be taken over by international museums. Hands on HD in Hanover (photo courtesy of nordmedia) “Moving Spaces. Production Design + Film” will be shown at the Australian Centre for the Moving Image in Melbourne starting 4 Directors and producers were offered extensive insight on High December 2008. The project is dedicated to the work of production Definition during a two-day seminar. Through the support of around designers, set designers and film architects through the use of film 50 sponsors and cooperation partners, more than 50 HD cameras examples, designs and models. From 11 December 2008, the Centre and 25 high-tech editing boards were made available, giving the partic- for Contemporary Art in Warsaw will show “film.kunst: Ulrike ipants a rare opportunity to get to know almost all camera systems Ottinger.” This extensive show presents the large-scale photographs, currently on the market. The goal of the event is to provide intensive costumes and workbooks of the self-willed filmmaker. “Movies on the technical and workflow training and to keep the entire film and tele- Mind. Psychology and Film” will open at the Hong Kong Film Archive vision production industry up-to-date on changing transformation in mid-December 2008. In multimedia experience spaces, visitors can processes. place themselves “on the couch” and explore their emotions in a “cry- ing room.” BONJOUR PARIS

During her tours in the 19th century, also traveled to Paris. Now she is returning to the French capital as the leading role in Helma Sanders-Brahms’ new film Clara. The German-French co-pro- duction, with Martina Gedeck in the leading role, opens the film pro- gram of Saison France-North Rhine-Westphalia 2008/2009 on October 5th in the Parisian Cinema Arlequin. For an entire year, the German State of North Rhine-Westphalia (NRW) will present itself also from its cultural “best side” in France.

The selection of films, which shows the diversity of the productions from NRW, was made by the Filmstiftung NRW, Goethe-Institut Paris, German Films and the Duisburger Filmwoche. Other highlights will include the NRW-supported films being shown at the 13th Festival of German Films in Paris (15 - 21 October), a short film pro- (photo © Deutsche Kinemathek/Marian Stefanowsky) gram at the Goethe-Institut Paris, a screening of the globalization- documentary Losers and Winners, and the European premiere of From the exhibit “Movies on Mind. PsychologyFrom and Film” Oskar Roehler’s latest film Lulu & Jimi, which was shot in 2007 in NRW. Further information on the cultural and arts program Saison France-North Rhine-Westphalia 2008/2009 can be found at www.artention.info.

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4 · 2008 13 Quarterly News.qxp 08.10.2008 13:08 Uhr Seite 3 FFF Bayern) The Bavarian(photo delegation in Montreal courtesy of

SUPPORT FOR THE GERMAN FILM GERMAN SHORTS SUCCESSFUL COLLECTION AT HARVARD AT SUMMER FESTIVALS

In 1999, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern established a center for German shorts celebrated one success after another during the sum- German film at Harvard University – the German Film Collection. In mer months. And the USA proved to be particularly interested in the meantime, over two hundred 35 mm prints of German films are German short films. Tomer Eshed’s Our Wonderful Nature won the archived at the university in Cambridge, MA, where symposia and Best Well Told Fable Prize at the SIGGRAPH Festival in Los Angeles, workshops are also offered. Now FFF Bayern, with the support of one of the most internationally renowned competitions in the area of numerous producers, is currently adding new German films to the computer animation. At the end of August at the LA Shorts Festival – stock. “There is no other place in North America that is better equip- with over 600 films, one of the largest worldwide – Peter Ladkani’s ped than Harvard University for the research and viewing of German film Guenstige Prognose won the award for Best Foreign Language Film films,” says Prof. Eric Rentschler. His colleague, Haden Guest, director and thereby qualifies for submission for the Short Film Oscar®. In July, of the Film Archive adds: “Thanks to the mediation from FFF Bayern, Gil Alkabetz won the Best Short for Children award at Animamundi in we have also received English-subtitled prints from American distribu- Brasil for his film Ein sonniger Tag. tors including, for example, the Oscar®-winning The Lives of Others.

Some of the latest additions to the film library include: Grenzverkehr by Stefan Betz, Die Scheinheiligen by Thomas Kronthaler, Oktoberfest by Johannes Brunner, Winterreise and Hierankl by Hans Steinbichler, the literary adaptation Durch diese Nacht sehe ich keinen einzigen Stern by Dagmar Knoepfel, and the political drama Schlaefer by Benjamin Heisenberg.

To secure future events in the coming year, further prints, press mate- rials and film literature will be sent at the end of 2008. Other produ- cers have confirmed their films. “We will continue our support for the German Film Collection in Harvard, for there is no better place out- side of Germany to get to know and study German films than at Harvard,” says FFF Bayern’s CEO Dr. Klaus Schaefer. (photo © Florian Grolig) “Weiss” Scene from

In addition to Harvard, the FFF Bayern was also active at two other At the Monterrey International Film Festival in Mexico, Florian Grolig’s North American “locations”: the German Currents in Los Angeles film Weiss took home the Best Animated Short Film prize. And Reto and the presentation of 10 Bavarian productions recently at the Caffi’s highly-acclaimed short Auf der Strecke continued its winning World Film Festival in Montreal were great successes. streak after the Student-Oscar®: at the International Tabor Short film Festival in Croatia, the moving drama was distinguished as Best Short

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Feature. The film also received the Patrick Peyton Excellence in group of women who start a sex-strike in their village when their men Filmmaking Award at the Angelus Student Festival in Hollywood. refuse to repair the local water supply. Runaway Horse, with , Katja Riemann and in the leading roles, recounts the coincidental meeting of two old school friends; a meet- MFG BADEN-WUERTTEMBERG IN ing which turns into a competition on life’s philosophies and women’s ROME & PRAGUE fancies. And Sonbol portrays the strong woman of the title name: a self-employed dentist who lives in the Islamic Republic of Iran – and The MFG-supported film Long Shadows by Connie Walther is being drives in sports rallies! screened in the Official Selection (Cinema 2008 competition) of this year’s Rome film festival. The Next Film and Gambit Film production tells the story of Widmer, a former member of the Red Army Faction RECORD ATTENDANCE AT 8TH FESTIVAL who sat in prison for some 20 years. A key witness confirmed his OF GERMAN FILMS IN BUENOS AIRES involvement in the murder of a bank president and bank employee. But the doubts concerning his involvement remain. Until he meets Some 5,500 cinemagoers packed the Village Recoleta cinemas in Valerie. Then he has to pay… Buenos Aires to see German films. For the third year in a row, atten- dance figures climbed and the festival has become a welcomed cul- tural event for local audiences, press and distributors in the Argentine capital.

This year’s festival opened with Dennis Gansel’s The Wave, with the director and his leading actress Jennifer Ulrich in attendance. The film was shown in three sold-out screenings. Director Martin Gypkens was also on hand to present his film Nothing But Ghosts. Other films in the festival program included: Cherry Blossoms – Hanami by Doris Doerrie, The Edge of Heaven by Fatih Akin, Trade by Marco Kreuzpaintner, Special Escort by Maggie Peren, Chiko by Oezguer Yildirim, Beautiful Bitch by Martin Theo Krieger, And Along Come Tourists by Robert Thalheim, the documentary To the Limit by Pepe Danquart, the child- ren’s film Red Zora by Peter Kahane and the TV movie Rose by Alain Gsponer. Scene from “Long Shadows” (photo Scene from © Olaf Aue)

Lothar Herzog was also in Buenos Aires to represent German Films’ NEXT GENERATION 2008 program and presented his film Yuppy Cars to an enthusiastic audience. The silent movie Hamlet by Sven Three other MFG-supported films were screened at the third DER Gade and Heinz Schall closed up the event with live musical FILM festival in Prague, which was organized by the local Goethe- accompaniment by the Seronoser Quartett. Institute: Absurdistan by Veit Helmer, Runaway Horse by Rainer Kaufmann, and Sonbol by Niko Apel. Absurdistan tells the story of a tin Gypkens in Buenos Aires in Buenos Aires tin Gypkens Lothar Herzog, Dennis Gansel, Jennifer Lothar Herzog, Ulrich, Mar

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CINE-REGIO IN ing in cooperation with Unifrance and German Films, the Centre National Cinématographie (CNC), the German Federal Film Board The Mitteldeutsche Medienfoerderung (MDM) will host this (FFA), other regional film funding institutions, the Chamber of year’s Cine-Regio Annual Meeting, which takes place during the 51st Commerce Hamburg and the Free & Hanseatic City of Hamburg. International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film (27 October – 2 November). Cine-Regio is a network of regional film funds in Europe and was established in 2005 as an independent non- PREMIERES IN TORONTO profit association. The network today represents 33 funds from 15 countries. Cine-Regio’s main objectives are to exchange information With a total of 36 productions in the festival's various sections, the for the benefit of the European film industry, to promote regional German film industry had a very high profile at the 33rd Toronto audiovisual interests towards European institutions and to strengthen International Film Festival (4-13 September 2008). co-production activities, including creative exchange and know-how throughout Europe. The Annual Meeting’s agenda, amongst others, Four films celebrated their eagerly awaited world premieres at the features discussions on members’ activities in the field of children’s festival and were received very favorably by audiences and critics and documentary film, and speakers from the European Commission alike: A Year Ago In Winter by as a Gala Presentation, A and European Audiovisual Observatory. Woman in Berlin by Max Faerberboeck as a Special Presentation, as well as Krabat by Marco Kreuzpaintner and Sunshine Barry and the Disco Worms by Thomas Borch Nielsen (DK/DE) in the Sprockets RENDEZ-VOUS IN HAMBURG Family Zone section. Other films presented at Toronto included Tonight by Werner Schroeter (FR/DE/PT) in Masters, Jerichow by The Hanseatic City of Hamburg will be hosting the sixth Rendez-Vous Christian Petzold, Cloud 9 by Andreas Dresen, My Mother, My Bride, Franco-Allemand du Cinéma. Some 400 representatives from France and I by Hans Steinbichler in Contemporary World Cinema, and the and Germany will meet from 20 – 22 November to discuss current documentaries The Heart of Jenin by Leon Geller and Marcus Vetter, film industry issues on various panels. Topics include co-productions, Peace Mission by Dorothee Wenner and Upstream Battle by Ben means of funding, and digital cinema projection. The Senate of Ham- Kempas in Real to Reel. Most of the directors attended the festival to burg is holding a reception and dinner in the Town Hall, after which personally introduce their films to enthusiastic audiences. alumni of the German-French Masterclass of the Ludwigsburg Film Academy will throw a party for all the Rendez-Vous guests. “The German Films provided information about the German film industry three-day event will deepen the contacts established between our at a stand at the Sales & Industry area in the Sutton Place Hotel. two countries throughout the past years. As hosts, we will do our best Together with the Goethe-Institut and the German Consulate to enthuse our French guests and the entire German film industry for Toronto, German Films hosted a reception where the German and Hamburg as an ambitious, cosmopolitan film city,” says Eva Hubert, international festival guests could exchange ideas for new upcoming who, as executive director of Filmfoerderung Hamburg projects and potential co-productions. Schleswig-Holstein, is helping to finance and organize the meet- oronto oronto Dancing with “Sunshine Barry and the Disco Worms” in T Dancing with “Sunshine Barry and the Disco Worms”

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IN PRODUCTION

personalities. These interviews became the film’s backbone. We are trying, in this way, to create a document of time that explains some- thing about life in the year 2007.” (photo © dffb) To turn the location itself, Schlesisches Tor, and the people into the main protagonists, Reinegger and de Paoli used Mini DV video, the for- mat’s flexibility and the small size of the camera allowing them to react spontaneously, interviewing passers-by as they go.

24 Stunden Schlesisches Tor is a slice of Berlin life, a snapshot of the many people who make this city the exciting and dynamic Scene from “24 Stunden Schlesisches Tor” Scene from metropolis it is.

SK 24 Stunden Schlesisches Tor

Type of Project Documentary Cinema Genre Society, Culture Production Company Deutsche Film- & Fernsehakademie Berlin (dffb) Producer Hartmut Bitomsky Directors Eva Lia Reinegger, Anna de Paoli Screenplay Eva Lia Reinegger Directors of

Photography Luciano Cervio, Jenny Lou Ziegel Editor Karin Cappellari, Michael Ballhaus Ciro (photo courtesy of Just Publicity) Nowarra Format Digi Beta/Mini-DV, color, 1:1.78, Dolby SR Shooting Languages German, English Shooting in Berlin, July 2007 German Distributor Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin (dffb)

World Sales (please contact) Deutsche Film- & Fernsehakademie Berlin (dffb) Maximilian Muellner Berlin Potsdamer Strasse 2 · 10785 Berlin/Germany phone +49-30-25 75 91 15 · fax +49-30-25 75 91 63 Type of Project Documentary Cinema Genre Art, Biopic, email: [email protected] · www.dffb.de Theater, Music, City Portrait Production Company cine plus/Berlin, in co-production with RBB/Postdam-Babelsberg, / Schlesisches Tor in the Berlin district of Kreuzberg is one of the most Strasbourg With backing from Medienboard Berlin-Branden- lively places in the city. The area is full of shops, snack bars, restau- burg, German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) Producers Joerg Schulze, rants and clubs. It is also home to the above-ground subway station of Arndt Potdevin Directors Michael Ballhaus, Ciro Cappellari the same name, which is the last stop line U1 makes in Kreuzberg Screenplay Michael Ballhaus, Ciro Cappellari Directors of before it crosses the Oberbaumbruecke into the eastern part of the Photography Michael Ballhaus, Ciro Cappellari Editor Karl Riedl city. Just behind the bridge used to be the Wall. Music by Fetisch With Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Maybrit Illner, Alexander Hacke, Danielle de Picciotto, Dieter Kosslick, Angela Directors Eva Lia Reinegger and Anna de Paoli, both students Winkler, Nele Winkler, Dimitri Hegemann, Christoph Schlingensief, at the dffb, acknowledge Louis Malle’s 1972 Place de la République as Jeff Mills and others Format HD (HDCAM, HDCAM-SR, XDCAM their template, but instead of ten days talking to and observing the EX), blow-up to 35 mm, color, 1:1.66, Dolby Digital Shooting people of Paris, they’re doing 24 hours Schlesisches Tor! Language German Shooting in Berlin, June – July 2008 German Distributor Farbfilm Verleih/Berlin “We’re taking the rhythm of the place,” Reinegger explains, “Its breath, the subway, the cars, pedestrians. We’re participating in its World Sales daily routine, acknowledging its atmosphere, how its tempo changes Bavaria Film International from morning hectic to afternoon sleepiness. Then comes the evening Dept. of Bavaria Media GmbH · Thorsten Ritter rush hour and then the night, which belongs to partygoers, clubbers Bavariafilmplatz 7 · 82031 Geiselgasteig/Germany and, finally, people making their way home.” phone +49-89-64 99 26 86 · fax +49-89-64 99 37 20 email: [email protected] “We spoke to passers-by, and asked them about themselves,” de Paoli www.bavaria-film-international.com explains. “They paused for thought for a moment, and then told us about their lives, their work, their children, the people and things they Fate evidently wanted Michael Ballhaus and Ciro Cappellari love. It was astonishing and touching to experience such a variety of to work on a film together.

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Three years ago, Joerg Schulze and Arndt Potdevin of the As the two producers explain, the digital workflow – combining the production department of Berlin’s cine plus had approached the XDCAM-EX format footage with the F23’s HDCAM-SR material – is internationally celebrated cinematographer, who was working on being handled completely at cine plus’ post-production facilities in Martin Scorsese’s The Departed at the time, to make a portrait on the Berlin for theatrical release in Germany by Farbfilm Verleih in 2009. occasion of his 70th birthday. They had suggested that fellow cinematographer and director Ciro Cappellari, with whom cine plus MB has made several documentaries, including his Adolf Grimme Award- winning A Struggle for Love on the musician Abdullah Ibrahim, could be the director.

Although this project was not realized, Ballhaus proposed Cappellari as a co-director when broadcaster RBB came to him last year with the idea of a film about Berlin, tracing the changes and dynamism of the German capital 20 years after the fall of the Wall as it finds its way to a new normality.

The new Berlin is shown through the portraits of some 20 people through their projects and activities, ranging from the city’s mayor Klaus Wowereit and Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Independent Artists Filmproduktion) Steinmeier to Nele Winkler, the handicapped daughter of

actress Angela Winkler, to Clara Leskovar and Doreen (photo “Die Fremde” courtesy Scene from of Schulz of the young fashion label C.Neeon and the Turkish kiosk owner Ercan Ergin. Producer Joerg Schulze explains that directing a documentary was Die Fremde “a totally new experience for Michael, involving a lot of preliminary research. But he had a lot of fun coming back to his native city and Type of Project Feature Film Cinema Genre Drama Pro- broadening his view of Berlin.” duction Company Independent Artists Filmproduktion/Berlin, in co-production with WDR/Mainz, ARTE/Strasbourg, RBB/Potsdam- “It wasn’t just a case of Michael doing the directing and Ciro being the Babelsberg With backing from Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), operator behind the camera,” he continues. “They both wanted the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, BKM, Filmstiftung NRW, film to be a joint effort and since Ciro has been living in Berlin for Kuratorium junger deutscher Film, German Federal Film Board more than 20 years, he could introduce Michael to people he might (DFFF) Producers Feo Aladag, Zueli Aladag Director Feo Aladag otherwise not have known. There was an open discourse between Screenplay Feo Aladag Director of Photography Judith the two about whom to interview.” Kaufmann Editor Andrea Mertens Music by Max Richter Pro- duction Design Silke Buhr Principal Cast Sibel Kekilli, Nizam “Some of the portraits would deserve a whole film in themselves,” Schiller, Settar Tanrioegen, Derya Alabora, Tamer Yigit, Florian Lukas, adds producer colleague Arndt Potdevin. “Whether it is celebrities Serhad Can, Almila Bagriacik, Nursel Koese, Alwara Hoefels, Ufuk like Christoph Schlingensief, the musician Alexander Bayraktar, Orhan Guener Casting Ulrike Mueller, Harika Uygur, Luci Hacke and the Foreign Minister Steinmeier or less well-known Lenox Format 35 mm, color, cs, Dolby SR Shooting people such as Nele Winkler.” Languages German, Turkish Shooting in Berlin, Istanbul, July- September 2008 German Distributor Delphi Filmverleih/Berlin “For both of them, an important criterion was that they didn’t just gather official statements from their interviewees,” Potdevin says. World Sales “Each person had to have a project affecting the city where we could TELEPOOL GmbH · Anja Uecker observe what they are doing and to see some progress in the project Sonnenstrasse 21 · 80331 Munich/Germany during the film. It was also important that they could develop an in- phone +49-89-55 87 60 · fax +49-89-55 87 62 29 timate relationship with each person, and not have just talking heads, email: [email protected] · www.telepool.de because it is much more interesting to know what goes on ’behind the scenes’ and see how these people really operate.” Twenty-five year old Umay flees with her young son, Cem (5), from her husband in Istanbul back to her home city of Berlin. She wants The two were able to get up close and personal with their inter- Cem to grow up in a loving environment and hopes for her family’s viewees thanks to their decision to use the small Sony PMW/EX1, support. But trapped in convention and convinced that Umay is while the Sony CineAlta F23 camera was deployed for the premium bringing shame upon them, her parents and brothers withhold their shots. support. Torn between their affection for their own daughter and sister and a system of archaic rules, they struggle with a seemingly “We wanted consciously to avoid those camera movements for unresolvable situation until Umay leaves her family. With hope in her which Michael is so well-known such as crane shots and lots of heart and a good deal of strength and endurance, Umay builds a new dollies,” Potdevin notes. “There is more of a split between a lot of life for Cem and herself. Unable to cut those strongest of bonds, hand-held and off the shoulder camerawork to always be close to the family ties, she makes repeated attempts to reconcile. But Umay’s people being interviewed and then the wide angle shots with the heli- struggle for self-determination unleashes a deadly chain of events. copter or from the top of buildings around Berlin.”

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Die Fremde (“The Stranger”) is the powerful debut film of writer- director Feo Aladag who, together with Zueli Aladag, is the co- founder of Berlin-based Independent Artists Filmpro- duktion, whose first feature film this also happens to be.

“First and foremost,” Feo Aladag says, “we want to realize our own film material, material which is artistically of a high standard as well as commercial. We are convinced that films which have relevant con-

tent, made in a universal way will – if they have high cinematic stan- “Der grosse Scene from Kater” dards and are entertaining – find their audience.” (photo courtesy of Film) Neue Bioskop In which case, Die Fremde is certainly off to a flying start with the casting of Sibel Kekilli as the main protagonist, Umay. Kekilli is the winner of the in Gold and the New Faces Award, both 2004, for her searing performance in Fatih Akin’s Head- On. This is a woman who brings burning intensity to the screen. Der grosse Kater Kekilli is supported by a great cast which includes Turkish stars Derya Alabora and Settar Tanrioegen, as well as Florian Type of Project Feature Film Cinema Genre Drama, Love Story, Lukas (Good Bye, Lenin!), Nursel Koese (The Edge of Heaven) Thriller Production Company Neue Bioskop Film/Munich, in and Tamer Yigit (Freunde). Making their screen debuts are co-production with Abrakadabra Films/Zurich, Barry Films/Berlin Nizam Schiller (5), Serhad Can (16) and Almila Bagriacik With backing from Hessen Invest, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, (18). Eurimages, Zuercher Filmstiftung, Bundesamt fuer Kultur, German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) Producers Dietmar Guentsche, Other names to note in Die Fremde’s credits are that of director Wolfgang Behr, Wolfgang Mueller Co-Producers Claudia Wick, of photography , nominated for the German Benito Mueller Director Wolfgang Panzer Screenplay Claus Film Award 2007 for her work on Four Minutes, and production de- Hant, Dietmar Guentsche Director of Photography Edwin signer Silke Buhr, who worked on the Oscar® and German Film Horak Editor Jean-Claude Piroué Production Design Josef Award-winning The Lives of Others. Sanktjohanser Principal Cast , Ulrich Tukur, Marie Baeumer, Christiane Paul, Edgar Selge, Justus von Dohnányi, Antoine The circumstances and events depicted in Die Fremde, sadly, are Monot Jr. Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85, Dolby Digital Shooting only too real in many parts of the world, including here in Europe, Language German Shooting in Berne, Munich, Bad Toelz, where certain sections of immigrant communities embody culturally August – October 2008 German Distributor Senator Film archaic notions of male-female relationships. Verleih/Berlin

As Die Fremde shows, the truth is that there is nothing at all World Sales honorable about a so-called ’honor killing’’ but “our aim from the TELEPOOL GmbH · Irina Ignatiew beginning,” Zueli Aladag says, “is to depict all the characters in this Sonnenstrasse 21 · 80331 Munich/Germany drama as human, with their contradictions, inner struggles and dis- phone +49-89-55 87 60 · fax +49-89-55 87 61 88 tress. This is not a polemic about so-called honor killings, otherwise email: [email protected] · www.telepool.de we’d have written a newspaper article. The first rushes show this will be a special film.” Principal photography took place between August and October on Wolfgang Panzer’s Der grosse Kater by Munich-based SK Neue Bioskop Film under the new management of Dietmar Guentsche since he and new producing partner Wolfgang Behr took the company over from Eberhard Junkersdorf at the beginning of last year.

At the 2007 Berlinale, the Swiss production house Abrakadabra Films and its German partner Barry Films approached Neue Bioskop looking for a partner with production experience to board the adaptation of Thomas Huerlimann’s 1998 bestselling novel of the same name.

“Bruno Ganz was already attached and we began the financing on the German side,” Guentsche recalls, pointing out that the shoot had to be put back until this summer since the screenplay needed to be rewritten. “We received the highest sums possible granted by the Zuercher Filmstiftung and the Federal Office for Culture (BAK) in Berne along with backing from Germany – FFF Bayern, Hessen Invest and the new ’German spend’ incentive scheme DFFF – as well as Eurimages.”

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In Der grosse Kater, Huerlimann juxtaposes the political work of a Federal President – his politician father Hans held this position for a year in 1979 – with the private tragedy of a dying son (Huerlimann’s brother in real life).

“It is a Swiss story but, at the same time, a local story for global markets,” Guentsche explains. “We see the politician Kater [Ganz] at the zenith of his career whose rival [played by Ulrich Tukur] is planning his downfall out of revenge. He begins intriguing that the Federal President has arranged a visit to his terminally ill son in the hospital as part of the official program during the state visit by the Spanish royal couple. Kater lands up rock bottom, but through a trick manages to turn the story around to his favor the next day and win

back his wife’s love.” “Haus und Kind” Scene from (photo © Kineo Film/Conny Klein)

“The plot is very emotional, has great drama, and is a political thriller and a love story,” Guentsche says, arguing that “the film has lots of Haus und Kind potential to appeal to different audiences.” Type of Project TV Movie Genre Drama, Comedy Pro- He adds that the novel by Thomas Huerlimann, who is one the best duction Company Kineo Filmproduktion/Potsdam for BR/ known living Swiss authors on a par with Max Frisch or Friedrich Munich, in co-production with ARTE/Strasbourg, Typhoon Duerrenmatt, has “a half documentary and half fictional form. The Films/Munich Producers Peter Hartwig, Cooky Ziesche book blurs the distinctions. While the novel was set in 1979, we have Commissioning Editors Cornelia Ackers (BR), Andreas transposed the action [for the film] to the present and put more Schreitmueller (ARTE) Director Andreas Kleinert Screenplay emphasis on the fictional elements.” Wolfgang Kohlhaase Director of Photography Johann Feindt Editor Gisela Zick Production Design Gabriele Wolff Meanwhile, the choice of director will ensure that the “behind the Principal Cast Marie Baeumer, Stefan Kurt, Stephanie Schoenfeld, scenes” in this depiction of the world of high politics and diplomacy Lilly Marie Tschoertner, Karin Neuhaeuser Casting Nina Haun will have a particularly authentic feel since Munich-born director Format Super 16 mm, color, 1:1.77, Stereo Shooting Language Wolfgang Panzer worked for many years for Swiss television re- German Shooting in Seegrehna, Lutherstadt Wittenberg, Berlin, porting and directing programs from the Swiss parliament assembly Ahrenshoop, June – August 2008 for the nightly news flagship Tagesschau. “He has an intimate know- ledge of the life of politicians and their habits,” Guentsche explains. Contact · Maike Beba Moreover, the project, which has attracted such top-notch actors as Floriansmuehlstrasse 60 · 80939 Munich/Germany Marie Baeumer, Christiane Paul, Edgar Selge, and Justus phone +49-89-38 06 51 62 · fax +49-89-38 06 76 44 von Dohnányi, alongside Ganz and Tukur, also enjoyed great sup- email: [email protected] · www.brnet.de port from the Swiss political establishment at the highest level when applying for shooting permits for original locations in Berne, including Producers Peter Hartwig and Cooky Ziesche embarked this a last-minute intervention from the Ministry of Defense to ensure that summer on their third collaboration with veteran screenwriter the Swiss Army could provide a guard of honor for a scene depicting Wolfgang Kohlhaase for Andreas Kleinert’s Haus und the state visit of the Spanish royals. Kind (“House and Child”) after previously working together on Andreas Dresen’s Summer in Berlin and Whisky mit Wodka. MB It was particularly after their experiences on Summer in Berlin in 2004 that Hartwig and Ziesche decided to work with Kohlhaase on more projects in the future. Ziesche developed the story idea for Haus und Kind together with Kohlhaase before she and Hartwig started looking for the right director for the project.

Their choice fell on Andreas Kleinert who was last seen in the cine- mas with his surreal grotesque drama Head Under Water which pre- miered at the 2007 .

“Cooky had made two epiosodes of the series Polizeiruf with Andreas Kleinert for RBB and he was our first choice as director for the film,” recalls Hartwig who has served as production manager or line producer on some 35 TV movies and feature films since 1995, including many of Andreas Dresen’s films as well as films by (My Fuehrer) and Oskar Roehler (Angst). “Andreas Kleinert works very well with the actors and they appreciate his directness and attentiveness. He is a very passionate director with great attention to detail. There are many nuances in a Kohlhaase script which one could

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easily read over, but Andreas is very precise.”

The project by Hartwig’s Babelsberg-based production company Kineo Film then found its champions in Cornelia Ackers, a commissioning editor at BR who had already worked with Kleinert in the past, and in Andreas Schreitmueller at ARTE in Strasbourg.

The plot of Haus und Kind centers on a professor of Modern Makatsch as “Hilde” Heike German History (played by Stefan Kurt) who wants to move into a new house in the country with his wife (Marie Baeumer) and also have a child with his girlfriend (Stephanie Schoenfeld). A summer and winter between Berlin and the Baltic coast see the man getting himself entangled in that old, old story: what does a man do

with two women? Or rather: what do two women do with one man? Film/MMC/Bernd Spauke) (photo © Egoli Tossell

As Kohlhaase explains, he sees Haus und Kind as “playing with the classical love triangle constellation. After all, how can monogamy Hilde prove its worth if it doesn’t have a chance to fall into temptation? The man confidently dedicates himself to his goal, but we already have a Type of Project Feature Film Cinema Genre Biopic Pro- feeling that things won’t go well. We are dealing here with a serious duction Company Egoli Tossell Film AG/Berlin, in co-production subject but it can also be told with irony. Everything can end murder- with MMC Independent/, Pictorion – DAS WERK/ ously or laconically.” Duesseldorf With backing from Filmstiftung NRW, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), Meanwhile, Kleinert expresses his admiration for Kohlhaase’s skill “of German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) Producer Judy Tossell how he manages to describe, in a few clear sentences, processes that Director Kai Wessel Screenplay Maria von Heland Director are much more complex in reality. At first glance, the story appears of Photography Hagen Bogdanski Editor Tina Freitag Pro- to be quite simple, but it has so much to say about our time and that duction Design Thomas Freudenthal Principal Cast Heike really touched me. It is not comparable with other films by Kohlhaase. Makatsch, Dan Stevens, Monica Bleibtreu, , Hanns I wouldn’t describe it as a pure comedy because there are melan- Zischler, Anian Zollner, Trystan Puetter, Johanna Gastdorf, Sylvester cholic and even tragic moments.” Groth, Roger Cicero Casting Nina Haun, Leo Davis, Nancy Bishop Format 35 mm, color, cs, Dolby Shooting Languages German Moreover, Hartwig and Kleinert are both full of praise for lead actor & English Shooting in in Berlin, North Rhine-Westphalia, Stefan Kurt whose recent films have included Dani Levy’s My Fuehrer, Magdeburg, South Africa, June – August 2008 German Distri- Chris Kraus’ Four Minutes and Justus von Dohnányi’s Bis zum Ellen- butor Warner Bros. Pictures Germany/Hamburg bogen. World Sales “Stefan Kurt looks a bit like one of those desperate characters from Beta Cinema / Dept. of Beta Film GmbH a Woody Allen film,” Hartwig explains. “He perfectly transports this Andreas Rothbauer desperation of not being able to make a choice between two Gruenwalder Weg 28 d · 82041 Oberhaching/Germany women.” phone +49-89-67 34 69 80 · fax +49-89-6 73 46 98 88 email: [email protected] “You can do a lot with Stefan,” Kleinert adds. “Every close-up is excit- www.betacinema.com ing. We are shooting with him every day and he is in every scene, and yet he is constantly surprising us with new reactions and nuances. It is Just over two years ago, producer Judy Tossell made two feature a perfect joy!” films with Heike Makatsch – Ed Herzog’s Twisted Sister and Almost Heaven – and was then “looking for a great role and great German As for the personnel behind the camera, it is clearly a case of ’never stories” to continue the collaboration with the award-winning actress. change a winning team’ for Kleinert, since he is working on Haus und Kind with many of his regular family of collaborators from the Their attention turned to the life of legendary German diva and inter- past 15 years – ranging from the DoP Johann Feindt (who is a national star Hildegard Knef: “I was amazed that nothing had been respected documentary filmmaker in his own right) through editor made for the cinema about her because her life is incredible,” recalls Gisela Zick to costume designer Dorothee Kriener and pro- Tossell who then optioned the rights to Knef’s story from her estate. duction designer Gabriele Wolff. Initially, a screenplay was developed charting Knef ’s life between 1943 “That makes the atmosphere on the set more relaxed and the actors and 1966 without a director attached until Egoli Tossell Film feel more at ease when they see that we have been working together brought director Kai Wessel onboard the project in Spring 2007. for so long,” Kleinert says. As Tossell points out, Wessel’s work on the event TV movie March of Millions (Die Flucht) with Maria Fuertwaengler and Dagmar Manzel MB “showed that Kai can handle high-quality historical drama and very subtle characterization, often with very strong women characters.”

In a next stage of the screenplay’s development, Swedish-born Maria von Heland – Tossell had produced her feature film debut

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Big Girls Don’t Cry in 2001 – then prepared a new version of the script which gave a new perspective to the story. “Having not grown up with Hildegard Knef, neither Maria nor I had any pre-conceptions about who she was – or indeed who she later became,” Tossell explains. “Maria was able to take a totally fresh look at her life.”

“Knef ’s life was dictated by the world she was brought up in,” she continues, stressing that Wessel’s take on the multi-talent is “a human story and not a walk through German history.”

The 9.5 million Euros production by Berlin-based Egoli Tossell Film in co-production with Cologne’s MMC Independent and the post- production company Pictorion – DAS WERK was filmed over the summer at original locations in Berlin such as the Philharmonie “Hitler vor Gericht” Scene from (photo courtesy of Tellux-Film) (for Knef ’s legendary concert in 1966), Tempelhof Airport, the Schiller Theater (for the premiere of her 1950 film Die Suenderin), and at the Babelsberg studios before moving on to locations in Hitler vor Gericht Magdeburg, Bonn and Cologne and interior sets at the MMC studios in Cologne-Huerth, while locations in South Africa doubled up for Type of Project Docudrama Genre TV Movie Production Hollywood and London. Company Tellux-Film/Munich Producer Martin Choroba Director Bernd Fischerauer Screenplay Klaus Gietinger, Bernd Apart from Makatsch who plays the pivotal role of Hildegard Knef Fischerauer Director of Photography Markus Fraunholz and has also recorded new arrangements of her songs with the WDR Editor Gaby Kroeber Production Design Rudi Czettl for the film, Wessel’s Hilde has put an impressive cast Principal Cast Johannes Zirner, , Johannes together for the other parts, ranging from Michael Gwisdek as Silberschneider, Franjo Marincic, Peter Fricke, George Meyer-Goll, Knef ’s beloved grandfather through Monica Bleibtreu as the Ufa Andreas Nickel, Heinrich Schmieder, Alexander Goebel, Dieter casting director Else Bongers to Sylvester Groth as the theater Fischer Format 16 mm, color, 16:9 Shooting Language director Boleslaw Barlog and Hanns Zischler as the legendary film German Shooting in Munich, July – August 2008 German producer Erich Pommer. Distributor TELEPOOL/Munich

Shortly before shooting began in June, the production landed a coup World Sales by casting the German and swing musician Roger Cicero in his TELEPOOL GmbH · Ricarda Scherff first acting role as the musician Ricci Blum, a figure loosely based on a Sonnenstrasse 21 · 80331 Munich/Germany real-life character who meets Knef at important stages in her life. phone +49-89-55 87 60 · fax +49-89-55 87 61 88 email: [email protected] · www.telepool.de In addition, Tossell speaks of “a gift from heaven” in the casting of the young British actor Dan Stevens (starring in the BBC’s new adap- Hitler did once stand trial for his crimes! Obviously, he escaped judg- tation of Sense & Sensibility) in his first cinema role as David Cameron, ment at but thirty years earlier he was brought before the the actor and director who was married to Hildegard Knef from 1962 courts following the failure of what is known as the Beer Hall (or to 1976. “He looks the part and also happens to speak German,” says Munich) Coup of November 8, 1923. On that day Hitler, the popular Tossell, who is planning to release the film in German cinemas General Erich Ludendorff and other leaders of the through Warner Bros. next March. Kampfbund (a league of “patriotic” fighting societies and the Nazis in Bavaria) tried unsuccessfully to gain power in Munich, and MB Germany.

A painful mixture of melodrama and histrionics continued until the next day, when the conspirators decided to march – with no clear plan of where to go! They were met by the police who opened fire. Ludendorff stood his ground. Hitler fled. Four police and sixteen putschists were killed.

We cut to Tuesday, February 26, 1924. Hitler stands before the court, accused of high treason: his guilt is patently clear and the death pen- alty appears inevitable. Instead, the presiding judge, Georg Neithardt, opens the proceedings and gives Hitler the opportunity to make a four-hour speech denouncing the Republic and its govern- ment!

“To understand how this came about,” producer Martin Choroba says, “you have to realize that the three most influential politicians in Bavaria, Gustav von Kahr, Otto von Lossow and Hans Ritter von

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Seisser, who, essentially, controlled the state’s government, police and Shooting Language German Shooting in Sulzburg, military, were under the greatest pressure because they had coup Sperenberg, Wrangelsburg, Berlin, June – August 2008 plans of their own! Hitler’s trial could have brought their connections and conspiracies into the light!” Contact Ziegler Film GmbH & Co. KG · Thomas Petersen Thus, the Bavarian justice system went through even less than the Neue Kantstrasse 14 · 14057 Berlin/Germany motions and Hitler had the luckiest of escapes. The murder, or at phone +49-30-3 20 90 50 · fax +49-30-3 22 73 53 least manslaughter, of the four police officers was not even mention- email: [email protected] ed, the taking of Jewish hostages passed over and a bank robbery was www.ziegler-film.com reduced to a “confiscation”. A mother searches desperately for her daughter in the confusion and Hitler received the minimum sentence of five years and, in another chaos of post-war Europe. It is summer 1946. Germany lies in ruins. travesty of justice, permitted to apply for parole and his deportation Millions of displaced persons are on the move. At Gleiwitz/Gliwice obstructed. Just nine months after his arrest, he was back on the station, Rosemarie Herrmann () and family are try- streets. The rest is sad history. ing to reach the train for western Germany. Among the huge crowds, her ten-year-old daughter Marie (Magali Greif) becomes separa- “The trial is our foreground,” Choroba continues. We take that as the ted and vanishes in the teeming masses. The desperate Rosemarie, narrative thread and use flashbacks to witness Hitler’s putsch, first in her father, sister and small son end up in Swabia. Rosemarie tries the beer hall and then the march through the city the next day. From everything to find her daughter. Official channels prove no use. Then the different perspectives of Kahr, Seisser and Lossow we receive dif- she meets Harald Bergmann (Wotan Wilke Moehring) who ferent views of the whole scenario as well as the underlying political offers to help her. Rosemarie intensifies her search. Meanwhile, Marie situation.” is now in a children’s home on the Baltic. Her emotional and mental state is deteriorating. “This enables us to examine who was responsible for the failure of the legal situation, what the chain of events was that enabled Hitler to Gripping drama from Ziegler Film, one of the Germany’s largest escape the fate he deserved and who were the people who support- independent film and television producers. Founded in 1973 by ed him. “It’s important to convey the then-prevailing mood and to Regina Ziegler, “Our aim,” she says, “is to awaken the interest explain the conditions which were the soil in which Hitler flourished and attention of the audience. This has always been a demanding later. He was treated with kid gloves as an instrument of the govern- market and the only way to stimulate an audience is with a profile of ment. Then, as well as later, everyone underestimated him.” creativity and quality.”

SK As Ziegler Film’s track record shows, it’s something they’re very good at! Past honors include the Golden Rose at Montreux, the German Film Award and the Adolf Grimme Award. “We have always placed a constant focus on film,” Ziegler continues, “with productions such as Korczak (screened in Cannes), A Year of the Quiet Sun ( Venice), Fabian (Oscar® and Golden Globe nomination) and the Erotic Tales series (Oscar®-nomination for The Dutch Master)”.

For Kindersuche, the company was able to win two top names, Felicitas Woll and Wotan Wilke Moehring.

An extremely versatile actress, one who puts the character before

Film GmbH & Co. KG/Britta Krehl) Krehl) KG/Britta Film GmbH & Co. herself, Woll first became a household name in the comedy series Berlin, Berlin, for which she walked away with the Adolf Grimme

Scene from “Kindersuche”(photo Scene from © Ziegler Award and the Bavarian TV Award. And as her various credits show (Maedchen, Maedchen, Tatort, ), she is equally at home on the big as well as small screen, able to cross genres with ease.

Wotan Wilke Moehring makes for great onscreen tough guy pres- Kindersuche ence with depth! A character actor, he’s much in demand for both film and television. Yet to be seen in the Tom Cruise epic Valkyrie, his pre- Type of Project TV Movie Genre Drama, History Pro- vious and extensive credits include Bang Boom Bang – Ein todsicheres duction Company Ziegler Film/Berlin, in cooperation with Ding, Das Experiment, Lammbock, Antikoerper, and Nichts als SWR/Baden-Baden, ARD Degeto/Frankfurt, ARTE/Strasbourg, Gespenster. ORF/ Producers Gabriela Sperl, Wolfgang Hantke Director Miguel Alexandre Screenplay Gabriela Sperl, based on Director Miguel Alexandre can also look back on an award-win- an idea by Renate Michel Director of Photography Busso von ning track record (not that he’s finished by any means!). In 2005 he Mueller Editor Tobias Forth Production Design Thomas Franz won the Adolf Grimme Award for Gruesse aus Kaschmir. Gran Principal Cast Felicitas Woll, Wotan Wilke Moehring, Inga Paradiso (2001) was nominated in the German Film Awards for Best Birkenfeld, Hermann Beyer, Roman Knizka, Magali Greif Casting Film, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress. Der Pakt Heta Mantscheff Casting Format Super 16, color, 16:9, Dolby 5.1 (1996) was recognized with a Golden Lion in Venice, while his About

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War (1993) was nominated for an Oscar® in the category of Best “The two had been thinking of a story for their first film for some Foreign Student Film. time and we worked very closely together, with influence on my part as far as the film side was concerned and from their side for the Creativity and quality: two givens at Ziegler Film, with comedy elements. Even before they began writing the screenplay, Kindersuche, a gripping emotional drama, set to continue the Mario had always wanted Michael Gwisdek to play his father and trend.” then we came upon Anja Kling for the girlfriend. The idea of guest roles for Juergen Vogel and Uwe Ochsenknecht also came SK during the development.”

Barth plays the shop assistant Paul in a pet shop in Berlin, who has dreams of becoming a successful comedian. However, nothing seems to go right until he starts making jokes about his best mate Hotte (Tappert) and girlfriend Susi (Kling). The audience goes wild with excitement, but Hotte and Susi are far from pleased. Paul has to de- cide – between friendship or career.

Berben stresses that Maennersache (“A Man’s World”) “isn’t a standup comedy show, but rather a film with its own plot. Our aim and desire is to give the audience what they know from Mario and Dieter, but not just that – we want to give them a little more to make (photo © 2008 Constantin Film Verleih) (photo © 2008 Constantin Film Verleih) Gernot Roll, Mario Barth, Oliver Berben that difference!”

He admits that humor is a genre which traditionally finds it hard to travel: “Apart from Jewish humor, this genre is very much a national concern with its own stars in the comedy and stand-up fields. With Mario, for example, he is clearly aiming at a German audience by Maennersache drawing from his observations from his day-to-day life and what he sees around him.” Type of Project Feature Film Cinema Genre Comedy Production Company Constantin Film Produktion/Munich “But that doesn’t mean that this humor can’t appeal to other people With backing from Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, German internationally. The story here in Maennersache isn’t a purely Federal Film Fund (DFFF) Producer Oliver Berben Executive German topic as the logline – ’two men and a woman, she’s the prob- Producer Directors Gernot Roll, Mario lem’ – shows. On the one hand, you have the humor dealing with the Barth Screenplay Mario Barth, Dieter Tappert Director of differences between men and women and then there is a form of self- Photography Gernot Roll Editor Carsten Eder Production deprecating humor that is able to laugh about oneself. That’s some- Design Florian Lutz Principal Cast Mario Barth, Dieter Tappert, thing that one doesn’t see that often in Germany.” Michael Gwisdek, Anja Kling Casting Emrah Ertem Format HD, color, 1:1.85, blow-up to 35 mm, Dolby Digital Shooting With two greenhorns in front of the camera, Berben made sure that Language German Shooting in Berlin, June – August 2008 he had someone experienced behind the camera – and who better German Distributor Constantin Film Verleih/Munich than director/DoP Gernot Roll, whose career has managed to combine work on such varying productions as , Robber Contact Hotzenplotz and Ballermann 8. Constantin Film Produktion GmbH Feilitzschstrasse 6 · 80802 Munich/Germany “It was my wish from the outset that we had a director with exten- phone +49-89-44 44 60 0 · fax +49-89-44 44 60 666 sive experience both of film und comedy, who was also someone email: [email protected] · www.constantinfilm.de prepared to work with a person like Mario who knows exactly what he wants, but is not necessarily conversant with the technical side,” More than ten years ago, German stand-up comedian Mario Barth Berben says, explaining the decision of picking Roll as a co-director and colleague Dieter Tappert promised each other that when for Barth. they hit the big time, they would write a screenplay for a feature film MB to star in – and whoever was the first one to get an offer would bring the other onboard the project.

In the meantime, Barth and Tappert have both become established figures in the German comedy scene, Barth winning the German Comedy Award on three occasions and being the author of the best- selling book Deutsch-Frau/Frau-Deutsch.

As producer Oliver Berben recalls, plans for the duo’s feature film debut began in earnest two years ago when development of a screen- play began with Constantin Film in Munich.

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who achieved such great success and yet searched unceasingly for the happiness and love that were to elude her.

She spent her childhood years in a boarding school, far from her parents. She fell deeply in love with French superstar Alain Delon, had what is best-termed a difficult marriage to Harry Meyen, suffered great personal loss and tragedy (including the death of her son) and, Jessica Schwarz as “Romy” last but not least, fought constantly to escape her image as Sissi (the role of the empress Elisabeth of she played in the 1955, 1956 and 1957 films of the same title). It was this struggle, just one of the

(photo © SWR/Phoenix/Joachim Gern) many which defined her, that was to take her to France and there, finally, enable her rise to become a great international and award- winning star.

Alongside Jessica Schwarz, Thomas Kretschmann (who has already made a name for himself both in German as well as Romy Hollywood cinema) plays Harry Meyen, Romy’s first husband, whilst French shooting star Guillaume Delorme plays Alain Delon. Type of Project TV Movie Genre Biopic, Drama Production Maresa Hoerbiger appears as Magda Schneider and Heinz Company Phoebus Film/Huerth, in co-production with Hoenig plays her stepfather, Herbert Blatzheim. The younger Romy SWR/Baden-Baden & Stuttgart, WDR/Cologne, Degeto/Frankfurt, is portrayed by Alicia von Rittberg and Stella Kunkat, ORF/Vienna, NDR/Hamburg With backing from Filmstiftung respectively. NRW, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Land Salzburg Producers Markus Brunnemann, Nicole Galley Romy is not a kiss and tell piece of sensationalism for scandalmon- Commissioning Editors Carl Bergengruen (SWR), Michael gers, but a respectful depiction of this unique and deservedly venerat- Schmidl (SWR), Michael André (WDR), Hans-Wolfgang Jurgan ed woman who lived her life, as she herself said, to the extreme. But (Degeto), Klaus Lintschinger (ORF), Doris Heinze (NDR) Director as to her regrets? She surely had a great many. Torsten C. Fischer Screenplay Benedikt Roeskau Director of SK Photography Holly Fink Editor Benjamin Hembus Music by Annette Focks Production Design Martin Schreiber Principal Cast Jessica Schwarz, Thomas Kretschmann, Guillaume Delorme, Maresa Hoerbiger, Heinz Hoenig Casting Ingrid Cuenca Format 16 mm, color, 16:9, Stereo Shooting Language German Shooting in Paris, French Riviera, North Rhine-Westphalia, Bavaria, Salzburg, Berlin, September – November 2008 German Distributor Phoebus Film/Huerth

World Sales Beta Film GmbH · Dirk Schuerhoff (photo © TMG/ Stephen Morely) Gruenwalder Weg 28d · 82041 Oberhaching/Germany the set ofFrom “Vier Jahreszeiten” phone +49-89-67 34 69 80 · fax+49-89-67 34 69 888 email: [email protected] www.betafilm.com

“I must always go the most extreme, even if it’s not good. I love going to the limits of the possible, professionally as in my private life. I regret nothing” – . Rosamunde Pilcher:

How many stars, in whichever field, are instantly recognizable from just their first name? Elvis Presley, from the world of music, of Vier Jahreszeiten course. But actors? Romy Schneider is one of the very few to have Type of Project Mini-Series Genre Drama, Love Story earned a place among that elite pantheon and in this, a biopic whose Production Company Tele Muenchen/Munich, in cooperation title says it all, the award-winning the Jessica Schwarz, de- with Gate Television Production/Munich & London Producers monstrates that behind her beauty lie great acting chops. Herbert Kloiber, Rikolt von Gagern Director Giles Foster Screenplay Matthew Thomas, Trevor Bowen Director of Romy, the film, depicts the most important events and passages in Photography Tony Imi Editor Catherine Creed Music by the life of this world star, a life that was lived both passionately and Richard Blackford Production Design Martyn John Principal intensively and fascinates still to this very day. Cast , Tom Conti, Michael York, , Franco Nero, Max V. Pufendorf Casting Beth Charkham Format Romy Schneider was a woman, an artist, who remained a puzzle to 16 mm, color, 16:9, Dolby 5.1 Shooting Language English the world as well as herself. There was the myth and reality of the Shooting in Cornwall & Bath/UK, June – August 2008 celebrated and sought-after actress, and the sad reality of a woman

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World Sales TMG International · Carlos Hertel Kaufingerstrasse 24 · 80331 Munich/Germany phone +49-89-29 09 30 · fax +49-89-29 09 31 09 email: [email protected] · www.tmg.de

An internationally acclaimed, star studded, cast brings yet another of Scene from “Schwerkraft” Scene from the more than prolific Rosamunde Pilcher’s great romantic works to the small screen. What is here not to like?! (photo courtesy of FRISBEEFILMS) This time, the tried and tested combination of the Tele Muenchen Gruppe and Gate Film Television proudly presents Vier Jahreszeiten (“The Four Seasons Collection”). The drama unfolds, as the title has it, over the course of one year in the lives of the aristo- cratic Combe family.

Endelion, their magnificent country seat, the crown of Cornwall’s Schwerkraft rugged coast (a setting no stranger to millions of Pilcher’s fans), sets the scene for this sweeping saga which revolves around three women Type of Project Feature Film Cinema Genre Drama of three generations. There is Julia, previously banished from Endelion Production Company FRISBEEFILMS/Berlin, in co-production for “crimes” to be revealed, whose return is the trigger for the tur- with ZDF Das kleine Fernsehspiel/Mainz, dffb/Berlin, in cooperation bulent events. Abby, her grand-daughter, wants to know the secrets with ARTE/Strasbourg With backing from Filmfoerderungs- of her past so that she can face the future. There is Charlotte, Julia’s anstalt (FFA), Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Mitteldeutsche daughter and Abby’s mother who supposedly killed herself but is still Medienfoerderung, German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) Producers very much alive in the hearts of the Combe family – and is maybe not Alexander Bickenbach, Manuel Bickenbach, Valeska Bochow quite as dead, or as far away from Endelion, as some would believe. Director Maximilian Erlenwein Screenplay Maximilian Erlenwein Director of Photography Ngo The Chau Editor Toni All of which would mean nothing without the right cast to bring Vier Froschhammer Production Design Petra Albert Principal Jahreszeiten to life. Cast Fabian Hinrichs, Juergen Vogel, Nora von Waldstaetten, Uwe Bohm Format 35 mm, color, cs, Dolby Digital 5.1 Shooting Senta Berger (who plays Julia) has received numerous awards, Language German Shooting in Halle, Leipzig, November – including a Bambi and an Adolf Grimme Award garnered over a December 2008 German Distributor Farbfilm Verleih/Berlin career that started in 1955 and has not slowed since. Tom Conti has been nominated for Golden Globes, the Bafta and an Oscar®. World Sales Michael York, whom even Queen Elizabeth II decorated with an TELEPOOL GmbH · Anja Uecker OBE, has an Emmy nomination to his hugely extensive credits. And Sonnenstrasse 21 · 80331 Munich/Germany last but not least in the line-up, Franco Nero (whom many will phone +49-89-55 87 60 · fax +49-89-55 87 62 29 remember as one of the nasties in Die Hard 2) was once nominated email: [email protected] · www.telepool.de for a Golden Globe. A mild mannered bank clerk experiences trauma in the workplace and Directing Vier Jahreszeiten is British TV-movie and mini-series goes rogue in this latest production from Berlin-based FRISBEE- stalwart, Giles Foster, whose credits include Foyle’s War, Relative FILMS. That’s the premise for Frederik Feinermann’s radical and not Strangers, Bertie and Elizabeth and Talking Heads, all or most of which so gradual change from would-be employee of the month, if anybody would be instantly familiar to British audiences and then some. really noticed him, to career criminal as his dark side takes over. Everyday rules and regulations lose their value, he finally begins a Rounding up the top level technical credits is writer (and also actor) relationship with the woman, Nadine, whom he has until now observ- Trevor Bowen, who is at home wherever the drama calls for char- ed only from afar. He hooks up with Vince, an ex-convict, and, acters to say and do something and actors to act, as opposed to together, they undertake a series of burglaries, by using insider infor- standing in front of blue or green screens and having special effects mation from the bank where Frederik works. But what begins as an added in post-production. adrenaline-fuelled hobby soon turns violent and both men spiral deeper into dangerous places. It can only be a matter of time before But this is really preaching to the converted. someone ends up dead. But who?

Vier Jahreszeiten is another piece of classic Pilcher that pushes “Schwerkraft (“Gravity”) is a strange story,” writer-director all the right buttons, both before and behind the camera. Romantic Maximilian Erlenwein admits with a grin. “Frederik is trapped in fiction does not come any better than this. the prison of his own life, lonely and unhappy. The more rogue he goes, the freer he becomes. But he is also a disturbed man who acts SK unmorally. So how should we empathize with someone like this?”

For Alexander Bickenbach, producer and co-founder (with brother Manuel Bickenbach) of FRISBEEFILMS, it’s because “there’s a Frederik in each one of us! We all have lurking depths, a

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secret desire to do things outside common sense and the norm.”

Despite the protagonist’s sick behavior, it’s a tribute to all concerned that he becomes increasingly likeable as the film unfolds.

“Which is also the tragedy,” Manuel Bickenbach says, “because it’s only when he crosses the lines of society that he finds himself savor- ing genuine human warmth. He’s a person in need of love, just as we

all are.” Juergen Vogel Matthias Glasner, (photo courtesy of Just Publicity)

Schwerkraft, which has Erlenwein and DoP Ngo The Chau Lars Kraume, “This Is Love” producers continuing their ongoing cooperation, draws its tension from audi- ence fears that Frederik will become a victim of himself. But here the director has chosen “not to expose or make fun of him, but to take him seriously and allow him his dignity. The story may sound dark and tragic, but it’s told with tempo, humor and scurrility, very much in the vein of, say, Taxi Driver, Fight Club and Trainspotting.” This Is Love

The film was written especially for actor Fabian Hinrichs (66/67, Type of Project Feature Film Cinema Genre Drama Sophie Scholl – The Final Days, Blackout) with whom Erlenwein shared Production Company Badlands Film/Berlin, in co-production an apartment for two years and co-developed the character of with Schwarzweiss Filmproduktion/Berlin, cine plus Filmproduktion/ Frederik. Playing his buddy in crime is Juergen Vogel whose many Berlin, WDR/Cologne, ARTE/Strasbourg With backing from credits include such smash hits as The Free Will, The Wave, and Rabbit Filmstiftung NRW, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, BKM, Without Ears. Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) Producers Matthias Glasner, Lars Kraume, Juergen Vogel Founded in 2006 by Alexander and Manuel Bickenbach, FRISBEE- Director Matthias Glasner Screenplay Matthias Glasner FILMS places its values on strong emotionality, working with outstan- Director of Photography Sonja Rom Editor Mona Braeuer ding talents to become an important player in the international inde- Music by Christoph Kaiser, Julian Maas Production Design pendent film business. Their greatest successes to date are Frank Pruemmer Principal Cast Corinna Harfouch, Jens Albinus, Nevermore, Berlin – 1st of May, and Let the Cat Out of the Bag: the first Duyen Pham, Juergen Vogel, Katja Danowski, Devid Striesow of which won the Student Oscar® 2007. Shooting Language German Format HD, blow-up to 35 mm, color, 1:1.85, Dolby SR Shooting in Vietnam, Berlin, North Rhine- SK Westphalia, July – September 2008 German Distributor Kinowelt Filmverleih/Leipzig

World Sales TrustNordisk · Susan Wendt Filmbyen 12 · 2650 Hvidovre/Denmark phone +45-36-86 87 88 · fax +45-36-77 44 48 email: [email protected] · www.trust-film.dk

Principal photography wrapped in September on This Is Love which is the first project of the Berlin-based production company Badlands Film director Matthias Glasner set up last year with fellow filmmaker Lars Kraume and actor Juergen Vogel.

“The film’s title comes from the song This Is Always,” Glasner explains. “I found this romantic text also to be so threatening because there is that level about the obsession of love. It’s like The Police’s song Every Breath You Take, which one can see both ways. It is a seemingly romantic film which also looks at the dark sides of love, of suffering and breaking down, and everything love can do to us and change our personality.”

Set in Vietnam and Germany, This Is Love centers on Chris and the nine-year-old Jenjira on the run from the mafia. Together with his friend Holger, Chris bought the young Vietnamese girl’s freedom from human traffickers – without actually being able to pay. Meanwhile, the female detective Maggie learns after 16 years why her husband up and left her without a word. These two worlds come together when Chris is accused of murder and Maggie is charged with interrogating him …

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As Glasner recalls, the idea for the new film came during his research for his previous feature film The Free Will which was shown in the Berlinale Official Competition in 2005: “I came across a story which moved me a lot about a man falling in love with a child and suffering because he knows that he can never live this love, that he will never be able to really fall in love. The other story around the Maggie char- Scene from “Transfer” Scene from acter played by Corinna Harfouch was about being left and not knowing the reason why. These were issues which were of interest to me and people in my circle of friends, so I decided to address the question of love and suffering.”

While he had Corinna Harfouch in mind from the outset for the part of Maggie whilst writing the screenplay – she had appeared in two of (photo © Schiwago Film/Novapool Pictures) his feature films Sexy Sadie and Fandango and several TV movies – a happy coincidence brought him to the choice of the lead actor, the Dane Jens Albinus. Transfer “I was working on the screenplay in Hong Kong and happened to see Lars von Trier’s The Boss of It All where Jens has the lead. I was quite Type of Project Feature Film Cinema Genre Fantasy/Science impressed by his performance and then learned by chance that he is Fiction Production Company Schiwago Film/Berlin, in co-pro- also represented by my agency in Berlin. I liked the idea of writing a duction with ZDF Das kleine Fernsehspiel/Mainz, ARTE/Strasbourg part for someone I didn’t know in the same way as I did with Sabine With backing from MFG Baden-Wuerttemberg, Medienboard Timoteo for The Free Will.” Berlin-Brandenburg, Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) Producers Marcos Kantis, Martin Lehwald, Michal Actor Juergen Vogel, who won a Silver Bear at the 2005 Berlinale for Pokorny Commissioning Editor Christian Cloos Director his work as lead actor/co-screenwriter and producer of The Free Will, Damir Lukacevic Screenplay Damir Lukacevic, Gabi Blauert, notes that the success of this film nationally and internationally was a Gerald Klein Director of Photography Francisco Dominguez great help when they were putting the financing together for This Is Editor Frank Brummundt Music by Gerd Wilden Production Love. Design Tom Hornig Principal Cast B.J. Britt, Regine Nehy, Hans Michael Rehberg, Ingrid Andree, Jeanette Hain, Mehmet Kurtulus, “Stylistically and formally, it is a quite different film from The Free Will,” Ulrich Voss Casting Lisa Hamill Format 4K HD, blow-up to 35 Vogel explains. “The story offers an insight into a world that one is not mm, color, 1:1.85, Dolby Digital Shooting Languages German & aware of, it is quite an adventure.” English Shooting in Ueberlingen, Stuttgart, and Berlin, August – September 2008 German Distributor Novapool Pictures/Berlin The shoot began with two days of filming on location in Saigon – with the local service producer Star Film handling the logistics on the Contact ground – before moving back to Berlin and then interiors in North Schiwago Film GmbH Rhine-Westphalia. Gneisenaustrasse 66 · 10961 Berlin/Germany phone +49-30-69 53 98 10 · fax +49-30-69 53 98 50 Vogel adds that the decision to use the new RED digital camera had email: [email protected] · www.schiwagofilm.de financial and artistic reasons: “When you are shooting with an eleven- year-old child who is appearing in front of the camera for the first Man’s dream of eternal youth and life – as old as humanity itself – is time, it is much easier to work with two cameras rather than having the subject of Damir Lukacevic’s second feature film Transfer to have a 35 mm setup. Moreover, we found that you can create a which wrapped on location in Berlin in mid-September. very interesting aesthetic for the special kind of world where this film plays.” Originally, Croatian-born Lukacevic, who studied Directing at the German Film & Television Academy (dffb) in Berlin, had planned to “Using the RED was ideal for Matthias so that he could improvise on adapt a short story entitled Thousand Euros, One Life by veteran set,” adds executive producer Joerg Schulze of cine plus Spanish authoress Eli Barcelo as one of the films in a series planned by Filmproduktion whose previous credits include Philip Groening’s ZDF’s Das kleine Fernsehspiel under the banner of “2020”, present- Into Great Silence. “We had only two days of shooting in Vietnam, ing different visions of how the future might look. which was important because you can’t capture that atmosphere of the Saigon streets and clubs in the studio in Germany, but using the Realizing that Lukacevic’s proposed adaptation could not be made for RED meant that we had plenty of material to work from.” 2020’s budget of 100,000 Euros, commissioning editor Christian Cloos accompanied the young filmmaker in further developing the “That’s certainly an advantage of the RED that you have lots of mate- project and actively looking for a production company to come on- rial,” Glasner agrees, “and I also like the fact that what you see direct- board. ly on the HD monitor is the final result.” Berlin’s Schiwago Film was one of the producers approached by MB Cloos and Lukacevic and decided to take on the job of further development of the screenplay and raising the financing.

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“We had a very positive reaction from the film funders to Damir story. Nevertheless, there is always a risk with such a camera and the because they knew his last feature, Homecoming, and were im- occasional teething troubles.” pressed by the screenplay for Transfer,” producer Marcos Kantis recalls. “You have a needle-sharp picture with this camera,” Kantis adds. “At the same time, it all remains a little artificial, but that’s something The film’s plot centers on the elderly couple Hermann and Anna who which supports the production design and the actors in the frame.” have the dream of beginning anew at the end of their lives. In a sana- torium, they buy the young bodies of Apolain and Sarah for a million MB Euros and, in a personality transfer developed in Germany, the couple received control over these bodies for 20 hours each day. Apolain and Sarah are only themselves again for four hours each night …

“I don’t think there is really anything comparable to this film in Ludi Boeken German cinema,” says Kantis. “It is a very modern, futuristic story and a love story. There is a lot of tongue-in-cheek here, but it is also a sub- ject which can be discussed in ethical and moral terms in all serious- ness. Moreover, we are medically and technologically up-to-date, and even a bit further.”

While the elderly couple of Hermann and Anna were cast relatively quickly, finding the two African actors took a lot more time. Seeger/FilmForm Koeln) (photo © Petra

“I hadn’t known Ingrid Andree before, but I was fascinated by her visually and what I read about her,” Lukacevic explains. The veteran actress had been a big star in German cinema during the 1950s in such films as Rolf Thiele’s Primanerinnen, Wolfgang Becker’s Peter Voss, Der Unter Bauern Millionendieb and Helmut Kaeutner’s Der Rest ist Schweigen, but had concentrated on stage work for the theater in the past 20 years. “I Type of Project Feature Film Cinema Genre History wrote to her about my project without knowing her, and two days Production Company FilmForm/Cologne, Pandora Film/ later she replied that she would like to be part of the film and that she Cologne, 3L Filmproduktion/Dortmund, in co-production with had fallen in love with the script,” he says. Acajou Films/Paris, WDR/Cologne, ARTE/Strasbourg With backing from Filmstiftung NRW, Eurimages, Filmfoerderungs- “And it was her suggestion that we approach Hans Michael Rehberg anstalt (FFA), German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) Producers – with whom she had often appeared on stage – for the part of Joachim von Mengershausen, Karl Baumgartner, Werner Wirsing Hermann,” adds Kantis. Co-Producers Gebhard Henke & Michael Andre (WDR), Pascal Judelewicz (Acajou Films) Director Ludi Boeken Screenplay Finding the right actors for Apolain and Sarah led the director and Otto Jaegersberg, Imo Moszkowicz, Heidrun Schleef Director of producers to casting sessions in Germany, France, South Africa, Photography Dani Schneor Editor Susan Fenn Music by David London, and, finally, Los Angeles. Thanks to casting director Lisa Greilsamm Production Design Agnette Schloesser Principal Hamill they could cast B.J. Britt – whose past credits include Victor Cast , Armin Rohde, Margarita Broich, Martin Horn, Salva’s Peaceful Warrior, Tammi Sutton’s Sutures and the CSI Miami TV Lia Hoensbroech, Louisa Mix Casting Filmcast Sabine series – and Regine Nehy who appeared this year opposite Samuel L. Schwedhelm/Duesseldorf Format S16 mm, color, 1:1.85, blow-up Jackson in Neil LaBute’s Lakeview Terrace. to 35 mm, Dolby SR Shooting Language German Shooting in Duelmen, Wadersloh, Lippstadt, August – October 2008 German “The story was so structured that we needed young actors between Distributor 3L Licensing/Dortmund 20 and 30, who are attractive, have a great body and are so good as actors that they can portray the difference between an African and a World Sales white man or woman,” Lukacevic says. Beta Cinema / Dept. of Beta Film GmbH Andreas Rothbauer And Mehmet Kurtulus, who appears with his dark locks bleach- Gruenwalder Weg 28 d · 82041 Oberhaching/Germany ed peroxide blonde and wearing blue contact lenses, gives an other- phone +49-89-67 34 69 80 · fax +49-89-6 73 46 98 88 worldly dimension to the film by speaking his lines in English (he will email: [email protected] dub himself into German for the theatrical release in Germany by www.betacinema.com Novapool Pictures next year). “It is about people rather than ideology,” says producer Joachim After Matthias Glasner’s This Is Love, Transfer is the second von Mengershausen about Unter Bauern (“Among German feature film this summer to deploy the RED One 4K HD Farmers”) which is based on the memoirs of Marga Spiegel that were camera as an alternative to 35 mm. “We did some tests with the published in book form under the title of Retter in der Nacht in 1969 camera beforehand and were extremely convinced,” Lukacevic and have been adapted for the screen by Otto Jaegersberg, Imo recalls. “It has another finish instead of the grainy look of 16 mm. Moszkowicz and Heidrun Schleef. Everything is a little bit more perfect and that is ideal for this futuristic

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The German-French co-production is – after the documentary In Bauern,” Mengershausen recalls. “His German grandmother had Search of Memory by Petra Seeger – the second foray into production married a Jew in Amsterdam and was so outraged during the Second for Mengershausen’s Cologne-based company FilmForm, although World War about the German occupation of the Netherlands and the former commissioning editor at WDR can look back on an exten- the persecution of the that she helped bring hundreds of Jews sive career in broadcasting with involvement in such prestige projects to safety by hiding them in the countryside outside of Amsterdam. as ’s Heimat family chronicles. Our film’s story is a German variation of what Ludi’s family went through.” Unter Bauern recounts how some courageous farmers in the Muensterland region gave refuge to Marga Spiegel’s husband Menne, MB herself and her daughter under false names in their farmhouse be- tween 1943 and 1945. The farmers succeeded in achieving the seemingly impossible: protecting the whole family for two years and saving them from deportation to the death camps without themselves having to pay with their own lives or being punished in other ways by the German government in those days.

The leads are taken by Veronica Ferres (who appeared in Paul Schrader’s Adam Resurrected which premiered at the Telluride and Toronto film festivals), Armin Rohde (Mr. Woof) and child actor Louisa Mix, with Margarita Broich (Four Windows), Martin Horn (Buddenbrooks) and child actor Lia Hoensbroech playing the Aschoff family of farmers in front of the camera of the Israeli DoP Dani Schneor. Other parts are taken by Marlon Kittel (Summer Storm) and Veit Stuebner (The Counterfeiters).

As Mengershausen notes, the actors approached during the casting for the film were immediately enthusiastic about being involved in the project: Veronica Ferres and Armin Rohde both accepted without hesitation to play the Spiegels. Interestingly, these two roles were cast with German actors of non-Jewish origin, while there are some Jewish actors cast for non-Jewish roles.

The veteran writer-director Imo Moszkowicz had given Menger- hausen Marga Spiegel’s memoirs to read in 1999 as this had been a pet project of his to direct. In the meantime, Moszkowicz’s state of health prevented him from being in the director’s chair himself.

“I was very moved by what I read because it is an extraordinary story about the persecution of the Jews during the Nazi terror,” Mengershausen says. “The farmers’ decision to save the Spiegel fami- ly was their reaction to the excesses of the Nazi party to drive the Jews out of Germany. It was a unique incident to save a whole Jewish family and it was never found out. The people who saved them did not have to pay for their actions.”

“The farmers had decided in all humility that somebody like Menne Spiegel, their former horse dealer, should be saved from this in- justice,” Mengershausen continues. “This human feeling of solidarity was very rare in those days, like a light in the darkness.”

Shooting of Unter Bauern has been done in the original Muensterland locations, some of which have hardly changed since the 1940s. “It is as if time has stood still,” the producer says, adding that the locals in the Muensterland region are proud that this story is now being told at last for the big screen.

The project also has a personal resonance for the film’s Dutch-born director Ludi Boeken who was the producer of another film about this particular chapter of recent history, Radu Mihaileanu’s award- winning film Train of Life in 1998.

“Ludi was really shocked when he received the screenplay for Unter

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4 · 2008 31 9to5-Days in Porn.qxp 06.10.2008 10:33 Uhr Seite 1

9to5 – Days in Porn Scene from “9to5 – Days in Porn” (photo © F24 Film) “9to5 – Days Scene from in Porn”

“When you are fucking for a living, not everyone is going to Producer Cleonice Comino Production Company F24 understand it – and even less are they going to like it.” Film/Munich With Tom Herold, Belladonna, Sasha Grey, Mia Rose, Katja Kassin, Roxy Deville, Otto Bauer, Audrey Hollander, 9to5 – Days in Porn is a portrait about people who work Mark Spiegler, Jim Powers, John Stagliano, Dr. Sharon Mitchell in adult entertainment, a business bigger than the music Length 90 min Format 16 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original industry. Filmed over a period of more than a year, ten dif- Version English & German Subtitled Versions English, ferent stories unfold, delivering insight into the personal German Sound Technology Dolby Digital Festival lives of people in the adult movie business, their hopes Screenings Montreal 2008, Rio 2008 and their dreams. However, the demands of the job can take a toll; and a short time in this world can be the start, Jens Hoffmann first started making films in the 1990s, filming a part or the end of both a career and a normal life. himself and friends at mountain sports. After numerous years expe- rience in television and film projects, he founded his own production Genre Portrait Category Documentary Cinema Year of company, F24 Film, in 2000 and produces and directs not only com- Production 2008 Director Jens Hoffmann Screenplay Jens mercials and corporate films, but also feature documentaries in- Hoffmann Editor Christopher Klotz, Kai Schroeter Original cluding Fatima’s Hand 2006), 20 Seconds of Joy (2007), and Score Alex McGowan, Michael Meinl Music by Brant Bjork, 9to5 – Days in Porn (2008). Martina Topley-Bird, The Dwarves, Sweet Machine, and others

World Sales Media Luna Entertainment GmbH & Co. KG · Ida Martins Aachener Strasse 26 · 50674 Cologne/Germany phone +49-2 21-8 01 49 80 · fax +49-2 21-80 14 98 21 email: [email protected] · www.medialuna-entertainment.de

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4 · 2008 32 88Pilgern auf Japanisch.qxp 06.10.2008 10:18 Uhr Seite 1

88 – pilgern auf japanisch 88 – PILGRIMAGE IN JAPANESE oll) Scene from “88 – pilgrimageScene from in japanese” (photo © Gerald K

There’s a nearly unknown Buddhist pilgrimage in Japan: a Genre Adventure, Religion, Road Movie Category Docu- circle along 88 temples. It’s strange. It’s older and longer mentary Cinema Year of Production 2008 Director Gerald than the Spanish pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela. Koll Screenplay Gerald Koll Director of Photography It’s probably the longest of all marked pilgrim-routes of the Gerald Koll Editor René Perraudin Music by Arpad Bondy world: the hachiju-hakkasho! Production Design Gerald Koll Producer Gerald Koll Production Company Koll Filmproduktion/Kiel Principal It circles the island of Shikoku. According to the temples, Cast Gerald Koll, Hideo Fujikawa, Hira Yusaku, Kajitani Shigetsugu, shrines and monks, Shikoku is called the “holy island”. Kosho Omoto, Makoto Sato, Masahiko Monzen, Nobuo Morikawa, Pilgrims have been going here for 1,200 years, along a Ogawa Masaki, Osamu Ohno, Shigeo Ishikawa, Taiten Kouyama, route of 1,300 km, marked by 88 temples. Yuki Kawamura, Yves La Rose Durand Length 88 min Format Mini DV, color, 16:9 Original Version German/Japanese/English Normally only Japanese Buddhists walk the route. Some Subtitled Version English Sound Technology Stereo of them have done it over 300 times. Only by exception Festival Screenings Hof 2008 With backing from does a foreigner participate here. Like in the spring of Filmfoerderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, Kulturelle Film- 2007: A German pilgrim was on the road, on his own, foerderung Mecklenburg-Vorpommern German Distributor joined by his camera. He was searching for “henro boke”, Salzgeber & Co. Medien/Berlin the special state of mind of a pilgrim. That’s the aim of this amusing and self-ironic documentary. Gerald Koll was born in Kiel in 1966 and studied German Literature, completing his PhD on “Erotics in Silent Movies”. Since 1989 he has been a freelance journalist and independent filmmaker. His films include: Among Gauchos (1998), Dangerous Affections (2000), Weekend on Wannsee (2000), A Fancy in the Orient (2001), The Silence of Gods – Portrait of Theo Angelopoulos (2001), Harry Piel – The Unleashed (2004), Brave Little Bride (2007), and 88 – pilgrimage in japanese (2008).

World Sales (please contact) Koll Filmproduktion · Gerald Koll Sredzkistrasse 44 · 10435 Berlin/Germany phone +49-30-41 71 58 16 email: [email protected] · www.88-pilgrimage-in-japanese.de

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4 · 2008 33 Adems Sohn.qxp 06.10.2008 10:34 Uhr Seite 1

Adems Sohn ADEM’S SON esper) Scene from “Adem’s Son” (photo © dffb/Thomas V “Adem’s Scene from

“You could have had a day out a long time ago. Now, just Genre Drama, Family, Melodrama Category Short Year of before your release, you take advantage of this opportu- Production 2008 Director Hakan Savas Mican Screenplay nity. Why?” asks the prison director. Ali’s answer is short Hakan Savas Mican, Max Honert Director of Photography and decisive: “To talk.” Sebastian Lempe Editors Hakan Savas Mican, Sebastian Lempe Music by Devil Inside, Daria Marschinina Production Design Ali, who has been sitting in a juvenile detention center for Petra Schlie Producers Hartmut Bitomsky, Christin Geigemueller six years, finished his training course as a chef with acco- Production Company Deutsche Film- & Fernsehakademie lades. But he never spoke about his past. Today, on the Berlin (dffb), in co-production with RBB/Potsdam-Babelsberg very day of his brother Ibo’s wedding, he wants to visit his Principal Cast Tamer Yigit, Murat Seven, Erden Alkan, Sema family and talk. Poyraz, Nilam Farooq, Lars Pape, Burak Yigit, Katja Sieder, Vedat Kaygan Casting Greta Amend Length 30 min Format 16 mm Like a silent bomb, Ali bursts into the traditional wedding Blow-up 35 mm, color, cs Original Version German/Turkish preparations and opens up old wounds in a matter of Subtitled Version English Sound Technology Dolby SR seconds. He is looking for common ground, but finds out Festival Screenings Film Festival Turkey-Germany Nuremberg that it is impossible now. When he meets his father in a 2008 German Distributor Deutsche Film- & Fernsehakademie small side room, he notices that there is nothing left to dis- Berlin (dffb) cuss. Hakan Savas Mican was born in 1978 in Berlin and grew up in His actions have cut him off from his family – with no Turkey. In 1997 he returned to Berlin to study Architecture and chance of return. began shooting his first films. Also active as a journalist for radio broadcasters, he has been a student at the German Academy of Television & Film (dffb) since 2004. His films include: Mother’s Mark (Muttermal, 2006), Foreign (Fremd, 2007), and Adem’s Son (Adems Sohn, 2008).

World Sales (please contact) Deutsche Film- & Fernsehakademie Berlin GmbH (dffb) · Jana Wolff Potsdamer Strasse 2 · 10785 Berlin/Germany phone +49-30-25 75 91 52 · fax +49-30-25 75 91 62 email: [email protected] · www.dffb.de

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4 · 2008 34 Anonyma.qxp 25.09.2008 13:21 Uhr Seite 1

Anonyma — Eine Frau in Berlin A WOMAN IN BERLIN erleih GmbH) Scene from “A Woman in Berlin” (photo © Constantin Film V Woman “A Scene from

April 1945. The Red Army is invading Berlin. Women fall Length 131 min, 3,591 m Format 35 mm, color, cs Original victim to rape in a half-destroyed house. One of them is Version German Subtitled Version English Sound Anonyma, who had been a journalist and photographer. Technology Dolby Digital Festival Screenings Toronto 2008 In her desperation she decides to look for an officer who With backing from Filmstiftung NRW, Medienboard Berlin- can protect her. What happens is what she had least been Brandenburg, Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), German Federal Film prepared for. A relationship develops with the Russian Fund (DFFF) German Distributor Constantin Film Ver- officer Andrej that would feel like love were it not for the leih/Munich barrier that keeps them enemies till the end. Max Faerberboeck produced plays at theaters in Hamburg, Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Heidelberg, and Cologne before writing and directing several epi- Production 2008 Director Max Faerberboeck Screenplay sodes of the TV series Der Fahnder. He then wrote and directed Max Faerberboeck Director of Photography Benedict four award-winning TV films (Schlafende Hunde, Einer zahlt Neuenfels Editor Ewa J. Lind Music by Zbigniew Preisner immer, Bella Block – , and Bella Block Production Design Uli Hanisch Producer Guenter Rohrbach – Liebestod) before making his feature film debut with Aimée Production Company Constantin Film Produktion/Munich, in & Jaguar, which was nominated for the Golden Globe Award co-production with Tempus Film/Lodz, in cooperation with 2000. His other films include: Jenseits (2002), September ZDF/Mainz Principal Cast Nina Hoss, Evgeny Sidikhin, Irm (2003), and A Woman in Berlin (Anonyma – Eine Frau Herrmann, Ruediger Vogler, Ulrike Krumbiegel, Rolf Kanies, Joerdis in Berlin, 2008) Triebel, Roman Gribkow, Juliane Koehler Casting Simone Baer

World Sales Beta Cinema / Dept. of Beta Film GmbH · Andreas Rothbauer Gruenwalder Weg 28 d · 82041 Oberhaching/Germany phone +49-89-67 34 69 80 · fax +49-89-6 73 46 98 88 email: [email protected] · www.betacinema.com

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4 · 2008 35 Baader Meinhof Komplex.qxp 08.10.2008 11:02 Uhr Seite 1

Der Baader Meinhof Komplex THE BAADER MEINHOF COMPLEX erleih 2008) Scene from “The Baader MeinhofScene from Complex” (photo © Constantin Film V

Germany in the 1970s: Murderous bomb attacks, the Editions de Films/Paris, G.T. Film Production/Prague, threat of terrorism and the fear of the enemy inside are NDR/Hamburg, BR/Munich, WDR/Cologne, Degeto Film/ rocking the very foundations of the yet fragile German Frankfurt Principal Cast Martina Gedeck, , democracy. The radicalized children of the Nazi gener- Johanna Wokalek, Nadja Uhl, , Bruno Ganz, and others ation led by Andreas Baader, Ulrike Meinhof and Gudrun Length 149 min, 4,090 m Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Ensslin are fighting a violent war against what they per- Original Version German Subtitled Version English Sound ceive as the new face of fascism: American imperialism Technology Dolby Digital Festival Screenings Zurich 2008, supported by the German establishment, many of whom Rome 2008, London 2008 With backing from FilmFern- have a Nazi past. Their aim is to create a more human sehFonds Bayern, Bayerischer Bankenfonds, Filmfoerderungsanstalt society, but by employing inhuman means they not only (FFA), Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, German Federal Film Fund spread terror and bloodshed, they also lose their own (DFFF) German Distributor Constantin Film Verleih/Munich humanity. The man who understands them is also their hunter: the head of the German police force Horst Herold. Uli Edel was born in 1947. He studied German Language Studies And while he succeeds in his relentless pursuit of the and Theater Sciences before enrolling at the Munich University of young terrorists, he knows he’s only dealing with the tip of Television & Film, where he first met Bernd Eichinger, whom he the iceberg. worked with on numerous films. A selection of his award-winning films include: Christiane F – Wir Kinder vom Bahnhof Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Zoo (1981), Letzte Ausfahrt Brooklyn (1989), an episode Production 2008 Director Uli Edel Screenplay Bernd of the series Twin Peaks (1990) and numerous other US event Eichinger, based on the book by and in consultation with Stefan movies and mini-series, Body of Evidence (1993), Der kleine Aust, in cooperation with Uli Edel Director of Photography Vampir (2000), Die Nebel von Avalon, (TV, 2001), King of Rainer Klausmann Editor Alexander Berner Music by Peter Texas (2002), Julius Caesar (TV, 2003), Die Nibelungen Hinderthuer, Florian Tessloff Production Design Bernd Lepel (TV, 2004), and The Baader Meinhof Complex (2008), Producer Bernd Eichinger Production Company Constantin among others. Film Produktion/Munich, in co-production with Les Nouvelles

World Sales Summit Entertainment Group 1601 Cloverfield Boulevard, Suite 200, South Tower Santa Monica, California 90404/USA www.summit-ent.com

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4 · 2008 36 Bienen ? Toedliche Bedrohung.qxp 25.09.2008 13:22 Uhr Seite 1

Die Bienen – Toedliche Bedrohung KILLERBEES rixter) Scene from “Killerbees” (photo © Sat.1/Wasabi Film/T “Killerbees” (photo Scene from © Sat.1/Wasabi

Killerbees involves a race against time as young doctor Michael Karen began his career as an actor and radio reporter Karla searches for the serum to save her desperately ill fa- before making his first short Die Loosers in 1986. He followed ther who has been stung by one of the little buzzers. this with various jobs on documentaries, a six-month stay in Los Aided by the charming biologist Ben, they stumble upon Angeles, and directing for television in the late 1980s and early the origins of the deadly creatures, the work of entomolo- 1990s. He attended the Frank Daniel script workshop and Robert gist Dr. Alvarez, who now uses all means possible to stop McKee’s story structure seminar and directed the musical The Little them from revealing what he’s done. To make matters Shop of Horrors in Duesseldorf in 1995. Apart from writing many worse, Karla and Ben are also now wanted by the police, scripts for film and television, a selection of his directing credits who are about to take some drastic and potentially catas- include: Im Namen des Gesetzes (TV, 1994), So ist das trophic action of their own … Leben – Die Wagenfelds (TV, 1995), Parkhotel Stern (TV, 1996), Die Diebin (TV, 1997), Verfuehrt – Eine gefa- Genre Adventure, Ecology, Thriller Category TV Movie Year ehrliche Affaere (TV, 1998), Alarm fuer Cobra 11 – Die of Production 2008 Director Michael Karen Screenplay Autobahnpolizei (TV, 1999), Flashback (1999), SOS – The Nicole & Uli Bujard, Annette Simon Director of Photography Bunnyguards on Board (Erkan & Stefan – Der Tod Jochen Staeblein Editor Stefan Essl Music by Siggi Mueller kommt krass, 2005), Arme Millionaer (TV, 2006), Production Design Ina Kirchhoff Producers Martin Kircher, Summerhill (2007), Pro7 Funny Movies – Halloween Hendrik Feil Production Company Wasabi Film/Munich, in co- Horror Hostel (2007), and Killerbees (Die Bienen – production with SAT.1/Berlin Principal Cast Janin Reinhardt, Toedliche Bedrohung, 2008). Stephan Luca, Sonja Kirchberger, Klaus J. Behrendt, Rolf Kanies, Patrick von Blume, Paula Schramm Length 92 min Format Super 16 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version German With backing from FilmFernsehFonds Bayern German Distri- butor SevenOne International/Unterfoehring

World Sales SevenOne International GmbH Medienallee 7 · 85774 Unterfoehring/Germany phone +49-89-95 07 23 20 · fax +49-89-95 07 23 21 email: [email protected] · www.sevenoneinternational.com

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4 · 2008 37 Buddenbrooks.qxp 06.10.2008 10:35 Uhr Seite 1

Buddenbrooks BUDDENBROOKS – THE DECLINE OF A FAMILY an Falke) an Falke) Scene from “Buddenbrooks” (photo “Buddenbrooks” © Bavaria Scene from Film/Stef

Buddenbrooks – The Decline of a Family is the grip- Genre Drama, Literature Category Feature Film Cinema Year ping cinematic adaptation of Thomas Mann’s Nobel Prize- of Production 2008 Director Heinrich Breloer Screenplay winning novel of 1900, starring Academy Award®- Heinrich Breloer, Horst Koenigstein, based on the novel by Thomas nominee Armin Mueller-Stahl in the lead role. In loving, Mann Director of Photography Gernot Roll Editor Barbara compassionate detail and cinematic scope, Emmy® Award- von Weitershausen Music by Hans P. Stroeer Production winner Heinrich Breloer portrays the rise and decline of a Design Goetz Weidner Producers Matthias Esche, Michael merchant family in the bourgeois aristocracy in Luebeck in Hild, Jan S. Kaiser, Uschi Reich, Winka Wulff Co-Producer their fight and sacrifice for the economic survival of the Burkhard von Schenk Production Company Bavaria Film/ family and their pursuit of happiness and impossible love. Munich, in co-production with Pirol Film Production/Munich, Colonia Media/Cologne, WDR/Cologne, NDR/Hamburg, SWR/ While Thomas is willing to fill the void of their father, Baden-Baden, BR/Munich, Degeto Film/Frankfurt, ORF/Vienna, Consul Jean, and to steer the firm through the times of ARTE/Strasbourg Principal Cast Armin Mueller-Stahl, Jessica modernization and rising competition, his brother Schwarz, , Mark Waschke, Iris Berben, Léa Bosco, Christian is trying to break away from any responsibility. Fedja van Huêt, Raban Bieling, Justus von Dohnányi Casting An We find him in dubious company, marrying a woman Dorthe Braker Length 150 min Format 35 mm, color, cs from a vaudeville show, rebelling against everything their Original Version German Subtitled Version English Sound father stood for. It is left to their sister, Tony, who sacrifices Technology Dolby Digital With backing from Filmstiftung her true love for the sake of the family’s fortune, to hold NRW, German Federal Film Fund (DFFF), Filmfoerderung Hamburg the family ties together. But when their competitor Schleswig-Holstein, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Filmfoerderungs- Hagenstroem proves to have the better instinct for the anstalt (FFA), MEDIA German Distributor Warner Bros. changing needs of the market, even her influence seems Pictures Germany/Hamburg to vanish … Heinrich Breloer was born in 1942 in Gelsenkirchen. Active as a writer and director, a selection of his films includes: Das Beil von Wandsbek (TV, 1982), Kampfname: Willy Brand (TV, 1984), Todesspiel (TV, 1997), the Emmy® award-winning Die Manns – Ein Jahrhundertroman (2001), Speer and Hitler (2005), and Buddenbrooks (2008). World Sales Bavaria Film International / Dept. of Bavaria Media GmbH · Thorsten Ritter Bavariafilmplatz 7 · 82031 Geiselgasteig/Germany phone +49-89-64 99 26 86 · fax +49-89-64 99 37 20 email: [email protected] · www.bavaria-film-international.com

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4 · 2008 38 Dem kuehlen Morgen entgegen.qxp 02.10.2008 11:17 Uhr Seite 1

Dem kuehlen Morgen entgegen INTO THE COLD DAWN er) Scenes from “Into the Cold Dawn” Scenes from (photos © Oliver Beck

Into the Cold Dawn recounts the life of the composer Special Effects Georg Jenisch Format HD Cam Blow-up 35 Dimitri Shostakovich from the perspective of a film direc- mm, color, 1:1.66 Original Version German Subtitled tor who is shooting a movie about him. In 1961 the song Version English Sound Technology Dolby Digital With Into the Cold Dawn, composed by Shostakovich for the film backing from MFG Baden-Wuerttemberg Der Gegenplan and sung by Yuri Gagarin, was the first music in space. Oliver Becker was born in 1967 and started making short films at the age of 14. In 1995, he made his first television documentary, While editing the film, the director shifts through scenes followed by numerous other classical music documentaries and from feature films for which Shostakovich wrote the music international concert recordings. A selection of his films includes: during Stalin’s rule. The director meets and interviews Dem Licht entgegen – Alexander Skrjabin: Kalkuel family members and companions of the composer, such as und Ekstase (1996), Portrait Peter Michael Hamel Mstislav Rostropovich. Key moments in the life of (1997), Verschlossene Heimat – Prokofjiews Sowje- Shostakovich are re-enacted with marionette puppets. tisches Tagebuch 1927 (1998), Protest der Stille – der 9. Oktober 1989 in Leipzig (1999), Die Jagd nach dem At the end of his investigation, the director realizes that he Blech – ein musikalischer Spass mit German Brass is unable to draw a clear-cut portrait of the composer – (2000), Longing for Germany – The Conductor what his interview partners tell him is just too contra- Wilhelm Furtwaengler (Wilhelm Furtwaengler – dictory. Sehnsucht nach Deutschland, 2003), Enlightened Love – Laughing Death (Wagner: The Staging of a Family Genre Art, Music Category Documentary Cinema Year of Drama) (Leuchtende Liebe – Lachender Tod: Das Production 2008 Directors Oliver Becker, Katharina Bruner Familientheater der Wagners, 2004), Kent Nagano – Screenplay Oliver Becker, Katharina Bruner, Dietrich Mack Seeking New Shores (2006), Klangfarbe Zukunft – Das Director of Photography Joerg Jeshel Editor Bernd Euscher Deutsche Symphonie-Orchester (2007), and Into the Original Music by Dimitri Shostakovich Production Cold Dawn (Dem kuehlen Morgen entgegen, 2008), in Design Katharina Bruner Producer Manfred Frei Production co-direction with Katharina Bruner. Company LOFT music/Gauting, in co-production with ZDF/ Mainz, 3sat/Mainz Principal Cast Armin Mueller-Stahl Katharina Bruner was born in 1975 in Uzbekistan and has been living and working in Germany since 1988. She studied Art History, World Sales (please contact) Theater and Film in Paris and Duesseldorf. Also active in the areas LOFT music GmbH · Manfred Frei of stage and costume design, she has directed numerous short films Wessobrunner Strasse 4 · 82131 Gauting/Germany and has been working with Oliver Becker since 2005. phone +49-89-89 34 08 94 · fax +49-89-89 34 08 60 email: [email protected] · www.loft-music.com

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4 · 2008 39 Finnischer Tango.qxp 06.10.2008 10:36 Uhr Seite 1

Finnischer Tango FINNISH TANGO Scene from “Finnish Tango” (photo © Geisberg Studios) “Finnish Tango” Scene from

Finnish Tango tells the story of a man, who – on his quest Steffen Kahles Production Design Ralf Mootz, Sabine Rudolph of finding the easy way out – discovers his own humanity. Producer Eike Besuden Production Company Geisberg Studios/Bremen, in co-production with Pinguin Film/Wolfsburg, Alex is a passionate but unsuccessful musician. Nothing NDR/Hamburg, Principal Cast Christoph Bach, more, nothing less. He is neither the nice guy, nor a good Mira Bartuschek, Fabian Busch, Nele Winkler, Michael Schumacher, friend, not even a reliable partner, and definitely no one Christian Naethe, Daniel Zillmann Casting Mai Seck Length 90 who takes responsibility in life. After a tragic accident, min, 2,511 m Format Super 16 mm Blow-up 35 mm, color, Alex suddenly finds himself without a band and without a 1:1.85 Original Version German Subtitled Version English plan, but with a mountain of debt and raging metal play- Sound Technology Dolby Surround Festival Screenings ers breathing down his neck. Emden 2008 (In Competition/Opening Film), Festival des Deutschen Films Ludwigsburg 2008 (In Competition) Awards While searching for a job, he comes across a theater group Audience Award Ludwigsburg 2008 With backing from of handicapped people, who are searching for another Nordmedia, Filmstiftung NRW, German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) actor for an upcoming play. Alex invents a handicap, German Distributor Neue Visionen Filmverleih/Berlin steals a handicap ID, gets the part and moves in with the group, who open their arms, hearts and minds to him. He Buket Alakus was born in 1971 in Istanbul and grew up in wins them over, most of them at least, with his music – Hamburg. After finishing her studies at the Academy of Fine Arts in heartbreaking tango melodies. But Rudolph, a highly intel- Berlin in 1995, she studied Film Directing at Hamburg University’s ligent, suicidal and fatally ill misanthropist, doesn’t really Institute of Theater, Music and Film from 1996-1998. Her films trust him and puts Alex to the test. include: the shorts Martin (1995), Schluessel (1996), Tango (1997), Kismet (1998), her award-winning feature debut Anam Genre Tragicomedy Category Feature Film Cinema Year of (2000), Offside (Eine andere Liga, 2004), Freundinnen Production 2008 Director Buket Alakus Screenplay Marcus fuers Leben (TV, 2005), the children’s series Kinder.de (2006), Hertneck, Jan Berger Director of Photography Daniela and Finnish Tango (Finnischer Tango, 2008). Knapp Editor Andreas Radtke Music by Christoph Blaser,

World Sales Media Luna Entertainment GmbH & Co. KG · Ida Martins Aachener Strasse 26 · 50674 Cologne/Germany phone +49-2 21-8 01 49 80 · fax +49-2 21-80 14 98 21 email: [email protected] · www.medialuna-entertainment.de

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4 · 2008 40 Freche Maedchen.qxp 25.09.2008 15:20 Uhr Seite 1

Freche Maedchen CHEEKY GIRLS Scene from “Cheeky Girls” (photo Scene from © Constantin Film 2008)

Mila, Hanna, and Kati are best friends – always there for Production Design Frank Polosek, Elena Wegner Producer each other, be it stress at school or boy trouble. And they Ulrich Limmer Production Company collina Filmproduktion/ have plenty of that: A gifted singer, Hanna wants to parti- Munich, in co-production with Constantin Film Produktion/Munich, cipate in a casting show, which leads to an argument with B.A. Produktion/Munich Principal Cast Emilia Schuele, Selina her boyfriend Branko; Kati develops a huge crush on Shirin Mueller, Henriette Nagel, , Armin Rohde, David Brian, the coolest boy at school. When he turns a poem Rott Casting Stefany Pohlmann, Nicole Fischer Special Effects written by Mila into his band’s new song, Kati becomes Juergen Schopper Length 97 min, 2,650 m Format 35 mm, jealous. Mila though thinks Markus is kind of cute, but color, cs Original Version German Subtitled Version nothing else. She is actually relieved that her first relation- English Sound Technology Dolby SRD With backing from ship is taking its sweet time because, as she puts it, she has German Federal Film Fund (DFFF), Filmstiftung NRW, Film- no time for boys right now. But then she falls head over foerderungsanstalt (FFA), FilmFernsehFonds Bayern German heels for Pit Winter, a young trainee teacher, who of all Distributor Constantin Film Verleih/Munich people happens to be the new boyfriend of her mom, a charming, but chaotic hairdresser … Talk about stress! Ute Wieland was born in Grossbottwar near Stuttgart. She ini- tially studied German Language Studies and Theater Sciences before Cheeky Girls is based on Germany’s most popular book enrolling at the Munich University of Television & Film. Her award- series for girls, Cheeky Girls – Cheeky Books, which has winning films include: Im Jahr der Schildkroete (1988), been published in 22 languages and sold over 7 million – Hetzjagd (TV, 1997), Wie angelt man copies total. sich seinen Chef? (TV, 1999), Morgen gehoert der Himmel mir (TV, 1999), Dich schickt der Himmel (TV, Genre Youth, Comedy Category Feature Film Cinema Year of 2000), Die Mutter meines Mannes (TV, 2001), Eiskalte Production 2008 Director Ute Wieland Screenplay Maggie Freunde (TV, 2002), Italiener und andere Suessigkeiten Peren, based on the series of novels Cheeky Girls – Cheeky Books by (TV, 2003), Miss Texas (TV, 2004), FC Venus – Women Bianka Minte-Koenig Director of Photography Peter with Balls (2006), Fettkiller (TV, 2007), and Cheeky Girls Przybylski Editor Dunja Campregher Music by Oli Biehler (Freche Maedchen, 2008).

World Sales Atlas International Film GmbH · Philipp Menz, Susanne Groh, Dieter Menz Candidplatz 11 · 81543 Munich/Germany phone +49-89-2 10 97 50 · fax +49-89-21 09 75 81 email: [email protected] · www.atlasfilm.com

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4 · 2008 41 Geliebte Clara.qxp 06.10.2008 10:37 Uhr Seite 1

Geliebte Clara CLARA Scene from “Clara” (photo Scene from © Integral Film)

In 1850, Robert, his wife Clara and their five children set- Huermer, Helma Sanders-Brahms Production Companies tle down in Duesseldorf where he has accepted a position Integral Film/Berg, Helma Sanders-Brahms Filmproduktion/Berlin, as musical director. For the resourceful musician, consider- in co-production with Mact Productions/Paris, Objektiv Film ed more as one of the world’s greatest composers than a Studio/Budapest, B.A. Produktion/Munich Principal Cast conductor, it turns out to be a bad decision. Nor is it a Martina Gedeck, Pascal Greggory, Malik Zidi Length 110 min, happy period for Clara, who is reduced to the role of 3,173 m Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version housewife instead of acclaimed concert pianist performing German Subtitled Version English Sound Technology throughout Europe to sold-out halls. That is, until she Dolby SRD With backing from Filmstiftung NRW, German meets the young, brilliant . Clara and Federal Film Fund (DFFF), Eurimages, Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), Johannes fall for one another. Robert, who is sick and Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, BKM, Kulturstiftung der Deut- suffering from severe depression, attempts to drown him- schen Bank, CNC, Motion Picture Public Foundation of Hungary, self in the Rhine River. His life is saved and he commits Hungarian Ministry of Education and Culture German Distri- himself to a sanatorium. The relationship between Brahms butor Kinowelt Filmverleih/Leipzig and Clara grows even more intense. When Robert dies two years later, all the obstacles seem to have disappeared Helma Sanders-Brahms was born in Emden in 1940. She for them. Clara, however, refuses to marry again. Robert’s attended the drama school for music and theater in Hanover, and shadow still weighs too heavy on her. But she will go on studied German and English Languages in Cologne. She worked as a playing his and Johannes’ music in the world’s concert television announcer for WDR and from 1976-1969 became a guest halls, expressing her feelings for him and for the moments student with both Pier Paolo Pasolini and Sergio Corbucci. In 1970, of darkness they both experienced with Robert. she founded her own production company. Under the Pave- ment Lies the Beach became her breakthrough in 1975. Genre Biopic, Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Heinrich (1976), her film on the life and death of the German Production 2008 Director Helma Sanders-Brahms poet Heinrich von Kleist, was awarded the German Film Award in Screenplay Helma Sanders-Brahms Director of Photog- 1977. Her film Germany, Pale Mother (1980) remains an raphy Juergen Juerges Editor Isabelle Devinck Original Music international success today and is one of the classics of German by , Clara Schumann, Johannes Brahms cinema. Her other films include: Shirin’s Wedding (1975), No Production Design Uwe Szielasko Producers Alfred Mercy No Future (1981), (1984), Laputa (1986), Manouevres (1989), Apple Trees (1991), World Sales My Heart is Mine Alone (1997), Colour of Soul (2003), ARRI Media Worldsales · Antonio Exacoustos and Clara (2008). Tuerkenstrasse 89 · 80799 Munich/Germany phone +49-89-38 09 12 88 · fax +49-89-38 09 16 19 email: [email protected] · www.arri-mediaworldsales.de

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4 · 2008 42 Hinter Kaifeck.qxp 08.10.2008 11:03 Uhr Seite 1

Hinter Kaifeck KAIFECK MURDER Scene from “Kaifeck Murder” (photo “Kaifeck Murder” © 24 Frames Film) Scene from

A job brings the photographer Marc and his son Tyll to the Producers Monika Raebel, Stefan Gaertner, Christian Balz, Boris remote and mysterious village of Kaifeck in Bavaria. Marc Schoenfelder, Nikolaus Lohmann, Tilo Seiffert Production is strangely fascinated by a tale of gruesome murders on a Company 24 Frames Film/Gruenwald, in co-production with nearby farm in 1922, and, suddenly, inexplicable things SevenPictures/Munich, Neue Kinowelt Filmproduktion/Berlin, start happening to him at night. He feels a weird con- Cinemendo/Munich Principal Cast Benno Fuermann, Alexandra nection to the events from back then and is drawn ever Maria Lara, Michael Gwisdek, Erni Mangold, Henry Stange Casting deeper into the dark past. So deep that it is not only his Hanna Hansen Length 86 min Format 35 mm, color, cs own life that is in danger, but also that of his son. Original Version German Subtitled Version English Sound Technology Dolby Digital With backing from One of Germany’s most intriguing unsolved murder FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Mitteldeutsche Medienfoerderung, mysteries has provided inspiration for this atmospheric Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, German Federal Film Fund mystery thriller, starring Benno Fuermann (Merry (DFFF), Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA) German Distributor Christmas) and Alexandra Maria Lara (Control, Youth Kinowelt Home Entertainment/Leipzig Without Youth) in the lead roles. Director Esther Gronenborn (alaska.de) weaves an absorbing tale of guilt Esther Gronenborn studied at the University of Television & and superstition based on the real case, where six people Film in Munich, specializing in documentaries and shorts. Her films found a grim death in a village called Kaifeck in the forests include: I Wonder in Pornoland (short, 1990), The Road to near Munich in 1922. Happiness (Die Strasse zum Glueck, 1995), Sie schaemen sich ihrer Traenen nicht, Morgengrauen Genre Thriller Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Pro- (1992), alaska.de (2000) winner of the German Film Award, duction 2008 Director Esther Gronenborn Screenplay Adil geht (2005), Berlin Stories (Stadt als Beute, 2005), Christian Limmer, Soenke Lars Neuwoehner Director of and Kaifeck Murder (Hinter Kaifeck, 2008), as well as Photography Chris Valentien Editors Moune Barius, Dirk Grau numerous music videos. Music by Alexander Hacke Production Design Tom Hornig

World Sales Bavaria Film International / Dept. of Bavaria Media GmbH · Thorsten Ritter Bavariafilmplatz 7 · 82031 Geiselgasteig/Germany phone +49-89-64 99 26 86 · fax +49-89-64 99 37 20 email: [email protected] · www.bavaria-film-international.com

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4 · 2008 43 Hotel Sahara.qxp 06.10.2008 10:38 Uhr Seite 1

Hotel Sahara Scene from “Hotel Sahara” (photo Scene from © Bettina Haasen)

Viewed from above, the Sahara is oddly gentle; the small Genre Society Category Documentary Cinema Year of Pro- sand hills, chains of dunes, dried out wadis and sand rip- duction 2008 Director Bettina Haasen Screenplay Bettina ples all lend the desert their special charm. An unbroken Haasen Director of Photography Jacko Vant’Hof Editor yellow surface that occasionally segues into brownish and Kristine Langner Music by Karsten Hoefer Producer Christian sometimes shines blazing yellow, it is impossible to remain Beetz Production Company Gebrueder Beetz Film- unaffected by its beguiling beauty. Africa begins directly produktion/Berlin Length 85 & 52 min Format HD Blow-up behind it – or in front of it, depending on the direction 35 mm, color Original Version French/Bambara/English/ one comes from. Bamileke/Ibo/Hassaniya Subtitled Versions German, English, French Sound Technology Stereo DTS Analog Festival Hotel Sahara is a film journey to the last invisible border Screenings DOK Leipzig 2008 With backing from Film- from the West-African coast to Europe: Hotel Sahara is a foerderungsanstalt (FFA), German Federal Film Fund (DFFF), metaphor, a point of arrival, of departure, of broken Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, MEDIA, SCAM, UNESCO, EU dreams. A melting pot. A place of gathering, of right and Awareness Raising in the Field of Development German wrong recitals, of split personalities. It is, above all, a no- Distributor GMfilms/Berlin man’s land, a place of endless waiting, and endless hoping. In the beginning Nouadhibou looks like any other West Bettina Haasen was born in 1969. She studied African African city, but entering the colorful lives of the people Languages and Political Sciences in Hamburg and Paris. She was a who live there, we discover what it means to be on tran- producer for Egoli Films/Berlin and Wueste Film/Hamburg and sit, on the road, stuck in a desert city next to the Atlantic lived and work in Niger/Africa. Her films include: Between Two Ocean, between hope and despair, between homelessness Worlds (1999), Nomads Don’t Kiss (2000), Sisters of a and the search for a home. Hotel Sahara offers a new Long Night (2004), Fremde Liebe (2004), Schatten der perspective on the actual situation of migrants attempting Wueste (2006), Ma Vie – Irene Dische (2007), Malick a new life in “the North”. Sidibé (2007), Chily Gonzales – A Thousand Faces (2007), Between Illusion and Reality, the Life of Victor Vasarely (2007), and Hotel Sahara (2008).

World Sales (please contact) Gebrueder Beetz Filmproduktion · Christian Beetz Heinrich-Roller-Strasse 15 · 10405 Berlin/Germany phone +49-30-69 56 69 10 · fax +49-30-69 56 69 15 email: [email protected] · www.gebrueder-beetz.de

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4 · 2008 44 In jeder Sekunde.qxp 25.09.2008 15:28 Uhr Seite 1

In jeder Sekunde AT ANY SECOND Scene from “At Any Second” (photo © Philipp Kirsamer) “At Scene from

“The angels who proclaim love will extinguish the fire, and Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year of you will be punished,” screams the mentally ill patient in Production 2008 Director Jan Fehse Screenplay Jan Fehse, Dr. Frick’s ward. Maybe Frick should listen up, for in the Christian Lyra Director of Photography Philipp Kirsamer following days and weeks, the angels of love will be busy Editor Dirk Goehler Music by Andreas Helmle Production enticing a variety of men and women to play with fire – Design Annette Ingerl Producers Sven Burgemeister, Andreas perhaps in order to punish them … Sarah, tempted by Schneppe, Bernd Burgemeister Production Companies TV60 drugs but trying to get her life in order, breaks up with her Film/Munich, Goldkind Film/Munich, in co-production with BR/ coke-snorting boyfriend and falls in love with a sweet- Munich Principal Cast , Mina Tander, Wotan natured photographer. Dr. Frick himself, married and the Wilke Moehring, Ronald Zehrfeld, Jenny Schily, Barbara Auer father of a terminally ill child, succumbs to the charms of Casting Lore Bloessel Length 99 min, 1,354 m Format 35 mm, a strong, self-assured woman. With her, Frick finds a wel- color, 1:1.85 Original Version German Subtitled Version come relief from his all-consuming role as dedicated English Sound Technology Dolby Digital Festival caretaker of his daughter, his patients, and his marriage. Screenings Hof 2008 With backing from FilmFernsehFonds Each of them is on the verge of a major change, each of Bayern, Bayerische Staatsregierung, German Federal Film Fund them ready to head off in a new direction and take the risk (DFFF), Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA) German Distributor X of burning themselves on love. Until one moment of ego- Verleih/Berlin tism and thoughtlessness provokes a near-tragedy and sets off a chain reaction that will leave no one unscarred. Jan Fehse was born in 1968 and is one of Germany’s most re- nowned DoPs. After working as a camera assistant, he was a DoP Director Jan Fehse brings his years-long experience as a on feature and television productions as well as commercials and sought-after cinematographer to bear on the poignant music videos with such directors as Ben Verbong (Es ist ein Elch ent- story of a handful of individuals caught in the grid of sprungen, Sams in Gefahr), Peter Thorwarth (Goldene Zeiten), Robert modern urban relationships. By the producers of Sophie Schwentke (Tattoo), Esther Gronenborn (alaska.de) and Andreas Scholl — The Final Days, starring Sebastian Koch (The Lives Thiel (Kismet). At Any Second (In jeder Sekunde, 2008) of Others). marks his directorial debut.

World Sales Bavaria Film International / Dept. of Bavaria Media GmbH · Thorsten Ritter Bavariafilmplatz 7 · 82031 Geiselgasteig/Germany phone +49-89-64 99 26 86 · fax +49-89-64 99 37 20 email: [email protected] · www.bavaria-film-international.com

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4 · 2008 45 Jerichow.qxp 06.10.2008 10:39 Uhr Seite 1

Jerichow Scene from “Jerichow” (photo Scene from © Schramm Film/Christian Schulz)

Off the beaten path of life, three people stumble into a Design Kade Gruber Producers Florian Koerner von Gustorf, fateful encounter. Thomas, young and strong, has been Michael Weber Production Company Schramm Film Koerner dishonorably discharged from the army. Ali, an affable + Weber/Berlin, in co-production with BR/Munich, ARTE/ Turkish businessman, has seen some hard times but now Strasbourg Principal Cast Benno Fuermann, Nina Hoss, Hilmi his primary concern is making sure the employees of his Soezer Casting Simone Baer Length 93 min, 2,545 m Format snack-bars don’t cheat on him. Laura, an attractive woman 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version German Subtitled with a dark past, seems to find refuge in the shadows of Version English Sound Technology Dolby SR/Dolby Digital her marriage to Ali. Festival Screenings Venice 2008 (In Competition), Toronto 2008 With backing from BKM, German Federal Film Fund Thomas, Ali, and Laura keep an eye on each other and (DFFF), Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), Medienboard Berlin- keep their secrets to themselves. They want love but also Brandenburg German Distributor Piffl Medien/Berlin security. They consider themselves independent, and what they desire can only be achieved by betrayal. Christian Petzold is one of the leading directors of recent German cinema. The German Film Critics Association has twice Jerichow is a love-triangle in which yearning evaporates awarded him Best Film awards, for Ghosts (Gespenster, 2005) into even bigger dreams. This drama unfolds on the coun- and The State I Am In (Die Innere Sicherheit, 2000). He try roads in desolate northeast Germany, where thick was twice named Best Director at the German Film Awards, for forests suddenly end on cliffs overlooking the Baltic Sea. Wolfsburg (2002) and The State I Am In, which also won The story is a classic cinematic constellation but with a dar- Best Screenplay at Thessaloniki and the Grand Prize at ing new interpretation: caught between guilt and freedom, Valenciennes. Petzold has also received much acclaim for his other between passion and reason, there are wishes whose ful- films, including: Something to Remind Me (Toter Mann, fillment can only mean escape. 2002), Die Beischlafdiebin (1998), Cuba Libre (1995), Yella (2007), and Jerichow (2008). Born in 1960, Petzold studied Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Pro- German and Theater Studies at the Free University in Berlin, then duction 2008 Director Christian Petzold Screenplay graduated from the German Film & Television Academy (dffb) in Christian Petzold Director of Photography Hans Fromm 1994. Editor Bettina Boehler Music by Stefan Will Production

World Sales The Match Factory GmbH · Michael Weber Balthasarstrasse 79-81 · 50670 Cologne/Germany phone +49-2 21-5 39 70 90 · fax +49-2 21-5 39 70 910 email: [email protected] · www.the-match-factory.com

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4 · 2008 46 Krabat.qxp 25.09.2008 15:40 Uhr Seite 1

Krabat Scene from “Krabat” (photoNagel) Scene from © CWP-Film/Marco

The Thirty Years’ War has brought much death and Kreuzpaintner Screenplay Michael Gutmann, Marco destruction to central Europe, and has left 14-year-old Kreuzpaintner, based on the novel by Otfried Preussler Director Krabat an orphan. Lost and devastated, Krabat’s keen sur- of Photography Daniel Gottschalk Editor Hansjoerg vival instincts lead him to a remote valley, where he finds Weissbrich (BFS) Music by Annette Focks Production Design a mysterious mill run by an ominous figure known as the Christian M. Goldbeck (SFK) Producers Uli Putz, Thomas Master. The lure of a safe haven, hot meals and an appren- Woebke, Jakob Claussen, Bernd Wintersperger, Nick Hamson, Lars ticeship under the Master is hard to resist … But gradual- Sylvest Production Companies Claussen+Woebke+Putz ly Krabat uncovers a horrifying secret: the mill is in fact a Filmproduktion/Munich, Krabat Filmproduktion/Munich, in co-pro- school of black magic and the Master is in league with duction with SevenPictures Film/Munich, B.A. Produktion/Munich, satanic powers. While Krabat and his young colleagues in association with Brass Hat Films/London Principal Cast David revel in the teachings of the Master, they realize there is a Kross, Daniel Bruehl, Christian Redl, , Paula price to pay: complete submission to the Master and even Kalenberg, Anna Thalbach, Casting An Dorthe death. After Krabat witnesses Tonda, his closest friend at Braker Length 120 min, 3,279 m Format 35 mm, color, cs the mill, perish at the Master’s hands, the fire of rebellion Original Version German Subtitled Version English starts raging within the young boy. Krabat is able to find Sound Technology Dolby Digital/SRD/DTS Festival strength through the lovely Kantorka. Armed with nothing Screenings Toronto 2008 With backing from Filmstiftung but courage and their united love, together the young cou- NRW, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), ple brave the Master … Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, MFG Baden-Wuerttemberg, BKM, Kuratorium junger deutscher Film, MEDIA Plus German Krabat is a dark yet uplifting fantasy based on a world- Distributor 20th Century Fox (Germany)/Frankfurt wide best-seller. A soul-stirring adventure for all ages, Krabat seizes the viewer with its atmospheric power and Marco Kreuzpaintner was born in Rosenheim in 1977. After emotional truthfulness, starring Daniel Bruehl (Good Bye, studying Art History, he worked as an assistant to Edgar Reitz and Lenin!, The Edukators) and David Kross as Krabat. Peter Lilienthal. His films include: Entering Reality (short, 1998), Der Atemkuenstler (short, 2000), REC – Genre Coming-of-Age Story, Fantasy Category Feature Film Kassettenmaedchen/Kassettenjungs (TV, 2001), Cinema Year of Production 2008 Director Marco Breaking Loose (Ganz und Gar, 2003), Summer Storm (Sommersturm, 2004), Trade (2007), and Krabat (2008). World Sales Bavaria Film International / Dept. of Bavaria Media GmbH · Thorsten Ritter Bavariafilmplatz 7 · 82031 Geiselgasteig/Germany phone +49-89-64 99 26 86 · fax +49-89-64 99 37 20 email: [email protected] · www.bavaria-film-international.com

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4 · 2008 47 Ma'Rib.qxp 06.10.2008 10:40 Uhr Seite 1

Ma’rib Scene from “Ma’rib” (photoFilm) © Rainer “Ma’rib” Scene from Komers

Ma’rib is part two of a tetralogy dealing with cities that Original Version no dialogue Festival Screenings Big Sky had been destroyed in their history. Each film of the series Missoula 2008, Oberhausen 2008, Planet In Focus Toronto 2008, is connected to one of the four elements. Ma’rib is FeSanCor Santiago de Chile 2008, Leipzig 2008, Invideo Milan 2008 connected to the element "earth" in the form of sand, soil With backing from BKM, Filmstiftung NRW German and stone. The city is situated 150 km east of the capital Distributor Internationale Kurzfilmtage Oberhausen Sana’a where the Yemeni mountains meet the Rhub al- Khali desert. 4000 diesel pumps irrigate the oasis and a Rainer Komers was born in 1944 in Guben. He studied Film at new power station will supply Sana’a with electricity. With the Art Academy Duesseldorf and Photography at Essen University. no dialogues or narration, Ma’rib proposes an exploration His films have been shown by numerous international festivals and of particular habits, rhythms and gestures of an arid region broadcasters and he lectures in Film in Berlin, Duesseldorf, in a rugged country – until it transforms immediate regi- Muenster and Vienna. His films as a director include: 2211 ster into unfamiliar everyday life, in a constant zigzag be- Buettel (1974), Zigeuner in Duisburg (1978-1980), 480 tween sociological observation and sudden poetry. Tonnen bis viertel vor zehn (1981), Wer bezahlte fuer Hitler? (1983), Die Sterne der Heimat (1985), Genre Portrait Category Documentary Short Year of Pro- Erinnerung an Rheinhausen (1987-1989), Lettischer duction 2008 Director Rainer Komers Screenplay Rainer Sommer (1992), Ofen aus (1993-1995), Ein Schloss fuer Komers Director of Photography Rainer Komers Editor alle (1998), B 224 (Earthmoving) (1999), NH 2 (Earth- Bert Schmidt Producer Rainer Komers Production moving) (2004), Nome Road System (Earthmoving) Company Rainer Komers Film/Muelheim an der Ruhr Length (2004), Kobe (2006), and Ma’rib (2008). 30 min Format Super 16 mm Blow-up 35 mm, color, 1:1.85

World Sales (please contact) Rainer Komers Film Moritzstrasse 102 · 45476 Muelheim an der Ruhr/Germany phone +49-2 08-77 94 38 · email: [email protected]

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4 · 2008 48 Mike Figgis ? The Seduction of the Eye.qxp 25.09.2008 15:42 Uhr Seite 1

Mike Figgis – The Seduction of the Eye Mike Figgis (photo Mike © Max S. Gerber)

“I’ll tell you everything I know. Then it’s up to you, be- Genre Art, Interview Category Documentary Year of cause in fact, knowledge is just a tool. It gives you the abil- Production 2007 Director Ina Borrmann Screenplay Ina ity to do something. It doesn’t actually create anything, it Borrmann Directors of Photography Nikolaus Summerer, Ina just facilitates it. That’s all. So, I always give away every- Borrmann Editor Georg Soering Producer Ina Borrmann thing,” says Mike Figgis in his most extensive interview Production Company Ina Borrmann Filmproduktion/Berlin ever. With Mike Figgis Length 75 & 58 min Format DV, color, 16:9 Original Version English Sound Technology Stereo Mike Figgis – musician, actor, photographer, screenwriter, Festival Screenings Hof 2007, Gothenburg 2008 theater director and filmmaker – is the creative master- mind behind numerous projects. Ina Borrmann was born in Freiberg in Saxony. She studied Theater Sciences and German Language Studies at the Ludwig- Undoubtedly, his most popular film is Leaving Las Vegas, Maximilan-University in Munich, followed by studies at Munich’s which earned him two Academy Award nominations and University of Television & Film. Active as a freelance writer, director won Nicolas Cage the Oscar® for the Best Male Lead. and director of photography, her films as a director include: Nonetheless, Figgis never allowed himself to get lost in the Glotzt nicht so romantisch (short, 1997), Haende Hoch commercial world of Hollywood, but rather chose to stay (short, 1999), Versuchte Naehe (2000), Texas (part of the true to his experimental way of telling stories. MEXartes Berlin exhibit, 2002), Das Verschwinden der Zeit, documentary essay, 2004-2008), and Mike Figgis – The What makes Mike Figgis so intriguing is his exceptional Seduction of the Eye (documentary, 2007). spiritual, inner freedom. This film sets out to uncover the secret behind this mastermind of filmmaking.

World Sales (please contact) Ina Borrmann Filmproduktion Niebuhrstrasse 56 · 10629 Berlin/Germany phone/fax +49-30-50 18 12 30 email: [email protected] · www.inaborrmann.de

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4 · 2008 49 Morphus-Geheimnis.qxp 06.10.2008 10:40 Uhr Seite 1

Das Morphus-Geheimnis MYSTERY OF MORPHUS ret Plehn) ret Scene from “Mystery Scene from of Morphus” (photo © Provobis/Anneg

What happens when all of a sudden everyone else falls Genre Adventure, Children and Youth, Family Entertainment asleep and you are the only one who stays awake? This is Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Production 2008 what ten-year-old Nicki involuntarily experiences when Director Karola Hattop Screenplay Andrzej Maleska the last composition called Morphus by the great composer Director of Photography Sebastian Richter Music by Eike Ludwig van Beethoven accidentally ends up in his school- Hosenfeld, Moritz Denis Producer Juergen Haase Production bag. The melody holds magic powers because everybody Company Provobis Film/Berlin, in co-production with RBB/ who listens to it falls asleep. Only a few people know Potsdam-Babelsberg, MDR/Leipzig, BR/Munich, Langfilm/Zurich, about this secret, like the gangsters Max and Kwapisch. Teleclub /Zurich Principal Cast Jonas Haemmerle, Michael Roll, Oliver Korittke, Arndt Schwering-Sohnrey, Magali On a trip with his dad into the snowy mountains, the Greif, Charlotte Crome Casting Britt Beyer, Jacqueline Rietz gangsters follow them to steal the Morphus score. They Length 96 min, 2,616 m Format 16 mm Blow-up 35 mm, want to use the magic force of the music for their racke- color, 1:1.78 Original Version German Subtitled Version teering. For the shy boy this is the start of a turbulent English Sound Technology Stereo, Dolby Digital With adventure. After arriving at the hotel Nicki learns about backing from Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, German the magic powers of the melody when he starts to play it Federal Film Fund (DFFF) German Distributor Central Film on his trumpet. He experiences that suddenly everyone Vertrieb/Berlin around him falls asleep, except for Max and Kwapisch. Now he is completely alone and has to face the attacks Karola Hattop was born in 1949 in Berlin and studied at the and intrigues of the two gangsters. He has to fight for the "Konrad Wolf" Academy of Film & Television (HFF/B) in Potsdam- Morphus score to save himself, his dad and everyone else Babelsberg. Since then, she has been working as a director for film from the evil doings of the villains. In this difficult situation, and television. A selection of her films includes: Eine schoene he makes substantial progress and changes from an Bescherung (1984), Elefant im Krankenhaus (1991), Ich anxious child into a self-confident boy. schenk Dir meinen Mann (1998), Secondhand Child (Wer kuesst schon einen Leguan?, 2003), Unsere zehn Gebote (2007), Wie verfuehr’ ich meinen Ehemann (2007), and Mystery of Morphus (Das Morphus- Geheimnis, 2008).

World Sales Progress Film-Verleih GmbH · Christel Jansen Immanuelkirchstrasse 14b · 10405 Berlin/Germany phone +49-30-24 00 32 25 · fax +49-30-24 00 32 22 email: [email protected] · www.progress-film.de

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4 · 2008 50 Narrenspiel.qxp 25.09.2008 15:45 Uhr Seite 1

Narrenspiel FOOL’S GAME otsdam) Scene from “Fool’s Game” (photo © Anna Maria Hora/HFF P “Fool’s Scene from

Stefan and Claudia plan a trip to the coast in a camper as ’Konrad Wolf ’/Potsdam-Babelsberg, in co-production with ARTE/ a last attempt to save their troubled relationship. Along the Strasbourg Principal Cast Wolfgang Menardi, Stefanie way, they pick-up a hitchhiker, Uli, who also happens to Schoenfeld, Norman Schenk Length 82 min Format be a professional puppeteer. Uli tries to “entertain” them DigiBeta/Betacam SP Blow-up 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original with his puppet, but something just doesn’t seem right. Version German Subtitled Version English Sound The situation becomes more serious as the puppet seems Technology Dolby Stereo SR Festival Screenings Munich to develop a life of its own. As Stefan thinks he might 2008 Awards Best Screenplay Munich 2008 recognize Uli from somewhere, a mysterious game begins which becomes more and more dangerous for Stefan and Markus F. Adrian was born in 1979. He was a trainee at the Claudia. public broadcasters NDR, SFB and WDR and worked as an assistant unit manager and assistant director for Hallmark Entertainment, Genre Drama, Thriller Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Studio Hamburg, Sat1 and Pro7 from 2000-2002. Since 2002, he has Production 2008 Director Markus F. Adrian Screenplay been a student at the “Konrad Wolf ” Academy of Film & Television. Heiko Martens Director of Photography Anna Maria Hora His films include: Der Schenker (2003), Energie (2004), Editor Sabine Strunk Music by Nicolas Nohn, Emannuel Hoisl Dame (2005), Heute ist der Tag (2005), Nachtwandler Production Design Andreas Braun Producer Oliver Eitner (2007), Verflucht (2007), and Narrenspiel (2008). Production Company Hochschule fuer Film & Fernsehen

World Sales (please contact) Hochschule fuer Film & Fernsehen “Konrad Wolf” · Cristina Marx Marlene-Dietrich-Allee 11 · 14482 Potsdam-Babelsberg/Germany phone +49-3 31-6 20 25 64 · fax +49-3 31-6 20 25 69 email: [email protected] · www.hff-potsdam.de

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4 · 2008 51 Neben der Spur.qxp 06.10.2008 10:41 Uhr Seite 1

Neben der Spur TOUR EXCESS Scene from “Tour Excess” (photo © B-Filme) Excess” “Tour Scene from

Julie (22) is traveling with her boyfriend Marcel (28) in his Bothe Director of Photography Luis de Maia Editor old Porsche towards the south of France, intending to stay Constantin Brodt Music by Peer Raben, Fauna Flash Pro- at the cottage of her artist mother Susan for a couple of duction Design Oliver Hoese Producer Detlef Bothe Pro- days. Marcel is keeping his drug addiction secret from duction Company B-Filme/Munich, in co-production with Julie. Julie, on the other hand, has a hidden matter rum- BR/Munich Principal Cast Axel Milberg, , Mia bling within; she doesn’t know her father Heinrich who is Florentine Weiss, Detlef Bothe, Gabrielle Scharnitzky, Wotan Wilke said to be living near Goa. Moehring, Leslie Malton, Pierre Kiwitt, Dominik Raacke, Oliver Korittke Casting Stefany Pohlmann, Nina Haun, An Dorthe Braker After a fight with Marcel, Julie gets in the caravan of the Length 90 min Format HD, color, 1:1.66 Original Version much older Greenpeace activist Dieter. She spends the German Subtitled Version English Sound Technology night with him at the beach and they have sex. The next Dolby SR Festival Screenings Montreal 2007 With backing morning Julie wakes up at the beach on her own, Dieter from FilmFernsehFonds Bayern and his caravan having disappeared. Detlef Bothe was born in 1965 in Braunschweig and trained as But Julie’s father actually isn’t as far away as assumed. To an actor from 1989-1992. Since 1990, he has been acting for film, the contrary, he is a successful manager residing around television and theater and debuted as a director in 2002 with the corner and he is being observed by Dieter who is Feiertag, which won the Special Jury Prize at the Filmfest Munich following a perfidious plan. in the same year. Also active as a writer for film, television and the theater, his other films include: My Wife, My Friends and Me Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Pro- (Meine Frau, meine Freunde und ich, 2004) and Tour duction 2007 Director Detlef Bothe Screenplay Detlef Excess (Neben der Spur, 2007).

World Sales Media Luna Entertainment GmbH & Co. KG · Ida Martins Aachener Strasse 26 · 50674 Cologne/Germany phone +49-2 21-8 01 49 80 · fax +49-2 21-80 14 98 21 email: [email protected] · www.medialuna-entertainment.de

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4 · 2008 52 NoBody's Perfect.qxp 25.09.2008 17:30 Uhr Seite 1

NoBody’s Perfect Kim Morton in “NoBody’s Perfect” (photo © Palladio Film, 2008) (photo © Palladio Kim Morton in “NoBody’s Perfect”

The documentary NoBody’s Perfect follows Niko von Genre Society Category Documentary Cinema Year of Glasow as he looks for eleven people who, like him, were Production 2008 Director Niko von Glasow Screenplay born disabled due to the disastrous side-effects of Andrew Emerson, Niko & Kiki von Glasow Director of Thalidomide, and who are prepared to pose for a book of Photography Ania Dabrowska Editor Mechthild Barth photos. And to pose naked – to allow those who regular- Production Design Henrike Mueller Producer Niko von ly throw furtive glances at Thalidomiders and other physi- Glasow Production Company Palladio Film/Cologne, in co- cally disabled people, to take a good, long look. In the pro- production with WDR/Cologne With Stefan Fricke, Sofia Plich, cess, Niko discovers many fascinating characters who work Bianca Vogel, Sigrid Kwella, Doris Pakendorf, Theo Zavelberg, Petra in such diverse areas as politics, the media, sport, astro- Uttenweiler, Andreas Meyer, Kim Morton, Fred Dove, Mat Fraser, physics and acting. Characters who have learned to live Niko von Glasow, Mandel von Glasow Length 84 min, 2,376 m with their disability to an impressive level of “normality”. Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version German/ English Subtitled Version English Sound Technology Dolby With a darkly humorous touch, and no deference to poli- SR Festival Screenings Locarno 2008, Prix Europa 2008, Sao tical correctness, NoBody’s Perfect explores the specific Paulo 2008 With backing from German Federal Film Fund problems which these twelve extraordinary people have (DFFF), Filmstiftung NRW German Distributor Ventura Film/ faced during childhood, adolescence and adulthood, and Berlin shows them reacting with curiosity, enthusiasm or (like Niko himself) horror towards the project. As the film Niko von Glasow was born in 1960 in Cologne. He began his approaches its climax – the photoshoots – von Glasow career with as a production assistant, fol- completes the picture with scenes showing his unsuccess- lowed by work with various film distributors, studios and festivals. ful attempts to make contact with the chemical company He studied Directing at New York University and at the Film Gruenenthal, to talk about Thalidomide and its effects. Academy in Lódz/Poland. His films include: Wedding Guests Von Glasow presents an impressive portrayal of the sen- (Hochzeitsgaeste, 1990), Marie’s Song (Maries Lied, sitivities and feelings of disabled people, and our society’s 1994), Edelweiss Pirates (Edelweisspiraten, 2004), reactions to them. Schau mich an (TV, 2007), and NoBody’s Perfect (2008).

World Sales Autlook Filmsales Zieglergasse 75/1 · 1070 Vienna/Austria phone +43-1-7 20 55 35 70 · fax +43-1-7 20 55 35 72 email: [email protected] · www.autlookfilms.com · www.nobodysperfect-film.de

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4 · 2008 53 Pfad des Kriegers, Der.qxp 06.10.2008 10:42 Uhr Seite 1

Der Pfad des Kriegers THE WAY OF A WARRIOR Scenes from “The Way of “The Way Scenes from (photo © filmtank) a Warrior”

Michael N. is a wild child. On his sleigh, he races down the The Way of a Warrior is a documentary about the mor- snowy slopes of the forest, almost unable to brake. He tality of ideologies and the immortality of the dead. A film leaves his home in South Tyrol in the early 80s, deter- about Michael N. and those who mourn him. mined to become a Catholic priest. Eventually he turns his back on Europe and joins the Jesuits in South America, Genre History Category Documentary Year of Production where the Catholics priests have sided with the powerless 2008 Director Andreas Pichler Screenplay Andreas Pichler and humiliated. Director of Photography Susanne Schuele Editors Marzia Mete, Andreas Zitzmann Music by Paul Lemp Producer Eight years later, as the head of the Bolivian guerilla troop, Thomas Tielsch Production Company Filmtank/Hamburg, in he commits terrorist attacks and kidnaps Bolivia’s Coca- co-production with Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion/Zurich, Cola boss. Several months later, he dies in a hail of police Miramonte Film/Bolzano, ZDF/Mainz, DRS-RAI/Bolzano Length bullets, taking with him the kidnapee and almost every 52 & 88 min, 2,587 m Format DigiBeta Blow-up 35 mm, color, commando member. He leaves behind letters addressed 1:1.85 Original Version German Dubbed Version English to his family, audio recordings of religious and Bolivian Subtitled Version English Sound Technology Dolby SR folk songs, and a stunned and speechless family, along Festival Screenings Saarbruecken 2008, Solothurn 2008, Docs with the diary of a kidnapping. Barcelona 2008, Al Jazeera Film Festival 2008, Bolzano 2008, Innsbruck 2008, Bellaria Film Festival Anteprima Doc Rimini 2008 1990. The Wall has come down. The Cold War and all the Awards Audience Award Bolzano 2008, 2nd Prize Vela d’Argento ardent visions that went with it are declared over and for- & UCCA 20 Città Rimini 2008 With backing from gotten. No one is interested in the boy who wanted to Filmfoerderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, BKM, Zuercher become a priest and bring God’s Kingdom to one of the Filmstiftung, Land Suedtirol, MEDIA poorest countries in the world. Ten years later, Europe is confronted with a new generation of educated idealistic Andreas Pichler was born in 1967 in Bolzano/Italy and studied young men: men who are deadly serious about God’s Film, Cultural Science and Philosophy in Bologna and Berlin. A selec- Kingdom on Earth. tion of his films includes: Mirabella – Return Ticket to Germany (2001), Music as a State of Mind – The Com- poser Max Reger (2002), Call Me Babylon (2003), Antonio Negri – A Revolt That Never Ends (2004), My World Sales 3 Peaks (2005), Franco D’Andrea – Jazz Pianist (2006), Deckert Distribution · Heino Deckert and The Way of a Warrior (2008). Marienplatz 1 · 04103 Leipzig/Germany phone +49-3 41-2 15 66 38 · fax +49-3 41-2 15 66 39 email: [email protected] · www.deckert-distribution.com

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4 · 2008 54 Schattenwelt.qxp 06.10.2008 10:23 Uhr Seite 1

Schattenwelt LONG SHADOWS Scene from “Long Shadows” (photo Scene from © Olaf Aue)

After two decades in prison, Widmer, a former German Competition) With backing from MFG Baden-Wuerttemberg, RAF-terrorist, is released. He meets Valerie, his next door BKM, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, German Federal Film Fund neighbor. The young woman tries to get her life back on (DFFF), Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA) German Distributor track after she lost custody of her little son. She shows Salzgeber & Co. Medien/Berlin some interest in Widmer, the two of them seem to have something in common. They discreetly enter into the Connie Walther studied Sociology and Spanish before switching secrets of their lives. Until the truth comes between them. over to Photography. After gathering experience as a lighting gaffer and production and directing assistant, she studied at the German Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Film & Television Academy (dffb) in Berlin and landed her first suc- Production 2008 Director Connie Walther Screenplay Uli cess with her graduation film Das erste Mal (1996), which was Herrmann, in cooperation with Connie Walther and Peter-Juergen named Best Graduation Film from a German film academy in that Boock Director of Photography Birgit Gudjonsdottir Editor year. Since then, she has demonstrated her talents with various Karen Loenneker Music by Rainer Oleak Production Design genres and formats with films such as: Boersday Blues (short, Agi Dawaachu Producers Clementina Hegewisch, Michael 1992), Der Clown II (TV, 1997), Tic Tac Toe (TV documen- Jungfleisch Production Companies NextFilm/Berlin, Gambit tary, 1998), Hauptsache Leben (1998), Offene Rechnung Film/Ludwigsburg, in co-production with BR/Munich, ARTE/ (TV, 1999), Never Mind the Wall (Wie Feuer und Strasbourg Principal Cast Franziska Petri, Ulrich Noethen, Tatja Flamme, 2001), Im falschen Leben (TV, 2001), Und Seibt, Uwe Kockisch, Christoph Bach, Mehdi Nebbou, Eva Mattes Tschuess, ihr lieben (TV, 2002), Ei in Japan (documentary, Casting Sabine Schwedhelm Length 92 min, 2,704 m Format 2005), Mord in aller Unschuld (TV, 2006), 12 Means: I 16 mm Blow-up 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version Love You (TV, 2007), and Long Shadows (Schattenwelt, German Subtitled Version English Sound Technology DTS 2008). Digital Festival Screenings Rome 2008 (Cinema 2008

World Sales Sola Media GmbH · Solveig Langeland Osumstrasse 17 · 70599 Stuttgart/Germany phone +49-7 11-4 79 36 66 · fax +49-7 11-4 79 26 58 email: [email protected] · www.sola-media.net

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4 · 2008 55 Short Cut to Hollywood.qxp 06.10.2008 10:42 Uhr Seite 1

Short Cut to Hollywood varia Pictures/Stefan Falke) Scene from “Short Scene from Cut to Hollywood” (photo © Ba

John F. Salinger’s real name is Johannes Friedrich Selinger. Genre Road Movie, Black Comedy Category Feature Film He’s a technician working for a local phone company in Cinema Year of Production 2008 Directors Marcus Berlin, who, at the ’not so tender’ age of 35, has to admit Mittermeier, Jan Henrik Stahlberg Screenplay Jan Henrik that his life hasn’t quite turned out the way he imagined. Stahlberg Director of Photography David Hofmann Editors Just when it becomes abundantly clear to him that time is Christian Lonk, Sarah Clara Weber Music by Rainer Oleak running out in terms of achieving fame and fortune and Production Design Peter Naguib Producers Marcos Kantis, that he most likely won’t be leaving anything behind for Martin Lehwald, Matthias Esche, Philipp Kreuzer, Marcus Mitter- future generations to behold, he has a brilliant idea! He meier, Jan Henrik Stahlberg Production Companies Schiwago will make a film! A film that will earn him his place in Film/Berlin, Bavaria Pictures/Geiselgasteig, Bavaria Film/Geisel- history. gasteig, Muxfilm/Pentling, in co-production with Artdeluxe/Vienna, Capture Film/Los Angeles Principal Cast Jan Henrik Stahlberg, His two best friends, a medical school dropout who now Marcus Mittermeier, Christoph Kottenkamp Casting Astrid works as an ambulance driver and a failed used cars sales- Rosenfeld Length 95 min, 1,300 m Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 man, are stoked! What a terrific idea! And so the three Original Version German Subtitled Version English Sound underdogs head to the to shoot their docu- Technology Dolby Digital With backing from Medienboard mentary-style road movie, convinced that, despite the Berlin-Brandenburg, Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), BKM, German many obstacles they will most likely have to face, Federal Film Fund (DFFF), Kuratorium junger deutscher Film Hollywood will soon be at their beck and call. German Distributor Senator Film Verleih/Berlin

Singing, they hit the road traveling across the United States Marcus Mittermeier is an actor, director and producer. His on endless highways with nothing but the most unbelie- films include: Quiet as a Mouse (Muxmaeuschenstill, vable ideas in the history of filmmaking on their minds. At 2004) and Short Cut to Hollywood (2008). first people just sneer at them but then the “bomb ex- plodes” and it all starts to happen: the conquest of a new Jan Henrik Stahlberg is an actor and director. His films in- continent begins. A media frenzy ensues. America goes clude: Bye Bye Berlusconi! (2005) and Short Cut to wild. The three succeed and become world famous. But Hollywood (2008). for Johannes the price of fame is high …

World Sales Bavaria Film International / Dept. of Bavaria Media GmbH · Thorsten Ritter Bavariafilmplatz 7 · 82031 Geiselgasteig/Germany phone +49-89-64 99 26 86 · fax +49-89-64 99 37 20 email: [email protected] · www.bavaria-film-international.com

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4 · 2008 56 Standesgemaess.qxp 25.09.2008 17:34 Uhr Seite 1

Standesgemaess NOBLE COMMITMENTS (photo © Kings&Queens Filmproduktion) Countess Alexandra von Bredow in “Noble Commitments” Countess Alexandra von Bredow

Noble Commitments portrays three aristocratic single After working as a solicitor for more than two years, she women, torn between traditional expectations and every- resigned from her profession. The career change had dev- day life, between manor house and pre-fab high-rise build- astating effects on her social life. ings. Unable to live up to their parents expectations, they have to scale down their standards and re-orientate them- A film depicting three outsiders in the bizarre and eccen- selves. Within the nobility, the male family line is valid. To tric microcosm of German nobility. belong to noble society, they have to either marry a man with a title or lead a solitary life. Genre Tragicomedy Category Documentary Cinema Year of Production 2008 Director Julia von Heinz Screenplay John Countess Alexandra von Bredow lived a fast life of glitter- Quester, Julia von Heinz Director of Photography Marcus ing feasts and balls. Currently she lives in a small apart- Winterbauer Editor Frank Brummundt Music by Matthias ment and earns her livelihood by assembling gemstone Petsche Producers John Quester, Julia von Heinz Production necklaces. At the age of 48, having suffered several set- Company Kings&Queens Filmproduktion/Hersching, in coopera- backs and severe depression, she finally meets the love of tion with BR/Munich, SWR/Baden-Baden Length 87 min For- her life. mat HD, color, 1:1.85 Original Version German Subtitled Version English Sound Technology Dolby SR, Stereo Baroness Alexandra von Beaulieu-Marconnay, oboist and Festival Screenings Hof 2008 teacher, developed a very close relationship with her mother after her father died. After moving to another Julia von Heinz was born in 1976 in Berlin where she studied town, her noble connections benefit her while settling in. Audio Visual Media. She lectures in Film Directing at several univer- But she is incapable of stepping out of a mighty line of sities and is currently working on her PhD. Her award-winning films ancestors in order to lead her own life. include: Doris (short, 2002), Lucie & Vera (short, 2003), Nothing Else Matters (2007), and Noble Commitments Verena von Zerboni di Sposetti received an elitist educa- (2008). tion in a girls’ boarding school, followed by law studies.

World Sales (please contact) Kings&Queens Filmproduktion · John Quester Rehmstrasse 29 · 82211 Herrsching/Germany phone +49-81 52-9 69 88 48 · email: [email protected]

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4 · 2008 57 U-900.qxp 08.10.2008 11:09 Uhr Seite 1

U-900 von der Heydt) Scene from “U-900” (photo Scene from © Wiedemann & Berg Film/Rolf

Atze Schroeder knows what makes his customers on the Quirin Berg, Max Wiedemann Production Company black market happy. Otherwise, he and his buddy Samuel Wiedemann & Berg Film/Munich, in co-production with Andante are keeping a low profile, waiting for the Americans to Film/Groebenzell, Film & Entertainment VIP Medienfonds/Munich arrive – it is the year 1944 and World War II is not over Principal Cast Atze Schroeder, Oliver K. Wnuk, Yvonne yet. But before things get that far, the two pals get caught Catterfeld, Juergen Schornagel, Goetz Otto, Christian Kahrmann, up in a mad adventure with the actress Maria; one that Maxim Mehmet Casting Die Besetzer/Cologne Special leaves even big-mouth Atze speechless: the Germans want Effects Harald Ruediger Length 99 min, 2,726 m Format 35 to send their last available submarine, the U-900, on a mm, color, cs Original Version German Subtitled Version secret mission from Toulon to Warnemuende. But when English Sound Technology Dolby Digital With backing Atze gets into it with the responsible General, he and from FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, German Federal Film Fund Samuel and Maria have to flee. The trio captures the U- (DFFF), Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), Medienboard Berlin- 900 and Atze pretends to be the legendary Lieutenant Brandenburg, Malta Film Commission German Distributor Commander Roenberg. Even though he has no clue about Warner Bros. Entertainment/Hamburg the high seas, Atze wouldn’t be Atze if he didn’t have a so- lution to every problem. But the crew gets suspicious Sven Unterwaldt was born in Luebeck in 1965. A well-known when their commander starts issuing unconventional name in the German comedy scene, his films include Antrag vom orders … Ex (TV, 1999), the TV series Switch (1997-1997), Anke (1999- 2001), Alles Atze (2002), and Berlin, Berlin (2002), as well as Genre Comedy Category Feature Film Cinema Year of the features Wie die Karnickel (2002), 7 Dwarves (7 Production 2008 Director Sven Unterwaldt Screenplay Zwerge – Maenner allein im Wald, 2004), Siegfried Michael Gantenberg, Oliver Ziegenbalg Director of Photog- (2005), 7 Dwarves – The Wood is Not Enough (7 raphy Stephan Schuh Editor Stefan Essl Music by Karim Zwerge – Der Wald ist nicht genug, 2006), and U-900 Sebastian Elias Production Design Ari Hantke Producers (2008).

World Sales TELEPOOL GmbH · Anja Uecker Sonnenstrasse 21 · 80331 Munich/Germany phone +49-89-55 87 60 · fax +49-89-55 87 62 29 email: [email protected] · www.telepool.de

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4 · 2008 58 Warten auf Angelina.qxp 02.10.2008 11:28 Uhr Seite 1

Warten auf Angelina WAITING FOR ANGELINA Scene from “Waiting for Angelina” “Waiting Scene from (photo © Feuerland Filmproduktion/Barbara Schramm) (photo Filmproduktion/Barbara © Feuerland

Two young men have to spend five days and five nights Screenplay Hans-Christoph Blumenberg Director of together on a rooftop in Berlin’s Mitte district to get an Photography Klaus Peter Weber Editor Florentine Bruck exclusive view of the most famous couple of the universe. Production Design Hans-Christoph Blumenberg Producer They are as far apart from each other as the Odd Couple, Hans-Christoph Blumenberg Production Company Feuerland but they need to get along with each other for 120 hours. Filmproduktion/Hamburg Principal Cast Florian Lukas, Kostja Ullmann, Barbara Auer, Anna Brueggemann, Gudrun Landgrebe, One is Maik Tremper, a professional paparazzo with resi- Leslie Malton, Jana Pallaske, Joerdis Triebel Length 90 min dences in London and Monte Carlo; the other is Momme Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version German Ulmer, a lifeguard and film projectionist from a small Sound Technology Dolby SR Festival Screenings Hof island in the North Sea. Two worlds collide and tension 2008 With backing from Filmfoerderung Hamburg Schleswig- mounts between the hard-nosed photographer and the Holstein German Distributor Farbfilm Verleih/Berlin love-stricken fan. Could this really be the beginning of a wonderful friendship? Hans-Christoph Blumenberg was born in Lychen/Mark Brandenburg in 1947 and studied History and German in Cologne During the course of their 120 hours together, the two and Washington, D.C. He worked for many years as a film critic for young men accidentally meet six very different women Die Zeit and Koelner Stadt-Anzeiger and has written books on and everything turns out differently than Maik and Howard Hawks, Robert Siodmak and cinema under the Third Momme had expected or hoped for. They both have Reich. He also directed 23 documentaries for television from 1970- changed by the end of their summer adventure. 1982 about cinema. In 1984, he made his feature directorial debut with Tausend Augen and set up the production company Waiting for Angelina is a contemporary urban comedy Rotwang Film with Patrick Brandt in 1993 and his own production of manners and a satiric look at the current international company Feuerland Film in 2007. His other films include: Der celebrity cult and the hardships of surviving one week in Sommer des Samurai (1986), Operation Madonna (Der Berlin. Madonna-Mann, 1987), Rotwang muss weg! (1994), Beim naechsten Kuss knall ich ihn nieder (1995), Genre Romantic Comedy Category Feature Film Cinema Year Deutschlandspiel (TV, 2000), Hirnschal gegen Hitler (TV, of Production 2008 Director Hans-Christoph Blumenberg 2000), Planet der Kannibalen (2001), Die letzte Schlacht (TV, 2004), and Waiting for Angelina (Warten World Sales (please contact) auf Angelina, 2008). Feuerland Filmproduktion · Hans-Christoph Blumenberg Dorotheenstrasse 143 · 22299 Hamburg/Germany phone/fax +49-40-4 60 13 34 · email: [email protected]

german films quarterly new german films

4 · 2008 59 Weltstadt.qxp 06.10.2008 10:44 Uhr Seite 1

Weltstadt CITY OF THE WORLD i/HFF Potsdam) i/HFF Potsdam) Scene from “City ofScene from (photo © René Gorsk the World”

In the night of June 16th 2004, in a picturesque East Baumgartner Producer Martin Lischke Production Com- German town, two drunken teenage boys attacked a pany Hochschule fuer Film & Fernsehen ’Konrad Wolf ’/Potsdam- homeless man in the streets. When they realized that he Babelsberg, in co-production with ARTE/Strasbourg Principal had no valuables, they bashed him and set him on fire. Cast Florian Bartholomaei, Gerdy Zint, Karoline Schuch, Justus Carriére Length 104 min Format DigiBeta/Betacam SP Blow- City of the World portrays five characters, 24 hours prior up 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version German Subtitled to the crime: the drunken teenagers Karsten and Till, Till’s Versions English, French, Spanish Sound Technology Dolby girlfriend Steffi, the policeman Guenter, and the snack bar Stereo SR, Dolby Digital Festival Screenings Achtung Berlin owner Heinrich. Based on a true story, the film depicts an 2008, Montreal 2008 (In Competition), Ourense 2008 (In aspect of German society that is often overlooked. The Competition) Awards Best Editing & Best Film Achtung Berlin media only treats it with lurid headlines and fake con- 2008, Silver Zenith Montreal 2008 tempt. But what is really going on? Christian Klandt was born in 1978 in Frankfurt/Oder and grew Karsten, Till, Steffi, Guenter and Heinrich are average up in Brandenburg. Before beginning his studies at the Film & Germans, living a small-town life, in a state of mediocrity Television Academy (HFF) “Konrad Wolf ”, he worked as an assis- and apathy. But sometimes indifference turns into aggres- tant director, camera assistant and production assistant for various sion, boredom into violence. The film shows an aspect of cinema, television and theater projects. In 2001 he founded the pro- small-town banalities, social brutalization and a deeply duction company nttcfilm Prod. A selection of his films includes: aggressive youth sub culture. PIX (short, 2003), Senses & Expiation (silent short, 2005), The Last Dance (short, 2005), Infinity Loop (short, 2006), Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Pro- The Cleaner (documentary, 2006), Last Escort (documen- duction 2008 Director Christian Klandt Screenplay Christian tary, 2006), Bad Life (short, 2007), Schaustein’s Final Film Klandt Director of Photography René Gorski Editor Joerg (2008), and City of the World (2008). Schreyer Music by Paul Rischer Production Design Tanja

World Sales (please contact) Hochschule fuer Film & Fernsehen “Konrad Wolf” · Cristina Marx Marlene-Dietrich-Allee 11 · 14482 Potsdam-Babelsberg/Germany phone +49-3 31-6 20 25 64 · fax +49-3 31-6 20 25 69 email: [email protected] · www.hff-potsdam.de

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4 · 2008 60 Zweier ohne.qxp 08.10.2008 11:10 Uhr Seite 1

Zweier ohne COXLESS PAIR Scene from “Coxless Pair” (photo © Lichtblick Film/Uwe Stratmann) Pair” “Coxless Scene from

The film tells the story of the friendship between Johann duction Design Peter Menne Producer Joachim Ortmanns and Ludwig as they strive for the ultimate “buddy” Production Company Lichtblick Film- & Fernsehproduktion/ relationship. Going beyond, well beyond, what would be Cologne, in co-production with Filmpool Film- & Fernsehpro- considered good and healthy, the pair attempt to become duktion/Cologne Principal Cast Tino Mewes, Jacob Matschenz, the ideal twins, driving their relationship based on their Sophie Rogall, Peter Harting, Lena Stolze, Alexandra Schalaudeck, partnership in competitive rowing (coxless pairs) to the Nora Quest Casting Maria Schwarz, Susanne Ritter Length 93 ultimate: to perfect harmony in mind, word, thought and min, 2,500 m Format 35 mm, color, cs Original Version deed. German Subtitled Version English Sound Technology Dolby Digital With backing from Filmstiftung NRW, German But their symbiotic relationship is thrown out of balance: Federal Film Fund (DFFF), Hessen Invest German Distributor Ludwig strives to tighten the bonds ever closer, but Johann Stardust Filmverleih/Munich discovers happiness in the form of love for Ludwig’s sister, Vera. But because Ludwig hates her, the couple keeps Jobst Christian Oetzmann was born in Hanover and studied their relationship secret. But secrets have a way of coming drama at the University of Television & Film in Munich. His first film, out and Ludwig is wounded to the core. As the finals of Der Condor opened the Turin Film Festival in 1988. Since then he the rowing competition draw closer, Ludwig has already has made a name for himself primarily as a director of television set his sights on a greater goal: to preserve their friendship crime movies, including episodes of SOKO 5133 (1994) and the pilot forever, no longer in life, but in death. to the series SK-Babies (1995). A year later he directed Der Neue, the pilot for the crime series Kommissare Suedwest, for which he also Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Pro- directed numerous episodes. His features include: The Lone- duction 2008 Director Jobst Christian Oetzmann Screenplay liness of the Crocodiles (Die Einsamkeit der Kro- Jobst Christian Oetzmann Director of Photography Tomas kodile, 2000) and Coxless Pair (Zweier ohne, 2008). Erhart Editor Cosima Schnell Music by Dieter Schleip Pro-

World Sales Media Luna Entertainment GmbH & Co. KG · Ida Martins Aachener Strasse 26 · 50674 Cologne/Germany phone +49-2 21-8 01 49 80 · fax +49-2 21-80 14 98 21 email: [email protected] · www.medialuna-entertainment.de

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4 · 2008 61 Anzeige_Seite62.qxp 02.10.2008 13:06 Uhr Seite 1

Das deutsch-französische Filmtreffen Les Rendez-vous franco-allemands du cinéma

Académie franco-allemande du cinéma · Deutsch-französische Filmakademie

A Meeting for German and French Filmmakers, Producers, Distributors, Exhibitors

Hamburg 20 – 22 November photos: Hamburg Marketing Medienserver photos: Hamburg Marketing 2008

French contact: [email protected] German contact: [email protected] Supporters_GFQ_4_08.qxp 06.10.2008 10:45 Uhr Seite 1

GERMAN FILMS SHAREHOLDERS & SUPPORTERS

Arbeitsgemeinschaft Der Beauftragte der Bundesregierung Neuer Deutscher Spielfilmproduzenten e.V. fuer Kultur und Medien Association of New Feature Film Producers Federal Government Commissioner Zentnerstrasse 42, 80796 Munich/Germany for Culture & the Media phone +49-89-2 71 74 30, fax +49-89-27 77 71 77 Referat K 35, Europahaus, Stresemannstrasse 94, email: [email protected], www.ag-spielfilm.de 10963 Berlin/Germany phone +49-18 88-6 81 49 29, fax +49-18 88-68 15 49 29 email: [email protected]

Filmfoerderungsanstalt FilmFernsehFonds Bayern GmbH German Federal Film Board Gesellschaft zur Foerderung der Medien Grosse Praesidentenstrasse 9, 10178 Berlin/Germany in Bayern phone +49-30-27 57 70, fax +49-30-27 57 71 11 Sonnenstrasse 21, 80331 Munich/Germany email: [email protected], www.ffa.de phone +49-89-54 46 02-0, fax +49-89-54 46 02 21 email: [email protected], www.fff-bayern.de

Verband Deutscher Filmexporteure e.V. (VDFE) Filmfoerderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein GmbH Association of German Film Exporters Friedensallee 14–16, 22765 Hamburg/Germany Tegernseer Landstrasse 75, 81539 Munich/Germany phone +49-40-398 37-0 fax +49-40-398 37-10 phone +49- 89-6 42 49 70, fax +49-89-6 92 09 10 email: [email protected], www.ffhsh.de email: [email protected], www.vdfe.de

Verband Deutscher Filmproduzenten e.V. Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen GmbH Association of German Feature Film Producers Kaistrasse 14, 40221 Duesseldorf/Germany Muenchner Freiheit 20, 80802 Munich/Germany phone +49-2 11-93 05 00, fax +49-2 11-93 05 05 phone +49-89-33 08 80 31, fax +49-89-33 08 81 93 email: [email protected], www.filmstiftung.de email: [email protected] www.filmproduzentenverband.de

Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg GmbH Bundesverband Deutscher Fernsehproduzenten e.V. August-Bebel-Strasse 26-53, 14482 Potsdam-Babelsberg/Germany Association of German Television Producers phone +49-3 31-74 38 70, fax +49-3 31-7 43 87 99 Brienner Strasse 26, 80333 Munich/Germany email: [email protected], www.medienboard.de phone +49-89-28 62 83 85, fax +49-89-28 62 82 47 email: [email protected], www.tv-produzenten.de

MFG Medien- und Filmgesellschaft Deutsche Kinemathek Baden-Wuerttemberg mbH Museum fuer Film und Fernsehen Breitscheidstrasse 4, 70174 Stuttgart/Germany Potsdamer Strasse 2, 10785 Berlin/Germany phone +49-7 11-90 71 54 00, fax +49-7 11-90 71 54 50 phone +49-30-30 09 03-0, fax +49-30-30 09 03-13 email: [email protected], www.mfg-filmfoerderung.de email: [email protected], www.deutsche-kinemathek.de

Mitteldeutsche Medienfoerderung GmbH Arbeitsgemeinschaft Dokumentarfilm e.V. Hainstrasse 17-19, 04109 Leipzig/Germany German Documentary Association phone +49-3 41-26 98 70, fax +49-3 41-2 69 87 65 Schweizer Strasse 6, 60594 Frankfurt am Main/Germany email: [email protected], www.mdm-online.de phone +49-69-62 37 00, fax +49-61 42-96 64 24 email: [email protected], www.agdok.de

nordmedia – Die Mediengesellschaft Arbeitsgemeinschaft Kurzfilm e.V. Niedersachsen/Bremen mbH German Short Film Association Expo Plaza 1, 30539 Hanover/Germany Foerstereistrasse 36, 01099 Dresden/Germany phone +49-5 11-1 23 45 60, fax +49-5 11-12 34 56 29 phone +49-3 51-4 04 55 75, fax +49-3 51-4 04 55 76 email: [email protected], www.nordmedia.de email: [email protected], www.ag-kurzfilm.de

german films quarterly shareholders & supporters

4 · 2008 63 GFQ_Anzeige_S64.qxp 02.10.2008 12:06 Uhr Seite 1

German Entry for the in the category “Best Foreign Language Film” FilmExporters_4_2008.qxp 25.09.2008 18:44 Uhr Seite 1

ASSOCIATION OF GERMAN FILM EXPORTERS

Verband deutscher Filmexporteure e.V. (VDFE) · please contact Lothar Wedel Tegernseer Landstrasse 75 · 81539 Munich/Germany phone +49-89-6 42 49 70 · fax +49-89-6 92 09 10 · email: [email protected] · www.vdfe.de

Action Concept Film- & cine aktuell Filmgesellschaft mbH Media Luna Entertainment Stuntproduktion GmbH please contact Ralf Faust, Axel Schaarschmidt GmbH & Co.KG please contact Wolfgang Wilke Werdenfelsstrasse 81 please contact Ida Martins An der Hasenkaule 1-7 81377 Munich/Germany Aachener Strasse 26 50354 Huerth/Germany phone +49-89-7 41 34 30 50674 Cologne/Germany phone +49-22 33-50 81 00 fax +49-89-74 13 43 16 phone +49-2 21-8 01 49 80 fax +49-22 33-50 81 80 email: [email protected] fax +49-2 21-80 14 98 21 email: [email protected] www.cine-aktuell.de email: [email protected] www.actionconcept.com www.medialuna-entertainment.de EEAP Eastern European ARRI Media Worldsales Acquisition Pool GmbH Progress Film-Verleih GmbH please contact Antonio Exacoustos please contact Alexander van Duelmen please contact Christel Jansen Tuerkenstrasse 89 Alexanderstrasse 7 Immanuelkirchstrasse 14b 80799 Munich/Germany 10178 Berlin/Germany 10405 Berlin/Germany phone +49-89-38 09 12 88 phone +49-30-25 76 23 30 phone +49-30-24 00 32 25 fax +49-89-38 09 16 19 fax +49-30-25 76 23 59 fax +49-30-24 00 32 22 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] email: [email protected] www.arri-mediaworldsales.de www.eeap.eu www.progress-film.de

Atlas International Film GmbH Exportfilm Bischoff & Co. GmbH SOLA Media GmbH please contact please contact Jochem Strate, please contact Solveig Langeland Philipp Menz, Susanne Groh, Dieter Menz Philip Evenkamp Osumstrasse 17, 70599 Stuttgart/Germany Candidplatz 11 Isabellastrasse 20, 80798 Munich/Germany phone +49-7 11-4 79 36 66 81543 Munich/Germany phone +49-89-2 72 93 60 fax +49-7 11-4 79 26 58 phone +49-89-21 09 75-0 fax +49-89-27 29 36 36 email: [email protected] fax +49-89-21 09 75 81 email: [email protected] www.sola-media.net email: [email protected] www.exportfilm.de www.atlasfilm.com TELEPOOL GmbH german united distributors please contact Anja Uecker ATRIX Films GmbH Programmvertrieb GmbH Sonnenstrasse 21, 80331 Munich/Germany please contact Beatrix Wesle, please contact Silke Spahr phone +49-89-55 87 60 Solveig Langeland Breite Strasse 48-50 fax +49-89-55 87 62 29 Aggensteinstrasse 13a 50667 Cologne/Germany email: [email protected] 81545 Munich/Germany phone +49-2 21-92 06 90 www.telepool.de phone +49-89-64 28 26 11 fax +49-2 21-9 20 69 69 fax +49-89-64 95 73 49 email: [email protected] Transit Film GmbH email: [email protected] www.germanunited.com please contact Loy W. Arnold, Mark Gruenthal www.atrix-films.com Dachauer Strasse 35 Kinowelt International GmbH 80335 Munich/Germany Bavaria Film International Futura Film Weltvertrieb phone +49-89-59 98 85-0 Dept. of Bavaria Media GmbH im Filmverlag der Autoren GmbH fax +49-89-59 98 85-20 please contact Thorsten Ritter please contact Stelios Ziannis email: [email protected], Bavariafilmplatz 7 Karl-Tauchnitz-Strasse 10 [email protected] 82031 Geiselgasteig/Germany 04107 Leipzig/Germany www.transitfilm.de phone +49-89-64 99 26 86 phone +49-3 41-35 59 60 fax +49-89-64 99 37 20 fax +49-3 41-35 59 64 19 uni media film gmbh email: [email protected] email: [email protected] please contact Michael Waldleitner www.bavaria-film-international.com www.kinowelt-international.de Bavariafilmplatz 7 82031 Geiselgasteig/Germany Beta Cinema phone +49-89-59 58 46 Dept. of Beta Film GmbH fax +49-89-54 50 70 52 please contact Andreas Rothbauer email: [email protected] Gruenwalder Weg 28d www.unimediafilm.com 82041 Oberhaching/Germany phone +49-89-67 34 69 80 fax +49-89-6 73 46 98 88 email: [email protected] www.betacinema.com

german films quarterly association of german film exporters

4 · 2008 65 Profile_GFQ_4_08.qxp 06.10.2008 10:32 Uhr Seite 1

GERMAN FILMS: A PROFILE

German Films Service + Marketing is the national infor- German Films’ range of activities includes: mation and advisory center for the promotion of German films world- wide. It was established in 1954 under the name Export-Union of Close cooperation with major international film festivals, in- German Cinema as the umbrella association for the Association of cluding Berlin, Cannes, Venice, Toronto, Locarno, San German Feature Film Producers, since 1966 the Association of New Sebastian, Montreal, Karlovy Vary, Moscow, Nyon, Shanghai, German Feature Film Producers and the Association of German Film Rotterdam, San Francisco, Sydney, Gothenburg, Warsaw, Exporters, and operates today in the legal form of a limited company. Thessaloniki, Rome, and Turin, among others In 2004, new shareholders came on board the Export-Union which since then continues operations under its present name: German Organization of umbrella stands for German sales companies Films Service + Marketing GmbH. and producers at international television and film markets (Berlin, Cannes, AFM Los Angeles, Hong Kong, Shanghai) Shareholders are the Association of German Feature Film Producers, the Association of New German Feature Film Producers, Staging of ”Festivals of German Films“ worldwide (Madrid, the Association of German Film Exporters, the German Federal Film Paris, London, New York, Buenos Aires, Moscow, Copen- Board (FFA), the Association of German Television Producers, the hagen, Stockholm, Tokyo, Sydney, Melbourne) Stiftung Deutsche Kinemathek, the German Documentary Association, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern and Filmstiftung NRW re- Staging of the ”German Premieres“ industry screenings in New presenting the seven main regional film funds, and the German Short York and Rome Film Association. Providing advice and information for representatives of the Members of the advisory board are: Alfred Huermer (chairman), international press and buyers from the fields of cinema, video, Peter Dinges, Antonio Exacoustos, Dr. Klaus Schaefer, Ulrike Schauz, and television and Michael Weber. Providing advice and information for German filmmakers and German Films itself has 14 members of staff: press on international festivals, conditions of participation, and Christian Dorsch, managing director German films being shown Mariette Rissenbeek, public relations/deputy managing director Petra Bader, office manager Organization of the annual NEXT GENERATION short film Sandra Buchta, project coordinator/documentary film program, which presents a selection of shorts by students of Christin Czarnecki, trainee German film schools and is premiered every year at Cannes Simon Goehler, trainee Christine Harrasser, managing director’s assistant/project coordinator Publication of informational literature about current German Angela Hawkins, publications & website editor films and the German film industry (German Films Quarterly), Barbie Heusinger, project coordinator/distribution support as well as international market analyses and special festival Nicole Kaufmann, project coordinator brochures Michaela Kowal, accounts Kim Liebeck, PR assistant/festival coordinator An Internet website (www.german-films.de) offering informa- Martin Scheuring, project coordinator/short film tion about new German films, a film archive, as well as in- Konstanze Welz, project coordinator/television formation and links to German and international film festivals and institutions In addition, German Films has nine foreign representatives in eight countries. Organization of the selection procedure for the German entry for the Oscar® for Best Foreign Language Film German Films’ budget of presently €5.4 million comes from film export levies, the office of the Federal Government Commissioner Collaboration with Deutsche Welle’s DW-TV KINO program for Culture and the Media, and the FFA. The seven main regional film which features the latest German film releases and inter- funds (FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Filmfoerderung Hamburg Schleswig- national productions in Germany Holstein, Filmstiftung NRW, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, MFG Baden-Wuerttemberg, Mitteldeutsche Medienfoerderung, and Nord- Organization of the ”German Films Previews“ geared toward media) make a financial contribution – currently amounting to arthouse distributors and buyers of German films €343,000 – towards the work of German Films. Selective financial Distribution Support for the foreign releases German Films is a founding member of the European Film Promotion, of German films a network of European film organizations (including Unifrance, Swiss Films, Austrian Film Commission, Holland Film, among others) with Together with Unifrance, organization of the annual German- similar responsibilities to those of German Films. The organization, French film meeting with its headquarters in Hamburg, aims to develop and realize joint projects for the presentation of European films on an international level. In association and cooperation with its shareholders, German Films works to promote feature, documentary, television and short films.

german films quarterly german films: a profile

4 · 2008 66 Imprint&For.Rep.4_08.qxp 06.10.2008 10:50 Uhr Seite 1

FOREIGN REPRESENTATIVES IMPRINT

Argentina Italy United Kingdom Gustav Wilhelmi Alessia Ratzenberger Iris Ordonez Ayacucho 495, 2º ”3“ A-PICTURES 37 Arnison Road C1026AAA Buenos Aires/Argentina Villa Pamphili East Molesey KT8 9JR/Great Britain phone +54-11-49 52 15 37 Via del Forte Bravetta 4 phone +44-20-89 79 86 28 phone/fax +54-11-49 51 19 10 00164 Rome/Italy email: [email protected] email: [email protected] phone +39-06-48 90 70 75 fax +39-06-4 88 57 97 email: [email protected]

China Japan USA/East Coast & Canada Anke Redl Tomosuke Suzuki Oliver Mahrdt CMM Intelligence Nippon Cine TV Corporation Hanns Wolters International Inc. B 621, Gehua Tower Suite 123, Gaien House 211 E 43rd Street, #505 No. 1, Qinglong Hutong 2-2-39 Jingumae, Shibuya-Ku New York, NY 10017/USA Dongcheng District 150-0001 Tokyo/Japan phone +1-212-714 0100 Beijing 100007/China phone +81-3-34 05 09 16 fax +1-212-643 1412 phone +86-10-84 18 64 68 fax +81-3-34 79 08 69 email: [email protected] fax +86-10-84 18 66 90 email: [email protected] email: [email protected]

Eastern Europe Spain USA/West Coast Simone Baumann Stefan Schmitz Corina Danckwerts L.E. Vision Film- und Avalon Productions S.L. Capture Film International Fernsehproduktion GmbH Pza. del Cordón, 2 Hollywood Center Studios, Building 5/Loft Koernerstrasse 56 28005 Madrid/Spain 1040 N. Las Palmas Avenue 04107 Leipzig/Germany phone +34-91-3 66 43 64 Los Angeles, CA 90038/USA phone +49-3 41-96 36 80 fax +34-91-3 65 93 01 phone +1-323-860 5440 fax +49-3 41-9 63 68 44 email: [email protected] fax +1-323-860 5441 email: [email protected] email: [email protected]

German Films Quarterly is published by: Editor Angela Hawkins

German Films Production Reports Martin Blaney, Simon Kingsley Service + Marketing GmbH Herzog-Wilhelm-Strasse 16 Contributors for this issue Martin Blaney, Johannes Bohnke, Christoph Groener 80331 Munich/Germany phone +49-89-5 99 78 70 Translations Lucinda Rennison fax +49-89-59 97 87 30 email: [email protected] Design & Art Direction Werner Schauer, www.triptychon.biz www.german-films.de Printing Office ESTA DRUCK GMBH, ISSN 1614-6387 Obermuehlstrasse 90, 82398 Polling/Germany

Credits are not contractual for any Printed on ecological, unchlorinated paper. of the films mentioned in this publication. Cover Photo Scene from “Long Shadows” © German Films Service + Marketing GmbH (photo © Olaf Aue)

All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of this publication may be made without written permission.

german films quarterly foreign representatives · imprint

4 · 2008 67 Anz GF quarterly 09 end 01.09.2008 16:50 Uhr Page 1

C M Y CM MY CY CMY K

LOOKING FORWARD TO SEEING YOU IN BERLIN 05.-15.02.09

www.berlinale.de

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