German Documentaries 2016
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german documentaries 2016 www.german-documentaries.de German Films is the national information and advisory center for the promotion of German fi lms worldwide. In association and cooperation with its shareholders, German Films works to promote feature, documentary, television and short fi lms. The work of German Films concentrates on information services, as well as PR and marketing measures to increase the awareness and visibility of German fi lms abroad. German Films also has foreign representatives in Eastern Europe, China and the USA. Shareholders are the Association of German Film Producers, the German Producers Alliance, the Association of German Film Exporters, the German Federal Film Board (FFA), the Deutsche Kinemathek, the German Documentary Association, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, and the German Short Film Association. Range of activities • Close cooperation with major international fi lm festivals, including Berlin, Cannes, Venice, San Sebastian, Locarno, Rome, Karlovy Vary, Montreal, Toronto, New York, Tallinn and Shanghai as well as with the documentary fi lm festivals in Amsterdam, Sheffi eld, Toronto and Nyon • Organization of umbrella stands for German sales companies and producers at international television and fi lm markets (Berlin, Cannes, AFM Los Angeles, Shanghai, Toronto) • Staging of Festivals of German Films in selected international territories • Providing advice and information for representatives of the international press and buyers from the fi elds of cinema, video, and television • Providing advice and information for German fi lmmakers and press on international festivals, conditions of participation, and German fi lms being shown • Organization of the annual Next Generation Short Tiger short fi lm program, which presents a selection of shorts and is internationally premiered at Cannes • A website (www.german-fi lms.de) and publications offering information about new German fi lms, a fi lm archive, information and links to German and international fi lm festivals and institutions, international market analyses • Organization of the selection procedure for the German entry for the Oscar® for Best Foreign Language Film • Collaboration with Deutsche Welle’s DW-TV KINO program which features the latest German fi lm releases and international productions in Germany • Organization of the German Films Previews geared toward arthouse distributors and buyers of German fi lms • Selective fi nancial Distribution Support for the foreign releases of German fi lms • Organization with Unifrance of the annual German-French fi lm meeting German Films Service + Marketing GmbH Herzog-Wilhelm-Str. 16 • 80331 Munich • Germany phone +49 89 59 97 87 0 • fax +49 89 59 97 87 30 info@german-fi lms.de • www.german-fi lms.de Dear Readers of this Little Booklet, This year’s ‘german documentaries’ catalogue is odd broadcast hours and chronic underfunding have made sure to catch your eye: its signal white cover is bound to producing documentaries in Germany a real obstacle stick out among the colourful brochures and leaflets course. It’s all the more remarkable that our films enjoy normally screaming for attention at international markets such a fine reputation abroad for their high quality. The and festivals. Standing out – that’s what distinguishes a German Documentary Association AG DOK is fighting for successful marketing campaign in the film industry and better working conditions for documentary filmmakers in elsewhere. Nature doesn’t need such things. A polar bear Germany. Not only do our 700 members – writers, direc would probably rather traipse about in a monochrome tors, producers – benefit from our efforts, the entire indu white cover picture than in a flowering meadow. But sadly stry reaps the rewards. This catalogue is but one example: enough, the world is not always the way we (or the polar financed by the marketing organisation ‘german films,’ it bears) would like it to be. features films from all across the documentary spectrum in That’s where documentaries come into play: they show us Germany. Leafing through these pages, you’ll realise just the world the way it is – beautiful, colourful and glorious, how many there are. but also full of friction, rough edges and despair. They also Oh, yes, polar bears play a role in ‘german documentaries offer us visions of how the world could be. They are a vital 2016’ as well. Naturally, not only the mighty animals source of information, and help us find our way in a world themselves, but also their shrinking natural habitat. If one which seems to have spun out of control. While docu theme dominates this year’s selection of films, it is mentaries may not be able to heal all the ills of our time, ‘migration’ and refugees: what is driving people from their they can certainly help us recognise political and social homes – war, suppression, poverty, environmental connections and understand our fellow human beings devastation – as well as the struggles of women in better – a great improvement over bashing in one archaically structured societies. But you can also find films another’s heads. In other words, documentaries are more about youth culture, journeys through cities such as Rio important than ever, and Germany continues to produce and Austin, and portraits of artists like Frank Zappa and an astounding variety of them – artistically, aesthetically pianist David Helfgott. One glance at the index reveals that and in terms of subject matter. This year’s catalogue offers the wealth of topics is as broad as the creative forms. some 200 new and exciting documentary productions So take a closer look. It’s worth it! which could also appeal to international audiences. Many of them have already made a name for themselves at inter national film festivals. Sincerely, It is a wellknown fact that the social relevance of our films in no way reflects their production conditions. Thomas Frickel Documentaries in Germany, at least on television, are not Chair & General Manager given the attention they deserve. Dwindling television slots, AG DOK/German Documentary Association german documentaries 2016 1071 199 LITTLE HEROES by Sigrid Klausmann and others EDUCATION | PORTRAITS | SOCIAL | YOUTH | SERIES What does the journey to school mean for children? What do they see and what do they experience? The variety of school journeys around the world is endless, fascinating and full of surprises. The journey to school is a very special type of life experience shared by millions of children around the world every day but in very different ways. What happens between the two most important places in a child’s life, their home and school? 199 Roads to School is an international series featuring children aged between 8 and 12. We follow the children on their way to school, watch them pack their school bag and walk through the school gates. The school journeys take us through the most different lands capes of the various continents, on every all conceivable means of transport, along dustyroads, past lakes and rivers, down ski pistes and through heavy traffic.The children pass mighty skyscrapers, huts World Sales: NEW DOCS and villas, ruins and relics, through stunningly beautiful landscapes but also terrain that has been Dasselstr. 75-77 destroyed, contaminated and burned. Alone, in pairs, with their siblings or friends. 50674 Cologne, Germany tel.: +49 (0) 221-16819743 The children are a.o.: Luniko, 12, Khayelitsha, South Africa. Annalena, 8, Black Forest, Germany. To, [email protected] www.199kleinehelden.org/en 12, Laos. Ali, 9, Baghdad. Aiko, 10, Fukushima, Japan. Clemens, 11, Austria. Samantha, 8, New York, USA. The blind girl Pelmo, 9, Nepal. Yara, 11, Columbia. Pikka, 10, Lapland, Finland. Jurij, Krim… Production: gemini film & library gmbh German title: 199 KLEINE HELDEN [email protected] 20x5min, 4x25min, 2x52min to be continued | English or German version www.gemini-library.de 650 WORDS by Martina Priessner MIGRATION | HUMAN RIGHTS | POLITICS | CONTROVERSY | SOCIETY 650 Words tells the story of eight people from different regions in Turkey – all of whom want nothing more than to be reunited with their loved ones in Germany. However, before they can start living together with their spouse they must first obtain a german language certificate in their home country, which is a mandatory requirement to apply for a family visa. For Ays¸e, Ibrahim, Nur, Soner, Hayriye, Halil, Zelal, and Naime is the language course a journey they embark upon to join their husbands and wives in Germany. As these eight individuals reveal their personal lives, how they met Contact: Martina Priessner their partners, and their dreams about living side by side with their families in Germany, unique stories Biebricher Str. 14 emerge that also trace a complicated relationship between two countries. 12053 Berlin, Germany cell: +49 (0) 176-96860409 This documentary was realized through the MercatorIPC Fellowship Program. [email protected] German title: 650 WÖRTER www.martinapriessner.de 46min | DCP | DVD | Blu-ray | 16:9 | original Turkish version with German or English subtitles available www.650woerter.de ACTING FOR FREEDOM: THE BATTLE OF BELARUS FREE THEATRE by Friedemann Hottenbacher ART | CULTURE | POLITICS | CONFLICTS | THEATRE Belarus is known as the last dictatorship of Europe – and within it, a fearless group of Belarusian Photos © Martin Langner World Sales: artists risk their lives and freedom to give a voice to an otherwise voiceless nation, through theatre. EuroArts