GFQGERMAN FILMS QUARTERLY - DIRECTORS Christian Alvart & Nora Fingscheidt PRODUCERS Jochen Laube & Fabian Maubach of Sommerhaus Filmproduktion ...
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GFQ
G E R M A N F I L M S Q U A R T E RLY
I SSU E 2-2 01 9
DIRECTORS Christian Alvart & Nora Fingscheidt
PRODUCERS Jochen Laube & Fabian Maubach of Sommerhaus Filmproduktion
ACTOR Peter Kurth
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CONTENTS GFQ 2-2019
19 22 25
26 29 32
33 34 37
37 38 38
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GFQ 2-2019 CONTENTS
IN THIS ISSUE
P O R T R A I TS GRUPPE SPUR – DIE MALER DER ZUKUNFT!
SPUR – THE PAINTERS OF THE FUTURE!
UNLEASHING THE DOGS Sabine Zimmer ............................................................................... 34
A portrait of director Christian Alvart .............................................. 4
DAS HAUS DER GUTEN GEISTER
MANY FACES THE HOUSE OF GOOD SPIRITS
A portrait of director Nora Fingscheidt ............................................ 6 Marcus Richardt, Lilian Rosa......................................................... 35
ORIGINALITY IS KEY KENT OZANI – DER STADTSCHREIBER VON ISTANBUL
A portrait of Sommerhaus Filmproduktion ..................................... 8 KENT OZANI Dogan Altuner .......................................................... 35
AGAINST THE GRAIN REAL MEN Hasko Baumann ............................................................ 36
A portrait of actor Peter Kurth ....................................................... 10
THINKING LIKE A MOUNTAIN
Alexander Hick ................................................................................. 36
NEWS & NOTES ................................................................................ 14
WALCHENSEE FOREVER
Janna Ji Wonders ............................................................................ 37
NEW FEATURES
WEIL DU NUR EINMAL LEBST – DIE TOTEN HOSEN AUF TOUR
BAYALA Aina Järvine, Federico Milella ............................................ 19
DIE TOTEN HOSEN – YOU ONLY LIVE ONCE
Cordula Kablitz-Post, Paul Dugdale ................................................ 37
CLEO – STORY OF BERLIN
CLEO – IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME Erik Schmitt ..................... 20
DARKROOM – TÖDLICHE TROPFEN NEW SHORTS
DARKROOM – DROPS OF DEATH Rosa von Praunheim .................. 21
FREEDOM OF MOVEMENT
DER FALL COLLINI Nina Fischer, Maroan el Sani ........................................................... 38
THE COLLINI CASE Marco Kreuzpaintner .................................... 22
NEST
FRAU STERN Sonja Rohleder ................................................................................. 38
MS. STERN Anatol Schuster .......................................................... 23
FRITZI – A REVOLUTIONARY TALE UPCOMING FILMS
Ralf Kukula, Matthias Bruhn ......................................................... 24
DIE BIENE MAJA – DIE GOLDENE KUGEL
LEIF IN CONCERT – VOL. 2 Alexs Stadermann, Noel Cleary .................................................... 39
Christian Klandt ............................................................................. 25
CORTEX Moritz Bleibtreu ................................................................ 39
DER LETZTE MIETER
THE LAST BERLINER Gregor Erler ................................................ 26 DÜNNES BLUT Mehrdad Taheri ....................................................... 39
NÖ Dietrich Brüggemann .............................................................. 27 FRANKY FIVE STAR Birgit Möller .................................................... 40
ORAY Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay ....................................................... 28 DIE HEINZELS – RÜCKKEHR DER HEINZELMÄNNCHEN
Ute von Münchow-Pohl ................................................................. 40
ROCCA VERÄNDERT DIE WELT
ROCCA CHANGES THE WORLD Katja Benrath .............................. 29 IGEL LATTE UND DER WASSERSTEIN
Nina Wels, Regina Welker ............................................................... 40
THIS IS WHERE I MEET YOU
Katharina Ludwig ........................................................................... 30 ISI & OSSI Oliver Kienle .................................................................. 41
UND DER ZUKUNFT ZUGEWANDT KATARAKT Alexander Palucki ......................................................... 41
SEALED LIPS Bernd Böhlich ........................................................ 31
DAS PERFEKTE GEHEIMNIS
WAS GEWESEN WÄRE Bora Dagtekin .................................................................................. 41
WHAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN Florian Koerner von Gustorf ................. 32
SCHOKO Sarah Blaßkiewitz ............................................................. 42
NEW DOCUMENTARIES SOMMER MIT BERNHARD (WT)
Martina Sakova ................................................................................ 42
BERÜHRT
DEEPLY MOVED George Inci ........................................................... 33
STAND UP! Timo Jacobs ................................................................. 42
DOUBLE INCOME, KIDS
Shareholders & Supporters ............................................................ 45
Hendrik Schäfer .............................................................................. 33
FORTSCHRITT IM TAL DER AHNUNGSLOSEN Film Exporters ................................................................................. 46
PROGRESS IN THE VALLEY OF THE PEOPLE WHO DON'T KNOW
Florian Kunert ................................................................................... 34 Imprint .............................................................................................. 47
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DIRECTOR’S PORTRAIT GFQ 2-2019
© Syrreal Entertainment
UNLEASHING
THE DOGS
A PORTRAIT OF DIRECTOR CHRISTIAN ALVART
ou know you’re onto a good thing a war with a country when we know it and it’s internationally popular, entertainment for-
Y when the warm-up chat is still
going great guns 45 minutes in
and you’ve yet to hit the record
button! So with apologies and an assurance
you haven’t missed the best bits, not all of
people through it’s films.”
Alvart cites the Iranian film CHILDREN OF
HEAVEN (MAJID MAJIDI, 1997), in which a
boy loses his sister’s shoes and then shares
mats; that people, the characters and thus
the audience, come first.
“The JACK RYAN series”, he continues,
“shows there is more than just Tom Clancy’s
them anyway, here we go... his so they can alternate going to school. “It own views. Because the serial format allows
showed me how emotions get transported, for expansion and explanation, we get to know
Coming off the phenomenally successful how hostile images can be dismantled,” he the characters and are not so quick to con-
DOGS OF BERLIN, Christian Alvart is happier explains, “that entertainment can do so much demn. And this is what DOGS OF BERLIN
to talk about film rather than his own ones. more than just entertain: just how powerful it [his police series for Netflix] meant to
“The greatest artistic strength of the me- can be.” me. The figures are looked at with love and
dium,” he believes, “is its ability to convey em- empathy. The world building was all about
pathy to the audience, which reflects it back. And this is what marks Christian Alvart, who tension, but I soon realized there had to be
It gives us the power to walk a mile in some- made a debut splash with the horror thriller feeling as well.” And feeling there is.
one else’s shoes. It can show us how life is for ANTIBODIES in 2004, as a consummate
others, it can make people smarter and wiser. filmmaker, his ability to convey the bigger, The core idea of DOGS OF BERLIN was a cop
And, yes, it can even make it harder to start perhaps the biggest picture of all, within with a former rightwing background who
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GFQ 2-2019 DIRECTOR’S PORTRAIT
misses the fighting and companionship. He’s tell the story. The highest compliment is Fully accepting that “the future will be
a gambler who one day stumbles, by accident, when people watch a film and are entertained streaming,” Alvart makes the case for co-exi-
on a crime scene: Germany’s most famous and understand it even if they don’t speak the stence between the streaming networks, the
footballer, one with a migration background, actual language! Spielberg is a master of this. cinema and physical media, and admits it will
dead and the next day Germany plays Turkey! Also Luc Besson! My two masters! NIKITA, LE be a balancing act. “Who controls which ver-
“He’s the guy on which the whole social- GRAND BLEU and LEON, they are perfect.” sion, even whether it will be available? ANTI-
political-sporting discussion is turning and BODIES is on Amazon Prime. It was filmed in
he’s dead!”, Alvart, who has a solid TATORT And now the dreaded ‘B’-word: backstory! Cinemascope and they have the squeezed
background and loves what Germans call “It’s a curse!”, Alvart avers. “It’s the most un- version! I didn’t even know till someone wrote
‘Krimis’, explains. “Football’s close to a reli- interesting of everything! Many books and to me!”
gion and the city will explode if this gets out! films function by showing a situation and the
Plus, the lead guy can place some bets and backstory is withheld, which we then learn as “Amazon has new guidelines so many queer
win big, too!” But then a second cop arrives, the film plays.” And then, more excitedly: “I films are no longer available: algorithms tag
a Turkish-German. He’s “good for the politi- want to see the film of the backstory if they them as offensive. Tarantino and Nolan are
cians,” Alvart continues, “gay and Left-liberal, consider that more important!” Calming trying to save 35mm film so there is at least
so not your classic Turkish cliché!” down, but just a little: “It also reduces the one copy in existence, even if it’s their own
empathy. Rambo in FIRST BLOOD is the way one at home! You get policing and politiciza-
The story and characters, both of which he is because he has experienced this and tion, like Spielberg changing guns into radios
originate from Alvart, started as a 160-page that, it’s obvious. Westerns never had back- in his reworked E.T.. In DOGS OF BERLIN the
series bible he wrote “before Netflix’s Eric story; costume and character is all you need.” language had to be softened, so the Neo-
Barmack came asking: ‘Do I have a show?’ Nazis were made to speak ‘nicely’.”
I first had to check this was for real! But then Alvart is currently making DJANGO LIVES!
I sent him the bible and pilot, pitched it and with Franco Nero, “and the lack of backstory “If you want to see DOGS OF BERLIN,” Alvart
they wanted it. The problem was I was already is part of the suspense. In the first scene of continues, you have to subscribe to Netflix
working on a two-parter with Til Schweiger, the original he saves a woman from robbers, because they don’t release physical media.
had written CUT OFF and was working on brings her to a village... and then hands her These companies are very, very powerful and
DON'T.GET.OUT! – I couldn’t deliver! They just to Mexican bandits! Only later do we learn he I understand why some people are resisting,
told me to come back later. I was scared it wants the gold and still has a shred of de- because they love the cinema and see Netflix
would be dropped, but I kept in touch, pitched cency. When we get Darth Vader’s or Snake as wanting to abolish it. But they, the
again and it all moved so fast, I even had to Plissken’s backstory they become banal.” streamers, also face competition for the
get co-writers in to deliver the scripts. Now viewer’s time in the form of social media and
I’m very proud of it, 100% behind it, contro- Enjoying family life (wife, three sons and a gaming.”
versy and all!” He is also unstinting in his daughter off to university) by a lake outside
praise for Netflix’s handling of the show: Berlin, Alvart’s other passions include, Looking further ahead, in the face of the cur-
“They did a super marketing job; giant post- amongst canoeing and reading, writing and rent superhero deluge, Alvart believes that “in
ers everywhere, adverts on the trains, the music. “Cinema became my profession,” he ten years people will be making their own
underground, trams, character posters, says, “but I can imagine the two as careers as films at home with gaming engines. People
everything, and really stylish.” well. But it’s cinema that I live for, even if hav- will create their own, open source, universe.
ing my own production company means tak- Good luck trying to protect the copyright on
Coming from a highly religious background ing care of staff, doing the accounting and SUPERMAN and BATMAN! That dethrones
where films were forbidden, it is no surprise being entrepreneurial.” the studios, a monoculture with SFX and CGI
that Alvart, born 1974 near Frankfurt, went being replaced by the end-users, who will do
out of his way to watch as many as possible Also amongst the current projects in his en- their own rendering and compete directly
and so learned first-hand the powerful at- trepreneurial loop, alongside DJANGO LIVES!, with Hollywood. And this is why they will again
traction of genre films for his audience. Such is a remake of the Spanish thriller LAS ISLAS need real stories, real actors and characters.”
is the case with his 2009 science-fiction MINIMAS. As FREIES LAND, the film ditches
drama PANDORUM. Not a mainstream suc- the politics of the Franco era, “which is very Simon Kingsley
cess by any means, as he admits, but “those hard to convey to a German audience,” and is
that love it, love it! Some went and got tattoos set in 1991 in the state of Mecklenburg-
and they sent me photos. They want a sequel Western-Pommerania, and individual fates
and to do a fundraiser for it: when you get that following German reunification: “There is de-
kind of passion it is fantastic!” industrialization, West Germans buying
things up, young women leaving and it turns
So what is a ‘Christian Alvart’ film, then? “My out some have been murdered. An East
taste is very broad but my approach is very German cop teams with a West German
detailed,” he explains. “What does the project colleague. It’s a portrait of the soul of
need? What does the story need? The most Germans at this time.”
important thing is that the camera tells the
story, it’s the language, the story is told with With close to 4,000 Blu-rays and DVDs at
pictures, so it cannot be random. I hate shoot- home, plus a home cinema set up to kill or die
ing coverage. I’ve always used storyboards for, Alvart is, no surprise, a passionate
and I don’t want coincidence to play any supporter of the cinema-going experience: “I
greater role than that, coincidence. The love it when the curtain opens! The cinema
viewer must feel the director’s stance as a must be kept alive! But operators need to un-
narrator/storyteller.” derstand they have to deliver the best sound
and picture quality and experience, they have
“The film has to have a voice,” Alvart conti- to give you a reason to be there. I go a great
nues, “and tell the story well. The actors must deal and too often you try finding someone to
understand that their being positioned is to complain to if things are not right!”
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DIRECTOR’S PORTRAIT GFQ 2-2019
© Philip Leutert
MANY FACES
A PORTRAIT OF DIRECTOR NORA FINGSCHEIDT
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GFQ 2-2019 DIRECTOR’S PORTRAIT
f course, the phrase is strictly biggest in Europe, so they say. She was a environment, who repeatedly explode the
O correct: SYSTEM CRASHER, an
energy-charged drama about a
wild and furious nine-year-old
girl, is Nora Fingscheidt’s feature film debut.
At this year’s Berlinale in February, her
board member, organized youth projects as
well, and was a committed member of the
European network NISI MASA. And as if all
this was not yet enough, in parallel she
completed one-and-a-half years training
existing inadequate, all too rigid models of
supervision. Children like blond Benni, who
scream, strike out, the ones we need to fear
for; ones who still simply long for a parent’s
love. Nora Fingscheidt researched for five
movie received one of the main awards, as an acting coach in Sigrid Andersson’s years in residential groups, schools, offices
the Silver Bear. But the idea that someone TANKSTELLE. Fingscheidt: “Sigrid is a really and children’s psychiatry units before making
arrived fresh from film school to present her special woman, from whom I have learned a her first long feature film. Until what she had
very first effort would be quite wrong in this lot. I am very, very grateful to her.” It was a experienced there affected her too much:
context. For the 35-year-old director, who matter of familiarizing herself with role work, “My picture of the world became extremely
was born in Brunswick in Lower Saxony and scene analysis and acting. Only afterwards dismal.”
lives in Hamburg, has many Her SYSTEM CRASHER screen-
faces. And her actual first, full- play was refined and improved
length film had already been pre- during the writing with assistance
sented, too. It was all pretty laid from acclaimed authors and di-
back. rectors like Christoph Fromm,
Bernd Lange, Thomas Schadt and
OHNE DIESE WELT (2017) obser- Hans-Christian Schmid. Again,
ved a group of former colonizing there were prizes and awards for
Mennonites in Argentina – the screenplay. Nora Fingscheidt
women, men and children living in describes the true significance of
a strict conservative community those screenplay awards in retro-
of faith and rejecting modernity, spect: “They watch your back,
the descendants of Germans who financially, for the pre-production
emigrated there 500 years ago. stage, and lend the project a kind
Observation is meant literally, for of certificate of quality. A kind of
the film’s tempo is slow but its autonomy that grows from that is
optical impression striking. A very very helpful, too.”
special two-hour documentary
film, which Nora Fingscheidt al- SYSTEM CRASHER had its world
lowed herself the appropriate premiere at the 2019 Berlinale
length of time to make. There and triggered some powerful
were prizes for that work, too, and reactions – positive as well as
OHNE DIESE WELT was shown in critical. “Ultimately, it’s a good
cinemas in Switzerland. balance: we put extreme amounts
of energy into this film and now
“Film has always been a medium it’s being received with suitable
that really fascinates me,” Nora energy, as well.” In Germany it will
Fingscheidt says in conversation be released in cinemas this Sep-
with GFQ. As a child, Jean- tember, but it will also be shown
Jacques Annaud’s THE BEAR was internationally. “It’s a dream,”
a first moving, as well as influen- Nora Fingscheidt enthuses now
tial and at the same time shock- that a number of weeks have
ing cinema experience. “Later, I passed. “The Berlinale was like a
always wanted to make films. But tornado for me. I wasn’t sure what
because I come from a family that it actually means when a film
had never produced any artistic breaks free, developing a life of its
professionals before, first of all I own, stimulating reactions and
had to sort out a kind of alibi.” did Nora Fingscheidt apply to study direction comments that can be wounding, shocking
at the Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg in or even make you incredibly happy. But the
After her school days, during which she al- Ludwigsburg, where she was accepted and nicest thing was experiencing those reactions
ready spent a year in Argentina as well as graduated successfully in 2017. together with the team, the actors and produ-
gaining work experience at the Brunswick cers, the sound mixers and composers, the
Theater, Nora Fingscheidt moved to Berlin Seen from outside, this may have been an costume designer and the casting director –
in 2003. There, she registered at the Freie extraordinary path and one could even call it simply everyone.”
Universität to study Latin American Studies, a detour. But for Nora Fingscheidt it was
Journalism and Law. It would have been exactly the right way. Because she would like And then, finally, to celebrate with them.
tempting to get into the “film bubble” right “to try out as many genres, forms and narra-
from the start, but in the end, she believes tive languages as possible. After all, I myself Andreas Körner
she also profited considerably from her love to be overwhelmed in an audiovisual
“alibi”. sense at the cinema.”
Later on, even the film-linked activities didn’t Her SYSTEM CRASHER has certainly turned
really belong to a self-contained system. Nora out to be overwhelming. Wild, unbridled and
Fingscheidt was involved in setting up the radical. A new German film with a universal
filmArche, a completely self-organized film touch. Who doesn’t know them or hasn’t
school for screenplay, direction, cinematog- heard about them? Children who don’t have
raphy, cutting/editing and production: the the good fortune to grow up in a sheltered
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PRODUCERS’ PORTRAIT GFQ 2-2019
Fabian Maubach, Jochen Laube (courtesy of Sommerhaus Filmproduktion)
ORIGINALITY IS KEY
A PORTRAIT OF SOMMERHAUS FILMPRODUKTION
t was never part of the plan to have brought an unexpected turn of events when “Then, after eight years of working for the
“
I three productions shooting at the
same time,” says Jochen Laube about
handling three shoots this spring with
Fabian Maubach, his partner in the Ludwigs-
burg/Berlin-based production outfit Som-
Laube was offered the opportunity to set up
and run the group’s South German pro-
duction arm out of Ludwigsburg. “This
meant that Sommerhaus was put on hold
[until 2015] and I concentrated on building
UFA group, we felt it was time to stand on
our own feet again,” Laube continues, point-
ing out that inviting Jan Mojto’s Beta Cinema
onboard as a shareholder in Sommerhaus
Filmproduktion was “the result of a long-
merhaus Filmproduktion. However, it all up what was essentially the arthouse unit of standing collaboration” with Beta who hand-
started much more modestly 13 years ago UFA Fiction,” Laube recalls. led many of their productions in the past
after Laube founded the company in his from THE DAY I WAS NOT BORN to MÜNCH-
home town of Ludwigsburg in 2006 after The first project under the UFA umbrella was HAUSEN and now have the latest films from
graduating from the Filmakademie Baden- THE DAY I WAS NOT BORN by Elena von Sandra Nettelbeck, Burhan Qurbani and
Württemberg the previous year with his pro- Saucken and Florian Cossen which also hap- Caroline Link in its current sales line-up.”
duction of Neele Leana Vollmar’s URLAUB pened to be Fabian Maubach’s graduation And Maubach adds, “It’s good to have a
VOM LEBEN. film from the Filmakademie as a producer. strong partner behind us who can draw upon
“That’s how we came together and then de- an extensive infrastructure.”
The first production from the fledgling cided to keep on working together on future
company was fellow graduate Christian projects,” says Maubach. “We were given Both producers say that it is difficult to see a
Schwochow’s feature debut NOVEMBER complete freedom in our choice of projects common thread running through all of their
CHILD, which premiered at the Filmfestival for our portfolio, making films like STATIONS productions to date: they have tried their
Max Ophüls Preis in Saarbrücken in 2008, OF THE CROSS by Dietrich Brüggemann, WE hand at all kinds of genres – with the excep-
followed by Niko Apel’s Grimme Prize- ARE YOUNG. WE ARE STRONG. by Burhan tion of horror – and have not focused on spe-
winning documentary SONBOL, and Rouven Qurbani as well as such documentaries as cific themes or subject matter. “What
Rech and Frank Marten’s football documen- Thorsten Schütte’s EAT THAT QUESTION - characterizes our films is the fact that we are
tary HOFFENHEIM – DAS LEBEN IST KEIN FRANK ZAPPA IN HIS OWN WORDS, which prepared to take some risks when we embark
HEIMSPIEL. screened at Sundance in 2016, as well as the on each project – we are not interested in pro-
Emmy-nominated three-parter BARON VON ducing films according to the book – but we
But then dinner one evening with the MÜNCHHAUSEN with Jan Josef Liefers in know that the final result will be a really spe-
UFA/teamWorx producer Nico Hofmann the title role.” cial kind of film,” Laube explains.
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GFQ 2-2019 PRODUCERS’ PORTRAIT
Sebastian Marka’s DEUS IN MACHINA
(working title) from a screenplay by Erol
A FILM BY THOMAS STUBER
Yesilkaya and starring Friedrich Mücke. “We
will certainly be remaining faithful to
our great partnerships in so-called ‘linear In the aisles
television’,” Laube says, pointing out that
Sommerhaus will be producing episodes of
the European series DAS NETZ set in the
world of international football for Germany’s
Degeto next year.
Before then, the company is currently mak-
ing its first foray into producing for the new
streaming services with a three-parter for
Netflix: CHRISTMAS WOMEN (working title),
directed by Samara Radsi from a screenplay
by Katharina Eyssen, which will be shown to
subscribers in 200 territories around the
globe at the end of 2019.
While Sommerhaus has focused until now
FRANZ ROGOWSKI SANDRA HÜLLER PETER KURTH
BETA CINEMA PRESENTS A SOMMERHAUS FILMPRODUKTION PRODUCTION IN CO-PRODUCTION WITH MDR, ARTE, SWR, HR, ROTOR FILM AND DEPARTURES FILM WITH FRANZ ROGOWSKI, SANDRA HÜLLER, PETER KURTH, ANDREAS LEUPOLD, MICHAEL SPECHT, RAMONA KUNZE-LIBNOW, HENNING PEKER, STEFFEN SCHEUMANN, MATTHIAS BRENNER, GERDY ZINT
on producing works by German filmmakers,
SUPPORTED BY MITTELDEUTSCHE MEDIENFÖRDERUNG MFG FILMFÖRDERUNG BADEN-WÜRTTEMBERG BEAUFTRAGTE DER BUNDESREGIERUNG FÜR KULTUR UND MEDIEN MEDIENBOARD BERLIN-BRANDENBURG DEUTSCHER FILMFÖRDERFONDS DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY PETER MATJASKO EDITED BY KAYA INAN SET DESIGN JENNY ROESLER COSTUME DESIGN JULIANE MAIER, CHRISTIAN RÖHRS
MAKE UP HANNA HACKBEIL CASTING ANJA DIHRBERG, KAREN WENDLAND ORIGINAL SOUND CHRISTOPH SCHILLING SOUND DESIGN KAI TEBBEL COMMISSIONING EDITORS MEIKE GÖTZ (MDR), BARBARA HÄBE (ARTE), BRIGITTE DITHARD (SWR), JÖRG HIMSTEDT (HR) LINE PRODUCERS MICHAEL JUNGFLEISCH, SOPHIE COCCO CO-PRODUCERS MARTIN FRÜHMORGEN, UNDINE FILTER, THOMAS KRÁL
WRITTEN BY CLEMENS MEYER, THOMAS STUBER PRODUCERS JOCHEN LAUBE, FABIAN MAUBACH DIRECTED BY THOMAS STUBER GERMAN DISTRIBUTOR ZORRO FILM
this doesn’t mean that Laube and Maubach
AFTER THE SHORT STORY “IN THE AISLES” BY CLEMENS MEYER, PUBLISHED IN “ALL THE LIGHTS”
don’t have their share of international ex-
Examples of the kinds of risks the producer perience. To start with, Laube was one of up until now,” he notes. “The fact that we
duo are prepared to enter into with their European Film Promotion’s Producers on haven’t been involved in any projects as a
directors and authors include the fixed shots the Move in 2015 and Maubach is part of the minority co-producer is not because we
in STATIONS OF THE CROSS, the transition TAP and ACE producers networks. wouldn’t be open to such an idea,” Laube
from black-and-white to color in WE ARE explains. “Being a reliable partner is key and
YOUNG. WE ARE STRONG., or updating Florian Cossen’s COCONUT HERO was shot we just were so busy in the last couple of
BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ with a black in English on location for six weeks in 2014 years that we couldn’t say in good faith that
African refugee as the character of Franz in northern Ontario with a Canadian co-pro- we would come onboard given the company’s
Biberkopf. “As a producer, I don’t find it in- ducer, Paul Scherzer, while Burhan present structure.”
teresting to restrict oneself to one particular Qurbani’s BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ was
genre and say that you are just a producer of co-produced with Lemming Films in the Looking to the future, Maubach says that
drama or a producer of romantic comedies,” Netherlands. And the biggest Sommerhaus Sommerhaus “is growing organically. We
Maubach suggests. “For me, it all depends production so far, Caroline Link’s adaptation don’t want to become a top-heavy structure
on the story and the other creative element of Judith Kerr’s semi-autobiographical novel and have always been project- and quality-
that have to spark some passion. In any case, WHEN HITLER STOLE PINK RABBIT, in turn driven rather than focusing just on quick
originality is the key for us as producers,” he attracted production partners from the growth and a certain level of turnover upper-
stresses, as shown by the company’s output Czech Republic and Switzerland. This his- most in our minds. We appreciate having the
to date. torical movie, which tells the unforgettable freedom to make our own choices about the
story of a Jewish family fleeing from stories we produce and the freedom to work
Moreover, with time, really close friendships Germany in 1933, will be released by Warner with the right kind of people to achieve these
have developed between Sommerhaus and Bros. in Germany this Christmas and is goals.”
many authors, directors and crew members: being distributed worldwide by Beta Cinema.
“That makes working together so much “In essence, we try to remain a boutique
easier when you realize that you speak the Moreover, this spring saw the producers operation,” Laube adds. “Admittedly we are
same ‘language’ and are on the same wave- going to Hungary’s Mafilm Studios to colla- now producing much more than we had
length,” Maubach explains. “And the same borate with Proton Cinema for the shoot of imagined would be the case even two years
goes for my work with Jochen, the fact that the Netflix Christmas series, and next year ago, but we will always remain true to our
we can rely on one another without having to will see the company embarking on a major credo that each production should have
exchange too many words.” international production with Florian something unique and original about it!”
Cossen’s LAURA DEKKER about the 14-
Sommerhaus’ focus on producing for the year-old Dutch girl who sailed single-hand- Martin Blaney
cinema invariably involved television as a co- edly around the globe in 2010-2011.
producer from the point when the company
appeared on the scene: “SWR has been a “Co-producing with foreign partners is be-
long-standing partner for us on such films coming more and more important in the art-
as NOVEMBER CHILD, THE DAY I WAS NOT house sector because we see that the
BORN and STATIONS OF THE CROSS, so it budgets we need for quality production
only seemed appropriate to make our next cannot be financed solely out of Germany,”
step with the TV drama department there for Maubach suggests, pointing out that the next
the TATORT episode DER ROTE SCHATTEN feature project by IN THE AISLES director
by Dominik Graf.” Thomas Stuber, DIE STILLEN TRABANTEN,
is also likely to be structured as a European
This spring then saw the duo teaming up co-production for 2020. “Naturally, it involves
again with SWR for a TV film destined a lot of work when you do a co-production,
for a Wednesday evening primetime slot, but it has always been a positive experience
9
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ACTOR’S PORTRAIT
© Fabian Schellhorn GFQ 2-2019
AGAINST THE GRAIN
A P O R T R A I T O F AC TO R P E T E R KU R T H
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GFQ 2-2019 ACTOR’S PORTRAIT
t was only four years ago when Peter
I Kurth played his first major role for the
cinema in A HEAVY HEART. This impres-
sive yet equally bitter story of a former
boxer struggling with ALS celebrated its
world premiere at the Toronto International
Film Festival in 2015. There, even The Holly-
wood Reporter fêted the leading actor’s “im-
pressively muscular performance” before
Thomas Stuber’s directing debut began its
victory march around the world. A HEAVY
HEART was greeted as enthusiastically in
Moscow as in Palm Springs or Thessaloniki
– and back home, Kurth received the
German Screen Actors Award as well as the
German Film Award.
However, Kurth’s love for the cinema had al-
ready been awakened decades before. He was
born in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania in
1957, and there was a small movie theater in
his home town, Goldberg, “I went there every
Sunday at 2:30 pm, whether a storm was
blowing, it was snowing, or the sun was shin-
ing,” as he recalls. Were the filial impressions
gained there influential for his subsequent
professional career? “It’s impossible to say
whether I would have become an actor if
there had been a concert hall in our town in-
stead. But at that time, I certainly wanted to
become the Captain of Tenkesberg, no matter
what,” Kurth says with reference to the
Hungarian adventure film by Tamás Fejér that
he saw “what must have been 12 times” back
then.
After school, he went on directly to study act-
ing in Rostock, and found his first engage-
ment in the early 80s at a children’s and
young people’s theater in Magdeburg, from
whence, according to Kurth, he worked his
way “bit by bit, straight to the top”. He was an
established member of ensembles in Stendal,
Chemnitz, Leipzig and Hamburg before finally
arriving at the Maxim-Gorki-Theater in
Berlin. Then he followed the theater’s artistic
director, Armin Petras, to the Schauspiel
Stuttgart, where he received the accolade
Actor of the Year from theater heute magazine Stuber, with whom he has since made the Internationally speaking, he has long since
in 2014. It was his own choice to make work Berlinale prize-winning IN THE AISLES as put out more feelers, aside from BABYLON
for the camera only a secondary matter well as a not yet broadcast episode of TATORT. BERLIN (the third season will have to manage
throughout those years, which is something without him, anyway). Last year, he could be
he “doesn’t regret one little bit”. Especially as At the same time, the passionate motorcyclist seen as Botha in SEW THE WINTER TO MY
he was able to shine nonetheless with a sup- is enjoying to the full all the new opportuni- SKIN, an unusual, almost dialogue-free mix-
porting role in the world success GOOD BYE, ties and challenges presented away from the ture of western and biopic by South African
LENIN! or numerous episodes of the popular stage in recent years. In the first two seasons director Jahmil X.T. Qubeka. After a premiere
series TATORT, for example, and also in of BABYLON BERLIN, for example, he played at TIFF, the film represented South Africa
films by Andreas Dresen, Thomas Arslan or the slightly dubious Police Commissioner in the competition for an Oscar®. The next
Sebastian Schipper. Wolter. This series by Tom Tykwer, Achim von foreign productions are already waiting this
Borries and Henk Handloegten also brought coming summer. His face reveals how much
Kurth talks about his leading role in A HEAVY him what has probably been the biggest he is looking forward to them: “I would really
HEART as a huge stroke of luck: “That was the audience of his career. “Recently, in my like to do something completely different for
right project at the right time, everything was favorite pub here in Prenzlauer Berg, I was once – and in one of these parts I have been
ideal.” When, as in this case, all the conditions even spoken to by a bloke from Detroit, who cast totally against the grain.”
are perfect – or as he likes to put it: “are was visiting the city with a friend of his,” Kurth
healthy” – he says that “the director and my says in amazement. He grins to think that the Patrick Heidmann
colleagues will get all I have to give.” And be- series reaches so many people world-wide.
sides, he always remains absolutely true to “He almost fainted because I was just sitting
his best companions: like Petras, and Thomas there in the pub.”
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NEWS & NOTES GFQ 2-2019
NEWS1
& NOTES
1
1
FFA Industry Tigers 2019 (© Stefan Krempl)
GERMAN FEDERAL FILM BOARD PRESENTS INDUSTRY TIGER AWARDS
In four categories, the most successful ference funding was made available in this The amount of FFA reference funding is
producers, distributors, cinemas and short category for the 70 most successful films of calculated on the basis of a points system
film makers of the past cinema year were the past year. which is based on admissions success in the
awarded the FFA Industry Tiger 2019 award. cinema as well as film awards and festival
In the production sector, a total of 11.2 mil- A special prize for the Reference Film of the distinctions. The funds can be used within
lion euros in reference funds were awarded Year 2018 went to the family entertainment three years without the involvement of a
to the 75 most popular projects of the year. darling THE LITTLE WITCH, whose box-office funding committee.
Munich-based Constantin Film is once again result was higher than the production costs.
the industry leader in this category, among The Hamburg Abaton Cinema is the industry
others for its audience hits THIS CRAZY leader in the cinema category for the most
HEART and HOW ABOUT ADOLF?. visitors for German and European films.
The industry leader in the short film category
In the distribution sector, the Industry Tiger is Lukas Marxt for the national and
went to Warner Bros. Pictures Germany in international festival success of his films
Hamburg with a grant of 675,000 euros for IMPERIAL VALLEY and FISHING IS NOT
such successful hits as 100 THINGS and ALL DONE ON TUESDAYS.
ABOUT ME. A total of 2.9 million euros in re-
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GFQ 2-2019 NEWS & NOTES
2 4 4
graphic courtesy of Animation Germany Sylvie Testud in EDEN (© Pierre Meursaut)
2 3 4
GERMAN ANIMATIONS GERMAN FILMS AT HOME AND EDEN AT SERIES MANIA
A HIT ABROAD IN 2018 ABROAD IN THE FIRST QUARTER
OF 2019 Dominik Moll’s mini-series EDEN recently
The box office figures published for the year had its world premiere in competition at
2018 on the performance of German films In 2018 in 75 countries around the world, 406 Series Mania in Lille/France. The six-part se-
(including German-international co-pro- German films generated an international box ries takes on various aspects of the subject
ductions) abroad* show a share of 54% for office of almost 154 million euros and were of refugee influx by interweaving five emo-
animated film. Animation thus underscores seen by more than 26.5 million cinemagoers. tional narratives that make this highly
its ever-increasing importance for the film And 2019 got off to a good start with 204 political issue tangible and was developed
industry. This extraordinarily good result is German films already generating an inter- jointly with the editorial staff of SWR, ARD
due among other things to these films, which national box office of just over 15.5 million Degeto, ARTE France, and ARTE Deutsch-
also lead German Film’s hit list for feature euros in the first quarter of the year. Among land. From the beginning, the series was
films abroad: MAYA THE BEE – THE HONEY the top German titles were NEVER LOOK conceived as an international co-production
GAMES, THE LITTLE VAMPIRE, RICHARD AWAY (rank 1) which raked in over 2 million between Atlantique (Paris), LUPA FILM
THE STORK and THE SEVENTH DWARF. euros in 10 countries, HEILSTÄTTEN (rank 2) (Heidelberg, Berlin), and Port Au Prince
(*The full report can be found on the German with 1.8 million euros in 8 territories, 100 (Berlin). The project received funding from
Films website under Publications/Market THINGS (rank 5) with over 800,000 euros in the Franco-German development fund for
Studies/German Films Abroad 2018.) 7 territories, and TRANSIT (rank 10) with series development, as well as production
almost 500,000 euros in 12 territories. The funding from the MFG Baden-Württemberg
Such successes, however, can only be real- animation films HAPPY FAMILY (rank 6, in 2 and the Centre national de Cinématographie
ized with increasing tendency with inter- territories), MAYA THE BEE – THE HONEY CNC. Boasting an A-list cast of stars like
national business partners. Since 2017, GAMES (rank 7, in 6 territories) and MANOU Sylvie Testud, Juliane Köhler or Wolfram
Animation Germany UG, a subsidiary of the – THE SWIFT (rank 8, in 6 territories) con- Koch – EDEN was aired in spring 2019 on
German Producers Alliance and VTFF, has tinued their successful run and together ARTE. World sales have been assumed by
therefore been taking on the task of drawing achieved an additional international box Lagardère Studio Distribution, which has al-
international attention to Germany and its office of almost 2 million euros from 1 ready sold rights to Greece and Denmark.
companies as a business location and sup- January-31 March 2019.
porting the establishment of an individual
6
network of producers and studios through
various platforms such as a central website
On the home front, while the overall market
share for German films dropped ever so
(www.animationgermany.de), a newsletter slightly in 2018 (from 23.9% in 2017 to 23.5%
and social media activities as well as target- in 2018), the first quarter of 2019 has seen a
ed events. homegrown hit leading the overall charts:
ahead of nine other English-language films
(from CAPTAIN MARVEL to CREED II –
ROCKY’S LEGACY), Caroline Link’s ALL
ABOUT ME has taken cinemagoers by storm
and has already earned over 26 million euros
at the German box office in the first three
months of the year.
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NEWS & NOTES GFQ 2-2019
5 6 7
German Short Films Cannes Edition (© AG Kurzfilm) A YEAR ALONG THE GEOSTATIONARY ORBIT (© Felix Dierich) BAUHAUS – A NEW ERA (© zero one/Beta Film )
5 6 7
GERMAN SHORT FILMS IN CANNES SHORT GERMAN ANIMATIONS FILMSTIFTUNG-BACKED SERIES IN
IN ANNECY SPRING 2019
Once again AG Kurzfilm – the German Short
Film Association – and German Films offer In 2019, a line-up of eight German animated The development and production of high-end
German short films and short film makers a short films, commissioned films and TV series has been a part of the funding port-
platform during the 72th edition of the Inter- series will be presented in the official selec- folio of the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW
national Film Festival in Cannes. As every tion of the Festival International du Film since 2012. Both Filmstiftung-backed series
year, some of the most recent short film d’Animation in Annecy (10-15 June 2019), as well as mini-series are currently making
productions are available at the Short Film which is one of the most important festivals a real impact with high-profile appearances,
Corner for international industry profes- for animated film worldwide. festivals and awards: Kilian Riedhof’s
sionals. The selection German Short Films – GLADBECK, based on the screenplay by Hol-
Cannes Edition 2019 and Emerging Artists With FLOOD by Malte Stein and LIVE A ger Karsten Schmidt and produced by Ziegler
Vol. 4 will be available at the Short Film LITTLE by Jenny Jokela (DE/GB) there are Film, has been nominated for the BAFTA TV
Corner and on DVD at the German Pavilion. two German animated short films competing Award, Lars Kraume’s series BAUHAUS – A
for the Cristal d’Annecy in the International NEW ERA, which he wrote together with
Additionally, for the ninth time, the program Competition. Judith Angerbauer, had its world premiere in
Next Generation Short Tiger celebrates its the Competition of the second CanneSeries
premiere in Cannes. It features not only film A YEAR ALONG THE GEOSTATIONARY ORBIT and has since received the award for the Best
school productions but also the winners of by Felix Dierich and MUSTERKENNTNIS by Musical Score, and Heinrich Breloer’s two-
the 2019 Short Tiger Award granted by Thorsten Fleisch were selected for the sec- parter BRECHT was first shown at the
Germany’s main federal film funding body tion Off-Limits. ALBA’S MEMORY by Andrea Berlinale. The third season of the hit series
FFA. Upon request all films will be available Martignoni and Maria Steinmetz (DE/IT), and BABYLON BERLIN, which has already been
on preview DVDs from German Films or RED EARTH by Kim Yip Tong (DE/MU) will be sold to over 100 territories, is now in post-
AG Kurzfilm. In cooperation with ARTE, the shown in the Perspectives section. NEST by production. And the same goes for Barbara
German Short Film Association invites pro- Sonja Rohleder was invited to the section Eder’s thriller series WEST OF LIBERTY for
fessionals from the German and inter- Young Audience. RULES OF PLAY by Merlin ZDF. Cologne-based Bantry Bay produced
national short film scene to their annual Flügel will be shown in the section Gradua- THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE for Vox. Till
Short Film Lounge. Thus, filmmakers, tion Films. Franzen, Laura Lackmann and Stefan
festival representatives and buyers are given Bühling were the directors working from
the opportunity to meet and connect. For the thirteenth time, the AG Kurzfilm and scripts based on an idea from Richard Kropf.
German Films will be present with a booth at TNT has recently aired the mockumentary
the MIFA (Marché International du Film series OTHER PARENTS by Lutz Heineking jr
d’Animation), the festival’s film market. of the Cologne-based production company
Industry professionals can receive informa- eitelsonnenschein. Preparations for the
tion on the recent developments of German shoot of the second season in Cologne are
animations in all their peculiarities, modes now in full swing. And not to forget another
of expression and styles. Furthermore, it production from NRW, albeit one without any
serves as a contact and information point for funding from the Filmstiftung: HOW TO SELL
the German and international animation DRUGS ONLINE (FAST), produced by Bild-
scene. With New German Animations, the undtonfabrik for Netflix, also featured in the
new edition of the preview DVD of AG Kurz- CanneSeries Competition.
film and German Films will be presented in
Annecy. It introduces recent short German
animations to festival representatives,
curators and buyers. It is available from the
AG Kurzfilm upon request.
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NEW FILMS GFQ 2-2019
14 FEATURES
10 DOCUMENTARIES
DIE HEINZELS – RÜCKKEHR DER HEINZELMÄNNCHEN (© Akkord Film)
2 SHORT FILMS
12 UPCOMING FILMS
38 new German productions are presented
on the following 24 pages. Please visit
our website www.german-films.de
for more information on German features,
documentaries and shorts.
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GFQ 2-2019 NEW FEATURES
© Ulysses Films/Fabrique d’Images
BAYALA
he fairy world of Bayala is a country But for a dragon feast at Solstice Rock, where FREDERICO MILELLA works as a freelance
T of magic, where various fairy tribes
live in an abundant flora. Huge
blossoms and enchanting plants are
used for housing and food. The fairies have
been living in harmony with nature – until the
the bond of fairies and dragons can be re-
newed, royals of all fairy tribes, including the
Shadow Fairies, are needed. Princess Surah
and her companions have to go on an ad-
venturous journey, which not only leads them
illustrator and independent filmmaker. He
joined the team of Fabrique d’Images where
he directed PERCY’S TIGER TALES, ZIGGY
AND THE ZOO TRAM and took part in more
than a dozen other 2D and 3D TV series.
greedy Shadow Fairy Queen Ophira started into the distant dragon mountains, but also to BAYALA is his first film as a co-director while
pushing for power over all living things… the dangerous Shadow Queen Ophira. In the he develops and writes new exciting projects.
end Surah and her friends save the day and
Inside the Flower Palace there is intense the whole of Bayala! GENRE 3D Animation, Adventure, Family
activity in preparation for the coronation of Entertainment YEAR OF PRODUCTION 2019
the new queen of the Sun Fairies. The prin- AINA JÄRVINE began her career in animation DIRECTORS Aina Järvine, Federico Milella
cesses Surah and Sera are delighted to see at A Film Estonia in 2001 and directed numer- SCREENPLAY Vanessa Walder CINEMA-
royals of other fairy tribes arrive, but they all ous animated commercials, several animated TOGRAPHY Aina Järvine PRODUCER Emely
bring bad news: the magical plants are dying. shorts and the TV-series FROG AND Christians CO-PRODUCERS Christine Pa-
The dark power of the Shadow Fairy Queen FRIENDS. Her main projects since then have risse, Jean-Marie Musique PRODUCTION
Ophira is rising. Bayala is in danger. Fairy been directing four seasons of the popular COMPANY Ulysses Films, in co-production
princess Surah is worried. She knows Ophira German animated TV series BIBI UND TINA with Studio Rakete, Fabrique d’Images RUN-
best as she had been forced to live in her dark and BIBI BLOCKSBERG, as well as being ani- TIME 85 min LANGUAGE English
castle for several years. Only with the help of mation supervisor on the feature film HOCUS
Ophira’s niece Nuray and her best friend Jaro POCUS ALI E ATKINS, co-directing the short SALES
could she escape and return home. film THE GREAT PAINTER, and co-writing the Global Screen
feature RUBY AND RAGGIE. info@globalscreen.de
When a dragon egg is found, hope stirs. If the www.globalscreen.de
magic dragons return, Bayala can be saved.
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NEW FEATURES GFQ 2-2019
© DETAiLFILM/Janine Marold
CLEO – STORY
OF BERLIN
CLEO – IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME
he imaginative Cleo feels a very IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME is his debut fea- GENRE Adventure, Coming-of-Age Story,
T special kind of affinity for her home
town of Berlin. But her deepest de-
sire is to be able to turn back time –
with the aid of a magic clock which was stolen
during a robbery in the 1920s and has been
ture film and was selected as the opening
film of the Berlinale Generation sidebar. The
visually surprising film is full of poetry and
loving attention to detail, taking the audience
on a very special journey through Berlin. Mar-
Fantasy, Love Story YEAR OF PRODUCTION
2019 DIRECTOR Erik Schmitt SCREENPLAY
Erik Schmitt, Stefanie Ren CINEMATOG-
RAPHY Johannes Louis CAST Marleen Lohse,
Jeremy Mockridge, Heiko Pinkowski, Max
missing ever since. She hopes that the clock leen Lohse gives a stunning performance as Mauff, Andrea Sawatzki, Jean Pütz, Fabian
might help her undo the death of her parents. the moony Cleo and Max Mauff (VICTORIA, Busch, Gwendolyn Göbel PRODUCER Fabian
One day, she meets the adventurer Paul who SENSE 8) and Andrea Sawatzki (THE EXPERI- Gasmia PRODUCTION COMPANY DETAiL-
is living on a houseboat and had recently MENT, THE OTHER BOY, BANDITS) round out FILM, in co-production with ZDF Das kleine
bought a treasure map at an auction. Cleo is the cast. Fernsehspiel RUNTIME 99 min LANGUAGE
bursting with tension – might the map lead to German FESTIVALS Berlinale 2019
the treasure she is dreaming of? Cleo and ERIK SCHMITT studied Communications in
Paul set off together on an adventurous trip Munich, Melbourne and Berlin. After exten- SALES
through the pulsating city. They meet crazy sive travels around the world and his first Global Screen
characters, lovable figures, Berlin myths and cinematographic work experience, he found- info@globalscreen.de
urban legends. When they arrive in Berlin’s ed Kamerapferd together with Stephan www.globalscreen.de
dark underground at the end of their quest, Müller. His films include: HOW TO FLY HIGH
Cleo is confronted by the most important (short, 2009), SOLARTAXI – AROUND THE
question of all: should she want to turn back WORLD WITH THE SUN (doc, 2010), NOW
time in the first place? FOLLOWS (short, 2010), MY MIND WANDERS
(short, 2012), RHINO FULL THROTTLE (short,
Director Erik Schmitt’s short films have been 2013), TELEKOMMANDO (short, 2014), FOR-
shown at more than 100 international film EVER (short, 2014), and his feature debut
festivals and taken over 100 awards. CLEO – CLEO – IF I COULD TURN BACK TIME (2019).
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GFQ 2-2019 NEW FEATURES
© Rosa von Praunheim Filmproduktion
DARKROOM –
TÖDLICHE TROPFEN
DARKROOM – DROPS OF DEATH
n his new film DARKROOM, cult director ROSA VON PRAUNHEIM took on his artist’s GENRE Biopic, Drama, Love Story, Psycho
I Rosa von Praunheim deals with a true
criminal case from a few years ago. The
result is one of his most thrilling films.
Lars, a male nurse from Saarbrücken, moves
name in 1964, in reference to the pink triangle
homosexuals were forced to wear in the Nazi
concentration camps. A prolific filmmaker, a
selection of his films includes: IT’S NOT THE
HOMOSEXUAL WHO IS PERVERSE, BUT THE
Thriller YEAR OF PRODUCTION 2019 DIREC-
TOR Rosa von Praunheim SCREENPLAY Rosa
von Praunheim CINEMATOGRAPHY Lorenz
Haarmann CAST Bozidar Kocevski, Heiner
Bomhard, Katy Karrenbauer PRODUCER
with his lover Roland to Berlin. They renovate SITUATION IN WHICH HE LIVES (1970), ARMY Rosa von Praunheim PRODUCTION COM-
an apartment with the intention of finally liv- OF LOVERS (1971-1976), A VIRUS KNOWS NO PANY Rosa von Praunheim Filmproduktion
ing together. Their happiness seems almost MORALS (1985), I AM MY OWN WOMAN RUNTIME 89 min LANGUAGE German
complete. What Roland doesn’t know: while (1992), TRANSSEXUAL MENACE (1996), GAY
secretly checking out Berlin’s night life, Lars COURAGE (1998), THE EINSTEIN OF SEX SALES
is experimenting with a deadly poison. (1999), FASSBINDER’S WOMEN (2001), MissingFILMS
QUEENS DON’T LIE (2001), COWS KNOCKED- c.acrivulis@missingfilms.de
UP BY FOG (2002), TWO MOTHERS – THE www.missingfilms.de
SEARCH BEGAN IN RIGA (2007), NEW YORK
MEMORIES (2010), DIE JUNGS VOM BAHN-
HOF ZOO (2011), and DARKROOM (2019),
among others.
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NEW FEATURES GFQ 2-2019
© Constantin Film Verleih
DER FALL COLLINI
THE COLLINI CASE
murder. A murderer. No motive. Courtroom drama meets political thriller in GENRE Drama, History, Thriller YEAR OF
A A young lawyer. A spectacular
murder case. A legal scandal
stretching back to Nazi Germany.
For over 30 years, Fabrizio Collini has worked
this outstanding adaptation of the inter-
national bestselling novel by Ferdinand von
Schirach (Crime, Guilt). Elyas M’Barek (SUCK
ME SHAKESPEER, THIS CRAZY HEART),
Alexandra Maria Lara (THE BAADER MEIN-
PRODUCTION 2019 DIRECTOR Marco Kreuz-
paintner SCREENPLAY Christian Zübert,
Robert Gold, Jens-Frederik Otto CINEMATOG-
RAPHY Jakub Bejnarowicz CAST Elyas
M’Barek, Franco Nero, Alexandra Maria Lara,
diligently for a German carmaker before HOF COMPLEX, CONTROL, RUSH) and Franco Heiner Lauterbach, Pia Stutzenstein, Jannis
going and killing a man, seemingly on a whim. Nero (CAMELOT, DJANGO UNCHAINED, JOHN Niewöhner, Rainer Bock, Peter Prager PRO-
It’s a nightmare for lawyer Caspar Leinen, WICK: CHAPTER 2) star in the lead roles. DUCERS Christoph Müller, Kerstin Schmid-
who takes over his case as a court-assigned Marco Kreuzpaintner directs the explosive, bauer, Marcel Hartges, Martin Moszkowicz
lawyer: The victim, respected industrialist spellbinding murder trial masterfully, testing CO-PRODUCER Stefan Gärtner PRODUCTION
Jean-Baptiste Meyer, was Leinen’s long-time the bounds between morality and justice. COMPANY Constantin Film Produktion, in co-
friend and mentor and is the grandfather of production with SevenPictures Film RUN-
his high-school sweetheart Johanna. Every- MARCO KREUZPAINTNER studied Art History TIME 124 min LANGUAGE German
thing in this spectacular case seems to be before working as an assistant to Edgar Reitz
working against the inexperienced lawyer: and Peter Lilienthal. In 2009 he founded the SALES
Caspar is personally involved, has a client production company Summerstorm Enter- Global Screen
who won’t talk to him, and an opponent who tainment. Active as a writer, producer and info@globalscreen.de
seems far superior in legendary prosecutor director, his films include: BREAKING LOOSE www.globalscreen.de
Professor Richard Mattinger. When he de- (2003), SUMMER STORM (2004), TRADE
cides to tackle the case anyway, he starts (2007), KRABAT (2008), COMING IN (2014), the
uncovering one of the greatest legal scandals series BEAT (2018), and THE COLLINI CASE
ever, stretching back to World War II. But how (2019).
much is he willing to sacrifice to expose the
truth?
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