German Films Quarterly 2 · 2007

AT CANNES In Competition AUF DER ANDEREN SEITE by Fatih Akin Un Certain Regard AM ENDE KOMMEN TOURISTEN by Robert Thalheim Cinéfondation HALBE STUNDEN by Nicolas Wackerbarth

PORTRAITS Chris Kraus, Ulrike von Ribbeck, Filmquadrat, Nina Hoss

SPECIAL REPORT 10 Years of NEXT GENERATION German Films and Co-Productions IN THE OFFICIAL PROGRAM

In Competition In Competition

Auf der anderen The Man From London Seite by Béla Tarr THE EDGE OF HEAVEN by Fatih Akin Producer: corazón international/Hamburg German Co-Producers: Black Forest Films & World Sales: The Match Factory/Cologne Von Vietinghoff Filmproduktion/Berlin World Sales: Fortissimo Films/Amsterdam

Un Certain Regard Cinéfondation

You the Living Halbe Stunden by Roy Andersson HALF HOURS by Nicolas Wackerbarth

German Co-Producer: Essential Filmproduktion- Producers: Deutsche Film- & Fernsehakademie (dffb) Thermidor Filmproduktion/Berlin & Jost Hering Filme/Berlin World Sales: Coproduction Office/Paris World Sales: Deutsche Film- & Fernsehakademie (dffb)/Berlin OF THE Cannes Film Festival 2007

60th Anniversary Tribute Un Certain Regard

Ulzhan Am Ende kommen by Volker Schloendorff Touristen AND ALONG COME TOURISTS by Robert Thalheim German Co-Producer: Volksfilm/Potsdam Producer: 23|5 Filmproduktion/Berlin World Sales: Rezo Film International/Paris World Sales: Bavaria Film International/Geiselgasteig

Directors’ Fortnight Critics’ Week

Gegenueber The Mosquito Problem COUNTERPARTS and Other Stories by Jan Bonny by Andrey Paounov

Producer: Heimatfilm/Cologne German Co-Producer: Filmtank/Hamburg World Sales: Wide Management/Paris World Sales: TV2 World/Copenhagen Credits not contractual German Films Quarterly 2 · 2007

TALKIN’ ‘BOUT MY “NEXT GENERATION” 6 focus on 10 Years of Next Generation

directors’ portraits 18 STAYING POWER A portrait of Chris Kraus 20 “TEAMWORK, TRUST AND TENSION” A portrait of Ulrike von Ribbeck

producers’ portrait 22 PLATFORM FOR DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKERS A portrait of Filmquadrat

actress’ portrait 24 A PASSION FOR ACTING A portrait of Nina Hoss

26 news

in production 32 CHIKO Oezguer Yildirim 32 DR. ALEMÁN Tom Schreiber 33 DIE EINSAMKEIT IST NIE ALLEIN Roland Reber 34 FRUEHSTUECK MIT EINER UNBEKANNTEN Maria von Heland 35 HANAMI Doris Doerrie 36 IM JAHRES DES HUNDES Ursula Scheid 36 IRONMAN Adnan G. Koese 37 LIEBE UND ANDERE VERBRECHEN Stefan Arsenijevic 38 LULU UND JIMI Oskar Roehler 39 SHORT CUT TO HOLLYWOOD Marcus Mittermeier, Jan Henrik Stahlberg 40 STELLUNGSWECHSEL Maggie Peren 41 VIER SIND EINER ZUVIEL Torsten C. Fischer

new german films 42 AM ENDE KOMMEN TOURISTEN AND ALONG COME TOURISTS Robert Thalheim 43 DIE ANRUFERIN THE CALLING GAME Felix Randau 44 AUF DER ANDEREN SEITE THE EDGE OF HEAVEN Fatih Akin 45 AUTOPILOTEN AUTOPILOTS Bastian Guenther 46 [DESI’RE:] – THE GOLDSTEIN REELS Romeo Gruenfelder 47 DOS PATRIAS CUBA Y LA NOCHE TWO HOMELANDS CUBA AND THE NIGHT Christian Liffers 48 DER GOLDENE NAZIVAMPIR VON ABSAM 2 – DAS GEHEIMNIS VON SCHLOSS KOTTLITZ THE GOLDEN NAZI VAMPIRE OF ABSAM PART II – THE SECRET OF KOTTLITZ CASTLE Lasse Nolte 49 HALBE STUNDEN HALF HOURS Nicolas Wackerbarth 50 DAS HAUS DER SCHLAFENDEN SCHOENEN HOUSE OF THE SLEEPING BEAUTIES Vadim Glowna 51 DAS HERZ IST EIN DUNKLER WALD THE HEART IS A DARK FOREST Nicolette Krebitz 52 KLASSENFAHRT IN DAS REVIER DER WILDERER SCHOOL TRIP INTO POACHERS’ TERRITORY Marcus Lenz, Ingo Rudloff 53 LIBANON – STANDHALTEN IM WAHNSINN LEBANON – RESISTING LUNACY Uwe-S. Tautenhahn 54 LIEBESLEBEN LOVELIFE Maria Schrader 55 MIKROFAN Matthias Staehle 56 MONDMANN MOONMAN Fritz Boehm 57 MONKS – THE TRANSATLANTIC FEEDBACK Dietmar Post, Lucía Palacios 58 NEUES VOM WIXXER THE VEXXER Cyrill Boss, Philipp Stennert 59 OSDORF Maja Classen 60 PAUL UND BATAAR PAUL AND BATAAR Caterina Klusemann 61 PRATER Ulrike Ottinger 62 PREUSSISCH GANGSTAR PRUSSIAN GANGSTARS Irma-Kinga Stelmach, Bartosz Werner 63 DER ROTE ELVIS THE RED ELVIS Leopold Gruen 64 VOLLIDIOT COMPLETE IDIOT Tobi Baumann 65 DIE WILDEN HUEHNER UND DIE LIEBE WILD CHICKS IN LOVE Vivian Naefe

69 film exporters

75 foreign representatives · imprint TALKIN’ ‘BOUT MY (photo © Michael Dreher) “Fair Trade” Scene from “NEXT GENERATION”

Exterior. Night. An incandescent moon lights the sky as throngs of FLASHBACK cinemagoers stream out of a packed Cannes movie theater, where they’ve just attended a highly-anticipated world premiere. We 1998: German Films (or the Export-Union of German Cinema, as it overhear bits of conversation. “Amazing narrative structure for a first was then known) was seeking to diversify its activities, increase film!” “A brilliant documentary, never thought of stewardesses awareness of its role, and find new mandates and partners. Jochem like that.” “The claymation was fantastic.” “Who was that hunky Strate, former supervisory board chairman of German Films, whose actor?” “The light in the lake scenes was magical.” “I never saw an son was attending the Munich Academy of Television and Film, had a en tire film shot in the subway.” “I never saw an entire film shot back- brainwave. Why not involve Germany’s various film schools in a pro- wards.” ject to showcase a selection of their productions in Cannes?

Wait, there aren’t any multiplexes in Cannes! But all these people Many of Germany’s best-known directors – Wim Wenders, Werner can’t be talking about the same film! There’s a simple explanation: The Herzog, Caroline Link and Tom Tykwer, to name only a few – all start - crowd is leaving another packed showing of “Next Generation,” ed out making shorts. And Next Generation offers status-hungry a program of the year’s best shorts by students at German film Cannes audiences bragging rights: “I was at the world premiere of X’s schools. On May 20th in Cannes, German Films will unveil the tenth first student film.” They would see new stars being born. Not only edition of this selection. that the extraordinary vitality, quality and originality of the Next Generation films and their creators are winning over new audiences everywhere. german films quarterly focus on 10 years of next generation

2 · 2007 6 Next Generation 2000

That is Next Generation’s drawing card, the best shorts by the most Henckel von Donnersmarck said of his experience with Next talented directors of the youngest generation. For instance, back in Generation: "When Dobermann was selected by German Films to 2000 the program included the Munich Academy of Television and be part of the Next Generation reel in Cannes in 2000, I was almost Film’s Dobermann, by the tallest short film director in Next as excited as I was when my nomination for the Academy Awards was Generation history. Seven years later director Florian Henckel von announced seven years later. Apart from a thrilling and all-expenses- Donnersmarck was again towering over his peers, winning the OSCAR paid trip to Cannes, it was a great bonding experience with the other for Best Foreign Language Film for The Lives of Others. short film makers. I am still friends with many of them. We had in- Scene from ”Dobermann” Scene from

german films quarterly focus on 10 years of next generation

2 · 2007 7 Lively discussion late at night: 2005 at “Petit Majestic” Lively discussion late at night: 2005 “Petit

vitations to all the German events and were suddenly taken seriously got to meet many of the people who would end up organizing and by the German industry leaders. After all, our films were being shown financing my first feature film only four years later.” at Cannes! The turnout at our screening was very impressive, and I Next Generation is the real thing, the diamond in the raw, the newest new German cinema and directors. To ensure a selection of the highest quality, the films are selected by a prestigious independent jury composed of two permanent members (Astrid Kuehl, managing director of the Short Film Agency and co-head of the International Short Film Festival Hamburg, and Heinz Badewitz, director of the Hof Film Days and head of the German Cinema program at the Berlin Film

Premiere cinema: Star 2 Premiere Festival), as well as a rotating third juror – this year Anke Sterneborg, a film journalist with Munich’s Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

Film schools are invited to submit their year’s best productions – 59 for 2007. Since the total running time is limited to about 90 minutes, and in order to ensure the broadest possible selection, individual films may not exceed 15 minutes.

The selection is also competitive, for the jury chooses one director who will be sponsored at Cannes by German Films and will represent the other directors from that year. In fact the lure of presenting one’s film at a Cannes screening proves irresistible, so almost all the direc- tors, as well as many producers and other members of their posse – actors, DoPs, friends and relatives – travel down, most of them at their own expense, by camping car, bus, train, even sleeping in tents in nearby camping parks, if that’s all their budget will allow.

The rewards are ample. They present their films on stage to a packed audience and deafening applause. And then are fêted like the stars they are by an international crowd at a beach party that German Films throws in their honor.

And their enthusiasm has been echoed by that of ever larger Cannes audiences. Astrid Kuehl has noted a huge interest in the selection by

german films quarterly focus on 10 years of next generation

2 · 2007 8 programmers from festivals around the world. And Heinz Badewitz, who hosts the series of German features shown in the Cannes Market, says buyers and journalists are also eager to discover the newest talents Germany has to offer. Regulars wouldn’t dream of missing a year, having learned to “expect the unexpected.” The only constants are quality and imagination.

MAKING WAVES & BREAKING GROUND

German short directors are making waves. After presenting At the Lake in the 2002 edition of Next Generation, Ulrike von Ribbeck (German Film and Television Academy Berlin - dffb) was invited back to Cannes the following year to the official program as one of the Cinéfondation short film directors. In 2004 her short Charlotte screen - ed at both the Perspectives German Cinema section in Berlin and the

Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes. Christian Dorsch and the Next Generation 2005 Poster

Other success stories abound: Ulrike Grote (Hamburg Media School, NG 2004) garnered a Student OSCAR in 2005 and an OSCAR nomina- tion in 2006 for her follow-up film The Runaway. In 2003 Florian Baxmeyer (a fellow Hamburg Media School graduate, NG 2002) earned a Student OSCAR and an OSCAR nomination for The Red Jacket in 2004. Shown in Next Generation in 2002, Rocks, directed by Chris Stenner, Arvid Uibel and Heidi Wittlinger (Film Academy Baden-Wuerttemberg ) went on to receive an OSCAR nomination the follow ing year.

tives, many of whom will have attended the screening in Cannes, and

Scene from “Rocks” Scene from discuss future projects.”

Anke Zindler, of Munich’s Just Publicity PR company, agrees: “In Cannes students have their first ’real life’ opportunity – at one of the most exciting international platforms – to learn how to present and market their films, to deal with the public and press – vital for reaching and winning over audiences at home and especially abroad.”

Jochem Strate says there are two mythical cities all filmmakers dream about: L.A. and Cannes. And since German Films has always offered film professionals its expertise and a highly developed support system German film schools get high marks from the industry, too. Heinz in Cannes, it was a natural choice as a launch-pad for Next Badewitz says the films are getting better and better, and points to the Generation. The German Films staff at the German pavilion provides Film Academy Baden-Wuerttemberg in Ludwigsburg, the first in advice and organizational resources. In the experience of Mariette Germany to offer studies in computer animation, which has provided Rissenbeek, publicity manager for German Films, the more the director Roland Emmerich with many of his best collaborators in students invest in taking advantage of their stay, the more they get out Hollywood. And at film schools, free from market pressures, direc- of it. tors may enjoy far greater freedom to express their vision than they will when they turn pro. Next Generation also serves as a promo reel According to Heinz Badewitz, the charms of the seaside resort, the for the schools and for the quality of their programs, as attested by sun, food, and beautiful setting are more than just perks – they en - the annual crop of international honors their students’ harvest. courage filmmakers to persevere. Their films are shown alongside those of the greatest directors, and the electric atmosphere is con- In looking back over the ten years of Next Generation, Christian ducive to discussion, to chance encounters and meetings of minds. Dorsch, managing director of German Films, stresses the benefits for Almost everyone who is anyone in German film converges on all concerned: “With Next Generation we are investing in the future. Cannes, and they’re far more available there than back home. Martin And the program allows us to establish contacts with filmmakers we’ll Scheuring, who coordinates Next Generation at German Films, often soon be working with. The students get an immersion into the reality hears how the screenings pay off for the students, since it helps them of the movie business. We provide the students with festival to be taken seriously by established directors and producers. And it accreditation, which allows them to participate fully in the festival. works both ways: the impressive array of shorts creates interest in They can see the latest and best films from around the world. Plus, it German feature films, too. is easy for them to meet producers and funding board representa-

german films quarterly focus on 10 years of next generation

2 · 2007 9 Next Generation 2002

Next Generation in Cannes has also been the forum for ground-break- mer PR manager at German Films who originally initiated the meet- ing discussions between the filmmakers and two federal ministers. In ings between the Next Generation participants and the developers of 2002 they met with Julian Nida-Ruemelin, then State Minister for film policy. “They have the most vivid dreams and the most critical, Culture and the Media, and in 2003 with his successor, Dr. Christina not to say radical views of the film industry. The 2002 meeting was Weiss. “Film students are driven by passion, ambition and vision – and the first time students had a chance to speak directly with a minister, often too by difficult economic realities,” says Susanne Reinker, for- to express what they cared about, what they need, the steps they’d Next Generation 2004

german films quarterly focus on 10 years of next generation

2 · 2007 10 Next Generation 2005

like to see implemented. And the ministers obviously recognized in year two has been shown for the rest of the year at numerous festi- the students essential partners in developing a national film policy.” vals and German film weeks around the world, including Moscow, New York, Mexico, Buenos Aires, Paris, and London – to name but After its initial outing in 1998 and the enthusiastic reception, it was a few – often accompanied by a different director chosen to re- clear that, for Next Generation, “Einmal ist keinmal.” (Once is never present her or his colleagues. For German Films, Next Generation enough.) Cannes is only the kick-off for the program, which, since is a year-long commitment: the 2006 selection last screened in March Next Generation 2006

german films quarterly focus on 10 years of next generation

2 · 2007 11 Jan Koester, Till Nowak, Bernd Neumann Till Jan Koester,

this year at Wiesbaden, a little over a month before the 2007 program und the world to attend Cannes and show their films. The director of unspooled. Cinéfondation, Georges Goldenstern, explains: “The festival wanted to create a specific forum for film students. It was important that they Laurence Kardish, senior curator at the New York Museum of have a unique role, to help them stand out, and to allow the film pro- Modern Art’s film department, says, “Next Generation screens as fessionals in Cannes, distributors, buyers, producers and journalists, part of ‘Kino’, our annual program of new German films. The series to spot the work of filmmakers with a future. What’s more, the pres- is very popular, and I’m both pleased and surprised that there is such tige of Cannes gives credibility to the directors in their home coun- great attendance for shorts by filmmakers who are not yet well- tries.” known but will, we hope, achieve some celebrity in the near future. While the student filmmakers often attend screenings of other Shorts are definitely enjoying a renaissance, for the Cannes Film German films that haven’t yet opened, I don’t really see them very Market too has come on board. In 2004 it created the Short Film much. They take advantage of their stay in one of the world’s great Corner, a center to support producers, distributors and festival orga- film cities to watch hard-to-see films – they’re busy educating them- nizers, which screens, in addition to a multitude of other German and selves.” international shorts, the Next Generation films too. The German Short Film Association also hosts a Short Film Lounge every year in INCREASING VISIBILITY & CREDIBILITY Cannes.

Interestingly, the fact of being present in Cannes insures the students Let’s leave the last word to Germany’s newest star, Florian Henckel greater visibility back home. German audiences and media are eager von Donnersmarck: “Next Generation was a major stepping stone to discover the new films and faces shown in Cannes. And since for me, and I hope it will be for many more filmmakers in the future." German festivals already dedicate a large part of their programming to local productions, shorts by unknowns run the risk of going unno- Robert Gray, Kinograph / Words for Moving Images ticed. Also, France is the cradle of a thriving short film culture, and its audiences are avid fans of German films.

Many festivals are recognizing the need to support young film stu- dents. It’s surely no coincidence that in 1998, the year that German Films launched Next Generation, the Cannes film festival inaugurated a new section, Cinéfondation, which allows 20 film students from aro-

german films quarterly focus on 10 years of next generation

2 · 2007 12 WHERE ARE THEY NOW?

A selection of some of the current projects of former Next Generation participants

Oliver Dommenget (Train Roulette, NG 1999, University of Hamburg): 2001 children’s film Help, I’m a Boy! (Berlin festival)

Branwen Okpako (LoveLoveLiebe, NG 1999, German Film & Television Academy, Berlin): 2000 documentary Dirt for Dinner (prizes at Leipzig, Saarbruecken, Ouagadougou, etc.), 2003 Valley of the Innocent (Toronto and Berlin festivals), currently in post-production on the documentary The Pilot and the Passenger

Zueli Aladag (Listen, NG 2000, Academy of Media Arts Cologne): feature Elefantenherz (2002), television films include the highly acclaimed Wut (2006)

Christian Ditter (Enchanted, NG 2000, Munich “Listen” Scene from Academy of Television and Film): 2006 feature French for Beginners (produced by Christoph Menardi, who also pro- duced the NG 2002 entry, Early Bird)

Holger Ernst (Little Fish, NG 2001, Academy of Art Kassel): 2004 short Rain is Falling in competition in Venice, numerous prizes and festival invitations; and 2006 feature The House Is Burning as a Special Screening in Cannes

Carsten Strauch (The Pocket Organ, NG 2001, Academy of Art and Design Offenbach): 2007 theatrical feature Die Aufschneider

Franziska Stuenkel (Make a Wish, NG 2001, University of Applied Sciences & Arts): 2006 theatrical featu re Vineta

Ulrike von Ribbeck (At the Lake, NG 2002, German Film & Television Academy, Berlin): 2003 with the same film at Cinéfondation in Cannes, 2004 with Charlotte in Berlin and Cannes (Directors’ Fortnight), 2007 feature Frueher oder spaeter

Florian Baxmeyer (Benny X, NG 2002, Hamburg Media School): 2003 Student OSCAR and 2004 OSCAR nomination for The Red Jacket, 2004 two-part TV mini-series Das Blut der Templer, 2007 theatrical feature Die drei Fragezeichen

Ulrike Grote (One Way Ticket, NG 2004, Hamburg Media School): 2005 Student OSCAR and 2006 OSCAR nomi- nation for The Runaway

Ann-Kristin Wecker Reyels (Dim, NG 2005, “Konrad Wolf ” Academy of Film and Television Potsdam): 2007 theatrical feature Hounds (Berlinale Forum, FIPRESCI Award)

Sonja Heiss (Christina Without, NG 2005, Munich “Christina Without” Scene from Academy of Television and Film): 2007 with Hotel Very Welcome, (which also stars former NG colleague Carsten Strauch and received a Special Mention at the Berlin festival)

Marc Brummund (Home, NG 2006, Hamburg Media School): 2007 short Land gewinnen, Special Mention at the Berlin festival

german films quarterly focus on 10 years of next generation

2 · 2007 13 MEMORIES

Vera Lalyko (Window with a View, NG 2002)

At the last minute, my school, the Academy of Media Arts Cologne, offered to pay my way to Cannes. I got a cheap flight to Marseille and from there traveled by train to Cannes. I spent the first few nights in a neighboring town. The Next Generation directors were supposed to meet on Saturday, but I didn’t have my festival accreditation so I couldn’t get to the German pavilion. It was raining and quite cool, so I couldn’t pass the time by strolling along the Croisette. The only thing I could think of was to go to a normal movie theater that wasn’t part of the festival, where I watched Star Wars II with a group of kids (a matinee screen ing!).

Scene from “Window with a View” Scene from Despite my faulty French, it was a lot of fun: “Que la force soit avec vous!” Afterwards the Next Generation group met to prepare for our meeting with Minister Julian Nida-Ruemelin in a hotel lobby, where I met my fellow filmmakers.

We met with the minister the next day and I remember that Professor Nida-Ruemelin explained to us changes to the federal film funding laws. We talked to him about our situation as young filmmakers. After the official discussions I had a chance to talk with him about short films and animation films. He was open to the idea of introducing a separate category for Best Animation Short at the German Film Awards.

Then it was time to present our films. At the party afterwards I had many interesting conversations with other student directors and produ- cers. I met Nana Rebhan, who was studying film production in Berlin, which led to our working together. She helped me to pro duce my next animation film, Promenade.

German Films had given us DVDs with all the shorts. On our way home from the party, walking along the beach, who should I see coming toward us but Jim Jarmusch, whose films I really like. I spontane ously gave him our DVD. Who knows, perhaps he even watch ed it.

I have such fond memories of our participation in Cannes. For us animation filmmakers, the glitter of Cannes and pressures of the film world will always seem like a mysterious world.

Tanja Brzakovic (Wedding Day, NG 2002)

Next Generation and especially our stay in Cannes was really amazing – it was one of the greatest experiences of my professional life. Hopefully there will be more of them in the future!

Seven of us (from two shorts in the program) drove down to Cannes. I was that year’s guest director, so German Films put me up in an apartment. But several Scene from “Wedding Day” “Wedding Scene from other students had no place to stay, so they moved in with me. It was a lot of fun. (I hope I won’t get into trouble now – no harm was done!) It was a tremendous experience, we saw a lot, did a lot, and met a lot of interesting people.

Marco Gilles (producer, Knight Games, NG 2003)

For me personally it was a great experience, being supported by German Films, attending for the first time the prestigious Cannes festival, and being invited to all kinds of events and meetings. The inter national recognition that our short film gained because of Next Generation was a great help in being invited to other fes- tivals. Even now, many years later, I’m still in close touch with several of the film -

makers who were also in my year. Today, Daniel Mann (who co-produced “Knight Games” Scene from Knight Games with me) and I have our own production company, where we’re de veloping feature films and tele vision projects.

NEXT GENERATION, TAKE TWO!

Five directors and one producer have been invited twice to Next Generation: Vera Lalyko, Susanne Buddenberg, Felix Goennert, Romeo Gruenfelder, Chris Stenner, Arvid Uibel and Raoul Reinert. And Astrid Rieger, whose Apple on a Tree is screening in Next Generation 2007, starred in last year’s Promenade d’après-midi.

german films quarterly focus on 10 years of next generation

2 · 2007 14 NEXT GENERATION 1998 – 2007

Next Generation 1998 LETTERS by Matthias Wittmann, 9 min, Filmakademie Baden- Wuerttemberg EIN EINFACHER AUFTRAG (AN ORDINARY MISSION) MANN IM MOND (MAN IN THE MOON) by Chris Stenner, by Raymond Boy, 11 min, KHM Koeln Arvid Uibel, 7 min, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg FAKE! by Sebastian Peterson, 12 min, HFF Potsdam TROMPE L’ŒIL by Ingo Panke, 4.5 min, HFF Potsdam FISCHFLECKEN (FISH STAINS) by Michael Salzbrenner, 6 min, VERZAUBERT (ENCHANTED) by Christian Ditter, 9 min, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg HFF Muenchen FIVEFORTYFIVE by Christoph Roehl, 10 min, dffb FRUEHLING (SPRING) by Silke Parzich, 4.5 min, Filmakademie Special Presentation: Baden-Wuerttemberg Student OSCAR 1999 / OSCAR-nomination 2000 DAS GELBE TRIKOT (THE YELLOW JERSEY) by Samira Radsi, KLEINGELD (SMALL CHANGE) by Marc-Andreas Bochert, 7 min, Hamburger Filmwerkstatt 15 min, HFF Potsdam LATE AT NIGHT by Stefanie Jordan, Stefanie Saghri, Claudia Zoller, 4 min, HFF Potsdam NIGHTHAWKS by Dmitri Popov, 15 min, HFF Muenchen Next Generation 2001 EIN PERFEKTER MORD (A PERFECT MURDER) by Frank-Peter Lenze, 6 min, Hamburger Filmwerkstatt DANS L’ATELIER DU SCULPTEUR by Richard Badé, 2 DER SIEG (STEP TOWARDS VICTORY) by Robert Krause, min, KHM Koeln 8 min, HFF Muenchen ENDSTATION: PARADIES (TERMINAL: PARADISE) by Jan Thuering, 7 min, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg FUER DICH MEIN HERZ (FOR YOU MY SWEETHEART) Next Generation 1999 by Johannes von Gwinner, 10 min, HFF Potsdam KLEINE FISCHE (LITTLE FISH) by Holger Ernst, 9 min, BASTA PASTA by Nicolás Hammerschlag, 6 min, dffb Kunsthochschule Kassel LES DEUX CLEFS (THE TWO KEYS) by Sabine Burg, 10 min, MARIE MUSS RENNEN (MARY MUST RUN) by Konrad KHM Koeln Sattler, 5 min, HFF Muenchen EMMIS GEBURTSTAG (EMMI’S BIRTHDAY) by Tonguc OBERSTUBE (THE UPPER STOREY) by Sebastian Winkels, Baykurt, 7.5 min, Hamburger Filmwerkstatt 6 min, HFF Potsdam FLYING PAUL by Svend Stein-Angel, 1.5 min, HFF Muenchen OHNE TITEL (WITHOUT TITLE) by Romeo Gruenfelder, THE GONER by Peter Kaboth, 4 min, HFF Potsdam 10 min, HfbK Hamburg HANDLE WITH CARE by Susanne Buddenberg, Lorenz Trees, DER PILOT (THE PILOT) by Oliver Seiter, 6 min, Filmakademie 3 min, HFF Potsdam Baden-Wuerttemberg LOVELOVELIEBE by Branwen Okpako, 10 min, dffb QUAK by Wolfgang Dinslage, 7 min, Hamburger Filmwerkstatt MASKS by Piotr Karwas, 5 min, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttem - DAS TASCHENORGAN (THE POCKET ORGAN) berg by Carsten Strauch, 10 min, Hochschule fuer Gestaltung Offenbach PLATONISCHE LIEBE (PLATONIC LOVE) by Philip WUENSCH DIR WAS (MAKE A WISH) by Franziska Stuenkel, Kadelbach, 10 min, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg 7 min, Fachhochschule Hannover ROAD TO PALERMO by Marcel-Kyrill Gardelli, 8 min, HFF Muenchen Special Presentation: OSCAR-winner 2001 SIND SIE LUIGI? (ARE YOU LUIGI?) by Stephan Brueggenthies, QUIERO SER by Florian Gallenberger, 34 min, HFF Muenchen 7 min, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg DIE SUPERSCHURKEN (SUPER JERKS) by Vera Lalyko, 4 min, KHM Koeln Next Generation 2002 ZUGROULETT (TRAIN ROULETTE) by Oliver Dommenget, 6 min, Hamburger Filmwerkstatt AM SEE (AT THE LAKE) by Ulrike von Ribbeck, 10 min, dffb BENNY X by Florian Baxmeyer, 9 min, Hamburger Filmwerkstatt FENSTER MIT AUSSICHT (WINDOW WITH A VIEW) Next Generation 2000 by Vera Lalyko, 9 min, KHM Koeln HOCHZEITSTAG (WEDDING DAY) by Tanja Brzakovic, BIN WEG – LISA (I HAVE GONE – LISA) by Matthias 10 min, Hamburger Filmwerkstatt Kutschmann, 8 min, HFF Muenchen MORGENSTUND (EARLY BIRD) by David Emmenlauer, BSSS by Felix Goennert, 2 min, HFF Potsdam 10 min, HFF Muenchen DOBERMANN by Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck, 4 min, DAS RAD (ROCKS) by Chris Stenner, Arvid Uibel, Heidi HFF Muenchen Wittlinger, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg HARARA by Andy Kaiser, 9.5 min, Filmakademie Baden- RED GOURMET PELLZIK by Andreas Samland, 10 min, dffb Wuerttemberg UNDERCOVER by Susanne Buddenberg, 6 min, HFF Potsdam HARTES BROT (STICKY DOUGH) by Nathalie Percillier, 7.5 min, dffb Special Presentation: OSCAR-nomination 2002 HOER DEIN LEBEN (LISTEN) by Zueli Aladag, 7 min, GREGORS GROESSTE ERFINDUNG (GREGOR’S KHM Koeln GREATEST INVENTION) by Johannes Kiefer, 11 min german films quarterly focus on 10 years of next generation

2 · 2007 15 Next Generation 2003 Next Generation 2006

THE DAY WINSTON NGAKAMBE CAME TO KIEL AUF DEM FELD (IN THE FIELD) by Philipp Wolf, 9.5 min, dffb by Jasper Ahrens, 9 min, HFF Potsdam BAZAR by Markus Sehr, Mathias Kraemer, 3 min, ifs koeln FETISCH (FETISH) by Richard Lehun, 7 min, dffb DELIVERY by Till Nowak, 9 min, Fachhochschule Mainz GACK GACK (CLUCK CLUCK) by Olaf Encke, 6 min, HFF DER GEIST VON ST. PAULI (ST. PAULI FOREVER) by Potsdam Michael Sommer, 7.5 min, Hamburg Media School GUERRA ALLE PIETRE (WAR ON STONES) by Andreas HEIM (HOME) by Marc Brummund, 6 min, Hamburg Media School Teuchert, 11 min, dffb ICH RETTE DAS MULTIVERSUM (I’LL SAVE THE HOCHBETRIEB (NUTS AND BOLTS) by Andreas Krein, MULTIVERSE) by Ulf Groote, 11 min, HfbK Hamburg 6 min, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg KALTE HAUT (COLD SKIN) by Sebastian Kutzli, 15 min, HFF KUNSTGRIFF (TRICKY FINGERS) by André F. Nebe, 6 min, Muenchen Hamburger Filmwerkstatt MY DATE FROM HELL by Tim Weimann, Tom Bracht, LETZTE BAHN (LAST TRAIN) by Tom Uhlenbruck, 10 min, 14 min, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg KHM Koeln OUR MAN IN NIRVANA by Jan Koester, 11 min, HFF RITTERSCHLAG (KNIGHT GAMES) by Sven Martin, 6 min, Potsdam Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg PROMENADE D’APRÈS MIDI by Claire Walka, 2.5 min, SOFA by Hyekung Jung, 3 min, Kunsthochschule Kassel Hochschule fuer Gestaltung Offenbach SPRING by Oliver Held, 7 min, KHM Koeln

Special Presentation: OSCAR-nomination 2003 Next Generation 2007 DAS RAD (ROCKS) by Chris Stenner, Arvid Uibel, Heidi Wittlinger, 8 min, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg ANALOG BROTHER by Falk Peplinski, 7.5 min, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg APPLE ON A TREE by Astrid Rieger, Zeljko Vidovic, 5 min, Next Generation 2004 Hochschule fuer Gestaltung Offenbach DOPPELZIMMER (DOUBLE ROOM) by Erim Giresunlu, ANNAOTTOANNA by Clemens Pichler, 9.5 min, HFF 13.5 min, KHM Koeln Muenchen FAIR TRADE by Michael Dreher, 15 min, HFF Muenchen ANNIE & BOO by Johannes Weiland, 15 min, Filmakademie DIE GUTE LAGE (IN A GOOD POSITION) by Nancy Brandt, Baden-Wuerttemberg 13.5 min, HFF Muenchen BUSINESS AS USUAL by Tom Zenker, 5 min, dffb INFINITE JUSTICE by Karl Tebbe, 2 min, FH Dortmund HIMMELFAHRT (ONE WAY TICKET) by Ulrike Grote, L.H.O. by Jan Zabeil, Kristof Kannegiesser, 3 min, HFF Potsdam 13 min, Hamburger Filmwerkstatt OUTSOURCING by Markus Dietrich, 6 min, Bauhaus HIMMELFILM by Jiska Rickels, Sanne Kurz, 15 min, HFF Universitaet Weimar Muenchen SPROESSLING by Anne Breymann, 8.5 min, Kunsthochschule ICH UND DAS UNIVERSUM (ME, MYSELF AND THE Kassel UNIVERSE) by Hajo Schomerus, 14 min, Fachhochschule Dortmund TRUCK STOP GRILL by Daniel Seideneder, 5.5 min, FH Mainz JUERGEN IN SEINEM PASSAT (DRIVING VOLKSWAGEN) VIDEO 3000 by Joerg Edelmann, Joern Grosshans, Jochen by Sebastian Poerschke, 7 min, KHM Koeln Haussecker, Marc Schleiss, 5 min, Hochschule der Medien Stuttgart LUCIA by Felix Goennert, 9 min, HFF Potsdam WHIRR by Timo Katz, 2.5 min, FH Bielefeld NEON EYES by Thomas Gerhold, Markus Wambsganss, 8 min, WUNDERLICH PRIVAT by Aline Chukwuedo, 9 min, dffb Bauhaus Universitaet Weimar

Next Generation 2005

DIE AMERIKANISCHE BOTSCHAFT (THE AMERICAN EMBASSY) by David Sieveking, 10 min, dffb CHRISTINA OHNE KAUFMANN (CHRISTINA WITH- OUT) by Sonja Heiss, 15 min, HFF Muenchen DIM by Ann-Kristin Wecker (Reyels), 15 min, HFF Potsdam ENDSPIEL (THE FINAL) by Mara Eibl-Eibesfeldt, 12 min, HFF Muenchen I TOOK THE RED PILL by Ramesh Pallikara, 4 min, Hochschule Anhalt/Dessau JAM SESSION by Izabela Plucinska, 9.5 min, HFF Potsdam KERNSEIF (CURD SOAP) by Alexander Kiesl, Sebastian Stolle, 3.5 min, Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg DAS KIND (THE CHILD) by Steffen Blechschmidt, 7.5 min, Hochschule Anhalt/Dessau LÂL by Dirk Schaefer, 16 min, KHM Koeln RALLYE by Romeo Gruenfelder, 2.5 min, HfbK Hamburg DER TOURIST (THE TOURIST) by Lancelot von Naso, 7 min, HFF Muenchen german films quarterly focus on 10 years of next generation

2 · 2007 16 NEXT GENERATION 2007

A Selection of Short Films by Students of German Film Schools

We thank for their support Chris Kraus (photo © Jim Rakete) before it first saw the light of aprojector onitsworldpremiere atthe thelightof saw before itfirst spentmore than eightyears theproject graduate developing (dffb) title of title of andsweet theshort have His secondfeature isacaseinpoint. Itmay powertoseeanideathroughstaying toitsrealization. there isonethingwriter-director If DIRECTOR’S PORTRAIT DIRECTOR’S A portrait of ChrisA portrait of Kraus STAYING POWER 2 ·2007 filmsquarterlygerman Four Minutes , but the German Film&Television, buttheGerman Academy Chris Kraus definitely has, itis definitely would be quite the opposite of theoldwoman.” would bequitetheoppositeof anadversary, thenledmeto look for prison. Thisstory someonewho 60years whohadtaughtfor inaBerlin anoldlady of the biography want herecalls. ”Iwasattracted by ed tomake personalfilm,” avery from anitem in anewspaper, thefilm “I gottheideafor butIalso lastyear. FilmFestival Shanghai International trommel 2 screenplay), and, currently in development, indevelopment, screenplay), and,currently Filippos Tsitos, 2001,co-screenplay), email: [email protected] ·www.abovetheline.deemail: [email protected] +49-30-28877310 phone +49-30-2887730·fax Wielandstrasse 5·10625Berlin/Germany Above theLineBerlin GmbH Contact: (dir: KlausKraemer,(dir: 1999,dramaturgy), other credits include: the2007 in eightcategoriesfor the VGF Young Producers Award. Itwasalsonominated Talentand BestNew (HannahHerzsprung)aswell Best Screenplay, BestFemale Lead(MonicaBleibtreu), 2007, the film received four four received 2007, thefilm the others. (Priortoproduction, ithadbeenpresented with among San Francisco, BraunschweigandSofia, Hof, inReyjkjavik, prizesatfestivals thisbygarnering followed where itwonthe miere FilmFestival atthe2006ShanghaiInternational Four Minutes Awards Director BestNewcomer atthe prize for Awar whereFilm Festival itwonthe ( Buck’s Detlev the screenplays for Sex Einstein of Glass in Potsdam. In2002,hisdebutfeature FilmandTelevision of ”Academy and the“Konrad Wolf atthedffb works asanovelistandteachesDramaturgy Rotwein odertotsein AwardScreenplay ed screenwriters, the beingnominatedtwicefor mostacclaim Germany’s standing reputation asoneof - 1991 to1997.For tenyears, Chrishasenjoyed anout - Film&TelevisionGerman inBerlinfrom (dffb) Academy andillustrator,after stintsasajournalist studiedatthe Chris Kraus Liebesluder Baden-Wuerttemberg Award Screenplay d in the Best Screenplay category andpickedd intheBestScreenplay category upthe ( the fol the fol low ing year. Hissecondfeature asdirector, Scherbentanz (2000, screenplay), , 1999)andPepe Danquart’s ( Der EinsteindesSex was born inGoettingen1963and, was born – in 1997 for – in1997for ( Golden Cup Vier Minuten , 2003),amongothers. Healso Drei ChinesenmitdemKontrabass ) waspremiered attheMunich for BestFeaturefor Filmand Bavarian FilmAwardsBavarian Home Sweet German FilmAwards German Poll Young Cinema German director’s portrait ) –aswellpenning ), haditsworldpre- and in 1999 for and in1999for Acapulco · UschiKeil udeo Joy A Bundleof C(r)ook Bavarian Film Bavarian ). InJanuary Poll Shattered Die Blech Die Blech ( German (2008). Basta – (2004, . His (dir: The for - 18 In spite of the ups and downs during the eight-year odyssey to get the International Film Festival in June of 2006 – although German film film made, Kraus was adamant that Four Minutes would be his festivals had also been clamoring to show the film. Four Minutes next project as a director after his impressive debut with Shattered then had its German premiere at the 40th Hof Film Days last October Glass in 2002. “I like films which ask the question to what extent art where it was one of the program highlights with a packed-out has anything to do with real life and how far artistic expression can Saturday evening slot and Hannah Herzsprung was feted as a “name actually intrude on reality. That’s what I like about cinema because to watch”. there have been films which have really touched me and changed my life. I was particularly interested in this potential of the story and that As Chris Kraus points out, there has been great interest around the was the reason why I held out for so many years to see the film globe in this film which has now been sold to 40 territories: “In made.” Eastern Asia, Four Minutes is mostly being launched [in the cinemas] on a larger scale than in Germany. In these countries, in During the 2005 Berlinale, Kraus began discussing the project with parti cular China and Japan, it is, above all, the disciplining by the older producer sisters Meike and Alexandra Kordes of the recently teach er that is at the fore,” he explains. “Most of the Japanese establish ed production company Kordes & Kordes Film and at last journalists ask about details of the character of Traude Krueger and found kindred spirits who shared his vision. “Suddenly, it was like see her as the main figure. In the Western countries, particularly the rock’n’roll,” he observes. “We didn’t have any money, but just a great USA, the focus is on the young Jenny. That is quite a surprisingly passion. I knew from Meike [who had served as line producer on different reception. But the high emotional effect of the drama goes Shattered Glass] that she only does things she really likes and straight through all cultural milieus and it is understood everywhere as would go through concrete to achieve it. I like people who aren’t put a signal for the free dom of the individual.” off by the concrete!” Back home in Germany, the film began picking up prizes even before It hadn’t been plain sailing either for his first feature Shattered its theatrical release at the end of January with four Bavarian Film Glass which had existed in screenplay form for several years before Awards for Best Screenplay, Best Female Lead (Monica Bleibtreu), and going into production. “It just takes a while until you can push through Best New Talent (Hannah Herzsprung) as well as the VGF Young such individual projects,” Kraus argues, although his perseverance was Producers Award for Kordes & Kordes Film. Kraus describes himself then rewarded when the completed film was praised at the 2002 as being “overjoyed” at the film’s success on its home turf: distributor Munich Film Festival as one of the buzz titles and Kraus held up as a Movienet reached 250,000 admissions with just 70 prints by mid-April major new talent. to make it the most successful German arthouse film so far this year.

The film went on to win two Bavarian Film Awards, the German “The distributor reckons that we will reach between 300,000 and Screenplay Award, the German Film Award for Best Cinematography 400,000 spectators in the end, a sensation for this little film,” Kraus for DoP Judith Kaufmann, the New Talent Award for Best Directorial says. “As far as the recognition with the many prizes is concerned, you Achievement, and the Golden Camera for lead actor Juergen Vogel. only have this luck once in your life. We are all pleased that we can use this attention to continue working.” While Kraus showed himself adept at working with such seasoned players as Vogel, Margit Carstensen, Peter Davor and Nadja Uhl in Having also bagged eight nominations for the German Film Awards, Shattered Glass – Uhl recalled last year that he “was always pre- Kraus is now looking at working together again with Meike and pared to be open to our suggestions and made for a very creative Alexandra Kordes on future projects for the cinema. atmosphere which has stayed with me in my memory” – Four Minutes posed new challenges, but also further proof of the direc- He has already prepared one project entitled Acapulco, a black co - tor’s collaborative relationship with his actors. medy and satire, which is intended to be made with the Kordes sisters. This might seem to be a shift in genre for Kraus, but as he Casting the two leads – veteran Monica Bleibtreu for the elderly explains: “that’s where I came from – writing for comedy – starting an pianist Traude Krueger and the newcomer Hannah Herzsprung as the age ago with the Motzki series for television and later writing screen- convicted killer Jenny – was of crucial importance. “I could see that it plays for Pepe Danquart [C(r)ook] and Detlev Buck [A Bundle of Joy].” wouldn’t be possible to have an 80-year-old on such a project work- ing for 16 hours a day,” Kraus notes. “So when I met Monica Another long-gestating and much cherished project of Kraus’ is the Bleibtreu, I thought she could do it but there’d be the problem of age, historical romantic drama Poll whose screenplay was nominated for as she is only 60. There was the question of whether the make-up the German Screenplay Award back in 1997. Set in the Baltic German would function and, above all, whether there would be any chemistry community of Latvia shortly before the outbreak of the First World between the older woman and the younger one.” War, Poll also has a young girl in the foreground in the same way as Four Minutes: “It is a love story between a 13-year-old and a As Kraus recalls, he had to go in two different directions with his two revolutionary she hides on a country estate,” Kraus says. “This pro- lead actresses: “In actual fact, Monica is a very extroverted person ject is a very personal one for me because my family originates from and we had to tie her down [for the role], while Hannah is very Riga, my grandmother was Latvian, and so there’s a particular affinity.” reserv ed and modest in real life. But this contrast worked thanks to their talent and the desire to follow this extreme line of preparation. Hannah, of course, had much more to do in this respect before Chris Kraus spoke with Martin Blaney the shooting because she had six months of piano lessons and boxing training.”

He says that it was “a conscious decision” to have the world premiere of Four Minutes outside of Germany – at the Shanghai german films quarterly director’s portrait

2 · 2007 19 Ulrike von Ribbeck (photo © Fergus Padel) DIRECTOR’S PORTRAIT DIRECTOR’S A portrait of UlrikeA portrait of von Ribbeck TENSION” AND TRUST “TEAMWORK, tuna fish sandwich! tuna fish her of atleasthalf waiting longenoughtofinish kept theinterviewee whenit’s anoisy,get! Especially smokey, overcrowded caféandyou’ve chocolates:you know whatyou’re never gonna Gump andhisbox of muchlike situations isvery Forest theseinterview Walking intooneof 2 ·2007 filmsquarterlygerman proved a confident andself-assured partner. conversation proved aconfident maulingmetodeathinapublicplace, rightfully before andinsteadof von Ribbeck had beenwagedandwon, Once theinitialpowerstruggle (1999), she studiedfrom films 1999.Hershort Film&TelevisionGerman where Berlin(dffb), Academy andwasacceptedbythe appliedfor love withfilm, Kunst, in madevideos, realized shewaspermanently Communication atHamburg’s bildende Hochschulefuer schoolshemajored inVisual dark! Aftergraduating hoursaweeksittingaloneinthe this), shespentmany in in thesamestreet alargepart asthecinemaplaying age(living bugatanearly in 1975.Bittenbythefilm Ulrike von Ribbeck screen ed inthe that ittosay there isspacetolist!Suffice andwonmore awards than played atmore festivals and (2001), Cinema hn 4-06 23 42·email:[email protected] 36 62 phone +49-30-61 Grimmstrasse 30·10967Berlin/Germany Ulrike vonRibbeck Contact: Berlin. andworksintheKreuzberg districtof lives ne Fernsehspiel andARTE. Today, Ulrike vonRibbeck duced byPolyphon inco-production withZDF/Dasklei- “Atelier inCannes2005,waspro- delaCinéfondation” the duringherattendanceof which shedeveloped feature, the family drama feature, thefamily , despite her claims she has never beeninterviewed , despiteherclaimsshehasnever Charlotte and Cannes’ Am See Kleine Traeume Cinéfondation in theBerlinale’s (2001) and Directors’ Fortnight was born inMinden/Westfaliawas born Frueher oderSpaeter Charlotte section atCannes2003 (2000), director’s portrait Perspectives German in 2004.Herfirst Little Star Laurentia (2004) have Am See Ulrike 20 Watch her shorts and you’ll know she tells the truth when she affirms, producer Steffi Ackermann, Michael Weber and Tobias Pausinger of “I love emotional cinema.” But the kicker is that she loves emotional The Match Factory, and very much Georges Goldenstern and cinema that derives its power from the script and cast, not directoral Catherine Jacques at the “Atelier de la Cinéfondation” for their sup- theatricality. “I thought Woody Allen’s Match Point was fantastic,” she port. continues. “Ang Lee’s The Ice Storm, The Graduate, Lost in Translation, too. I like tense, emotional stories that show the characters’ inner Von Ribbeck is now working on the treatment for a thriller about a conflicts. They’re plot-orientated, certainly, but the main driver is the young manager who is mobbed and tries to discover who is behind it. emotional. Personal feelings are most important,” she continues, “I “He’s lost his job, his life and woman,” she says. “It’s about control. build on my own experience and build that into the story.” How strong must an individual be? Personally and socially? We live in a performance-orientated society and I’m interested in what happens And then, just when you think we are about to take the Arthouse when this society, or the family in Frueher oder Spaeter, falls Autobahn, she mentions ET as one of her favorites and then cites Star apart; that threat in the everyday when the familiar comes under Wars and suddenly we’re cruising the Hollywood Highway! pressure.”

“Feelings and moments become part of the fantasy and story-telling. Now about that name … Yes, lovers of classical German literature I’ve read and studied the classic three-act-structure, the story of the everywhere, Ulrike von Ribbeck is related to the Herr von Ribbeck im hero – it functions just like the Star Wars principle – and I stay with the Havelland in the poem by Theodor Fontane! classical narrative methods but I love it when genres get mixed. You can have crossover with realism, sure.” “Kids had to learn it at school,” she says, “and the name’s always associat ed with it. He was an ancestor and I get people reciting the And given that the mainstream is also a broad stream, von Ribbeck poem to me! It happens a great deal!” also “loves thrillers because they leave so many possibilities open, such as The Cut from Jane Campion. Match Point is also a thriller but Like all young and new directors, von Ribbeck is “optimistic about the it tells so much about human relationships.” future. I’d love to work in France as it inspires me, but there is also so much talent in German film and good stories can and will be told.” So what kind of director is she? She tries “to get the actors to bring in as much as possible about their own lives. I work long and closely with them, building up a basis of trust to create an ensemble film. We Simon Kingsley spoke with Ulrike von Ribbeck talk a lot about role and character. We talk our way into the charac- ters and create them between us.”

Now, finally unleashed to talk about her latest film, Frueher oder Spaeter, von Ribbeck immediately expands her definition of team- work to those behind the camera, singling out co-author Katharina Held, editor Natali Barrey, casting agent Bernhard Karl, music con - sultant Martin Hossbach, first AD Petra Misovic and camerawoman Sonja Rom for praise.

On the writing process, von Ribbeck says she “likes working with co- authors. You talk, you get new ideas, you toss them around. It’s less lonely! The ideas are your own but team working opens new doors, new opinions, inspiration and confrontation. Katharina made the whole process very constructive and I’ll co-write with her again on my next film.”

While some are content to film the storyboard, von Ribbeck is ready to seize any opportunity that comes her way if it adds to the film, such as “when you come across a great prop, like this small ballerina that turns on a box. I took that immediately! I have my plans and ideas but am ready to change. If rehearsals give the actors the opportunity to develop the character then I take that as well. Likewise with the locations.”

She says she also cares very much about the other partner in the rela- tionship, the audience, “to give them a view of life they might not have had before. I like it when films stay in the memory, touch and affect people.”

Then she reels off another list of people, whom she thanks for making Frueher oder Spaeter happen: Kirsten Niehuus of Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Lucas Schmidt of ZDF’s Das kleine Fernsehspiel, Georg Steinert at ARTE, actors Lola Klamroth and Peter Lohmeyer,

german films quarterly director’s portrait

2 · 2007 21 PRODUCERS’ PORTRAIT Glennie (dir: Thomas Riedelsheimer, 2004), Adobe Towns (dirs: Stefan Tolz, Thomas Wartmann, doc series, 2004), Living Heritage – Beyond Samarkand (dirs: Lisa Eder, Thomas Wartmann, doc series, 2005), Neither Heaven Nor Hell – Cuba (dir: Arnim Stauth, TV, 2005), The Dubai Experiment (dir: Arnim Stauth, TV, 2005), The Search for Happiness (dir: Annette Dittert, doc series, 2005), Between the Lines – India’s Third Gender (dir: Thomas Wartmann, 2005), Living Heritage – The Andean Healer (dirs: Richard Ladkani, Thomas Wartmann, doc series, 2006), Living Heritage – Days of the Dead (dirs: Joanna Michna, Thomas Wartmann, doc series, 2006), Nomads (dirs: Bettina Haasen, Thomas Wartmann, doc series, 2006), and Traders’ Dreams (dirs: Stefan Tolz, Marcus Vetter, 2006). Filmquadrat’s productions have been shown at nume- rous international festivals and won several awards at home and a - broad. Last year, for example, Lisa Eder and Thomas Wartmann’s Beyond Samarkand received the Bavarian Television Award, Der blaue Panther for Best Documentary and the City of Bolzano Award at the International Mountain Film Festival in Trento, while Annette Dittert’s The Search for Happiness won two Adolf Grimme Awards and nominations for the German Camera Award and the International Emmy Awards. In addition, Thomas Wartmann’s Between the Lines – India’s Third Gender won, among other things, the Vision School Award at the Ophuels Festival in Saarbruecken, the Audience Award at Turin’s Gay & Lesbian Film Festival and prizes in all categories at River to River in Florence. Thomas Riedelsheimer, Thomas Wartmann, Stefan Tolz Thomas Wartmann, Thomas Riedelsheimer, (photo courtesy of Filmquadrat) Previous to this, Thomas Riedelsheimer’s Touch the Sound was Filmquadrat was founded in 2002 by a trio of experienced inde- awarded the main prize of the Critics Week at Locarno in 2004, the pendent filmmakers – Thomas Riedelsheimer, Thomas Leipzig Documentary Film Festival’s Golden Dove for Best Film, and a Wartmann and Stefan Tolz – with the aim of creating a com- nomination for the 2004 European Film Awards in the category of pany within which they could be mutually supportive in the making of European Documentary of the Year as well as receiving a BAFTA their films. Working according to this principle, Filmquadrat has deve - Award Scotland, the German Film Award ’s Lola for Best Sound Design lope d into one of the leading German production houses for creative and the 2006 One World Film Festival’s prize for Best Sound. documentaries with production offices in Munich and Cologne and a network of international contacts. The company’s output has ranged Contact: Filmquadrat from work by the three founders to third party projects, including Viktoriastrasse 34 · 80803 Munich/Germany Beyond Horizon – The Niger Delta (dirs: Thomas Riedels - phone +49-89-38 32 98 20 · fax +49-89-38 32 98 21 heimer, Thomas Wartmann, doc series, 2003), Shomal – Riviera of the Mullahs (dir: Stefan Tolz, TV doc, 2003), Arjeplog – Ice Goltsteinstrasse 28-30 · 50968 Cologne/Germany and High Tech in Lapland (dir: Claudia Seifert, TV doc, 2004), phone +49-2 21-80 04 71 30 · fax +49-2 21-80 04 71 25 Touch the Sound – A Sound Journey with Evelyn email: [email protected] · www.filmquadrat.de PLATFORM FOR DOCUMENTARY FILMMAKERS A portrait of Filmquadrat

“When we decided to join forces in 2002, the idea was to create an Thomas Riedelsheimer, who studied at the Academy of Television & open platform rather than just establish another production com- Film (HFF/M) in Munich, worked after graduation as a freelance pany,” says Stefan Tolz, one of the founding fathers along with author, director, cameraman and producer, with an increasing focus on Thomas Riedelsheimer and Thomas Wartmann of feature-length documentaries for cinema release. His most well- Cologne/Munich-based Filmquadrat. known work was Rivers and Tides – Andy Goldsworthy Working with Time which was produced by Berlin-based Mediopolis with Scotland’s All three had built up quite a track record in the documentary world Skyline Productions and was shown in cinemas all over the world, before they took this step to pool their forces. taking $2.5 million at the US box office.

german films quarterly producers’ portrait

2 · 2007 22 Similarly, Stefan Tolz was a graduate of Munich’s HFF/M, but had also leukemia cope with the issues of life and death. Shooting has now studied at the Georgian Institute for Theater in Tbilisi, with short- reach ed halfway through and been mainly done in Munich, with the term stays at the film department of New York University and at the financing partly coming from the German Film Award prize-money. Beijing Film Academy. He then worked, since 1993, as a freelance Moreover, Stefan Tolz and Marcus Vetter have been looking at the filmmaker and producer for various public broadcasters and pro- phenomenon of the online auction house Ebay in Germany in ductions for theatrical release, with his multi-award-winning feature Traders’ Dreams which will be released theatrically by Piffl documentary On the Edge of Time becoming a ’must-see for cinema Medien later this year. lovers’ around the globe. MAKING CONTACTS Thomas Wartmann, on the other hand, had studied Journalism in Munich and later Directing at the American Film Institute in Los “As a company, we enjoy a special situation in Germany,” Tolz con - Angeles. After working on several productions as an assistant direc- tinues. “There are few people in our age group with similar films tor, he traveled throughout Asia, Africa and South America as a work ing the way we do, and it is a very small segment.” Moreover, he journa list for leading magazines before focusing on the directing of is optimistic about the situation of documentary production in more than 25 documentaries since 1994. Germany at the moment: “The possibilities have become more varied and there are many program slots available. The fact is that everything OPEN PLAN has become more and more diversified, and the contacts you have are increasingly important.” “We had been making our films independently with individual com- panies and came to the realization that it would be better to have a Since founding Filmquadrat, the filmmaker trio has been keen to de - mutually supportive infrastructure which would also take care of the velop and extend their international network of contacts. “There are films once the production was completed,” Tolz recalls. “The idea all different kinds of ways of making international contacts: it can be from the outset was that the company should not just be for us, but at the film academies where we are teaching, or when we sit on juries, should be open for other filmmakers as well so that they could have or at film festivals when you have a film invited. We have also been a chance of participating in the value chain of their productions.” recommended to people by the commissioning editors at SWR, and the German-French “Rendez-vous” in Cologne and Munich was help - Hence, the name Filmquadrat and the fact that there were only three ful.” partners in the company: the fourth corner in the square was to be kept open for others. “At the documentary film festival in Leipzig, for example, we had an opportunity to meet Canadian and Chinese producers to talk about Among the filmmakers welcomed into the Filmquadrat fold were projects and the pitching sessions there are in a more family atmos- Claudia Seifert (Arjeplog – Ice and High Tech in Lapland), phere than at the Documentary FORUM in Amsterdam.” Lisa Eder (co-director with Thomas Wartmann on Living Heritage – Beyond Samarkand), Bettina Haasen (Shadows FESTIVAL SUCCESSES of the Desert), Arnim Stauth (The Dubai Experiment), Annette Dittert (The Search for Happiness) as well as Richard In its first five years, Filmquadrat has seen many of its productions Ladkani (co-director with Thomas Wartmann on Living Heritage invited to international festivals and picked up for theatrical release or – The Andean Healer) and Marcus Vetter (co-director on TV airing by foreign distributors or broadcasters. Traders’ Dreams). Thomas Riedelsheimer’s Touch the Sound was awarded the main As Tolz explains, the focus of Filmquadrat’s output in the past five prize of the Critics’ Week after premiering at the Locarno years has been on feature-length documentaries for theatrical release International Film Festival in August 2004 and then went on to pick up – such as Touch the Sound and Traders’ Dreams – and docu- the Golden Dove for Best Film in Leipzig and a nomination for the 2004 mentary series whose subject matter is usually set abroad outside of European Film Award in the category of European Documentary of the Germany. “We don’t make reportages, historical documentaries or Year (Riedelsheimer was a member of the jury for the European journalistic reports,” he notes. “We come from cinema and thus want Documentary Award for last year’s European Film Awards presented in our productions to be visually of a high quality.” Warsaw in December). Touch the Sound also received a BAFTA Award Scotland, a Lola for Best Sound Design and the 2006 One As the titles of Filmquadrat’s productions show – e.g. Beyond World Film Festival’s prize for Best Sound. Horizon – The Niger Delta, Shomal – Riviera of the Mullahs, or Living Heritage – Beyond Samarkand – the Meanwhile, Thomas Wartmann’s Between the Lines – India’s output addresses international issues and is mainly shot in countries Third Gender has been to over 20 festivals, winning such com- outside of Germany. One of the reasons for this international dimen- mendations as the Vision School Award at the Ophuels Festival in sion is, Stefan Tolz argues, the fact that he and Thomas Wartmann, Saarbruecken and the Audience Award at Turin’s Gay & Lesbian Film for example, spent some time studying abroad and so became familiar Festival. The film was on the German Film Academy’s shortlist this with foreign cultures. year in the German Film Awards’ categories for Best Sound and Best Editing. But there are exceptions with films where the story is based in Germany. Thomas Riedelsheimer’s latest theatrical documentary, for Moreover, Annette Dittert’s The Search for Happiness was example, Das rote Sofa (working title) is being made in co - sold to the UK’s BBC and Russia’s Channel One, won two Adolf operation with a children’s cancer unit in Munich and addresses the Grimme Awards and received nominations for the German Camera question of how children who are threatened by deadly diseases like Prize and the International Emmy Awards. Martin Blaney german films quarterly producers’ portrait

2 · 2007 23 Nina Hoss in “Yella” (photo © Hans Fromm) Gertrud Eysoldt Ring, Eysoldt Gertrud Star” MaximilianBrueckner.thisyear, InMarch the of shereceived ACTRESS’ PORTRAIT ACTRESS’ Hauptmann’s It was as if German actress German It wasasif NinaHoss A portrait of A Festspiele production of Gedeck andUlrichMatthes. Moreover, sheappeared intheSalzburg by BarbaraFrey inherversionasthemaidFranziskaoppositeMartina AmelieNiermeyer, for MinnavonBarnhelm Ninawascast title role of Goethe’s duction of Lessing’s in MichaelThalheimer’s stagingsof andAmelieNiermeyer.Ostermeier, Shecouldbeseen EinarSchleef a guesttoappearthere inproductions bysuchdirectors asThomas twoyearsTheater for in1998.Sincethen,shehasoftenreturned as atBerlin’s thecompany Deutsches becameamemberof graduating Busch”andon Schauspielkunst“Ernst renowned Hochschulefuer in1975, inStuttgart Born In many respects,In many itisnotthatsurprising thatNinaHossshouldhave more toshowinthefuture. andrecognition atalentwithmuch for justified the award wastotally withthe31-year-old’s resumeBut anyone familiar wouldknowthat as performance the awards ceremony toreceive Marianne Faithfull’s –hadbeencalledoutatthisyear’s Berlinale thathername –andnot believe secondsshecouldn’t afew for · 2007 2 filmsquarterlygerman PASSION Einsame Menschen Yella Faust. DerTragoedie ZweiterTeil one of themostrespected actingawards inthe one of in Christian Petzold’s film of thesamename. in ChristianPetzold’s of film Jedermann Nina Hoss Nina Hoss and appeared asHelenainhispro- Silver Bear along withthisyear’s “Shooting had beenstruckbylightning: received hertrainingatthe received for BestActress her for for Emilia Galotti . After playing the . Afterplaying and FOR Kesselmann.” the first production the first appearingonthestage,with passion,andthen Istarted my always on stageandtookpianosinging lessonsandsoon.Actingwas doiton alargescale.However,“I waschosen,butIdidn’t Iliked being schooland heldacastingsession,”sherecalls.radio stationtomy actinginradio plays. “Somepeoplecamefromwhen shestarted the seven thespianscameatthetenderageof contact withtheworldof theWuerttembergische Landesbuehne.Nina’s first director of Heidemarie Rohwedderappeared onthestageandwasformer anactress: afterall,hermother thecareerdecided tofollow of Mann Grimme Award ( Huntgeburth’sShe tooktheleadinHermine thesecondcollaborationwithPetzold for trophy on with Hannah latest film latest film 2006.Hertitlerole BestActress inChristianPetzold’sfor inJanuary Toronto bringinghera FilmFestival, International bestsellerandhaditsworldpremiereinternational atthe2005 Actress occasions. the Atthe1999MontrealNinareceived FilmFestival, andwithChristianPetzoldOttokar Runze,DorisDoerrie onthree directors Buck, asDetlev She hassinceworked withsuchfilm 2005), HÖRZU Bloch –Schwestern Epstein’s Night Nobody Weeps For Me includes: herotherfilms Berlinale inFebruary. Aselectionof Called Rosemarie Eichinger’s inBernd and cinema.Theleadpart TVremake Wilson attheBerlinerEnsembleaswellthrough herroles TV for wider audienceboththrough andRobert herworkwithLucBondy Frey’s stagingattheDeutschesTheater. Ninabecameknowntoa Eurypides’ area, herinterpretation speaking for of German Janson, TV,Janson, 1999), NinaGrosse,dir: 1997), Naechste Joseph Vilsmaier, 1995), marked herbreakthrough, winningherthe email: [email protected] ·www.players.de 86 16 85 +49-30-2 80·fax 16 85 phone +49-30-2 Sophienstrasse 21·10178Berlin/Germany Players GmbH AgenturManagement Contact: 2007), and Frau desAnarchisten Herz isteindunklerWald Oskar Roehler, 2005), Die weisse Massai ) in2003.Two years later, shepicked uphersecond prize for her performance in herperformance prize for Elementary ParticlesElementary listings magazine,the Yella Anonyma , dir: Detlev Buck,1997), Detlev , dir: ACTING ACTING for Petzold’sfor won hera ( Leben mitHannah Leben “Naked” Ich liebe Dich, ich liebe Dich nicht liebeDich ich liebeDich, Ich ( Epsteins Nacht ( (dir: MaxFaerberboeck,2007). (dir: ) whichwasbasedonCorinneHofmann’s The Heart isaDark Forest Die Geiselnvon CostaRica Das MaedchenRosemarie Love Your Neighbor (dir: Edward Berger,(dir: TV, 2003), Something toRemind Me Silver Bear (co-dirs: MarieNoelleandPeter Sehr, German VideoPrizeGerman ( Und keiner weint mirnach ( Nackt , dir: NicoletteKrebitz,, dir: 2007), ( Fire Rider Elementarteilchen for BestActressfor atthisyear’s Der Vulkan , dir: Doris Doerrie, 2001), DorisDoerrie, , dir: , dir: UrsEgger,, dir: 2001), , dir: EricavonMoeller,, dir: Golden Camera The WhiteMasai , andthe Bavarian FilmAwardBavarian actress’ portrait ( ( Liebe Deine Liebe Feuerreiter Wolfsburg and an Golden Lion by Wendy ) in1996 (dir: Uwe (dir: Medea ( A Girl Living Grimme Toter of the of , dir: ( Adolf And Das , dir: Die Best in . . , 24 “At the time, I set myself a personal test: if it all goes well, then that’s stage and cinema is good for me – I would really miss it if one of them what I will do, that will be my profession,” Nina says. “Fortunately, it was gone because I find that my work in films is something I can use went really well and so I continued acting and singing until I decided for my roles on the stage.” during high-school to start applying for a place at one of the drama schools.” Her regular collaborations with certain theater directors is reflected in her work for the cinema with the now long-standing working Hoss was accepted by the famous Hochschule fuer Schauspielkunst partner ship with Christian Petzold: she first worked with him on “Ernst Busch” – where she studied at the same time as Yella co-star Something to Remind Me in 2001 and followed this a year later Devid Striesow – and praises the “very good personal training and the with Wolfsburg, both performances winning her one of the covet - fact that I had a voice coach who was specially working with me ed Adolf Grimme Awards, and was then cast in the title role of rather than doing this in a group. The studies were predominantly Petzold’s 2007 Berlinale competition film Yella. geared to acting on the stage, and film really only became aware of me by chance.” “Christian has a similar approach to me: he revolves around the story and the figure and gives me such a freedom,” Nina explains. “I like the “The teaching approach was a bit like Stella Adler,” Nina explains. way that he talks about the plot and the characters – he never be - “You learn from out of a situation and put yourself into a character. comes concrete. I don’t like it when a director tells you in detail how You aim to preserve an openess about the relationship of the charac- you should play a scene. A good director should give you space and ter to the space he or she is in and to the other figures.” their confidence in your ability. The work with Christian is all about give and take.” The first brush with cinema came before Nina had even made the move from her home town of Stuttgart to Berlin to start her studies “When I am making a decision about which role to accept, I look to at “Ernst Busch”: Joseph Vilsmaier was looking for a lead actress for see if I feel the story is coherent and the figure is interesting for me,” his next feature And Nobody Weeps For Me and was given her Nina continues. “And I also think about the other people involved in name by an acting friend. Nina was in her final year at school, but the project. In fact, there are so many different factors that lead to this Vilsmaier liked what he saw and cast her shortly before the film went decision.” before the camera. Nina Hoss has often been said to have almost magical qualities in the Her performance in Vilsmaier’s film was subsequently seen by produ- way she can slip from one character into another, but she finds it hard cer Bernd Eichinger who was preparing his directorial debut with a to identify that one film role which was a particular challenge. “Every remake of A Girl Called Rosemarie as part of SAT.1’s “German film and character is a challenge in its own way. I always have the feel- Classics”. Screen tests were made – just a month into her studies at ing that each role brings you a little further and that it is an ongoing acting school – and the rest is, as they say, history. process,” she suggests. In her theater work, though, she has no pro- blem naming the role which was a real challenge for her as an actress: Nina’s lead role as Rosemarie catapulted into the headlines and sub- the award-winning performance as Medea. sequently the hearts of audiences in cinemas and theater alike, win- ning the Golden Camera of the HÖRZU listings magazine, the German Winning the Silver Bear in February is sure to have put Nina’s name on Video Prize, and the Golden Lion for her performance. But despite to the radar of many international producers who were perhaps not many tempting offers for film and TV work, she resolutely stayed on so aware of her work, although she did become known to a wider the course at “Ernst Busch” to complete her studies. “I wanted to be international audience after the Toronto premiere of Hermine on the stage and also enjoy being a student, something you don’t Huntgeburth’s The White Masai in 2005. always have a chance to do,” Nina says. With genuine modesty, the young actress says that she doesn’t want As her subsequent career shows, she has been able to combine work- to get too caught up in the excitement generated at the Berlinale and ing for theater and film: “I am not afraid of the stage,” she explains. “I prefers to let things take their course. While she is “very satisfied” was helped by the fact that I come from a theater family and had good with what is now possible in German cinema and the success of the advisors and an agent to support me.” films on an international level, Nina wouldn’t be averse to taking on roles in international productions. On her graduation from drama school, she became a member of the company at Berlin’s Deutsches Theater on the invitation of Thomas A start will be made this month [May] with Marie Noelle and Peter Langhoff where she stayed for two years before trying her luck with Sehr’s German-French-Spanish co-production Die Frau des freelance status (she has become a permanent member of the com- Anarchisten where she will be required to speak her lines in pany again since 2005). Nevertheless, she often returned as a guest to French, playing opposite such internationally respected colleagues as appear at the Deutsches Theater in productions by such directors as Laura Morante and Jean-Marc Barr. Then, in June, she will follow this Michael Thalheimer (Emilia Galotti, Einsame Menschen) or Barbara with the lead role in Max Faerberboeck’s Anonyma, to be shot in Frey (Minna von Barnhelm). In March of this year, she received the Berlin and in St. Petersburg, with Russian actors. “I think it is enriching Gertrud Eysoldt Ring, one of the most respected acting awards in the for me to act in another language because you get to become German speaking area, for her interpretation of Eurypides’ Medea in acquainted with other cultures, languages and people,” Nina suggests. Frey’s production. “One gets to see different ways of acting and other approaches to the characters, and that’s what I like about this greater openness in “I have also been able to coordinate my theater engagements with European cinema!” roles for the cinema projects,” Nina observes. “The theater is like a home away from home for me because it gives me a continuity to Nina Hoss spoke with Martin Blaney work with interesting people again and again. The combination of german films quarterly actress’ portrait

2 · 2007 25 NEWS 2/2007 Scene from “One Who Set Forth: Wim Wenders’ Early Years” (photo courtesy of Early Years” Wim Wenders’ “One Who Set Forth: Scene from MFG Baden-Wuerttemberg)

DOKVILLE 2007 MFG FUNDS INTERNATIONALLY SUCCESSFUL PRODUCTIONS From 21 - 22 June the MFG Baden-Wuerttemberg-funded documentary sector meeting will take place: Dokville 2007. One of MFG Baden-Wuerttemberg is the competency center for the the event’s highlights is the Baden-Wuerttemberg Award for Best film scene in the German federal state of Baden-Wuerttemberg and Documentary 2007 which is awarded every second year. The award has been supporting exceptional and cultural film production in the of €20,000 is presented by the MFG and SWR for outstanding achie- area since 1995 – from script development and production to distri- vement in the field of classical documentary films for television and bution and film theater support. cinema. It is one of the highest endowed prizes for documentaries in Germany. One of the many successful examples of MFG Filmfoerderung’s fund - ed projects is Four Minutes by Chris Kraus. The prison drama tells the In 2007, 15 films are nominated – including four projects funded by the story of two very different characters, an elderly piano teacher and MFG: Comrades in Dreams (Uli Gaulke), Die Unzerbrechlichen (Dominik the young, talented but disturbed convict Jenny who is trained for a Wessely), Heavy Metal auf dem Lande (Andreas Geiger) and One Who Young Musicians’ competition. The movie has not only emerged as a Set Forth: Wim Wenders’ Early Years (Marcel Wehn). screen success but has also won numerous prizes at different re - nowned film festivals. So far it is being distributed in 40 countries world wide (e.g. Italy, France and Australia) and was nominated in eight categories for this year’s German Film Awards.

german films quarterly news

2 · 2007 26 FLORIAN GOES TO HOLLYWOOD … AWARDS FOR GERMAN SHORT FILMS IN TAMPERE, ASPEN AND MAR DEL PLATA Once again this year, German Films and Villa Aurora (Foundation for European American Relations) in cooperation with the German At recent festivals, German short films have garnered some major Consulate General and the Goethe-Institut Los Angeles welcomed awards: At the Tampere International Short Film Festival (7-11 March some 400 guests to the traditional OSCAR reception under the 2007) Michaela Kezele’s short Milan was the first German film to win California sun at the Villa Aurora in Pacific Palisades in honor of the the Grand Prix. Fair Trade by Michael Dreher received the Best Drama nomination for The Lives of Others. award at the Aspen Shortsfest (3-8 April 2007).

Both awards qualified the films for entry at the 2008 Academy Awards in the Short Film-Live Action category. At Aspen, Fair Trade also won the Youth Jury Prize, and Motodrom by Joerg Wagner received the award for Best Cinematography. And at the Mar del Plata Film Festival (8-18 March 2007), the ACCA Jury (Asociación Cronistas Cine- matográficos de la Argentina) chose the short dark comedy Wigald by

(photo © Jack Zeman) Timon Modersohn as Best Foreign Short Film.

GERMAN SHORT DOCUMENTARIES IN ECQUADOR AND MEXICO

In April 2007, the fourth edition of Ambulart – Festival of Visual Arts, a non-commercial, trilateral event was organized in Ecuador. Ambulart is a traveling festival founded in 2004 by German and Latin American students from the Academy of Visual Arts Hamburg. Its aim C. Gordon, C. Danckwerts, M. Borries-Knopp, C. Stocks C.C. M. Borries-Knopp, Danckwerts, Gordon, is to stimulate cultural exchange between European and Latin American countries, thereby improving cultural understanding. M. Wiedemann, U. Muehe, Q. Berg, S. Koch, S. Buhr, P. Rommel, P. S. Buhr, Berg, S. Koch, Muehe, Q. M. Wiedemann, U.

AND THE OSCAR GOES TO …

With the support of German Films, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern and Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, over 200 guests got together for a “viewing party” of this year’s OSCAR awards ceremony at a private villa in Hollywood and celebrated Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s victory into the early morning hours. Scene from “Cousins” (photo © Maria Mohr) Scene from (photo © Jack Zeman)

The German Short Film Association (AG Kurzfilm) pre- sented a selection of outstanding German short documentaries at the Florian Henckel von Donnermarck and “OSCAR” von Donnermarck Florian Henckel festival: Motodrom by Joerg Wagner, Cousins (Cousin Cousine) by Maria Mohr, Hallelujah! by Jochen Hick, Through Red Wine (Durch Rotwein durch) by Dagie Brundert, Cigaretta mon Amour – Portrait of My Father by Hannah Ziegler, Benidorm by Carolin Schmitz, female/male by Daniel Lang, and Fresh Air Matchcut (Frischluft Matchcut) by Stephan- Flint Mueller. Director Maria Mohr was on hand to present the pro- The Lives of Others (US distributor: Sony Pictures Classics) got off to gram and conducted a one-week workshop for Ecuadorian film - a great start in the US and can already claim the second largest box makers. Festival venues were the cinema Ocho y Medio in Quito and office take for a German-language film in the US. the MAAC Cine in Guayaquil. In September 2007, Ambulart will be a guest of the Museo de Artes in Guadalajara/Mexico. The festival’s program can also be seen in Hamburg from 10-11 November 2007.

german films quarterly news

2 · 2007 27 GERMAN PREMIERES IN NEW YORK Award. For the first time in 2006, both prizes were awarded during a joint ceremony. The tour not only proves that the short film form Great start into the new year: in January, German Films started off its brings forth great talent, but also that the short film genre is an experi - new “Premiere” year presenting the national box office hit Grave mental field for technical and aesthetic innovation. At the same time, Decisions (Wer frueher stirbt ist laenger tot) by Marcus H. Rosenmueller the tour mirrors the creative diversity of current topics that German in the presence of the director, the producer Andreas Richter (Roxy short films are dealing with today. And Germany’s communal cinemas Film) and world sales agent Dirk Schuerhoff (Beta Cinema). are particularly active in supporting and promoting short films – this year’s tour marking the eighth time that such an event has been organiz ed. Tour dates and further information are available at www.kommunale-kinos.de and www.kurzfilmpreisunterwegs.org.

The Grenzen program will be presenting: The Ballad Battle by Dirk Hendler, Motodrom by Joerg Wagner, Eine einfache Liebe by Maike Mia Hoehne, Kein Platz fuer Gerold (Short Tiger Award 2006) by Daniel Nocke, Dog by Daniel Lang, Fair Trade (German Short Film Award 2006) by Michael Dreher, and Hattenhorst (Short Tiger 2006) by Ove Sander. The Suechte program will screen: Ralf Stadler’s Zigarettenpause (German Short Film Award 2006), Hanna Nordholt and Fritz Steingrobe’s Drei Grazien, Hanna Doose’s Gut moeglich, dass ich fliegen kann, and Carolin Schmitz’ documentary Benidorm. Andreas Richter (photo © Karin Kohlberg) Kohlberg) Richter (photo © Karin Andreas

A JOINT EFFORT FOR FILM

Dirk Schuerhoff, OliverH. Rosenmueller, Marcus Mahrdt, The new joint Filmfoerderung Hamburg Schleswig- Holstein is due to commence operating from Hamburg as of this June. The merge entails the examination of the combined economic space. Thus the regional effects cease to be split up within the funding section, while the film commission sees a substantial increase in attracti ve shooting locations. “Both federal states will profit from this In March, Ulrike Ottinger arrived in New York with her latest film fusion. In future we can operate more generously and are in a posi tion Prater, which had its world premiere during the Berlinale. Ottinger was to promote both locations and their respective advantages together,” accompanied by Ida Martins (Media Luna Entertainment) who is hand- says Eva Hubert, executive director of FilmFoerderung ling the film’s international sales. In April, the documentary The Big Hamburg. Besides the fusion of the film funding institutions of Sellout by Florian Opitz was also screened to buyer’s in New York, just Hamburg and Schleswig-Holstein, the mutual interstate media treaty before it was shown in competition at Nyon. Director Opitz and also regulates the joining together of both respective regional media world sales agent Thorsten Schaumann (Bavaria Film International) authorities. The new MAHSH has already begun its work and will be were on hand for the screening in New York. seated in Norderstedt.

GERMAN SHORT FILM AWARD 2006 ON TOUR

The best short films from 2006 will be touring German communal cinemas until October 2007. Two programs (Grenzen and Suechte) will be presenting the German Short Film Award nominated and winning films and the winners of the German Federal Film Board’s Short Tiger Scene from “Duell in Griesbach” Scene from (photo © Olaf Held/Filmwerkstatt Chemnitz) Scene from “Motodrom” “Motodrom” Scene from

SHORT FILM LOUNGE IN CANNES

(photo courtesy of Filmarbeit) BV Kommunale After the huge success last year, the German Short Film Association (AG Kurzfilm) resumes its activities in Cannes. As the major event, AG Kurzfilm, the BMW Group and German Films

german films quarterly news

2 · 2007 28 will hold a reception to create a meeting point for the short film scene In 2001 Florian Gallenberger’s Quiero Ser won an OSCAR for Best Short in Cannes. On May 19th at 6pm, industry professionals and film- Film, and Steffen Schaeffler’s The Periwig Maker received a nomination makers are invited to a Short Film Lounge on the boat El Bravo. for Best Animated Short. Two years later, two FFF-supported films Additionally, with the support of German Films, international buyers won Academy Awards: Nowhere in Africa by Caroline Link and The and festivals once again have the opportunity to access German short Pianist by Roman Polanski, which won three OSCARS and had four films in the Short Film Corner. This year’s selection includes some of further nominations. In 2005, Luigi Falorni and Byambasuren Davaa the most recent German short film productions: the short fictions were short-listed for their documentary The Story of the Weeping Duel in Griesbach (Duell in Griesbach) by Olaf Held and Moonman Camel, accompanied by Oliver Hirschbiegel for The Downfall as Best (Mondmann) by Fritz Boehm, as well as the short documentary Foreign Language Film. Marc Rothemund followed the year after: Chainsaw Woodcarver (Der Holzmenschbauer) by Katrin Jaeger. To pro- Sophie Scholl – The Last Days was nominated in 2006. vide an additional service for industry professionals, the short films presented in the Short Film Corner are available on the fourth volume of the German Short Films DVD edition. GERMAN SHORT FILMS IN ABU DHABI

From 7 – 13 March 2007, the Cultural Foundation of Abu Dhabi/ FFF BAYERN AND THE OSCAR: United Arab Emirates organized the 6th edition of the Emirates Film A DECADE’S STORY … Competition. Last year, the competition for filmmakers from Arab countries was complemented by a non-competitive section for inter- After having won all important German Film Awards as well as three national short films. European Film Awards, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck’s drama The Lives of Others finally achieved the ultimate success in the film busi- ness: In February, the FFF-funded production by Wiedemann & Berg, BR, ARTE and creado film won the OSCAR as “Best Foreign Language Film”. The OSCAR-nomination for a supported film has become a pleasant routine for FFF Bayern: This year’s success was the 15th nomination since the Bavarian film fund’s foundation in 1996. In 1997, Caroline Link first entered OSCAR territory with her debut feature

Beyond Silence. This” “Stay Like Scene from (photo © Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg)

This year’s topic, Road Cinema, dealt not only with the classic per- ception of “the road”, but also with its philosophical, social and pro- fessional dimension, i.e. changes in life and the crossing of real or ima- gined borders. 18 German short films were screened at the festival, including Stay Like This (Einfach so bleiben) by Sven Taddicken, Subway Score by Alexander Isert, and The Raft (Das Floss) by Jan Thuering.

FILMSTIFTUNG NRW’S INTERNATIONAL FILM CONGRESS: “LIMITLESS” IN COLOGNE FFF Bayern’s Dr. Klaus Schaefer, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck Florian Henckel Klaus Schaefer, Dr. FFF Bayern’s

Where does it work well, and where are there still problems with international co-productions? This is just one of the topics to be dis- cussed during the Filmstiftung NRW’s International Film Congress from 16 – 19 June 2007. Under the motto “Limitless”, the North Rhine Westphalia-based film funder invites the international film indu- stry to the Cologne Exhibition for the Medienforum NRW to examine the possibilities of transnational cooperation and the current situation of European films in the individual neighboring countries. In addition to the top-class panels, which will also present the new German Federal Film Fund, the event will serve as the German premiere- ground and preview forum for NRW-funded films and offer a co-pro- duction meeting, organized this year in cooperation with ACE. More information about the International Film Congress is available on the Filmstiftung’s website www.filmstiftung.de or contact [email protected].

german films quarterly news

2 · 2007 29 GERMANY’S INDUSTRY TIGERS 2007 GERMAN FEDERAL FILM FUND IN THE WORLD WIDE WEB Germany’s most successful producers and distri- butors of German films were awarded a total Since the beginning of 2007, the German film industry has a new fun- of €18.5 million in March during the ding model that can hold up competitively in the European context. German Federal Film Board’s FFA On the initiative of State Minister for Culture Bernd Neumann, the Branchentiger 2007 get-together. The German federal government is putting up €180 million over the next deciding factors for the prize money three years for the German Federal Film Fund in order to are the number of tickets sold and promote Germany as a film location. awards received. The most successful producers at national and internatio- nal film festivals in 2006 were Berlin- based Razor Film Produktion, whose film Paradise Now won a Golden Globe among other honors, and Wiedemann & Berg Filmproduktion, whose production The Lives of Others began its victory march in 2006 with the German Film Award in Gold and the European Film Award. (photo courtesy of the FFA)

For the third year in a row, Constantin Film Produktion and Film Fund Team The German Federal Constantin Film Verleih took home the Golden Branchentiger in both categories: production and distribution. The Munich-based company (whose hits include Perfume – The Story of a Murderer, Elementary Particles, Hui Buh – The Goofy Ghost, and The Robber Hotzenplotz, among others) received €3.4 million in support funds for new feature projects. In the field of production, the other Branchentigers were SamFilm (The Wild Soccer Bunch 1 – 3) with €1.3 million and Zipfelmuetzen Film (7 Dwarves – The Wood is Not Enough). The distri- bution Tigers were X Verleih AG (Summer in Berlin, Into Great Silence, To find out more about the new fund since its introduction in January Requiem) with €424,594 in funding and Buena Vista International 2007, just go to www.ffa.de/dfff for a pool of information about the Germany (The Lives of Others and The Wild Soccer Bunch 3, among innovative fund ing model. The website provides an up-to-date pro- others) with €284,147. duction list of projects which have received this support with com- plete crew and content information and a project status report. Answers to detailed questions can be found in the BKM Guidelines, which are available for download, as is the application form. And of course, the FAQs offer a quick alternative to some of most common inquiries into the fund. All information is available in both English and French. Branchentiger 2007 Branchentiger

FIRST MOONSTONE FILMMAKERS’ LAB (photo courtesy of the FFA) The FFA’s The FFA’s IN THURINGIA

This year the international training initiative Moonstone International is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Established in 1997 in Edinburgh in cooperation with Robert Redford and the Sundance Institute, Moonstone has organized numerous Screenwriters’ and Filmmakers’ Labs which have been instrumental in bringing forth internationally successful films. Two years ago, Moonstone opened an office in Leipzig to serve as the contact central for writers and filmmakers from German-speaking as well as Eastern and Central European countries. The reference funding is based on the legal claims that producers and And Mitteldeutsche Medienfoerderung has been supportive distributors are entitled to as laid down in the Federal Funding Law of Moonstone East from the outset: after four Screenwriters’ Labs in (FFG). The FFG makes it possible for companies to receive financial Central Germany, a first Filmmakers’ Lab took place from 13 – 28 support based on the audience and festival success of their films and April 2007 in Thuringia. Eight young directors were able to gain film- provides funds for the production and distribution of new projects. making experience with a complete crew and with renowned The funding is available without any obligations to location or to tele- directors such as John Irvin, Robert Pejo and Srdan Golubovic as ad - vision broadcasters and can be used without having to receive project visors. Other Moonstone Lab supporters include the EU MEDIA pro- approval from a funding committee. gram and the German Federal Film Board.

german films quarterly news

2 · 2007 30 GERMAN ANIMATIONS IN ANNECY

For the first time, German Films and the German Short Film Association are partners of MFG Baden-Wuerttemberg, the Animations Department of the Filmakademie Baden-Wuerttemberg and the Festival of Animated Film Stuttgart in holding the German Reception at the Annecy International Animated Film Festival. The festival in Annecy and the accompanying film market MIFA are the big- gest business venues for animated film worldwide. The reception is scheduled for 12 June 2007 at the hotel Le Clos Marcel. Among the short films competing for the Annecy Cristal this year are four German shorts: Bernd und sein Leben by Ingo Schiller and Stephan-Flint Mueller, Bildfenster/Fensterbilder by Bert Gottschalk, Canary Beat by Juergen Haas, and Der Kloane (The Runt) by Andreas Hykade. Scene from “The Runt” (photo © Studio Film Bilder) Scene from mbH GmbH Gm worldwide transportp solutions Int. Medienspeditionp 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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german films quarterly news

2 · 2007 31 IN PRODUCTION Musical Theater and Film, today known as the Hamburg Media School, and graduated as a director in 2004.

He has already made a number of shorts, including the 2002 Der noeti ge Schneid, which was nominated for the Short Tiger Award at the Filmfest Munich, an award he was to carry away two years later with Alim Market. This latter film was also nominated for the First Steps

Denis Moschitto in “Chiko” Award 2004 and the Studio Hamburg Newcomer Award for Best Film. international/Maria Krumwiede) Chiko is played by Denis Moschitto, last seen on the big screen in the comedy Kebab Connection in which he played the young hero, Ibo, trying to win back his pregnant girlfriend Titzi by persuading her he can indeed be a good father. As wonderful and charming as he was in that film, think of Chiko as the flipside of the coin and if any young actor (photo © corazón can carry it off, it’s Moschitto. Chiko Moritz Bleibtreu (Elementary Particles) plays Brownie, the local big man, who eventually forces Chiko to question where his loyalties and Type of Project Feature Film Cinema Genre Drama future lie: it is a question of life and death. Production Company corazón international/Hamburg, in co- production with NDR/Hamburg With backing from Production company corazón international was founded in Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), German Federal Film Fund (DFFF), 2003 by Fatih Akin, Andreas Thiel and Klaus Maeck. Their FilmFoerderung Hamburg, Nordmedia, Kuratorium junger deutscher films include Akin’s Head-On, which won, among many others, the Film Producers Fatih Akin, Klaus Maeck Director Oezguer Golden Bear in Berlin in 2004, Crossing the Bridge – The Sound of Yildirim Screenplay Oezguer Yildirim Director of Photog - Istanbul, which screened Out of Competition in Cannes in 2005, and raphy Matthias Bolliger Editor Sebastian Thuemler Production most recently Auf der anderen Seite, screening this year In Competition Design Iris Trescher Principal Cast Denis Moschitto, Moritz in Cannes. Bleibtreu, Volkan Oezcan, Fahri Oguen Yardim, Reyhan Sahin SK Casting Nurhan Sekerci Special Effects Norbert Skodock Format 16 mm, color, blow-up to 35 mm, 1:1.85, Dolby Digital Shooting Language German Shooting in Hamburg, Hanover, February – April 2007 German Distributor Falcom Media Group/Berlin

Contact corazón international GmbH & Co KG Ann-Kristin Demuth Ditmar-Koel-Strasse 26 · 20459 Hamburg/Germany phone +49-40-3 11 82 38 34 · fax +49-40-3 11 82 38 21 On location for “Dr. Alemán” On location for “Dr.

email: [email protected] · www.corazon-int.de (photo courtesy of 2 Pilots Film)

Marking the feature directorial debut of Oezguer Yildirim, Chiko is as hard and gnarly as any film about a Turkish wannabe drug boss can be.

Throwing instead of pulling its punches, this is the story of Isa (as he’s actually named, but who finds the nickname Chiko much cooler) who grows up in a Hamburg suburb. It might be one of the world’s richest Dr. Alemán cities but every beast has its belly and here, in the very underbelly, Type of Project Action/Adventure, Drama Production Chiko lives in a world where violence, staking and keeping a claim, and Company 2 Pilots Filmproduction/Cologne With backing drug taking are the norm. Where down is not an option, Chiko is from éQuinoxe, BKM, Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), Filmstiftung determined to rise to the top, whatever and whomever it costs. NRW, MEDIA Plus Producers Harry Floeter, Joerg Siepmann Regardless of time and circumstances, he wants immediate and un - Director Tom Schreiber Screenplay Oliver Keidel Director of limited respect. And with the means justifying his ends, for Chiko Photography Olaf Hirschberg Editor Andreas Wodraschke every means is justified. Production Design Alex Scherer Principal Cast August Diehl Anja Dihrberg Flash Art 35 Yildirim, who also wrote the script, was born in 1979 in Hamburg and Casting Special Effects Format mm, color, 1:1.85, Dolby Digital Spanish had a novel (Graue Naechte, translation: “Grey Nights”) published Shooting Language Cali/Colombia, North-Rhine Westphalia, May – June when he was just fourteen. After graduating high school and complet - Shooting in 2007 ZORRO Filmverleih/Munich ing his non-military service, he entered the University for Theater, German Distributor german films quarterly in production

2 · 2007 32 World Sales TELEPOOL GmbH · Wolfram Skowronnek Sonnenstrasse 21 · 80331 Munich/Germany phone +49-89-55 87 60 · fax +49-89-55 87 62 29 email: [email protected] · www.telepool.de

It’s a common complaint: there are not enough good scripts. That (photo courtesy of wtp) doesn’t stop films getting made, of course. And a good script can always be killed by the wrong director, miscasting, bad camerawork,

poor editing, etc. But start with a good script and you have as solid a Seidenberg Wolfgang Mira Gittner, foundation as possible. With Dr. Alemán, Oliver Keidel won the German Script Award 2006.

Dr. Alemán is the story of Marc, a 26-year-old German medical student, who decides to spend his year of on-the-job training in Colombia. What starts off as an adventure very quickly develops into a fight between life and death – and death is an ever-present threat Die Einsamkeit ist that is not confined just to the hospital. nie allein Referencing such films as City of God, Blow, Traffic and The Beach, Dr. Alemán is, says Keidel, “an emotional film about a young man Type of Project Feature Film Cinema Genre Tragicomedy, searching for adventure. It’s about the collision of two cultures in Phantasmagoria Production Company wtp international/ extreme form, a man from cosy Germany in the hardest region of Munich Producers Patricia Koch, Marina Anna Eich, Roland Reber South America, in a city with the highest murder rate.” Director Roland Reber Screenplay Roland Reber, Mira Gittner Directors of Photography Mira Gittner, Juergen Kendzior Director Tom Schreiber was “fascinated by Marc’s story because Editor Mira Gittner Music by Wolfgang Edelmayer Production it tells what it’s like to be lost in a foreign world. It tells of the hope Design Martin Lippert, Christoph Baumann Principal Cast Mira of understanding the foreign reality, of the desperate attempt to Gittner, Wolfgang Seidenberg, Marina Anna Eich, Sabrina Brencher, adapt to foreign places and integrate into foreign societies, and of the Antonio Exacoustos, Andreas Heinzel, Sven Thiemann Format DV fact, that despite all efforts, you always remain an outsider.” Cam, blow-up to 35 mm, color, 1:1.85, Dolby SR Shooting Language German Studio Location Panther Studios/Ober - In fact, Dr. Alemán originated when Schreiber described to Keidel haching Shooting in Munich, Landsberg/Lech, Kaufbeuren, April – the true story of a friend of his, a German anaesthetist, who spent a May 2007 year doing on-the-job medical training in Cali. World Sales With a mixture of professionals and non-actors, Dr. Alemán pro- wtp international GmbH · Marina Anna Eich mises to deliver another show stopping performance from August Bayerisches Filmzentrum · Bavariafilmplatz 7 Diehl. German Film Award, Best Actor, 1999; European “Shooting 82031 Geiselgasteig/Germany Star”, Berlinale 2000; German Film Critic’s Award for Best Actor (for phone +49-89-64 98 11 12 · fax +49-89-64 98 13 12 Was nuetzt die Liebe in Gedanken) 2005, Diehl brings a depth to his email: [email protected] · www.wtpfilm.de performances that few actors his age can. Lest we forget, film itself is just a medium. It is the message that Says Diehl, “Dr. Alemán describes via its story, and especially via its counts. Each film, and here we are talking about the finished product, main character, what it’s like to make a decision based on the need to whether it be viewed in a cinema, on TV or DVD, seeks to elicit an look for danger. The need to look for oneself in something strange emotional response. That response can be measured in the number and foreign, as it were.” of millions it takes at the box office, bags of popcorn sold, merchan- dise shifted over the counter: the film as product, if you like, the ones Dr. Alemán will not be an easy journey, and there is no guaran tee with star names and the classic three-act structure. of arriving safely, but it promises to be an exciting ride! Then there are other films, the ones that seek to elicit an emotional SK response in the same way Philip Glass does with his music; minimalist and profound. Die Einsamkeit ist nie allein (translation: “Lonli ness is Never Alone”) is just such a film.

The man (Wolfgang Seidenberg) flees from the constant reoccurances of his life; from the expectations, from the responsibility forced upon him by a normal life. On a disused industrial estate he meets Godot (Mira Gittner), a woman who collects rubbish, lives in an old caravan and spends her time on a paradise island, a rubber boat with inflatable palm tree, drifting along the city’s sewers, search - ing for signs of human existence.

In memories, tragic and strange phantasmagorias, the man – in this german films quarterly in production

2 · 2007 33 one night – reviews his own life. In his visions he meets the main Contact characters of his life: the wife (Marina Anna Eich), whom he has SevenOne International GmbH left, his girlfriend, his mother, his grandfather. Medienallee 7 · 85774 Unterfoehring/Germany phone +49-89-95 07 23 20 · fax +49-89-95 07 23 21 “The film is a phantasmagoric excursion into the depths of the soul,” email: [email protected] explains writer-director-producer Roland Reber. “It is a revue-like www.sevenoneinternational.com confrontation with the forces of the conscious and subconscious. The man’s confused thoughts,” he continues, “offer the material for a The idea for Fruehstueck mit einer Unbekannten came media spectacle that excludes not a single genre of the contemporary during a conversation after the awards ceremony of the Cinema for media landscape, with intellectual discourses and fantastic images, Peace gala during last year’s Berlinale. crazy and grotesque scenes that twist fairytales and satirize the politi- cal past. In partly impressively real, partly amazingly surreal images full The British screenwriter Richard Curtis, whose credits include Four of comedy, the man zaps through his thoughts like through a tele - Weddings and a Funeral, Mr Bean and Bridget Jones, had just received vision program.” an award for his BBC/HBO film The Girl in the Cafe and was talking to event organizer Jaka Bizilj and Bob Geldof about the possibility of In 2001 Roland Reber won the Emerging Filmmaker Award at the Angel making a German version to coincide with the G8 summit being held City Hollywood Film Festival for his feature-length thriller Das in Germany in June 2007. Zimmer. “Jaka very quickly got SAT.1 onboard and then approached us to be wtp international dates back to 1998 and, says actress-producer the producers,” recalls Berlin-based producer Judy Tossell who Marina Anna Eich, “makes all its feature films without subsidy or was reunited on this project with director Maria von Heland with broadcaster money so we are even more engaged with the project whom she made the comedy Big Girls Don’t Cry in 2001. “Jan Josef and place the emphasis on artistic creativity. We see ourselves as a [Liefers] was the first choice for the male lead, but we decided to forum of innovative materials and techniques.” make him much younger than Bill Nighy in the original,” Tossell explains. “Julia Jentsch was cast as ‘the girl’ [played by Kelly SK McDonald in the BBC version] just before Christmas, and the rest of the cast includes Iris Berben as the Federal Chancellor, Stefan Kurt, Andrea Sawatzki, Joerdis Triebel and Juergen Heinrich.”

Moreover, Tossell landed quite a coup during the shoot in February by persuading French diva Catherine Deneuve – who is one of the leading lights of the Cinema for Peace initiative – to make a cameo appearance as a mysterious French delegate at the summit in a morn - ing shoot at the Konzerthaus at Gendarmenmarkt just hours after the Cinema for Peace gala had been staged there. Jan Josef Julia Jentsch in Liefers, (photo © SAT.1/Stefan Rabold) (photo © SAT.1/Stefan

“Fruehstueck mit einer Unbekannten“ But it was quite a race against time for the production, since, as with the BBC film, the idea all along was to have the finished TV film aired in the days leading up to the G8. Thus, SAT.1 is planning to broadcast von Heland’s film at the end of May in a primetime slot.

Adapted by Martin Rauhaus from Curtis’ original screenplay, the German version has Liefers as a research assistant of the Finance Fruehstueck mit einer Minister and shy workaholic who falls in love in a coffee shop with the unconventional Gina (played by Jentsch who was in Berlin this year Unbekannten with Jiri Menzel’s competition film I Served the King of England). She follows his invitation to accompany him to the G8 summit in Type of Project TV Movie Genre Romantic Comedy Heiligendamm where she not only changes his life but also causes Production Company Egoli Tossell Film/Berlin, in co-production rippl es among the other bureaucrats there. with Cinema for Peace & Star Entertainment/Berlin With backing from Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg Producers Judy Tossell, “It will be younger, sweeter and lighter, but the political side is just as Jens Meurer, Jaka Bizilj Director Maria von Heland Screenplay pronounced as in the Curtis original. It is more of a classical romantic Martin Rauhaus, adapted from English original by Richard Curtis comedy with a political twist,” Tossell observes. “We have made the Director of Photography Gero Steffen Editor Patricia couple younger and the girl is more like a normal young woman that Rommel Music by Biber Gullatz Production Design Ulrika von the audience would be able to identify with.” Vegesack Principal Cast Julia Jentsch, Jan Josef Liefers, Andrea Sawatzki, Stefan Kurt, Juergen Heinrich Casting Anja Dihrberg Tossell points out that the project will come into its own with the Format S16 mm, color, 1:1.78, Dolby SR Shooting Language DVD release of Fruehstueck mit einer Unbekannten: “It is German Shooting in Berlin and Heiligendamm, February – March more than just a one-off TV film, there is so much more you can do 2007 with background materials on the G8 and Cinema for Peace.”

german films quarterly in production

2 · 2007 34 Moreover, the venture will also be benefiting some good causes: “We worked over the past two years with Doris on this film idea and SAT.1 is donating all income from DVD, video and international sales it is naturally wonderful that we are able to work together again after to the UNICEF schools in Africa as well as “Deine Stimme gegen such a long time. The film is just right for us,” von Fuerstenberg de - Armut”, the German branch of Richard Curtis’ “Make Poverty clares. History” campaign. Furthermore, producers Egoli Tossell Film and Cinema for Peace will be waiving any profit and all proceeds from “This new film can’t be seen as a continuation of the previous two the production, and Curtis has committed to donate his fee for the films set in Japan,” she stresses. “There is perhaps a little connection adaptation rights to “Make Poverty History”. with Enlightenment Guaranteed, but in fact it is really something quite different.” Unlike many of her previous films, Hanami is not based MB on one of Doerrie’s short stories, but is an original story this time.

Doerrie and the Olgas have put an impressive cast together for this tragicomic drama about a widower traveling from Germany to Japan in the search of the lost dreams of his late wife.

“The cast was pretty clear from the outset,” von Fuerstenberg recalls, “but we then had to re-cast one role at the last minute when Monica Bleibtreu fell ill and we were fortunately able to get Hannelore Elsner instead.” This year’s “Shooting Star” Maximilian Brueckner plays the widower’s son who is living in Japan, and other roles are taken by Nadja Uhl (Summer in Berlin), Birgit Minichmayr (Fallen) and Floriane Daniel (Winter sleepers).

“The shooting schedule was so rigid for us to start in the middle of March because the global warming means that the blossoming of the

“Hanami” team (photo © courtesy of Olga Film) cherry trees in Japan is taking place earlier than ever,” she continues. “This is an important element in the film so we couldn’t postpone the Hanami start of shooting.” The producers and Doerrie are also very pleased to have been able Type of Project Feature Film Cinema Genre Drama Pro- to cast Elmar Wepper in the role of the widower: “We knew that duction Company Olga Film/Munich With backing from he is a very good actor and would be the right choice to play an older, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Bavarian civil servant from the countryside,” von Fuerstenberg says. Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) Indeed, Doerrie had worked with Wepper on her last feature The Producers Molly von Fuerstenberg, Harald Kuegler Director Fisherman and His Wife and Olga Film knew him from their collabora- Doris Doerrie Screenplay Doris Doerrie Director of Photog - tion on the 2005 TV movie Mathilde liebt by Wolfram Paulus. raphy Hanno Lentz Editor Inez Regnier Production Design Bele Schneider Principal Cast Elmar Wepper, Hannelore Elsner, However, it is the first time that Doerrie will have worked with the Nadja Uhl, Birgit Minichmayr, Felix Eitner, Maximilian Brueckner, cinematographer Hanno Lentz whose feature film credits include Floriane Daniel Casting Nessie Nesslauer Format HD, blow-up the lensing of Sherry Hormann’s Guys and Balls and Jobst Oetzmann’s to 35 mm, color, 1:1.85, Dolby Shooting Language German The Loneliness of the Crocodiles. Shooting in Tokyo, Berlin, Baltic Sea coast, Allgaeu, March – April 2007 German Distributor Majestic Filmverleih/Berlin “We are shooting in the HD format because it is very important for Doris and us at Olga Film to have this feeling of mobility and to be up World Sales close to the characters,” von Fuerstenberg explains. “And you have a Bavaria Film International much better chance of really capturing the crazy atmosphere in Tokyo Dept. of Bavaria Media GmbH · Thorsten Schaumann than if you tried to set up a 35 mm camera there.” Bavariafilmplatz 8 · 82031 Geiselgasteig/Germany phone +49-89-64 99 26 86 · fax +49-89-64 99 37 20 After the Japanese end of the shoot, the production moved at the email: [email protected] beginning of April to locations in Berlin and on the Baltic Sea coast www.bavaria-film-international.com before wrapping in the Allgaeu region in Southern Germany at the end of April. Doris Doerrie has once more traveled around the globe to the MB distant climes of Japan for her latest production Hanami after having filmed there in the past for her two features Enlightenment Guaranteed and The Fisherman and His Wife.

The €2.9 million film also marks another kind of reunion: with Molly von Fuerstenberg and Harald Kuegler’s Munich-based pro- duction house Olga Film which had produced Doerrie’s inter - national breakthrough hit Men more than twenty years ago as well as two other of her films, Straight Through the Heart and Money. german films quarterly in production

2 · 2007 35 old man, a civil servant, who was born in the Year of the Dog. Mourning his deceased wife, he dares to start anew.

In episode four, a young couple plan their wedding and celebrate, sing karaoke, argue, play with teddy bears and swear eternal love to each other. “At the end of the film,” says Scheid, “I explain, from the dog’s- eye perspective, about the new love people have developed for the animal, of dyed and stuffed dogs, of dog restaurants and dog cemeteries. Of the Olympic dog, Milu, his owner and life in poverty (photo courtesy of Film) Wasabi Scene from “Im Jahr des Hundes” Scene from in Hutong. Also, dog training with the Beijing police and a dog butcher. Of stories and places that have not been revealed before.”

As should now be patently obvious, Im Jahr des Hundes is about dogs in China and more than about dogs in China. It is about China itself, from a wholly new perspective; the dog as metaphor, as a Im Jahr des Hundes vehicle for a new and original take on this amazing country. Founded in 2006 by Martin Kircher and Hendrik Feil, Type of Project Documentary Cinema Genre Tragicomedy, Wasabi Film takes its name from the very hot and delicious green Society Production Company Wasabi Film/Munich With horseradish, without which no sushi is complete. Once tasted, never backing from Filmstiftung NRW, FilmFernsehFonds Bayern forgotten! Producers Martin Kircher, Hendrik Feil Director Ursula Scheid Screenplay Ursula Scheid Directors of Photography Armin SK Dierolf, Petra Wallner Format HDV-C Pro, blow-up to 35 mm, color, 1:1.85, Dolby SR Shooting Language Chinese Shooting in Beijing, Chang Chun, Gong Zhu Lin, February & May 2007

Contact Wasabi Film GmbH & Co. KG · Hendrik Feil Bayerisches Filmzentrum · Bavariafilmplatz 7 82031 Geiselgasteig/Germany phone +49-89-64 98 12 00 · fax +49-89-64 98 13 00 email: [email protected] · www.wasabifilm.com

In the words of writer-director Ursula Scheid, “Im Jahr des Hundes tells of dogs in China and about the dogs of people and Max Riemelt, Uwe Ochsenknecht in about the people of that society. Of belief and superstition, of the rituals in the Year of the Dog, of dog owners and dog food, of child- ren and money, of loneliness and faith in the future. These are enter- taining stories, informative, bright and wacky, critical and sad. I come (photo Stelter) © enigma film/Kerstin “Ironman” closer to the people via the dogs, and vice versa.”

Scheid, who is no stranger to China, least of which being that she did Ironman her Master’s degree in Sino-German Relations, has known most of her film’s protagonists for many years. “Close enough,” she says, “to Type of Project Feature Film Cinema Genre Drama share a part of their lives, to show their everyday existence.” Production Company enigma film/Munich, in co-production with Odeon Pictures/Munich, Lunaris Film- und Fernseh- Opting for an episodic structure, Im Jahr des Hundes narrates produktion/Munich, Neue Kinowelt Filmproduktion/Berlin With several stories. backing from Filmstiftung NRW, Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, German Federal Film Fund (DFFF) There is the nouveau-riche and pregnant property dealer who has left Producers Fritjof Hohagen, Clarens Grollmann Director Adnan her dog, and a 50-year-old woman who was left by her husband and G. Koese Screenplay Adnan G. Koese, Fritjof Hohagen Director lives, together with her dog and old mother, in a dark flat. They tell of of Photography James Jacobs Editor Alexander Dittner the problems of having children while unmarried, the high dog tax and Production Design Oliver Hoese Principal Cast Max Riemelt, the prices of property. Jasmin Schwiers, Axel Stein, Uwe Ochsenknecht, Ingo Naujoks Casting Buenker Casting/Berlin Format 35 mm, color, cs, Dolby Episode two features an artist’s family, with one child and six dogs, Digital 5.1 Shooting Language German Shooting in Dinslaken, who have settled for life in the country. Scheid depicts their everyday Amsterdam, Lanzarote, February – March, May 2007 German life; getting up, cooking, playing chess. The conversation ranges from Distributor Kinowelt Filmverleih/Leipzig the Year of the Dog and faith to art and money.

Northern China is the setting of the third episode where we meet an german films quarterly in production

2 · 2007 36 World Sales “Moreover, my background as an actor means that when we are Beta Cinema / Dept. of Beta Film GmbH rehearsing, I am not in front of the monitor, but always like to be with Andreas Rothbauer the actors as if on the stage. That physical contact is important for Gruenwalder Weg 28 d · 82041 Oberhaching/Germany me.” phone +49-89-67 34 69 80 · fax +49-89-6 73 46 98 88 email: [email protected] 80% of the shoot was in and around Dinslaken – an area Koese knew www.betacinema.com well as he originates from this part of the Ruhr region – and the pro- duction team couldn’t want for more support from the local people In 2000, an article in the magazine Der Spiegel on the book about the and authorities, with mayor Sabine Weiss doing everything in her true story of the world-class triathlete Andreas Niedrig caught the power to make the shoot feel welcome. The NRW shoot was then attention of producer Frithjof Hohagen. followed by a day of scenes in Amsterdam and then a break of six weeks for Riemelt to “fatten up” to look like a real sportsman before “The book Vom Junkie zum Ironman created quite a stir at the time,” three days of filming on Lanzarote during the real Ironman com - Hohagen recalls. “There were TV documentaries about the case, and petition in mid-May. several film production companies showed interest in the story, but MB nothing then came of these plans.”

However, when he set up Munich-based enigma film with partner Clarens Grollmann in 2004, the Ironman story came to mind again and he approached Niedrig in person to discuss the idea of making a film about his life. The next step was to find a director, the choice falling on Adnan G. Koese whom Hohagen already knew from a previous collaboration.

As Koese recalls, his reaction after being approached by Hohagen was to ask to meet Niedrig: “I am interested in the person behind the story and in getting to know them. We met and a very good relation - Verbrechen” “Liebe und andere ship developed with Andreas, giving me every creative freedom.”

“We have had a very close and trusting collaboration with Andreas Film/Biljana Ristivojcevic)(photo © COIN

and he has been very supportive and constructive with his advice,” StefanDirector Arsenijevic (right) on the set of Hohagen adds.

“Creatively, one of the very first questions was who would play Andreas and we had extensive casting sessions in Berlin with many of Liebe und andere the leading young German actors attending,” he continues. Verbrechen Germany’s “Shooting Star” 2005 Max Riemelt, whose previous credits include Napola and The Red Cockatoo, was finally chosen for Type of Project Feature Film Cinema Genre Drama, the physically demanding role of Niedrig who had lived the life of a Tragicomedy Production Company COIN Film/Cologne, in co- junkie and petty thief before radically changing direction and training production with Art & Popcorn/Belgrade, Amour Fou to become one of the world’s most successful triathletes.“Max was in Filmproduktion/Vienna, Studio Arkadena/Trzin With backing superb condition and muscular in Napola, but he had to really lose from Filmstiftung NRW, BKM, Robert Bosch Stiftung, Eurimages, weight for this role and is now quite skinny for the scenes during City of Belgrade, Serbian Ministry of Culture, South Eastern Andreas’ decline as a junkie in the Ruhr region,” explains Hohagen, European Cinema Network, Vienna Film Fund, Hubert Bals Fund, who co-wrote the screenplay with Koese. Atelier du Cinéma Européen, WDR, BMW Group Producer Herbert Schwering Director Stefan Arsenijevic Screenplay The cast includes Jasmin Schwiers (Tattoo) as Andreas’ wife Stefan Arsenijevic Director of Photography Simon Tansek Sabine and Uwe Ochsenknecht as his mentor and trainer, while Editor Andrew Bird Production Design Volker Schaefer Axel Stein – known until now for his roles in such pratfall co medies Principal Cast Anica Dobra, Milena Dravic, Vuk Kostic, Hanna as Ants In The Pants – takes a distinctly new direction with a character Schwamborn Casting Susanne Ritter Format 35 mm, color, part as one of Andreas’ friends who pays the price for their drug 1:1.85, Dolby Digital Shooting Language Serbian Shooting in addiction. Belgrade, February – March 2007 German Distributor Pandora Film Verleih/Aschaffenburg For Koese, who came to directing via acting and screenwriting, Ironman is his feature film debut and also marks the first production World Sales of newly-established Neue Kinowelt Filmproduktion run by The Match Factory GmbH · Michael Weber Hermann Florin and Boris Schoenfelder. “I really like the Sudermanplatz 2 · 50670 Cologne/Germany classic way of filmmaking and working with light,” the director says. phone +49-2 21-2 92 10 20 · fax +49-2 21-29 21 02 10 “I also spend a lot of time on the visual composition: before we began email: [email protected] shooting, I sat down with the DoP and discussed the shots to the last www.the-match-factory.com detail. Everything is composed and prepared, there is no room for improvisation.” german films quarterly in production

2 · 2007 37 After working together on the omnibus film Lost and Found which Golubovic’s 2007 Berlinale film The Trap), while the part of her young opened the Berlinale’s Forum section in 2005, Belgrade-born film - admirer Stanislav is taken by Vuk Kostic (star of Golubovic’s 2001 maker Stefan Arsenijevic and German producer Herbert drama Absolute Hundred), with other roles cast with veteran Serbian Schwering of COIN Film have collaborated again on the young actress Milena Dravic and the young German actress Hanna Serbian director’s feature film debut, the tragicomedy Liebe und Schwamborn (Good Bye, Lenin!). andere Verbrechen (“Love and Other Crimes”) which wrapp ed at the end of March. The film is the first production by Herbert Meanwhile, the international flavor is continued behind the camera: Schwering with his new company COIN Film (formerly ICON Film). production designer Volker Schaefer, who, among other things, creat - ed the sets at Cologne’s MMC Studios for Amelie from Montmartre, Expectations are running high after Arsenijevic’s numerous short brought his art department team to Belgrade; Veronika Albert, films, including (A)torsion from 2003 which won the European Film sister of filmmaker Barbara Albert, is serving as co-costume designer, Award, a Berlin Golden Bear and a nomination for the Academy Award’s with NRW-based Georg Nonnenmacher (whose recent credits Best Fiction Short category. “I feel quite different,” says Arsenijevic include The Wind That Shakes The Barley and Paradise Now) as gaffer, about the transition from short to a feature-length shoot. “The whole and Hamburg-based editor Andrew Bird (Head-On) coming to shooting will be as many days I had for my shorts, it feels strange and Cologne to work on the edit over the coming months. it’s like I am running a marathon!” MB

“Liebe und andere Verbrechen is about a woman who is not satisfied with her life in contemporary Serbia and decides to steal some money and escape from the country forever,” Arsenijevic explains. “The film follows her over the course of this last day from morning to evening. In the evening, she is supposed to steal the money and leave and we see her meeting people who were part of her life; she is now able to take some small acts of revenge and tell them what she really thought of them, to leave some presents and make a quiet departure from her imperfect life. But, then on that very Gabriele Sperl, Oskar Roehler day – since life is not easy and simple – a boy from the neighborhood who is more than ten years younger tells her that he is in love with her and their relationship develops during this day. At the end of the day, she will have to de cide what she is going to do.”

“In a way, the film deals with the Serbia of today and will give us a pic- ture of the life of the main character and the situation and feeling in Serbia nowadays,” he continues. “It also looks at one topic which is Lulu und Jimi really important here and that is of emigration: in the last 15 years Type of Project Feature Film Cinema Genre Love Story, Music, because of the war and so on, 300,000 people left Serbia and it is Road Movie, Pop Art Production Company sperl + schott mainly young people who went. This is so present in our lives and film/Munich, in cooperation with BR/Munich, WDR/Cologne, everyone of us knows someone who left. As a young person, you NDR/Hamburg, ARTE/Strasbourg With backing from Filmstiftung keep asking yourself whether you should go or not. I had an urge to NRW, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Mitteldeutsche deal with this issue and show how hard it is to make this decision.” Medienfoerderung Producers Gabriela Sperl, Uwe Schott Director Oskar Roehler Screenplay Oskar Roehler Director of As Arsenijevic points out, it would “usually be hard to make a co-pro- Photography Wedigo von Schultzendorff Editor Bettina Boehler duction on such a movie because it is so very much based in the Music by Martin Todsharow Production Design Eduard Krajewski neigh borhood of New Belgrade where I grew up. It is very, very local Principal Cast Ray Fearon, Teresa Weissbach, Katrin Sass, Rolf even though there is a universal story. I see it as a very intimate film Zacher, Udo Kier, Bastian Pastewka, Georg Friedrich Casting Nina and, in a way, it is my Amarcord.” Haun Casting Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85, Dolby SR Shooting German Thueringer Wald, Rheinland, July – Nevertheless, his feature debut has been structured as a co-produc- Language Shooting in September 2007 X Verleih/Berlin tion between Germany, Serbia, Austria and Slovenia for the financing German Distributor of the €1.43 million budget and drew its cast and crew from the four countries. “I shot almost all of my short films here, but I had the feel - World Sales ing that I lost my objective view of the space,” Arsenijevic explains. Beta Cinema / Dept. of Beta Film GmbH Andreas Rothbauer “So, my idea was to invite the DoP (Simon Tansek from Slovenia) Gruenwalder Weg 28 d · 82041 Oberhaching/Germany and production designer (Volker Schaefer from Germany) from phone +49-89-67 34 69 80 · fax +49-89-6 73 46 98 88 outside to come and see things objectively. This really helped me email: [email protected] because they have a similar taste as I do and we were going through www.betacinema.com New Belgrade together and seeing things afresh through their eyes.” ’s next film will be the first feature The central role of Anica who is planning to turn her back on her Oskar Roehler Lulu und Jimi project coming from the new company sperl + schott film set up homeland is played by Anica Dobra (equally familiar to audiences last year by Bavarian Television’s former TV drama chief in Serbia and Germany thanks to her appearances in Doris Doerrie’s Gabriela and producer , formerly managing director of Am I Beautiful? and Enlightenment Guaranteed as well as Srdan Sperl Uwe Schott Allmedia Pictures. german films quarterly in production

2 · 2007 38 However, Roehler and Sperl are not strangers to one another: during her time at the TV drama department in Munich, Sperl had been the commissioning editor for Angst (Der alte Affe Angst) and collaborated with him on the screenplay for Agnes and his brothers (Agnes und seine Brueder). Marcus Mittermeier Marcus “The idea for Lulu und Jimi comes from Oskar Roehler,” Sperl stresses, pointing out that she is “particularly keen in this film to look beyond the level of the Romeo and Juliet story and portray a Germany of racial prejudice and narrow-mindedness in the 1950s. At the center is a family of the Economic Miracle, which rejects every- thing that doesn’t fit in with its view on life. I think you will find that (photo © Bavaria Pictures/Stefan Falke) one can see several levels to this film. It is a typical ‘Oskar Roehler Jan Henrik Stahlberg, Christoph Kottenkamp, story’, he is really in his element with this family story which has that cruel twist which is so ‘Oskar’, but it is also a modern fairytale with a rock’n’roll pop art world, wild and full of color.” Short Cut to Hollywood “It is the story of an impossible love affair,” she continues, “and of a conflict between a mother and daughter: the mother sees that her Type of Project Feature Film Cinema Genre Road Movie, former beauty is slipping away and begrudges her daughter any happi - Tragicomedy, Black Comedy Production Companies Schiwago ness of her own.” Film/Berlin, Bavaria Pictures/Geiselgasteig, Muxfilm/Pentling, Bavaria Film/Geiselgasteig, in co-production with Capture Film Inter - While recent period pieces in German cinema have concentrated on national/Los Angeles, Artdeluxe/Vienna With backing from the years in the nation’s history between 1933 and 1945, Sperl be - Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), lieves that “a lot of films will start coming through in the future about BKM, German Federal Film Fund (DFFF), Kuratorium junger deut- the 50s because it shows us how Germany was reconstructed on a scher Film Producers Marcos Kantis, Marcus Mittermeier, Jan Nazi past that was not reflected upon, a fact which led to the student Henrik Stahlberg, Philipp Kreuzer, Dr. Matthias Esche Co- uprisings in the 60s and ultimately to the terrorism of the RAF. I think Producers Andrea Balen, Corina Danckwerts, Robert Hofferer it is an extremely exciting and fascinating time – I am myself working Directors Marcus Mittermeier, Jan Henrik Stahlberg Screenplay on a screenplay set in the 50s – because there was so much suppress - Jan Henrik Stahlberg Director of Photography David Hofmann ed.” Editors Sarah Clara Weber, Stine Munch Music by Rainer Oleak Production Design Peter Naguib Principal Cast Jan Henrik While an eclectic cast has been brought together for the film with the Stahlberg, Marcus Mittermeier, Christoph Kottenkamp, Marta likes of Katrin Sass, Udo Kier, Rolf Zacher, Bastian McGonagle, Henning Gruebel Casting Astrid Rosenfeld Format Pastewka and Georg Friedrich, casting of the two lovers HDV, transfer to 35 mm, color, 1:1.78, Dolby Shooting fighting against all odds has been particularly imaginative. Language German Shooting in New York, Emporia, Lynchburg, Orlando, Miami, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, The role of Lulu will be taken by the young German actress Teresa Berlin, February – April 2007 German Distributor Senator Film Weissbach who made her film debut at the age of 17 in a head- Verleih/Berlin turning performance in Leander Haussmann’s comedy Sun Alley (Sonnenallee) and followed this up with a role in Catharina Deus’ World Sales acclaimed film About a Girl (Die Boxerin). Bavaria Film International Dept. of Bavaria Media GmbH · Thorsten Schaumann Meanwhile, Jimi will be played by the Royal Shakespeare Company Bavariafilmplatz 8 · 82031 Geiselgasteig/Germany actor Ray Fearon who, in addition to his stage work, also appear- phone +49-89-64 99 26 86 · fax +49-89-64 99 37 20 ed in the British soap opera Coronation Street and Harry Potter and the email: [email protected] Philosopher’s Stone and was a contestant on the BBC’s Saturday night www.bavaria-film-international.com show Strictly Come Dancing. After Quiet as a Mouse, which was shown in the 2004 Berlinale’s The project, which is scheduled to shoot in the Thuringian Forest and Perspectives German Cinema section after winning the Max Ophuels North Rhine-Westphalia from July, and will be released in Germany Award, Short Cut to Hollywood is the second collaboration by X Verleih. between Marcus Mittermeier and Jan Henrik Stahlberg. The duo co-directs and appears in front of the camera, and Stahlberg According to Sperl, she is currently in negotiations with English and is also serving as screenwriter. French production partners to possibly come onboard the project as co-producers. According to one of the film’s producers, Philipp Kreuzer of Bavaria Pictures, Short Cut to Hollywood “is a combi - MB nation of a road movie, black comedy and media satire and has the same kind of approach to the screenplay and concept that the duo Stahlberg/Mittermeier had followed successfully in Quiet as a Mouse. They have a screenplay, but efficiently use the room for creativity and improvisation.” german films quarterly in production

2 · 2007 39 He explains that the new project is “also a ‘film within a film’: the three friends from Germany embark to the USA, the paradise of fame and fortune. The plan is to turn one of them into a media star named John F. Salinger [played by Stahlberg], by shooting his first, unforget- table and, in many ways, exceptional movie. But the price for eternal fame is high. John F. Salinger is willing to give everything for it and that ren with her male cast ren can be a lot …” Film) n+Woebke+Putz

“In contrast to Quiet as a Mouse, Short Cut to Hollywood is a very emotional story,” Mittermeier and Stahlberg suggest. “John F. Salinger is looking for the purpose of his life. Our 35-year-old hero ctor Maggie Pe (photo © Clause hasn’t really achieved anything and is longing for ‘true’ meaning and Dire love. John F. Salinger is a tragic hero and evolves, despite the humor and ab surdity, into a living legend within the story of the film.”

Turning to the issue of media satire addressed in their film, the direc- torial duo point out that “the world is constantly looking for a new Stellungswechsel superstar, the next hot thing. Who hasn’t had the dream of fame and success? The dream of a life with glory, screaming groupies, money, Type of Project Feature Film Cinema Genre Social Comedy stardom and the feeling of being loved for your exceptional nature. If Production Company Claussen+Woebke+Putz Film/Munich, in you thought talent separates the wheat from the chaff, think again! co-production with ZDF/Mainz, in cooperation with ARTE/ Today, anybody can be a superstar as long as the media pay atten- Strasbourg With backing from German Federal Film Fund tion.” (DFFF), Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, MEDIA Producers Jakob Claussen, Uli Putz, Thomas Woebke “If it’s true that success comes from breaking limits, we are not far off Director Maggie Peren Screenplay Maggie Peren, Christian Bayer from our hero’s story,” they continue. “Whether it approves or not, Director of Photography Christian Rein Editor Peter the theater audience has to admit that John F. Salinger is right about Kirschbaum Music by Superstrings (Caro Heiss, Marc Sidney the world we live in. The recipe for great success is breaking great Mueller) Production Design Heike Lange Principal Cast taboos.” Florian Lukas, Sebastian Bezzel, Gustav P. Woehler, Kostja Ullmann, Herbert Knaup, Lisa Maria Potthoff, Nina Kronjaeger, Ulrike Kriener, Mittermeier and Stahlberg describe their film as “a ride on the razor Diana Staehly Casting An Dorthe Braker Format 35 mm, color, blade because our heroes are unpredictable. Every time you think you 1:1.85, Dolby Surround Shooting Language German know what to feel about them, the pendulum swings into the op - Shooting in Munich, January – February 2007 German posite direction. At times, you will be with them, laugh at them or Distributor 20th Century Fox (Germany)/Frankfurt scorn them. Nevertheless, deep inside you understand and sympa - thize with them. Once more, we will break conventions and go past World Sales limits.” TELEPOOL GmbH · Wolfram Skowronnek Sonnenstrasse 21 · 80331 Munich/Germany Kreuzer admits that it has been a “big challenge to make a road movie phone +49-89-55 87 60 · fax +49-89-55 87 62 29 like this for a modest budget”, but “looking at the rushes, one can see email: [email protected] · www.telepool.de that the team has really captured the American look with many extra- ordinary locations to render lots of production value. Audiences will What do five (male) losers do when life has dealt them too many see locations throughout the US they know well including New York, lemons? Well, in the case of Frank (Doctor of Philology and house- Florida, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles. Especially the ones in Arizona and husband), Gy (police officer locked in an eternal struggle with his New Mexico remind you of films like Easy Rider.” health insurance company), Olli (delicatessen owner, no customers), Giselher (unemployed and most likely to stay that way) and Lasse (the Marcos Kantis, producer at Schiwago Film, which also produced living definition of a non-starter) the answer is … No, NOT make Quiet as a Mouse and is now working with Stahlberg for the third time, lemonade! But rather start an escort agency for women, offering underlines thanks to the support of Capture Film, “we managed to “German gourmet food to get your hands on!” produce the film with a value which multiplies its low budget many times over.” He adds that for future projects, there might be a similar Although the German language does not lend itself to the same level co-production set-up. of punning and wordplaying that English does, the word ‘Stellungswechsel’ means to change one’s position, as in getting a Produced by Schiwago Film, Muxfilm, Bavaria Pictures and differ ent job, as well as, quite literally, shifting your body posture. It Bavaria Film with Capture Film International and also applies in a sexual context … Artdeluxe as co-producers, Short Cut to Hollywood is the first project with a foreign shoot to benefit from the recently With wordplays and situational comedy to the fore, writer-director established German Federal Film Fund (DFFF). It will be distributed Maggie Peren again proves she is one of the most versatile hyphe- theatrically in Germany by Senator Film and handled internationally by nates working in contemporary German cinema. Bavaria Film International. “The idea came from my co-author, Christian Bayer,” says Peren, MB “and I found it very sweet. It was intensive work because they are german films quarterly in production

2 · 2007 40 offering to sleep with women via the Internet, so the characters need - Jan-Gregor Kremp Casting Gitta Uhlig Format 16 mm, color, ed to stay sympathetic. It’s a social comedy, after all.” Stereo Shooting Language German Shooting in Hamburg and surroundings, February – March 2007 “The main character, Frank, is very similar to Christian,” Peren con - tinues, “while the girls are based on women I’ve met. We did a lot of Contact research and wrote over sixteen drafts. I have to say, comedy can be mementoFilm GmbH · Andrea Guenther a real nightmare!” Leibniz Strasse 33 · 10625 Berlin/Germany phone +49-30-43 72 79 10 · fax +49-30-43 72 79 19 Then she confesses she’s working on, yes, another comedy, Bloody email: [email protected] Germans, about the 1996 World Cup in which England was knocked www.mementofilm.de out by Germany in the semi-finals, on penalties! And an England fan is forced to admit he’s the father of a German child! Spare a thought for what has to be one of the hardest genres of them all, the romantic comedy, or romcom as it is affectionately known. Peren’s many credits include Vergiss Amerika (1999), the multi-Grimme Now, factor in this is a German romcom and, be honest now, you’re Award winning TV movie Das Phantom (1999) and the smash hit most likely playing the word association game: which is to say the two comedy Girls on Top (2001). She then turned her talents to the Third words you least associate with Germany are comedy and romantic! Reich with Napola (2004) and co-authored (with Stefan Schaller) Well … you lose! Because, contrary to popular belief, there is a very Detlev Buck’s latest film Haende weg von Mississippi. strong and developed German romcom tradition that, for business and structural reasons, exists primarily on TV. As befits an ensemble film, Stellungswechsel has assembled some top notch Teutonic thesps. Florian Lukas (Frank) won Best Long introduction to one side, Vier sind einer zuviel (trans - Supporting Actor in the 2003 German Film Awards for Good Bye, lation: “Four is One Too Many”) takes the traditional ingredients (men Lenin!. Sebastian Bezzel (Gy) is one of Germany’s best known and a woman) and serves up a helping of bittersweet romantic come- TV cops. Gustav Woehler, when not singing with his band, has dy in which melancholy and slapstick harmonize in a swirl of delicious featured in, among many, Doris Doerrie’s Der Fischer und seine Frau delight. and Sven Unterwaldt’s 7 Zwerge comedies. Herbert Knaup (Giselher) was in the OSCAR-winning Das Leben der Anderen while Lisa (Barbara Auer) discovers on her wedding anniversary that Kostja Ullmann (Lasse) starred in Verfolgt, which won a Golden husband Felix (Matthias Brandt) makes her really unhappy, and Leopard at Locarno in 2006. vice versa. She packs her bags and takes up residence in a shabby hotel to get her thoughts together, with little success. Felix, mean- Claussen+Woebke+Putz Filmproduktion can claim the while, makes the transition from househusband to homeless. Lisa then credit for many a critical and audience hit. To name just a few: the lands in a shared apartment with Chris (Hannes Jaenicke) and horror films Anatomie and Anatomie 2, the OSCAR-nominated Jenseits Edgar (Jan-Gregor Kremp), two not-quite-over-the-hill ladies’ der Stille, Crazy, 23 and Lichter. men. Separate soon become shared beds. Life is great, until the po - SK lice deliver a handcuffed Felix to her door. Now four really are one too many!

Production company mementoFilm was founded in Cologne in 2001, with the Berlin subsidiary opening its doors in 2005. With an impressive number of films, for the big as well as small screen, alrea- dy under the belt, company credits include the 2002 Das Jahr der ersten Kuesse and the TV movie Der Anwalt und sein Gast (2002), which won a slew of awards including the Nymphe D’Or at the 43rd

(photo © Nicolas Maack) Monte Carlo Television Festival 2002 for Best Actor (Goetz George) and director Torsten C. Fischer took the 2003 German Television Award for Best Director. On Vier sind einer zuviel Fischer again occupies the director’s chair and is working again with Barbara Auer who also starred in his feature film Liebeswunsch.

H. Jaenicke, M. Brandt, J.-G. Kremp, B. Auer B. M. Brandt, J.-G. Kremp, H. Jaenicke, SK

Vier sind einer zuviel Type of Project TV Movie Genre Romantic Comedy Production Company mementoFilm/Berlin, in co-production with NDR/Hamburg Producers Markus Gruber, Doris J. Heinze Director Torsten C. Fischer Screenplay Hans G. Raeth, Sathyan Ramesh Director of Photography Achim Poulheim Editor Benjamin Hembus Production Design Martin Schreiber Principal Cast Barbara Auer, Matthias Brandt, Hannes Jaenicke,

german films quarterly in production

2 · 2007 41 Am Ende kommen Touristen AND ALONG COME TOURISTS Ryszard Ronczewski,Ryszard (photo © Gerald von Foris) Alexander Fehling

Auschwitz wasn’t what Sven, a young German, had in Production Design Michal Galinski, Rita-Maria Hallekamp mind when he signed up to do his civil service abroad. For Producers Britta Knoeller, Hans-Christian Schmid him, Auschwitz is a small town in Poland, a strange langu- Commissioning Editor Christian Cloos Production age, a concentration camp, all the musty grayness of high- Company 23|5 Filmproduktion/Berlin, in co-production with school German history classes. To make matters worse, ZDF Das kleine Fernsehspiel/Mainz, in cooperation with Pictorion he’s got to care for an unpleasant old man, Stanislaw Pictures/Huerth Principal Cast Alexander Fehling, Ryszard Krzemin´ki, a former inmate who never left the camp and Ronczewski, Barbara Wysocka, Piotr Rogucki, Rainer Sellien, Lena now spends his time either giving contemporary-witness Stolze, Lutz Blochberger, Adam Nawojczyk, Roman Gancarczyk, lectures or repairing suitcases. Krzemin´ki’s world revolves Willy Rachow, Halina Kwiatkowska, Joachim Laetsch Casting around the suitcases taken from the Jews as they arrived Simone Baer, Magda Szwarcbart Length 85 min, 2,400 m at the concentration camp from all over Europe. Besides Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version German/ having to endure Krzemin´ki’s haughty, gruff manner, Sven Polish/English Subtitled Versions English, French Sound also has to put up with the barely concealed contempt of Technology Dolby Digital Festival Screenings Cannes 2007 various locals. Luckily, there’s Ania, a young guide who (Un Certain Regard) With backing from Medienboard Berlin- lets Sven stay at her place … As the weeks go by, Sven Brandenburg, Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), BKM German begins to discover both Auschwitz and Os´wiecim, the Distributor X Verleih/Berlin place of horror and the Polish town, the memorial to inhu- manity and the tourist industry that has sprung up around Robert Thalheim was born in Berlin in 1974. After completing it. Yet within this push and pull of conflicting sensations his schooling in the USA and Germany, he worked as an assistant grow love for Ania, compassion for Krzemin´ki, and the director for the Berlin Ensemble theater and took up studies at the troubling, challenging realization about his own role in pre- Free University and the “Konrad Wolf ” Academy of Film and serving the memory of this place … Television. Also a writer and a publisher, his films include: Um vier Uhr ploetzlich ging die Welt unter (documentary, 1996), Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Zeit ist Leben (short, 2000), Granica (short, 2002), Three Production 2007 Director Robert Thalheim Screenplay Percent (short, 2002), Ich (short, 2003), his feature debut Robert Thalheim Director of Photography Yoliswa Gaertig Netto (2004), and And Along Come Tourists (Am Ende Editor Stefan Kobe Music by Anton Feist, Uwe Bossenz kommen Touristen, 2007).

World Sales Bavaria Film International · Dept. of Bavaria Media GmbH · Thorsten Schaumann Bavariafilmplatz 8 · 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 german films quarterly new german films

2 · 2007 42 Die Anruferin THE CALLING GAME Valerie Koch (photo © Wueste Film West/Thekla Ehling) Film West/Thekla (photo © Wueste Koch Valerie

“Please, can you tell me another story? No, not a bedtime Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year of story. A really exciting one …,” the voice of a lonely child Production 2007 Director Felix Randau Screenplay Vera begs somebody on the telephone. Craving for warmth and Kissel Director of Photography Jutta Pohlmann Editor compassion, it is Irm, a woman in her early 30s. She calls Gergana Voigt Music by Thies Mynther Production Design strangers and, imitating a child’s voice, pretends she is a Peter Menne Producers Ralph Schwingel, Stefan Schubert, Hejo young cancer patient. In heart-rending conversations, she Emons Associate Producer Bjoern Vosgerau Commis - establishes relationships that she abruptly ends when they sioning Editors Lucas Schmidt, Barbara Haebe Production threaten to become too close. This is Irm’s way of reaching Company Wueste Film West/Cologne, in co-production with out from her life, a life in which she jobs in a laundrette ZDF Das kleine Fernsehspiel/Mainz, in cooperation with ARTE/ and looks after her bed-ridden mother. Though no longer Strasbourg Principal Cast Valerie Koch, Esther Schweins, able to talk, her mother still makes it clear that her favor- Franziska Ponitz Casting Deborah Congia Length 80 min, 2,189 ite was always Irm’s sister Margit. But now Irm has the m Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version German upper hand and lets her know it. Subtitled Version English Sound Technology Dolby SR With backing from Filmstiftung NRW, Nordmedia When she meets the self-assured but emotionally vulner- able Sina, she comes up against a woman who is in great Felix Randau was born in 1974 in Emden. After studies in need of a friend and thinks she’s found her in Irm. Caught German Literature and Ethnology in Bonn, he enrolled in the between the pull of her mother’s imminent death and her Directing program at the German Academy of Film & Television manipulative play-acting, Irm is increasingly drawn to the (dffb) in Berlin. His films include: Ritual and Something strong, life-loving woman who offers her friendship. She Happened to Me Yesterday (shorts, 1996), Matadore and knows that Sina must learn the truth some day and is Boomtown Berlin (shorts, 1997), Something Stupid afraid of losing her. But Sina is more tenacious than she (short, 1998), Siemensstadt (short, 2000), Northern Star thinks – and believes in Irm more than she does herself … (2003), and The Calling Game (Die Anruferin, 2007).

The Calling Game is director Felix Randau’s second feature after his 2003 film Northern Star, which also won him the Studio Hamburg Newcomer Award for Best Script.

World Sales Bavaria Film International · Dept. of Bavaria Media GmbH · Thorsten Schaumann Bavariafilmplatz 8 · 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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2 · 2007 43 Auf der anderen Seite THE EDGE OF HEAVEN Scene from “The Edge ofScene from Heaven” (photo © corazón international)

Nejat seems disapproving about his widower father Ali’s Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version choice of prostitute Yeter for a live-in girlfriend. But he German/Turkish/English Subtitled Version English Sound grows fond of her when he discovers she sends money Technology Dolby Digital Surround Ex Festival Screenings home to Turkey for her daughter’s university studies. Cannes 2007 (In Competition) With backing from Yeter’s sudden death distances father and son. Nejat Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), BKM, FilmFoerderung Hamburg, travels to Istanbul to search for Yeter’s daughter Ayten. Filmstiftung NRW, Nordmedia, Kulturelle Filmfoerderung Political activist Ayten has fled the Turkish police and is Schleswig-Holstein German Distributor Pandora Film Verleih/ already in Germany. She is befriended by a young woman, Aschaffenburg Lotte, who invites rebellious Ayten to stay in her home, a gesture not particularly pleasing to her conservative Fatih Akin was born in 1973 in Hamburg and began studying mother Susanne. When Ayten is arrested and her asylum Visual Communications at Hamburg’s College of Fine Arts in 1994. plea is denied, she is deported and imprisoned in Turkey. In 1995, he wrote and directed his first short feature, Sensin – Lotte travels to Turkey, where she gets caught up in the You’re The One! (Sensin – Du bist es!), which received the seemingly hopeless situation of freeing Ayten … Audience Award at the Hamburg International Short Film Festival, fol- lowed by Weed (Getuerkt, 1996). His first full-length feature Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year of film, Short Sharp Shock (Kurz und schmerzlos, 1998), Production 2007 Director Fatih Akin Screenplay Fatih Akin won the Bronze Leopard at Locarno and the Bavarian Film Award Director of Photography Rainer Klausmann Editor Andrew (Best Young Director) in 1998. His other films include: In July (Im Bird Music by Stefan “Shantel” Hantel Production Design Juli, 2000), Wir haben vergessen zurueckzukehren Tamo Kunz, Sirma Bradley Producers Fatih Akin, Andreas Thiel, (2001), Solino (2002), the Berlinale Golden Bear-winner and win- Klaus Maeck Production Company corazón international/ ner of the German and European Film Awards Head-On (Gegen Hamburg, in co-production with NDR/Hamburg, Anka Film/ die Wand, 2003), Crossing the Bridge – The Sound of Istanbul, Dorje Film/Rome Principal Cast Baki Davrak, Patrycia Istanbul (2005), and The Edge of Heaven (Auf der Ziolkowska, Nurcel Koese, Hanna Schygulla, Tuncel Kurtiz, Nurguel anderen Seite, 2007). Yesilcay Casting Monique Akin Length 122 min, 3,312 m

World Sales The Match Factory GmbH · Michael Weber Sudermanplatz 2 · 50670 Cologne/Germany phone +49-2 21-2 92 10 20 · fax +49-2 21-29 21 02 10 email: [email protected] · www.the-match-factory.com german films quarterly new german films

2 · 2007 44 Autopiloten AUTOPILOTS Scene from "Autopilots" (photo © LICHTBLICK/Alex Trebus) "Autopilots" (photo © LICHTBLICK/Alex Trebus) Scene from

Autopilots tells the story of four people trying to live up Editor Olaf Tischbier Music by Bernd Begemann, Andreas to their lost ideals in interwoven episodes. Each of them Doerne, Jens Hafemann Production Design Dorothee von has become a social outcast. Lacking a foothold, they Bodelschwingh Producers Joachim Ortmanns, Martin Heisler erratically move through their own lives. During 24 hours Production Company Lichtblick Film/Cologne, in co-produc- these characters’ paths cross on the freeways of the Ruhr tion with SWR/Baden-Baden, ARTE/Strasbourg Principal Cast Area. Charly Huebner, Wolfram Koch, Walter Kreye, Manfred Zapatka, Susanne-Marie Wrage Casting Kathrin Bessert Length 106 min Georg, trainer of a soccer league team, must win the game Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version German tonight if he wants to keep his job. He discovers how the Subtitled Version English Sound Technology Dolby SR mechanisms of the soccer trade have begun to turn against Festival Screenings Berlin 2007 (Perspectives German him. Dieter, freelance reporter is on the pursuit of specta- Cinema) With backing from Filmstiftung NRW cular images. He loves his son, who lives with his ex-wife Rita, but does not devote much attention to him. Joerg, a Bastian Guenther was born in 1974 in Hachenburg and stu- salesman for bathtub lifts finds himself drifting off into iso- died English, Social Sciences and Sports at Cologne University. He lation and discovers he cannot go on with his double life. then worked as a trainee on several film productions and as a free- Heinz, an aging pop singer spends his days singing at lancer at the public broadcaster WDR/Phoenix in Cologne. anniversary celebrations for shopping malls and the like. Followed by working as an assistant director for Marin And he can’t keep up the illusion anymore. Martschewski and Christian Petzold, he enrolled at the German Academy of Film & Television Berlin (dffb). His graduation film They are all heroes of an inner insecurity, who are just try- Ende einer Strecke won the First Steps Award in 2006. His other ing to hang in there … films include: Kuscheln in Vingst (documentary, 2000), Corinna, Corinna (short, 2001), Punkt Null (video, 2002), Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Acapulco (short, 2003), Bleib zuhause im Sommer (docu- Production 2007 Director Bastian Guenther Screenplay mentary, 2003), and Autopilots (Autopiloten, 2007). Bastian Guenther Director of Photography Michael Kotschi

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2 · 2007 45 [desi’re:] – The Goldstein Reels (photos courtesy of felderfilm) Scenes from “[desi’re:] – The Goldstein Reels” “[desi’re:] Scenes from

Mysterious find. A naked woman disappears during the Contravision Berlin 2006, Winterthur 2006, Exground Wiesbaden ongoing film shootings. Presumably the film belongs to the 2006, Leipzig 2006, Backup Weimar 2006, Lausanne Underground estate of the American film artist Jack Goldstein. 2006, Short Cuts Cologne 2006, Video_Dumbo New York 2006, One Take Zagreb 2006, Zwergwerk Oldenburg 2006, Wuerzburg Genre Art, Drama, Experimental, Fantasy, Thriller Category 2007, Augsburg 2007, Cine de reel Paris 2007 Awards 2nd Jury Semi Fictional Documentary Year of Production 2006 Award Zurich 2006, 2nd Jury Award Bamberg 2006, Special Mention Director Romeo Gruenfelder Producer Romeo Gruenfelder Porto 2006 With backing from FilmFoerderung Hamburg, Production Company felderfilm/Hamburg, in co-production FO’KO Hamburg with Peter Stockhaus Film/Hamburg Length 4 min, 90 m Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.37 Original Version German Romeo Gruenfelder was born in 1968 and studied Visual Dubbed Version English Subtitled Version English Sound Communication, Philosophy and Classical Music at the Hamburg Technology Mono Festival Screenings Stuttgart Filmwinter Hochschule fuer bildende Kuenste from 1995-2001. In 2001, he 2006, Bamberg 2006, Rotterdam 2006, Navarra 2006, Nice 2006, founded felderfilm (www.felderfilm.de). His films include: Jimmy IndieLisboa 2006, European Media Arts Festival Osnabrueck 2006, Jenseits (1993), Sorgenbrecher (1995), Himmel ueber Interval 2006, VideoEx Zurich 2006, Hamburg 2006, Corta! Porto Freiburg (1995), Der blonde Engel (1996), Shahrzadeh 2006, Impakt Festival Utrecht 2006, Transilvania Cluj Napoca 2006, Scampolo (1996), ohne Titel (2000), Borderline Pilots Sao Paulo 2006, Milan 2006, PureScreen Manchester 2006, (2002), Rallye 35 mm (2004), 4 kurzeDialoge (2005), and BunterHund Munich 2006, Shortfilm Slam Hamburg 2006, [desi’re:] – The Goldstein Reels (2006).

World Sales (please contact) felderfilm · Romeo Gruenfelder Marthastrasse 31 · 20259 Hamburg/Germany phone/fax +49-40-3 89 28 68 email: [email protected] · www.felderfilm.de german films quarterly new german films

2 · 2007 46 Dos Patrias Cuba y la noche TWO HOMELANDS CUBA AND THE NIGHT Scene from “Two Homelands Cuba and the Night” (photo © Christian Liffers) “Two Scene from

A film about the discovery of poetry and love in a system Genre Education, Gay & Lesbian, Literature Category of oppression and discrimination. Documentary Cinema Year of Production 2006 Director Christian Liffers Screenplay Christian Liffers Director of The director Christian Liffers travels with his team to Cuba Photography Mirko Schernickau Editor Todd P. Mercuri to search for evidence. Part of his luggage are poems and Music by Michael Espinosa Rodríguez, Los Transes Producer prose texts of the Cuban author Reinaldo Arenas. Texts, Christian Liffers Production Company Christian Liffers/ which describe the desire for love, sexual freedom and the Wiesbaden Length 84 min Format DV Cam, color, 16:9 proud and unbending attitude in the fight against discri- Original Version Spanish Subtitled Versions English, mination. Are these desires and attitudes still to be found German Voice Over German Sound Technology Stereo in Cuba? And which desires, clichés, and projections of Festival Screenings Miami 2007 (In Competition), San Diego Cuba attract the producer and many more people? Poems Latino Film Festival 2007, Montevideo 2007 (In Competition), and prose texts are the reference points for the protago- European Independent Film Festival Paris 2007, London Lesbian and nists and their personal stories of present-day Cuba, which Gay Festival 2007, Santa Cruz 2007 (In Competition), Las Americas are always the center of attention. Six men with different Latino Film Festival 2007 (In Competition), Nicosia 2007 (In backgrounds and of different ages describe their life, Competition), Festival de Cine Pobre 2007, Denver XicanIndie afflict ions, desires, longings and joys in Cuba. They have Filmfest 2007 (In Competition), Da Sodoma a Hollywood Turin some things in common: homosexuality (with the ex - 2007 (In Competition), MediaWave Gyoer 2007 (In Competition), ception of Isabel, the transsexual) and the daily social NOPOP Aarhus 2007 (In Competition), Hollanda Latin American exclusion on the part of the Cuban “Machismo-society” Film Festival 2007 (In Competition), ECO Rhodos 2007 (In and the Cuban government. However they differ heavily Competition), Inside Out Toronto 2007 concerning their social status and their opinions of the topic. Christian Liffers studied Theater Direction in Hamburg and worked for several years in German theaters and as an assistant The author made two journeys of investigation to Havana, director for Werner Schroeter. Active as a writer, director and pro- where he won the confidence of the protagonists, so that ducer, he has been working as a journalist for the last 10 years and for the first time people spoke openly in front of a for the German broadcaster ZDF. In addition to numerous theater camera about their homosexuality and life in Cuba. works, his films include the documentaries: Suicide Commando, Diary of a Suicide (2001) and Dos Patrias, World Sales (please contact) Cuba y la noche (2006). Christian Liffers Seerobenstrasse 30 · 65195 Wiesbaden/Germany phone +49-1 71-8 30 23 36 email: [email protected] · www.dospatrias.com german films quarterly new german films

2 · 2007 47 Der Goldene Nazivampir von Absam 2 – Das Geheimnis von Schloss Kottlitz

THE GOLDEN NAZI VAMPIRE OF ABSAM PART II – THE SECRET OF KOTTLITZ CASTLE (photo © Chris Hirschhaeuser) Scene from “The Golden Nazi Vampire of “The Golden Nazi Vampire Scene from 2” Absam Part

If things were up to General Donovan, then the Military Genre Comedy, Horror, Trash Category Short Year of Secret Service of the United States would take care of real- Production 2007 Director Lasse Nolte Screenplay Lasse ly important things, of which there are plenty in this Nolte Director of Photography David Emmenlauer Editor Autumn of 1942. Let the Waffen-SS search for Atlantis Lasse Nolte Music by Tuomas Kantelinen Production Design and dance around Germanic Druid Stones – who believes Tobias Maier, Oliver Hoese Producers Martin Blankemeyer, in the occult of “Wunderwaffen” or “miracle weapons” Cornel Schaefer, Robin Schaefer, Christl Catanzaro, Damien anyway? At least no straightforward American patriot, Donnelly, Mike Dehghan, Daniel Nadj Production Company only pathetic wimps like William Blazkowicz, the only per- Muenchner Filmwerkstatt/Munich, in co-production with Creative son at the OSS who wears glasses. But then … can you Gap Filmproduktion/Munich, Hochschule fuer Fernsehen und Film dare risk to ignore explicit warnings? Secretly shot films? Muenchen (HFF/M)/Munich Principal Cast Daniel Krauss, Evidence? Goetz Burger, Hendrik Martz, Walter Stapper, Kim Baermann, Oliver Kalkofe Special Effects Sascha Kolmikow Length 46 What is really happening in Kottlitz Castle? Who killed min, 1,330 m Format HD Blow-up 35 mm, color, 1:1.78 Smokey Savallas? What kind of research is the “Ahnenerbe Original Version German Subtitled Version English Sound der SS” involved in? Who stole Count Dracula’s bones Technology Surround from a crypt in Wallachia? And where’s the connection between a fanatic SS General, underground laboratories Lasse Nolte was born 1980 in Goettingen and is currently full of German scientists, and a huge pit filled with molten study ing Directing at the Munich Academy of Television & Film. A gold? selection of his films includes: Der Sensenmann (1996), Ein Fehler (2001), Massaker (2002), Nachtfahrt (2002), Chris Questions, questions … and of all people William und Henning (2002), Ein besonderer Abend (2003), an Blazkowicz is being smuggled into the Austrian Alps to image film for the company Knorr-Bremse (2005), and The find answers. But no one could ever imagine in the wildest Golden Nazi Vampire of Absam Part II – The Secret of dreams what Blazkowicz is going to unearth at Kottlitz of Kottlitz Castle (Der Goldene Nazivampir von Castle … Absam 2 – Das Geheimnis von Schloss Kottlitz, 2007).

World Sales (please contact) Muenchner Filmwerkstatt e.V. · Martin Blankemeyer Postfach 860 525 · 81632 Munich/Germany phone +49-89-20 33 37 12 · fax +49-7 21-1 51 37 76 29 email: [email protected] · www.muenchner-filmwerkstatt.de german films quarterly new german films

2 · 2007 48 Halbe Stunden HALF HOURS Scene from “HalfScene from Hours” (photo © dffb/Jost Hering Filme)

Melanie Straub lives aimlessly into the day, or more Nicolas Wackerbarth was born in 1973 in Munich and studied accurately: into a Saturday. She’s alone at home, surround - Acting at the Bavarian Theater Academy, followed by acting en - ed by the emptiness of her new life. gagements at theaters in Frankfurt and Cologne. Since 2000, he has been studying at the German Academy of Film & Television Berlin Genre Fiction Category Short Year of Production 2007 (dffb) and is an editor of the film magazine Revolver. A selection of Director Nicolas Wackerbarth Screenplay Nicolas his films includes: Brat (short, 2000), Lovesick (short, 2003), Wackerbarth Director of Photography Reinhold Anfaenger! (TV, 2004), Westernstadt (documentary, 2005), Vorschneider Editor Janina Herrhofer Music by Anton Webern- and Half Hours (Halbe Stunden, short, 2007). Passacaglia Production Design Eric Segoll Producers Hartmut Bitomsky, Jost Hering Executive Producers Oliver Fleischmann, Ursula Mueller Production Company Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie (dffb)/Berlin, in co-production with Jost Hering Filme/Berlin Principal Cast Cristin Koenig, Joanna Czerwìnska, Abel vom Acker Casting Ulrike Mueller Length 20 min, 560 m Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version German Subtitled Version English Sound Technology Dolby SR Festival Screenings Cannes 2007 (Cinéfondation), Oberhausen 2007 (In Competition) With backing from Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA)

World Sales (please contact) Deutsche Film- und 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 german films quarterly new german films

2 · 2007 49 Das Haus der schlafenden Schoenen HOUSE OF THE SLEEPING BEAUTIES Scene from “House ofScene from Sleeping Beauties” (photo © Atossa Film)

Edmond, a man in his late 60s, visits a mysterious Genre Drama, Literature Category Feature Film Cinema Year “maison”, a kind of a brothel specialized for customers of Production 2006 Director Vadim Glowna Screenplay beyond their 80s. In this “establishment” it is possible for Vadim Glowna Director of Photography Ciro Cappellari these old men to spend time in bed with beautiful, Editor Charlie Lézin Music by Nick Glowna, Siggi Mueller sleeping girls the whole night through. The girls won’t Production Design Peter Weber Producers Raymond awake, they are drugged; the older men feel warm and Tarabay, Vadim Glowna Production Company Atossa comfortable, embracing the youth and the beauty of these Film/Berlin Principal Cast Vadim Glowna, Angela Winkler, young women. Maximilian Schell, Birol Uenel Casting Julia Dierks Special Effects Sven Hanten Length 103 min, 2,824 m Format 35 mm, More and more, Edmond surrenders to this unconscious color, cs Original Version German Subtitled Versions seduction, juvenile virginity and unpredictable sensuality. English, French Sound Technology Dolby Digital Festival In confrontation to his age, bedazzled by the breath, scent Screenings Belgrade 2007 With backing from Filmstiftung and innocent warmth of the young women, he glides into NRW German Distributor Atossa Film/Berlin associations and memories of his past life. Bizarre moments become the inspiration and urge to simply fade Vadim Glowna was born 1941 and grew up in Hamburg. The away next to a girl. versatile actor, director and author began his career in 1961 when Gustaf Gruendgens took him on at the Hamburger Schauspielhaus. But one day, Edmond observes the Madame supervising a Glowna went on to become one of Germany’s most popular corpse being packed in a bag, thrown into a car and secretly actors, and also appeared in international productions like Sam taken away. Nevertheless, Edmond returns more and Peckinpah’s epos Cross of Iron and Claude Chabrol’s Quiet Days in more often to “The House of the Sleeping Beauties”, con- Clichy. In 2000 he was named Best Actor of the Year by the German sidering questions of morality and limits. Where reality Film Critics’ Association for his appearance in Oskar Roehler’s doesn’t seem to exist, it doesn’t take long until it sends – award-winning film No Place to Go. Glowna is also a very successful with fatal complications – the dreams of the old men to director, having directed more than 30 television films and eight an end. feature films. In 1981 he won several awards for the film Desperado City including the Caméra d’Or in Cannes. Two of his other films, Nothing Left to Lose (1983) and Raising to the Bait (1992), were in the official competition at Berlin and received World Sales (please contact) Honorable Mentions. In 1989 Glowna was member of the jury at the Atossa Film Produktion GmbH · Raymond Tarabay Berlinale. Wielandstrasse 46 · 10625 Berlin/Germany phone +49-30-3 12 14 72 · fax +49-30-3 13 79 33 email: [email protected] · www.dashausderschlafendenschoenen.de german films quarterly new german films

2 · 2007 50 Das Herz ist ein dunkler Wald THE HEART IS A DARK FOREST Nina Hoss in “The Heart is a Dark Forest” (photo © X Filme/Ulla Kimmig) Nina Hoss in “The Heart is a Dark Forest”

Marie accidentally discovers that her husband and the Principal Cast Nina Hoss, Devid Striesow, Marc Hosemann, father of her two children is leading a double life. He has Franziska Petri, Monica Bleibtreu, Otto Sander, Angelika Taschen, two of everything: two wives, two homes and two Guenther Maria Halmer Casting Molitoris Casting/Hamburg families. As soon as night falls, Marie leaves her home and Length 83 min, 2,270 m Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original secretly follows her husband to a masked ball. She is look- Version German Subtitled Versions English, French Sound ing for consolation, for explanations. After daybreak, she Technology Dolby SRD Awards Best Screenplay Nordische will know whether she can face this new reality and return Filmtage Luebeck 2007 With backing from FilmFoerderung to her children … Hamburg, MSH Schleswig-Holstein, Medienboard Berlin-Branden - burg, Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA) German Distributor X Genre Drama Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Pro - Verleih/Berlin duction 2007 Director Nicolette Krebitz Screenplay Nicolette Krebitz Director of Photography Bella Halben Nicolette Krebitz is an award-winning actress, writer and Editor Sara Schilde Music by Fetisch & Me, Whitest Boy Alive director. Her films as a director include: Jeans (2001), Mon Production Design Christel Rehm, Sylvester Koziolek Chérie (2001), and The Heart is a Dark Forest (Das Producer Tom Tykwer Production Company X Filme Herz ist ein dunkler Wald, 2007). Creative Pool/Berlin, in co-production with NDR/Hamburg

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2 · 2007 51 Klassenfahrt in das Revier der Wilderer SCHOOL TRIP INTO POACHERS’ TERRITORY (photo © irrlicht-film) Scene from “School Trip Into Poachers’ Territory” Into Poachers’ “School Trip Scene from

A village on the edge of the Lower Zambesi National Marcus Lenz was born in the Ruhr Basin in 1969. After com - Park. The children hate wild animals because they destroy pleting his studies in Essen, he worked as a communications de - harvests and kill people. But there are actually many ani- signer before discovering his love for storytelling. In 1995 he began mals which the children have never seen. We accompany studies at the German Film & Television Academy in Berlin and a few children on their first trip into the nearby but un- founded the production company irrlicht-film in 2001 together with known wilderness. Ingo Rudloff. He also works as an animal film director and director of photography. Among other films, he shot Das Wunder von Meanwhile Wildlife Police Officers try to track down Kaufbeuren (by Gerald Maas and Tine Kugler), as well as the poachers in the national park. Shots are echoing through Portuguese features Esquece tudo o que te disse and Respirar (by the bush. Antonio Ferreira) and won the award for Best Cinematography at the Festival Ibérico de Cine in Badajoz/Spain in 2001. His films as a Genre Education, Nature Category Documentary TV Year of director include: immer und immer (short, 1997), alles ist Production 2007 Directors Marcus Lenz, Ingo Rudloff nie (short, 1998), Der gelbe Fluss – Leben und Sterben Screenplay Marcus Lenz Director of Photog raphy Marcus in Hongkong (documentary, 2000), Deutsche Angst (2001), Lenz Editors Marcus Lenz, Ingo Rudloff Music by Oliver Heuss Close (2004), 24 UTC – Die Welt um Mitternacht (docu- Producer Ingo Rudloff Production Company irrlicht- mentary, 2006), and (together with Ingo Rudloff) Phantoms of film/Berlin Length 52 min Format DigiBeta, color, 16:9 the Night – Lynxes in Europe (2003), Snakes Nearby – Original Version German Dubbed Version English Sound The Hunt for Species (2005), and School Trip Into Technology Dolby Poachers’ Territory (2007).

Ingo Rudloff was born in 1969 in Bochum and studied Psychology with high honors at the Ruhr University Bochum, where he also instructed after his graduation. His other films include: Evacuation (1994), Rungholt – Hommage to Mechthild von Leusch (1995), and Oskar Sala – The Former Future of Sound (2000).

World Sales HS Media Consult · Heide Schramm Wasenstrasse 29 · 72135 Dettenhausen/Germany phone +49-71 57-62 00 08 · fax +49-71 57-62 00 09 email: [email protected] · www.hsmedia-consult.de german films quarterly new german films

2 · 2007 52 Libanon – Standhalten im Wahnsinn LEBANON – RESISTING LUNACY Scene from “Lebanon – Resisting Lunacy” (photo © Uwe-S. Tautenhahn) “Lebanon – Resisting Lunacy” (photoScene from © Uwe-S. Tautenhahn)

Two Lebanese women, who have lived in Germany for 15 Genre History Category Documentary TV Year of years and organized public art performances in Berlin Production 2007 Director Uwe-S. Tautenhahn Director of during the Israel-Lebanon war, travel to Lebanon to better Photography Uwe-S. Tautenhahn Editors Uwe-S. Tautenhahn, understand the impact of the war in their country. At sites Michael Schehl Music by Frank Makaroon Producer Uwe-S. which represent the past and present times, they tell about Tautenhahn Production Company Tpoint Film/Berlin, in co- their own experiences in Lebanon, meet friends and production with Gaffer & Grip Filmproduktion/Berlin, Raouche- strangers, and offer an insight into the current situation in Film/Beirut With Houda Peatz, Chaza Charafeddine Length 60 Lebanon – between hope and hopelessness. min Format HDV, color, 16:9 Original Version German/Arabic Subtitled Version English Voice Over English Sound Technology Stereo

Uwe-S. Tautenhahn was born in 1962 in Zwickau. In 1988, he began working as a cameraman and documentary filmmaker. His films include: Outing (short, 1996), The Fall (short, 2003), and Lebanon – Resisting Lunacy (Libanon – Standhalten im Wahnsinn, 2007).

World Sales (please contact) Tpoint Film · Uwe-S. Tautenhahn Schoenhauser Allee 151 · 10435 Berlin/Germany phone +49-30-42 01 74 70 · fax +49-30-6 71 26 32 email: [email protected] german films quarterly new german films

2 · 2007 53 Liebesleben LOVELIFE Cover of the novel “Liebesleben” (motif courtesy of Berlin Verlag)

When Jara meets Arie, her father’s boyhood friend, she is Genre Drama, Literature Category Feature Film Cinema Year immediately drawn to his unflinching and assured pre - of Production 2007 Director Maria Schrader Screenplay sence. It is not long before she forsakes her well-meaning Maria Schrader, Laila Stieler, based on a novel by Zeruya Shalev husband for the powerful, mysterious older man, who Director of Photography Benedict Neuenfels Editor Antje seems to represent something totally new and exciting in Zynga Music by Niki Reiser Production Design Christian M. her life. In short: will, strength and the key to her family’s Goldbeck Producers Stefan Arndt, Marek Rozenbaum mysterious past. They fall into a heated affair that soon Production Company X Filme Creative Pool/Berlin, in co-pro- drifts towards the destructive as Jara realizes the things in duction with Transfax Film/Tel Aviv Principal Cast Netta Garti, Arie that attract and repel her with equal intensity at the Rade Sherbedgia, Tovah Feldshuh, Stephen Singer Casting Esther same time. The story does not only deal with getting her Kling, Avy Kaufman Special Effects Pini Klavir Length 104 min, feelings and love under control, in addition it describes the 2,846 m Format 35 mm, color, cs Original Version English way of finding her own personality in consideration of her Dubbed Version German Sound Technology Dolby SRD difficult family background. With backing from Filmstiftung NRW, Film foerderungs anstalt (FFA), Medien board Berlin-Brandenburg, BKM, Israel Film Fund The novel Lovelife is cerebral, seductive, provocative, and German Distributor X Verleih/Berlin profound and was 25 weeks in the European Top 10 list of bestselling books. Lovelife has been declared a true Maria Schrader was born in 1965 in Hanover. In 1999, she was literary celebration … one of the most inspired novels ever named as one of the European Film Promotion’s “Shooting Stars”. written in Israeli literature. Primarily active as an actress, she has worked with some of Germany’s most successful directors, in films including Aimée & Jaguar (Max Faerbrboeck), Bin ich schoen? (Doris Doerrie), Emil und die Detektive (Franziska Buch), Meschugge, Vaeter, and Stille Nacht (Dani Levy), Rosenstrasse (Margarethe von Trotta), and Schneeland (Hans W. Geissendoerfer). Together with director Dani Levy, she also co-directed Meschugge and Stille Nacht.

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2 · 2007 54 Mikrofan Scenes from “Mikrofan”Scenes from (photo courtesy of Meerfilm)

Sam is a rapper, so are his best friends. Around a soccer Matthias Staehle was born in 1975 and studied Visual field in Hamburg in the shadow of three skyscrapers they Communication in Film at the Academy of Fine Arts Hamburg. live their lives and love their music. When one of his After his studies, he worked as a freelance director and founded friends starts an affair with Sam’s girlfriend Lisa, angry the production company meerfilm and the audiovisual label music- silence starts, till the ‘mikrofan’ takes the word up … fiction (www.musicfiction.de). A selection of his films as a writer and director include: the shorts Leaving (1999), Johnny’s Ark Mikrofan is a milieu film about hip hop music, friendship, (2001), 4 O’Clock (2002), 50 Euro (2003), Window to love, morals, drugs, dealing, betraying and about talking Chile (2004), Advent, Advent (2004), Desertion (2005) and not talking. and the feature Mikrofan (2007).

Genre Drama, Music Category Feature Film Cinema Year of Production 2007 Director Matthias Staehle Screenplay Matthias Staehle Director of Photography Sven O. Hill Editor Tobias Peper Music by Starssindamarsch Production Design Anke Spaeth Producer Matthias Staehle Production Company Meerfilm/Hamburg Principal Cast Philipp Babing, Julia Ehlers, David Stegemann, Johannes Schaefer, Renato Schuch, Nadine Nollau, Rebecca Lina Casting Matthias Staehle Length 80 min, 2,200 m Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version German Subtitled Versions English, French Sound Technology Dolby SR With backing from HfbK Hamburg, Mbf, Studio Hamburg, Kodak, VCC, Das Werk, Konken Tonstudios

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2 · 2007 55 Mondmann MOONMAN Scene from “Moonman” (photo © Toccata Film) “Moonman” (photo © Toccata Scene from

Once upon a time there lived a man up in the silvery Principal Cast Michael Tregor, Jana Andjelkovic, Ralf Richter, moon. He was so lonely that he hadn’t laughed for a hun- Piet Klocke, Stefan Rutz Casting Stefany Pohlmann Special dred years. His greatest wish was to visit us humans, just Effects Dirk Lange Length 29 min, 831 m Format 35 mm, once in his life. One night his dream was fulfilled and he color, cs Original Version German Subtitled Version managed to voyage down to earth on a buzzling comet. English Sound Technology Dolby Digital 5.1 Festival But nobody understood the poor creature. Nobody – Screenings Sprockets Toronto 2007, Golden Sparrow except one … Gera/Erfurt 2007, Sehsuechte 2007, Munich 2007, Hearts of Gold 2007 With backing from FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, BKM, A dreamlike adventure into the imagination of a child, Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), Foerderverein der HFF/Munich based on Tomi Ungerer’s classic picture-book The Moonman. Fritz Boehm was born in 1980 in Berlin and spent part of his childhood in the US. He shot his first film, A Fratricide, based on Genre Children and Youth, Family Category Short Year of the short novel by Franz Kafka, in Prague in 2001. During his studies Production 2006 Director Fritz Boehm Screenplay Fritz at the Munich Academy of Television & Film, he founded the pro- Boehm Director of Photography Michael Praun Editors duction company Toccata Film together with fellow students Sven Horst Reiter, Fritz Boehm Music by Martina Eisenreich Nuri and Christoph Strunck. Together they have produced more Production Design Susanne Prieschl, Monika Nuechtern than 15 short films and are currently preparing their first feature. Producers Sven Nuri, Fritz Boehm, Christoph Strunck Moonman (Mondmann, 2006) is Boehm's graduate film as a Production Company Toccata Film/Munich, in co-production producer and director. with Hochschule fuer Fernsehen und Film Muenchen (HFF/M)/ Munich, BR/Munich, Alexander Dierbach & Hannah Maag/Munich

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2 · 2007 56 Monks – The Transatlantic Feedback The Monks (photo © play loud! + monks)

Everybody knows Elvis Presley served Uncle Sam in West Monks were the essence of the 60s art world.” (Berthold Germany, but have you ever heard of the five American Seliger) G.I.s who stayed on after their military discharge and formed one of the wildest and most influential rock bands Genre Art, Culture, History, Music Category Documentary of the 60s? Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome to the Cinema Year of Production 2006 Directors Dietmar Post, stage the first avant-garde band, The Monks. Lucía Palacios Editors Dieter Jaufmann, Karl-W. Huelsenbeck Soundtrack “silver monk time” featuring The Fall, Faust, Jon Combining rare archival footage of the band’s amazing Spencer, Alan Vega, Psychic TV, Mouse on Mars, Alec Empire, Int. performances on live TV with contemporary interviews Noise Conspiracy, The Gossip, the original Monks and others with band members, eye witnesses and music com - Movie Poster Daniel Richter Producers Dietmar Post, Lucía mentators, this documentary traces the evolution of a Palacios Production Company play loud! productions/Berlin, combo determined to expand the frontiers of popular in co-production with ZDF & 3sat/Mainz, HR/Frankfurt Principal music. What emerges is a vital and illuminating picture of Cast The Monks, Charles Wilp, Jochen Irmler, Jon Spencer, German-American cross-cultural experience, and a tribute Genesis P. Orridge, Peter Zaremba, Byron Coley, Jimmy Bowien, to genuine rock and roll pioneers. Gerd Henjes, Wolfgang Gluszczewski Length 100 min Format DigiBeta, color, 4:3 Original Version English/German “A loving and penetrating documentary film.” (Hollywood Subtitled Version English Sound Technology Stereo Reporter) Festival Screenings Los Angeles 2006, Leeds 2006, Munich 2006, Chicago 2006, Minneapolis 2006, Frankfurt 2006, Kassel “An overdue history lesson.” (Rolling Stone) 2006, Oslo 2006, Gijon 2006, Goeteborg 2007, Copenhagen 2007, Wuerzburg 2007 Awards Audience Pick Leeds 2006, Best “The filmmakers do a vivid job etching the creatively fervid Documentary Wuerzburg 2007, Audience Award Berlin & Beyond San times, with an editing style whose dynamism echoes that of Francisco 2007 With backing from Filmfoerderung Hessen, Monk music.” (Variety) Filmstiftung NRW, Filmbuero NW, Chicago Underground Film Fund, Anthology Film Archives, Cine Impuls “Like Fechner’s film about the Comedian Harmonists, this docu- mentary combines beautifully the private with the political. The Dietmar Post was born in 1962. As a director and producer, he has been working on short films and documentaries, such as Bowl World Sales (please contact) of Oatmeal (1996), Cloven Hoofed (1998) and Reverend play loud! productions · Dietmar Post Billy (2002). Together with Spanish-born Lucía Palacios he Gubener Strasse 23 · 10243 Berlin/Germany directed his second feature-length documentary Monks – The phone +49-30-29 77 93 15 · fax +49-30-29 77 93 16 Transatlantic Feedback (2006). They are currently planning a email: [email protected] · www.playloud.org new film together entitled Franco’s Settlers. german films quarterly new german films

2 · 2007 57 Neues vom Wixxer THE VEXXER Scene from “The Vexxer” Scene from (photo courtesy of Atlas International Film)

He’s back … meaner and more dangerous than ever … duction Company Rat Pack Filmproduktion/Munich, in co-pro- The Vexxer … Scotland Yard’s funniest nightmare! duction with German Filmproduction GFP/Berlin, B.A. Produktion/ Munich Principal Cast Oliver Kalkofe, Bastian Pastewka, Joachim Thick fog is once again covering night-time London. Dark Fuchsberger, Christiane Paul, Sonja Kirchberger, Judy Winter, shadows fall on the city like a freshly ironed shroud. Christoph Maria Herbst, Hella von Sinnen, Christian Tramitz, Oliver Sounds exactly like Edgar Wallace! But honestly, he also Welke, Chris Howland, Wolfgang Voelz, Lars Rudolph, Thomas had nothing to do with this installment of the Skeleton- Heinze, Martin Semmelrogge Special Effects Gregor Eckstein faced killer. Length 94 min, 2,571 m Format 35 mm, color/b&w, cs Original Version German Subtitled Version English Sound Three years ago, Chief Inspector Evan Longer and his Technology Dolby Digital With backing from partner, Very Long, fought the evil gangster for the first FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Bayerischer BankenFonds BBF, time, but ever since he’s return ed, Scotland Yard is in Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA) German Distributor Constantin shock. The Vexxer has published a death-list and Very Film Verleih/Munich Long is on it! Cyrill Boss’s films include: Richtung All gaeu (2003), The most important thing is to protect the poor and hel- Maerchenstunde: Rapunzel oder Mord ist ihr Hobby pless victims, especially the beautiful Victoria Dickham, (TV, 2006), Maerchenstunde: Zwerg Nase – 4 Faeuste daughter of Lord Dickham and the secret love-interest of fuer ein Zauberkraut (TV, 2006), and The Vexxer (Neues Evan Longer. While the Chief Inspector is in seventh heav- vom Wixxer, 2007). en, the Vexxer starts working his list … Philipp Stennert’s films include: Dark (1998), Shadowman Genre Comedy Category Feature Film Cinema Year of (short, 2001), Agujero (2004), Maerchenstunde: Rapunzel Production 2007 Directors Cyrill Boss, Philipp Stennert oder Mord ist ihr Hobby (TV, 2006), Maerchenstunde: Screenplay Oliver Kalkofe, Oliver Welke, Bastian Pastewka Zwerg Nase – 4 Faeuste fuer ein Zauberkraut (TV, Director of Photography Jochen Staeblein Editor Stefan 2006), and The Vexxer (Neues vom Wixxer, 2007). Essl Music by Helmut Zerlett, Christoph Zirngiebl Production Design Matthias Muesse Producer Christian Becker Pro-

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2 · 2007 58 Osdorf Scene from “OsdorfScene from Ruge) ” (photo © Katja

The highrise estate Osdorfer Born in west Hamburg is ing becomes a reflective experience. However, the film regarded as something of a social hot spot. Although most leaves open what consequences this visit may have and of the boys from Osdorf weren’t even born in Germany, what the boys’ future may bring. they feel strongly attached to their neighborhood and proudly display their ghetto identity. However, the boys Genre Society, Youth & Immigration Category Documentary have their doubts – they are aware that it is a strange Cinema Year of Production 2007 Director Maja Classen world they live in, where a criminal counts more than Screenplay Maja Classen Directors of Photography someone who goes to school. The film follows these boys, Johannes Neumann, Christoph Lemmen Editor Thomas Krause in their search for answers to the difficult questions of Music by Nicolas Hoeppner, CC Attack, Adrenalin featuring everyday life – why do they commit crimes? Which other Danny Producer Max Springer Production Company ways can they see for themselves? Do they have dreams? Hochschule fuer Film und Fernsehen ’Konrad Wolf ’/Potsdam- In what way do they feel responsible? It is the ambiguity Babelsberg Length 77 min Format DigiBeta, color, 16:9 between the boys’ refreshingly honest reflections and the Original Version German Subtitled Version English Sound gangster clichés they copy that lets their charm unfold. Technology Dolby Surround Festival Screenings Berlin 2007 (Perspectives German Cinema) To gain respect, certain codes have to be adhered to. Alican and Siar, the film’s protagonists, know the rules of Maja Classen was born in 1974 in Hamburg. Before her studies the Osdorf streets. They worked hard for their reputation, at the ’Konrad Wolf ’ Academy of Film & Television from 2000- and they see hardly any alternative to the lives they live 2006, she worked as an assistant director and completed a training there. course in editing and production in San Francisco and studied American Studies, Psychology and German Literature in Hamburg. Some of the boys from the group take part in the project Her films include: the shorts Nightshot (1999), The Juggler “Prisoners Help Juveniles”. They are deeply impressed (2000), Alles soll in Erfuellung gehen (2001), Heimat after a visit with inmates of the Fuhlsbuettel correctional (2003), Tancu (2004), and the documentary features Don’t facility, “Santa Fu”. They identify with the felons: the meet- Forget to Go Home (Feiern, 2006), and Osdorf (2007).

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2 · 2007 59 Paul und Bataar PAUL AND BATAAR of Caterina Klusemann) Team from “Paul and Bataar” (photo courtesy “Paul from Team

Paul has lived all over the world, but he hasn’t really seen Genre Children and Youth, Family, Road Movie Category much of it. His father is a diplomat. But since Paul’s Feature Film Cinema Year of Production 2006 Director mother died, his father has become rather introverted and Caterina Klusemann Screenplay Caterina Klusemann is not really interested in much. At the moment, the fami- Directors of Photography Batmunkh Purevdorj, Gonchig ly, which also includes Paul’s little sister, lives in Mongolia. Batnyagt Editor Anja Lueke Music by Claas Willeke, Matthias Raue Producers Caterina Klusemann, Elke Ried Production One day Paul breaks out of his pampered home. What he Companies Zieglerfilm Koeln/Cologne, Caterina Klusemann is really after is his father’s attention, and what he gets is a Filmproduktion/Berlin Principal Cast Vashik Piños, Ajnai great adventure. Paul befriends Bataar, who has also run Erdenee, Josh Evans, David O’Connor, Myagmar Rentzenkhand away from his difficult nomad existence. Length 70 min Format DV, color Original Version English/ Mongolian Dubbed Version German Sound Techno logy Together, the two observe a gang of thieves and while on Mono the chase after them not only do they get to know the en- tire country but also get into a heap of trouble. Then sur- Caterina Klusemann was born in 1973 in Lucca/Italy and prisingly they manage to outwit the gang and finally get grew up in Venezuela, Germany, Italy and Switzerland. She studied the recognition they so dearly crave. Biochemistry from 1991-1995 in Basel, followed by studies in Film Direction at Columbia University from 1996-2001. Her films in - With Bataar, Paul discovers a foreign culture, the vastness clude: H&G (short, 2000), Matrilineal (short, 2001), Ima of the steppe, and the freedom that allows him to leave his (2001), For Our Man (short, 2002), and Paul and Bataar disappointments behind. (2006).

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2 · 2007 60 Prater Scene from “Prater” (photo © Ulrike Ottinger Filmproduktion) Ottinger Filmproduktion) “Prater” (photo © Ulrike Scene from

Vienna’s Prater is an amusement park and a desire ma - Company Ulrike Ottinger Filmproduktion/Berlin, in co-pro - chine. No mechanical invention, no novel idea or sen- duction with Kurt Mayer Film/Vienna, WDR/Cologne Length sational innovation could escape incorporation into the 104 min, 3,009 m Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Prater. The diverse story-telling in Ulrike Ottinger’s film Version German Subtitled Version English Sound Prater transforms this place of sensations into a modern Technology Dolby Digital Surround Festival Screenings cinema of attractions. The Prater’s history from the be- Berlin 2007 (Forum), Mar del Plata 2007 With backing from ginning to the present is told by its protagonists and those ORF, Filmfonds Wien who have documented it, including contemporary cine- matic images of the Prater, interviews with carnies, com- Ulrike Ottinger was born in Konstanz in 1942 and studied Art mentary by Austrians and visitors from abroad, film in Munich from 1959-1961. She has been living in Berlin since 1973 quotes, and photographic and written documentary and is a member of the Academy of Arts and the European Film materials. The meaning of the Prater, its status as a place Academy in Berlin. Active as a writer, director and camerawoman, of technological innovation, and its role as a cultural her films include: Laokoon & Sons (Laokoon & Soehne, medium are reflected in texts by Elfriede Jelinek, Josef von 1973), Madame X – An Absolute Ruler (Madame X – Sternberg, Erich Kaestner and Elias Canetti, as well as in eine absolute Herrscherin, 1977), Ticket of No Return music devoted to this amusement venue throughout the (Bildnis einer Trinkerin, 1979), Freak Orlando (1980), course of its history. Dorian Gray in the Mirror of the Yellow Press (Dorian Gray im Spiegel der Boulevardpresse, 1984), China. Genre Culture Category Documentary Cinema Year of The Arts – The People (China. Die Kuenste, der Production 2007 Director Ulrike Ottinger Assistant Alltag, 1985), Johanna d’Arc of Mongolia (1989), Taiga Director Hanne Lassl Screenplay Maria Turek Director of (1992), Exil Shanghai (1997), Southeast Passage Photography Ulrike Ottinger Editor Bettina Blickwede Music (Suedost Passage, 2002), Twelve Chairs (Zwoelf by Klaus Kellermann Producer Ulrike Ottinger Production Stuehle, 2004), and Prater (2007) among others.

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2 · 2007 61 Preussisch Gangstar PRUSSIAN GANGSTARS Scene from “Prussian Gangstars” (photo © Scene from Film) Fortuna

Prussian Gangstars is a slice of life view of three youths Sound Technology Stereo Festival Screenings Ophuels in small-town Brandenburg. The idyllic setting and the Festival Saarbruecken 2007, Filmkunst Fest Schwerin 2007, Filmfest modest prosperity of the community mask the problems Cottbus 2007 Awards Best Original Score Saarbruecken 2007 with which the young people have to contend. Nico is a With backing from MSH Schleswig-Holstein, Filmbuero school drop-out, dreaming of a hip-hop career. Tino, in an Bremen effort to satisfy the expectations of his mother, struggles to gain his lower school certificate. Oli wants to open a Irma-Kinga Stelmach was born in 1975 in Boleslawiec/ club, but his girlfriend dreams of leaving their hum-drum Poland and has been living in Germany since 1989. After taking a provincial life behind them. The difficulties seem routine diploma in Fine Arts in Berlin, she studied at the Central Saint enough. Nonetheless, an unfathomable void develops be - Martins College of Art & Design in London and at UIC Chicago. She tween their youthful values and those of their parents. has been studying Directing at the ’Konrad Wolf ’ Academy of Film Only their friendship gives them a degree of security. & Television since 2002. Her films include: Kurowski Shop Together they are the “Prussian Gangstars”. (2001), Happy Christmas (Frohe Weihnachten, 2002), Jubilate (2004), hold.me.loose (halt.mich.los, 2005), Genre Coming-of-Age, Drama Category Feature Film Cinema afterhour (2006), and Prussian Gangstars (Preussisch Year of Production 2007 Directors Irma-Kinga Stelmach, Gangstar, 2007). Bartosz Werner Screenplay Irma-Kinga Stelmach, Bartosz Werner Directors of Photography Andreas Bergmann, Ben Bartosz Werner was born in 1979 in Bielsko Biala/Poland and Pohl Editor Marc Hofmeister Music by Benjamin Krbetschek, has been living in Germany since 1986. He studied at the ’Konrad Preussisch Gangstar, Kolonne Ost Producer Philip Pratt Wolf ’ Academy of Film & Television from 2000-2006. His films Production Company Fortuna Film/Berlin, in co-production include: Seven Seconds (Sieben Sekunden, 2001), Mr. with Hochschule fuer Film und Fernsehen ’Konrad Wolf ’/Potsdam- Hollywood Star (2002), New Worlds (Neue Welten, Babelsberg Principal Cast Mario Knofe, Robert Ohde, Benjamin 2003), Sweet Lullabies (2004), Highway (Autobahn, Succow Length 88 min Format HDV Blow-up 35 mm, color, 2005), Kinzels Backyard (Kinzels Hinterhof, 2006), and 1:1.85 Original Version German Subtitled Version English Prussian Gangstars (Preussisch Gangstar, 2007).

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2 · 2007 62 Der Rote Elvis THE RED ELVIS Dan Reed (photos courtesy cmp) of Totho

On the 17th of June 1986 a man is dragged out of a lake justice collides with his yearning for love and affection. He in East Berlin. He turns out to be the US American singer remains an icon and his ideals remind us of those policies and actor Dean Reed, a highly mysterious legend of that presently regain a strong contemporary quality. global pop culture during Cold War times. Genre Biopic, History, Music Category Documentary Cinema After leaving his hometown in Colorado at a young age in Year of Production 2007 Director Leopold Gruen Screen- order to take acting classes in Hollywood, Reed soon is play Leopold Gruen Director of Photography Thomas Janze produced by Capitol Records and successfully launched in Editor Dirk Uhlig Music by Monomango Producer Thomas South America. In Chile he experiences his political initia- Janze Production Company Totho cmp/Berlin With Isabel tion and transforms to a contradictive freedom fighter Allende Bussi, Celino Bleiweiss, Peter Boyles, Egon Krenz, Maren after the Pinochet Coup in 1973. He devotes himself to Zeidler, Armin Mueller-Stahl, Wiebke Reed, Guenter Reisch the promotion of Socialism. His beliefs make him travel to Length 90 min, 2,466 m Format DigiBeta, color, 16:9 Blow-up support Arafat – this time with a Kalashnikov in addition 35 mm, color, 16:9 Original Version German/English/Spanish to his guitar. Always trying to use his artistic talents to in- Subtitled Version English Sound Technology Dolby SR fluence global politics, he gains the aura of a US American Festival Screenings Berlin 2007 (Panorama) With backing activist. Rockstar, Cowboy, Socialist – Reed becomes the from Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, DEFA Foundation, SONY ultimate superstar of the Eastern Bloc. Moreover, he wants Deutschland German Distributor Neue Visionen Filmver - to become Senator of Colorado and calls Reagan a “state leih/Berlin terrorist”. This directs his life to a point of no return. Leopold Gruen was born in 1968 in Dresden. He studied Media Dean Reed embodies qualities of mutual exclusiveness, Pedagogy and worked as a teacher from 1990-1996, followed by thereby likewise irritating devotees and enemies with his studies in Media Consultancy and Sociology from 1998-2001. Since manifold persona. He acts in 18 movies, records 13 2001, he has been working as a freelance documentary director and albums and performs in more than 32 countries. Reed media consultant and began working on The Red Elvis (Der ends up being a distraught rebel. His desire for peace and Rote Elvis) in 2002.

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2 · 2007 63 Vollidiot COMPLETE IDIOT Scene from “Complete Idiot” (photo © Senator Film Verleih) “Complete Idiot” (photo © Senator Film Verleih) Scene from

Not all men are idiots – some are complete idiots. Berlin, in co-production with Europool/Munich, in cooperation with Pictorion Pictures/Huerth, Goldkind Film/Munich Principal Simon Peters, a passionless telephone salesman, is down Cast Oliver Pocher, Oliver Fleischer, Tanja Wenzel, Anke Engelke, on his luck, has no girlfriend and is about to turn thirty. His Ellenie Salvo González, Tomas Sinclair Spencer, Herbert Feuerstein girlfriend left him a year ago and a new situation is no - Casting Emrah Ertem Length 102 min, 2,783 m Format 35 where in sight. Neither the Cologne nightlife scene nor the mm, color, cs Original Version German Subtitled Version attempts by his Croatian cleaning lady to hook him up English Sound Technology Dolby Digital With backing with someone offer any sort of hope of sexual fulfillment. from Filmstiftung NRW, Filmfoerderungsanstalt (FFA), But one day, behind the window of the All American Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, BKM German Distributor Coffee Company he sees the woman of his dreams: Senator Film Verleih/Berlin Marcia P. Garcia, a South American expert in the art of frothing milk. She has a sensational smile and an equally Tobi Baumann was born in 1974 in Koblenz. He began his sensational body. Simon is certain – she’s the one. The comedy career as a writer for the RTL Nachtshow and Die Harald woman of his life. The mother of his bilingual children. Just Schmidt Show and has been directing and winning awards for such one little thing stands in the way of a romantic wedding: television comedy shows as Die Wochenshow, Lady- Simon still has to approach her first. kracher, and Ohne Worte. A “self-made man” in the German comedy scene, Der Wixxer (2004) was his feature debut, follow - Genre Comedy Category Feature Film Cinema Year of ed by the TV series LiebesLeben and Ladyland, and his Production 2007 Director Tobi Baumann Screenplay second feature Complete Idiot (Vollidiot, 2007). Tommy Jaud Director of Photography Jo Heim Editor Martin Wolf Music by Stephan & Cecil Remmler Production Design Josef Sanktjohanser Producers Christoph Mueller, Sven Burgemeister Production Company Senator Film Produktion/

World Sales TELEPOOL GmbH · Wolfram Skowronnek Sonnenstrasse 21 · 80331 Munich/Germany phone +49-89-55 87 60 · fax +49-89-55 87 62 29 email: [email protected] · www.telepool.de german films quarterly new german films

2 · 2007 64 Die Wilden Huehner und die Liebe WILD CHICKS IN LOVE Scene from “Wild Chicks in Love” (photo © 2007 Constantin Film) Scene from

Love sure is a tough nut to crack, and Sprotte, Frieda, duction with Lunaris Film/Munich, Constantin Film Production/ Melanie, Wilma and Trude can tell you a thing or two Munich, ZDF/Mainz Principal Cast Michelle von Treuberg, Paula about it. All the "wild chicks" are struggling with it. Riemann, Jette Hering, Lucie Hollmann, Zsá Zsá Inci Buerkle, Svea Melanie is deeply hurt since Willi has left her for another Bein, Veronica Ferres, Thomas Kretschmann, Oliver Stokowski, girl, Nana, who’s two years older than him. Frieda has a Jessica Schwarz, Doris Schade, Benno Fuermann Casting complicated weekend relationship with Maik, whom she Jacqueline Rietz, Maria Schwarz, An Dorthe Braker Length 108 met at riding camp. Trude dreams of fellow student Ricky’s min, 2,970 m Format 35 mm, color, 1:1.85 Original Version smoldering gaze. And Sprotte is still seeing Fred. In fact, German Subtitled Version English Sound Technology everything would be great between them if it weren’t for Dolby SR With backing from Filmstiftung NRW, FilmFern - Sprotte’s jealousy. The wild chicks’ leader also has another sehFonds Bayern, Filmfoerderungs anstalt (FFA), Bayerischer problem to cope with: her mother Sybille is planning to BankenFonds BBF German Distributor Constantin Film marry Thorben when Sprotte’s father sudden ly turns up Verleih/Munich after twelve years and sets Sybille’s heart all aflutter … But the most difficult relation of all has to be Wilma’s. Love, as Vivian Naefe studied at the Academy of Television & Film in the chicks come to realize, doesn’t always have to do with Munich from 1978-1982. Her other films include: Schwarzer boys. In spite of all the emotional turmoil, the clique Bube (1984), Ticket nach Rom (1985), Der Boss aus dem manages to stick together – which is just what you’d Westen (1987), Pizza-Express (1988), Mauritius-Los expect from these wild chicks! (1989), Fuer immer jung (1990), Mit allen Mitteln (aka Meine Tochter gehoert mir, 1991), Todesreigen (TV, Genre Family Entertainment Category Feature Film Cinema 1992), Toedliches Netz (TV, 1993), Mann sucht Frau (TV, Year of Production 2007 Director Vivian Naefe 1994), Zaubergirl (TV, 1994), Ich liebe den Mann meiner Screenplay Marie Graf, Uschi Reich, Vivian Naefe Director of Tochter (TV, 1995), Blutiger Asphalt (TV, 1995), Lautlose Photography Peter Doettling (bvk) Editor Hansjoerg Jagd (TV, 1996), 2 Maenner, 2 Frauen, 4 Probleme (1997), Weissbrich (bfs) Music by Annette Focks Production Design Rache fuer mein totes Kind (TV, 1998), Einer geht noch Annette Ingerl Producers Uschi Reich, Peter Zenk Co- (TV, 2000), Kleine Diebe (TV, 2000), Frauen luegen besser Producers Gabriele Heuser, Susanne van Lessen Production (TV, 2000), Bobby (TV, 2001), Die Schoenheit von Company Bavaria Filmverleih- & Produktion/Munich, in co-pro- Bitterfeld (TV, 2002), So schnell Du kannst (TV, 2002), Wellen (TV, 2004), and Die Wilden Huehner (2005). World Sales Bavaria Film International · Dept. of Bavaria Media GmbH · Thorsten Schaumann Bavariafilmplatz 8 · 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 german films quarterly new german films

2 · 2007 65 VGF INFORMATION

REMUNERATION IN GERMANY FOR PRIVATE COPYING – RENTAL OF VIDEOGRAMS – CABLE RETRANSMISSION

VGF, a collecting society under German law, was founded in 1981 when private homecopying of TV-programs (in particular feature films) by means of videorecording equipment started to become commercially important.

Since 1982 VGF collects video levy monies due to German and foreign film producers under Art. 54 of the German Copyright Act (for blank cassettes and VCR’s) and distributes them to the respective rightsowners. The German Collecting Societies Act obliges VGF to make sure that all authors/rightsowners and owners of neighbouring rights of motion pictures, including foreign rightsowners who enjoy national treatment under the international copyright conventions, receive an equitable share of the monies collected for all rightsowners of programs broadcasted by German TV-Stations. Since it is virtually impossible for the individual rightsowners to control the use of the property and to make claims individually, Art. 54 provides that the respective rights must be administered collectively and claims can be made through a collecting society only.

VGF now administers a great number of film rights of important film and TV producers from USA, Great Britain, Germany and other countries who have joined VGF as members. Since VGF’s activities come under the supervision of the German Patent Office, it is safeguarded that a fair devision of monies among all rightsowners concerned takes place and that producers receive an equitable share of the video levy revenues in Germany.

The following rights/claims, which can only be brought forward through a collecting society, presently administered by VGF are:

Art. 54 German Copyright Act – Video Levy

Art. 54 of the German Copyright Act provides a remuneration for private copying of TV programs. As the rightowner cannot prevent private copying, manufacturers and importers of blank cassettes and VCR’s are charged with a levy. The claim can be made by a collecting society only (Art. 54 Sec. 6.1 German Copyright Act). VGF as a trustee administers the rights for film and TV producers and distributes the respective amounts to the rightsowners. Licensing of television rights does not imply transfer of the above mentioned right.

Art. 27 German Copyright Act – Rental Levy

Art. 27 of the German Copyright Act entitles rightsowners to a supplementary remuneration for the rental and lending of videograms by video-retailers. The money must be paid by the video-retailer. It is provided by law (Art. 27 Sec.3) that claims can be made by collecting societies only.

Art. 20 b German Copyright Act – Cable Retransmission Fee

Rightowners whose programs are broadcast by German TV stations and retransmitted via cable are also entitled to a remuneration for such cable retransmission. VGF is also active in collecting this fee. Administration of the above mentioned fees by VGF incurrs no costs for the rightsowners. If your company is interested in collecting these remu nerations, please contact VGF for more detailed information.

VGF Verwertungsgesellschaft für Nutzungsrechte an Filmwerken mbH

Neue Schönhauser Straße 10, D-10178 Berlin Phone: 0049-30-2 79 07 39-46 Fax: 0049-30-2 79 07 39 48 [email protected]

Beichstraße 8, D-80802 München Phone: 0049-89-39 14 25 Fax: 0049-89-3 40 12 91 GERMAN FILMS SHAREHOLDERS & SUPPORTERS

Arbeitsgemeinschaft Der Beauftragte der Bundesregierung Neuer Deutscher Spielfilmproduzenten e.V. fuer Kultur und Medien Association of New Feature Film Producers Referat K 35, Europahaus, Stresemannstrasse 94, Muenchner Freiheit 20, 80802 Munich/Germany 10963 Berlin/Germany phone +49-89-2 71 74 30, fax +49-89-2 71 97 28 phone +49-18 88-6 81 49 29, fax +49-18 88-68 15 49 29 email: [email protected], www.ag-spielfilm.de 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 GmbH Association of German Film Exporters Friedensallee 14–16, 22765 Hamburg/Germany Tegernseer Landstrasse 75, 81539 Munich/Germany phone +49-40-39 83 70, fax +49-40-3 98 37 10 phone +49- 89-6 42 49 70, fax +49-89-6 92 09 10 email: [email protected], www.ffhh.de email: [email protected], www.vdfe.de

Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen GmbH Verband Deutscher Spielfilmproduzenten e.V. Kaistrasse 14, 40221 Duesseldorf/Germany Association of German Feature Film Producers phone +49-2 11-93 05 00, fax +49-2 11-93 05 05 Beichstrasse 8, 80802 Munich/Germany email: [email protected], www.filmstiftung.de phone +49-89-39 11 23, fax +49-89-33 74 32

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

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

Mitteldeutsche Medienfoerderung GmbH Hainstrasse 17-19, 04109 Leipzig/Germany phone +49-3 41-26 98 70, fax +49-3 41-2 69 87 65 Arbeitsgemeinschaft Dokumentarfilm e.V. email: [email protected], www.mdm-online.de German Documentary Association Schweizer Strasse 6, 60594 Frankfurt am Main/Germany phone +49-69-62 37 00, fax +49-61 42-96 64 24 email: [email protected], www.agdok.de MSH Gesellschaft zur Foerderung audiovisueller Werke in Schleswig-Holstein mbH Schildstrasse 12, 23552 Luebeck/Germany phone +49-4 51-7 19 77, fax +49-4 51-7 19 78 Arbeitsgemeinschaft Kurzfilm e.V. email: [email protected], www.m-s-h.org German Short Film Association Kamenzer Strasse 60, 01099 Dresden/Germany phone +49-3 51-4 04 55 75, fax +49-3 51-4 04 55 76 email: [email protected], www.ag-kurzfilm.de nordmedia – Die Mediengesellschaft Niedersachsen/Bremen mbH Expo Plaza 1, 30539 Hanover/Germany phone +49-5 11-1 23 45 60, fax +49-5 11-12 34 56 29 email: [email protected], www.nordmedia.de

german films quarterly shareholders & supporters

2 · 2007 67 ;dgVaa[jijgZ]^\]"È^Zgh# I]ZÇabXdbb^ibZcid[i]Z7BL

mmm$fh[ii$Xcm]hekf$Yec [_cWjÈbc\eh ½9ekdj[hfWhji%=[][d”X[h¾Gk_dpW_d[Z[i HƒWb_iWj[khi WdZ ½Im[[jCkZ%7ZWcWC[i^k]WÀWj¾ M_dd[h"IkdZWdY[(&&-"9hoijWb8[Wh(&&-" Ef^_h8[ij<_bc(&&, $ 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 GmbH & Co.KG Stuntproduktion GmbH please contact Ralf Faust, Axel Schaarschmidt please contact Ida Martins please contact Wolfgang Wilke Werdenfelsstrasse 81 Hochstadenstrasse 1-3 An der Hasenkaule 1-7 81377 Munich/Germany 50674 Cologne/Germany 50354 Huerth/Germany phone +49-89-7 41 34 30 phone +49-2 21-8 01 49 80 phone +49-22 33-50 81 00 fax +49-89-74 13 43 16 fax +49-2 21-80 14 98 21 fax +49-22 33-50 81 80 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] email: [email protected] www.cine-aktuell.de www.medialuna-entertainment.de www.actionconcept.com Cine-International Filmvertrieb Progress Film-Verleih GmbH ARRI Media Worldsales GmbH & Co. KG please contact Christel Jansen please contact Antonio Exacoustos please contact Lilli Tyc-Holm, Susanne Groh Immanuelkirchstrasse 14b Tuerkenstrasse 89 Leopoldstrasse 18 10405 Berlin/Germany 80799 Munich/Germany 80802 Munich/Germany phone +49-30-24 00 32 25 phone +49-89-38 09 12 88 phone +49-89-39 10 25 fax +49-30-24 00 32 22 fax +49-89-38 09 16 19 fax +49-89-33 10 89 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] email: [email protected] www.progress-film.de www.arri-mediaworldsales.de www.cine-international.de Road Sales GmbH Mediadistribution Atlas International Film GmbH EEAP Eastern European please contact VDFE please contact Acquisition Pool GmbH c/o Verband deutscher Filmexporteure e. V. Stefan Menz, Dieter Menz, Philipp Menz please contact Alexander van Duelmen Tegernseer Landstrasse 75 Candidplatz 11 Alexanderstrasse 7 81539 Munich/Germany 81543 Munich/Germany 10178 Berlin/Germany phone +49-89-6 42 49 70 phone +49-89-21 09 75-0 phone +49-30-25 76 23 30 fax +49-89-6 92 09 10 fax +49-89-22 43 32 fax +49-30-25 76 23 59 email: [email protected] · www.vdfe.de email: [email protected] email: [email protected] www.atlasfilm.com www.eeap.de SOLA Media GmbH please contact Solveig Langeland ATRIX Films GmbH Exportfilm Bischoff & Co. GmbH Osumstrasse 17, 70599 Stuttgart/Germany please contact Beatrix Wesle, please contact Jochem Strate, phone +49-7 11-4 79 36 66 Solveig Langeland Philip Evenkamp fax +49-7 11-4 79 26 58 Aggensteinstrasse 13a Isabellastrasse 20, 80798 Munich/Germany email: [email protected] 81545 Munich/Germany phone +49-89-2 72 93 60 www.sola-media.net phone +49-89-64 28 26 11 fax +49-89-27 29 36 36 fax +49-89-64 95 73 49 email: [email protected] TELEPOOL GmbH email: [email protected] www.exportfilm.de please contact Wolfram Skowronnek www.atrix-films.com Sonnenstrasse 21, 80331 Munich/Germany german united distributors phone +49-89-55 87 60 Bavaria Film International Programmvertrieb GmbH fax +49-89-55 87 62 29 Dept. of Bavaria Media GmbH please contact Silke Spahr email: [email protected] · www.telepool.de please contact Thorsten Schaumann Breite Strasse 48-50 Bavariafilmplatz 8 50667 Cologne/Germany Transit Film GmbH 82031 Geiselgasteig/Germany phone +49-2 21-92 06 90 please contact Loy W. Arnold, Mark Gruenthal phone +49-89-64 99 26 86 fax +49-2 21-9 20 69 69 Dachauer Strasse 35 fax +49-89-64 99 37 20 email: [email protected] 80335 Munich/Germany email: [email protected] phone +49-89-59 98 85-0 www.bavaria-film-international.com Kinowelt International GmbH fax +49-89-59 98 85-20 Futura Film Weltvertrieb email: [email protected], Beta Cinema im Filmverlag der Autoren GmbH [email protected] Dept. of Beta Film GmbH please contact Stelios Ziannis, Anja Uecker www.transitfilm.de please contact Andreas Rothbauer Karl-Tauchnitz-Strasse 10 Gruenwalder Weg 28d 04107 Leipzig/Germany uni media film gmbh 82041 Oberhaching/Germany phone +49-3 41-35 59 60 please contact Irene Vogt, Michael Waldleitner phone +49-89-67 34 69 80 fax +49-3 41-35 59 64 19 Bavariafilmplatz 7 fax +49-89-6 73 46 98 88 email: [email protected], 82031 Geiselgasteig/Germany email: [email protected] [email protected] phone +49-89-59 58 46 www.betacinema.com www.kinowelt-international.de fax +49-89-54 50 70 52 email: [email protected] german films quarterly association of german film exporters

2 · 2007 69 3()0!4#!..%3 CANNES STUDIO HAMBURGDE

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3()0n3TUDIO(AMBURG)NTERNATIONAL0RODUCTIONDEVELOPS PRODUCESAND lNANCES'ERMANAND%NGLISHLANGUAGEFEATURElLMSFORTHEWORLDMARKET 7ITHlLMSLIKE',//-935.$!9 -ARGARETHEVON4ROTTAS2/3%.342!33% #HRISTOPH3CHREWES4(%#/.#,!6% 0ETER+AHANES2%$:/2! RELEASE IN'ERMANY*ANUARYBY5NIVERSAL ANDTHEFAMILYENTERTAINMENT FRANCHISE4(%4(2%%).6%34)'!4/23 DIRECTEDBY/SCAR NOMINATED DIRECTOR&LORIAN"AXMEYER 3()0n3TUDIO(AMBURG)NTERNATIONAL0RODUCTION ISONEOF'ERMANYSTOPSUPPLIERSOFINTERNATIONALFEATURElLMS /523%26)#%3 )NADDITION lLMSLIKE2%3)$%.4%6),ANDTHE/SCAR NOMINATED-%229 q&).!.#).'#/ &).!.#).' #(2)34-!3WERESHOTONOURlRSTCLASSSTAGESIN"ERLINAND(AMBURG 3()0ALSOPERFORMEDTHEPRODUCTIONSERVICESFORTHE*ODIE&OSTER STARRER q02/$5#4)/.3%26)#%3 &,)'(40,!. q345$)/3 4(%4(2%%).6%34)'!4/23n4(%3%#2%4/&3+%,%4/.)3,!.$IS COMPLETED RELEASEIN'ERMANY#HRISTMASBY"6)4HESEQUEL q3%4$%3)'.#/.3425#4)/. 4(%4(2%%).6%34)'!4/23n4(%-934%29/&4%22/2#!34,%IS q,!"/2!4/290/3402/$5#4)/. INPRE PRODUCTION

3TUDIO(AMBURG)NTERNATIONAL0RODUCTION'MB( *ENFELDER!LLEE (AMBURG 4EL n  % -AILPRODUKTION STUDIO HAMBURGDE WWWSTUDIO HAMBURG PRODUKTIONDE GESTALTUNG: THOMAS DREHER, [email protected]

Laboratory

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Walter Brus Angela Reedwisch Phone +49-(0)89-3809-1772 Phone +49-(0)89-3809-1574 Fax +49-(0)89-3809-1773 Fax +49-(0)89-3809-1773 www.arri.com www.arri.com

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12 - 15 July 2007 in Cologne

Contact Martin Scheuring at [email protected] 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, Goeteborg, 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 from then on continued 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 hagen, Board (FFA), the Association of German Television Producers, the 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 eight main regional film funds, and the German Short York, Los Angeles 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 Kim Behrendt, PR assistant program, which presents a selection of shorts by students of Sandra Buchta, project coordinator/documentary film German film schools and is premiered every year at Cannes Myriam Gauff, project coordinator Simon Goehler, trainee Publication of informational literature about current German Christine Harrasser, managing director’s assistant/project co ordinator films and the German film industry (German Films Quarterly), Angela Hawkins, publications & website editor as well as international market analy ses and special festival Barbie Heusinger, project coordinator/distribution support brochures Nicole Kaufmann, project coordinator Michaela Kowal, accounts 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 10 foreign representatives in nine 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 eight main regional film which features the latest German film releases and inter- funds (FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, FilmFoerderung Hamburg, national productions in Germany Filmstiftung NRW, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, MFG Baden- Wuerttemberg, Mitteldeutsche Medienfoerderung, MSH Schleswig- Organization of the ”German Films Previews“ geared toward Holstein, and Nordmedia) make a financial contribution – currently European arthouse distributors and buyers of German films amounting to €360,000 – 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 27 European film organizations (including Unifrance, Swiss Films, Austrian Film Commission, Holland Film, among others) On behalf of the association Rendez-vous franco-allemands du with similar responsibilities to those of German Films. The organiza - cinéma, organization with Unifrance of the annual German- tion, with its headquarters in Hamburg, aims to develop and realize French film meeting joint projects for the presentation of European films on an inter - national 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

2 · 2007 74 FOREIGN REPRESENTATIVES IMPRINT

Argentina France Spain Gustav Wilhelmi Cristina Hoffman Stefan Schmitz Ayacucho 495, 2º ”3“ 33, rue L. Gaillet Pza. del Cordón, 2 C1026AAA Buenos Aires/Argentina 94250 Gentilly/France 28005 Madrid/Spain phone +54-11-49 52 15 37 phone +33-1-40 4108 33 phone +34-91-3 66 43 64 phone/fax +54-11-49 51 19 10 fax +33-1-49 8644 18 fax +34-91-3 65 93 01 email: [email protected] email: [email protected] email: [email protected]

China Italy United Kingdom Anke Redl Alessia Ratzenberger Iris Ordonez CMM Intelligence Angeli Movie Service 37 Arnison Road A 606, Tianhai Business Plaza Piazza San Bernardo 108a East Molesey KT8 9JR/Great Britain No. 107 Dongsi Beidajie 00187 Rome/Italy phone +44-20-89 79 86 28 Dongcheng District phone +39-06-48 90 70 75 email: [email protected] Beijing 100007/China fax +39-06-4 88 57 97 phone +86-10-64 07 05 62 email: [email protected] USA/East Coast & Canada fax +86-10-64 07 05 64 Oliver Mahrdt email: [email protected] Japan Hanns Wolters International Inc. Tomosuke Suzuki 211 E 43rd Street, #505 Eastern Europe Nippon Cine TV Corporation New York, NY 10017/USA Simone Baumann Suite 123, Gaien House phone +1-2 12-7 14 01 00 L.E. Vision Film- und 2-2-39 Jingumae, Shibuya-Ku fax +1-2 12-6 43 14 12 Fernsehproduktion GmbH 150-0001 Tokyo/Japan email: [email protected] Koernerstrasse 56 phone +81-3-34 05 09 16 04107 Leipzig/Germany fax +81-3-34 79 08 69 USA/West Coast phone +49-3 41-96 36 80 email: [email protected] Corina Danckwerts fax +49-3 41-9 63 68 44 Capture Film International, LLC email: [email protected] 1726 N. Whitley Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90028/USA phone +1-3 23-9 62 67 10 fax +1-3 23-9 62 67 22 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, Robert Gray, Simon Kingsley 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 www.werner-schauer.de www.german-films.de Printing Office ESTA DRUCK GMBH, ISSN 1614-6387 Obermuehlstrasse 90, 82398 Polling/Germany

Credits are not contractual for any Financed by the office of the Federal Government Commissioner of the films mentioned in this publication. for Culture and the Media

© German Films Service + Marketing GmbH Printed on ecological, unchlorinated paper.

All rights reserved. No reproduction, copy or transmission of Cover Photo Scene from “The Edge of Heaven” this publication may be made without written permission. (photo © corazón international)

german films quarterly foreign representatives · imprint

2 · 2007 75 IN CANNES 2007

GERMAN PAVILION · #125 · INTERNATIONAL VILLAGE GERMAN FILMS · phone +33-(0)4-93 99 86 00 · fax +33-(0)4-93 99 86 21 · www.german-films.de FOCUS GERMANY · phone +33-(0)4-93 99 85 54 · fax +33-(0)4-93 99 85 71 · www.focusgermany.de