| The feature film THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG by Mohammad Rasoulof has been nominated for an Oscar® in the Best International Feature Film category. This was announced by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) on Thursday, January 23, 2025. This is the third time in a row that the German entry has entered the race for the Foreign Oscar®. Statement by producers Rozita Hendijanian and Mani Tilgner from Run Way Pictures about the nomination:
"We are very honored that THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG has been nominated for an Oscar. We are happy that this great and brave film by Mohammad Rasoulof and the efforts of the whole team, who were willing to take every kind of risk, are now also being recognized by the Academy. Furthermore, we would also like to thank the members of the Academy and everyone else who has supported us along the way." “For the third time in a row, the German entry has been nominated in the Best International Film category. This is really good news and a special tribute to German film. Numerous good films from all over the world are submitted in this category. The fact that the German entry has once again made it to the final five nominees shows the great interest at international level. THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG is a psychogram of Iran's theocracy, which is built on violence and paranoia. Mohammad Rasoulof speaks subtly about the rifts within a family that are representative of the rifts within Iranian society. The film is an outstanding work by one of the great directors of world cinema, who has found refuge in Germany. Congratulations to the whole team of THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG!”, says Simone Baumann, Managing Director of German Films. The drama SEPTEMBER 5 by Tim Fehlbaum has received a nomination in the Writing (Original Screenplay) category for the authors Moritz Binder, Tim Fehlbaum and co-writer Alex David. The drama about an American TV team reporting on the hostage-taking at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich is an all-German production by BerghausWöbke Filmproduktion in co-production with Constantin Film and Edgar Reitz Filmproduktion. After winning the Oscar® for Music (Original Score) for ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT in 2023, German composer Volker Bertelmann has received another nomination this year for CONCLAVE (by German director Edward Berger) for Music (Original Score). German Lisy Christl also received a nomination for Costume Design for CONCLAVE. CONCLAVE has been nominated a total of eight times. German VFX expert Gerd Nefzer has received a nomination in the Visual Effects category for the science fiction epic DUNE: PART TWO. German Films is delighted to hear the news about the nominations and congratulates all those involved. This is a special mark of appreciation for the entire German film industry. We will be keeping our fingers crossed for all of the German participants and their contributions on March 2nd! The Oscar® awards ceremony will be held at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood on 2 March, 2025.
Further information about the 97th Oscars® and the regulations can be found here. | |
| The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced in January that 14 scientific and technical achievements, represented by 37 honorees, will be honored at the annual Scientific and Technical Awards ceremony. Achievements receiving Scientific and Technical Awards must demonstrate a proven record of contributing significant value to the process of making motion pictures. One German is among the honorees. Curt Schaller was honoured for a stabilizing camera system that he developed for Arri. The Academy praised the project for allowing significant freedom in camera work. The Scientific and Technical Oscars® will be awarded on April 29, 2025. | |
| 10 years – 10 editions of FACE TO FACE WITH GERMAN FILMS. This year marks a special anniversary of the German Films talent campaign. Launched in 2016, this is the tenth edition of German Films’ "new faces" from the German film and TV industry. This year’s selection of outstanding talents will be introduced to the international film industry at the Berlinale on Monday, Februrary 17, 2025. Since its first edition, the annual campaign has established itself as a flagship platform to give German film talent international visibility and draw the attention of the global film industry to some of the country's most outstanding newcomers and professionals. FACE TO FACE WITH GERMAN FILMS 2025 – THE FILMMAKERS features seven unique, impressive, and diverse personalities, each of whom has found a very personal, interesting path into the film industry. In a multifaceted way, they all illustrate how colorful and varied work and creativity can be in the film industry. This year’s selection extends from actors Aaron Altaras, Lea Drinda and Thea Ehre, to writer-directors Leonie Krippendorff and Mariko Minoguchi, as well as director Mala Reinhardt and director of photography Tim Kuhn. “We have a vibrant and diverse film scene in Germany. This diversity and creativity naturally thrives on its filmmakers. We have talents in all the different trades who are always coming up with new ideas, who are curious, who are constantly rethinking and redesigning the medium of film and cinema,” explains Simone Baumann, Managing Director of German Films. “At German Films, we see it as our duty to support these talents from the German film industry and to accompany them on their way to becoming successful filmmakers. We are proud to be able to present seven filmmakers as the ambassadors of our campaign this year, who are all emblematic of innovation in the film industry.” | |
| In 2024, it was exactly 70 years ago that a film promotion organization was founded in Germany. The Export Union of the German Film Industry was founded in Wiesbaden in 1954 and was restructured and renamed German Films Service + Marketing GmbH in 2004. Last year, German Films celebrated this anniversary with events, a retrospective and other activities. We look back on an eventful anniversary year and would like to thank everyone who celebrated and remembered with us. Under the curatorship of Alfred Holighaus, we put together a retrospective of important films from the last 70 years for the anniversary - a total of 14 feature films and documentaries, including 3 films from the DEFA. The films were shown at many film weeks and film festivals last year. In many countries and cities, German films from the past continue to delight audiences today. The kick-off was at our Festival del Cinema Tedesco in Rome in March 2024, with RUN LOLA RUN.
The last screening will take place at the German Film Series in Hungary in March 2025, with TONI ERDMANN. Here is the list and number of screenings of each film shown: - RUN LOLA RUN: 13
- THE WHITE RIBBON: 11
- TONI ERDMANN: 10
- WINGS OF DESIRE: 9
- YESTERDAY GIRL: 9
- THE MARRIAGE OF MARIA BRAUN: 9
- I‘M YOUR MAN: 8
- GOODBYE, LENIN: 7
- ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT: 7
- TRACE OF STONES: 4
- SOLO SUNNY:4
- JACOB THE LIAR: 4
- SERENGETI SHALL NOT DIE: 1
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| SHOWREEL:
German Films is happy to present an exclusive showreel of upcoming German productions, showcasing highlights from the competition programs of this year's Berlinale, as well as the International Film Festivals Sundance and Rotterdam.
The showreel will soon be available at this link here. BROCHURE:
Our German Films 2025 Festival Highlights Brochure with more than 40 filmsfeatures all productions highlighted in the showreel, as well as new and upcoming feature animation films from Germany. Have a look!
The brochure is available at this link here. | |
| The first catalogue update for 2025 with a total of 30 new shorts, has just been published. The members of the AG Kurzfilm – German Short Film Association and a jury selected a broad spectrum of short films - fiction, animation, experimental films and documentaries as well as various hybrid forms. All of the short films added to the catalogue have been completed and premiered since August 2024. Everyone interested can search for German short films in the online catalogue using a wide range of functions, keywords, themes, categories, etc. International film professionals can also screen the films online after registering. More than 1,100 short films produced since 2004 are now available for viewing. A selection of the new films will be presented at the market screening “Matinee Allemande” in the Salle Conchon at Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival at 11am on Wednesday, February 5, 2025. More info about the screening here. The next catalogue update will go online in May, in time for the Festival de Cannes. | |
| The focus of the next session for the English-language KINO! FILM SALON online film club on February 16th will be FACE TO FACE WITH GERMAN FILMS 2025 talent Leonie Krippendorff's queer coming-of-age comedy COCOON (KOKON) with Lena Urzendowksy and Jella Haase leading the cast. The film was the opening film of the GENERATION 14+ section at Berlin International Film Festival in 2020 and has been a huge success at many international film festivals around the world. Our curator Jim Kolmar's curational comment on the movie: "Leonie Krippendorff’s debut feature is a strikingly assured chronicle of one heady Berlin summer. The story takes place through the eyes of 14 year old Nora (Lena Urzendowsky) as she grapples with the awkward, turbulent time between childhood and adulthood. When she meets the mercurial Romy, a crush develops and threatens the fragile friendships and what little stability she has been able to maintain. Though narratively straightforward, Krippendorff’s film reveals a great deal of emotional nuance. Set against a subtle backdrop of the social and cultural complexities that make Berlin such a dynamic modern city, COCOON is a low key gem. A brace of naturalistic performances from an impressive young cast - particularly Urzendowsky as Nora - make this sensitive take on the coming-of-age genre a must-see." RSVP here Our discussion is preceded by Jim Kolmar’s interview with director Leonie Krippendorff. Date and time: Sunday, February 16, 2025 at 11:00am – 12:00pm PT, 2:00pm – 3:00pm ET, 8:00pm – 9:00pm CET.
Hosted by Jim Kolmar KINO! FILM SALON is a production of Telescope Film, in collaboration with the German Film Office Trailer here | |
| Episode 73 - February 13, 2025:
For this episode we talked to actor and European Shooting Star Devrim Lingnau. With a passion for the arts, and a promising international career already underway, Lingnau impressed in British horror flick CARMILLA. She is also the face of The Emmy-winning Netflix drama series THE EMPRESS, which won her the Best Newcomer award at the German Screen Actor Awards. Her next major role is in Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay’s psychological, pertinent thriller HYSTERIA. You can find all of the episodes on our website and wherever podcasts are available. SHORT TAKE on Instagram! | |
| Episode 2 - February 4, 2025:
In this episode we talk to a true comedy expert – director & writer Alireza Golafshan! He started his career with the hilariousTHE GOLDFISH, followed by J.G.A. and then his latest, EVERYTHING'S FIFTY FIFTY. We discuss the uniqueness and magic of a good comedy script, not taking yourself too seriously and what happens when the director ruins the takes because of laughing – enjoy!
Episode 3 - February 25, 2025:
She’s great at goodbyes! But writer and series-creator Aylin Kockler first shares some great insights into her writing process, explains why script writing is like the telephone game, and then even reveales her favorite comedic movie scene. We loved every minute of our podcast conversation – enjoy! You can find all of the episodes on our website and wherever podcasts are available. DEEP DIVE GENRE on Instagram! | |
| German Films Booth at EFM
During the Berlinale, German Films will be at the EFM - European Film Market from February 13-19, 2025. Come find us at Booth #18 in the Gropiusbau!
Nominations for the German Film Critics' Award
Mohammad Rasoulof's THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG leads the list of nominees with five nominations. Thomas Arslan's SCORCHED EARTH, Ayşe Polat's IN THE BLIND SPOT and Matthias Glasner's DYING have each received four nominations. The 2024 awards will be presented during Berlinale in the presence of many of the nominees. The award ceremony will again take place on Sunday, February 16 at the Berlin Academy of Arts on Pariser Platz. The association is supported by the agency Barbarella Entertainment.
German producer Sandra Müller at Rotterdam Lab
Celebrating its 25th edition in 2025, Rotterdam Lab will be welcoming 71 outstanding emerging producers nominated by its worldwide partners together with a number from its own open call. This five-day ride of panel sessions, roundtables, and networking events provides a golden opportunity for participants to refine their (co)producing craft and expand their international network. The German producer Sandra Müller will participate via German Films.
BIF Market: Collaboration BIFFF – German Films
Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival and German Films will be collaborating on the ninth edition of the BIF Market. The BIF Market will take place from April 14-18, 2025. The 9th edition will continue as a hybrid edition (onsite and online). It features a variety of activities, such as Pitchbox Sessions, Work In Progress, Info Sessions on Belgian or International funding mechanisms, panels and masterclasses. On site attendees can also take part in visits to interesting locations in the region. The call for proposals for work in progress is now open. More information here. Deadline is February 28, 2025.
Call for submissions to Brussels CoProMarket
BRIFF - Brussels International Film Festival is organizing its 9th Brussels CoProMarket, which will take place from June 23-24, 2025. The market has been promoting partnerships between European and Belgian producers since 2016. It is divided into two distinct sections embracing different objectives: the Gap Financing Sessions and UP: Up-and-coming Producers, which will showcase a total of 15 exciting feature projects in development. All information can be found here. Deadline is March 17, 2025. | |
| German productions and co-productions at Slamdance, Trieste, Clermont-Ferrand, Göteborg, New York, Berlin, Santa Barbara, Glasgow, South by Soutwest, Tromso, Dublin and Manchester. | |
| Awards for German productions and co-productions at Palm Springs, Angers and Tromsø. | |
| International releases of German films in February 2025 supported by the German Films Distribution Support program: EIN MÄDCHEN NAMENS WILLOW in Switzerland (Distributor: Praesens-Film AG, World Sales: Constantin Film, Theatrical Release: February 27, 2025, Grant: 6.000 €)
GIANTS OF LA MANCHA in Spain (Distributor: Cinemaran, World Sales: Studio 100, Theatrical Release: February 14, 2025, Loan: 25.000 €)
FÜHRER AND SEDUCER in France (Distributor: Condor Distribution, World Sales: Beta Cinema, Theatrical Release: February 19, 2025, Loan: 25.000 €)
HOLLYWOODGATE in Serbia, Croatia and Slovenia (Distributor: Beldocs, World Sales: Cinephil, Theatrical Release: February 13, 2025, Grant: 6.000 €)
MISSION: SCHOOL OF FUN in Poland (Distributor: Vivarto, World Sales: The Playmaker Munich, Theatrical Release: February 28, 2025, Grant: 10.000 €)
RIEFENSTAHL in Belgium (Distributor: Imagine Film Distribution, World Sales: Beta Film GmbH, Theatrical Release: February 5, 2025, Grant: 15.000 €)
SHOCK in North Macedonia (Distributor: KT Film & Media, World Sales: The Playmaker Munich, Theatrical Release: February 27, 2025, Grant: 3.500 €)
THE SCHOOL OF MAGICAL ANIMALS 3 in Hungary (Distributor: ADS Service, World Sales: Epsilon Film, Theatrical Release: February 20, 2025, Grant: 7.000 €)
THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG in Israel (Distributor: New Cinema, World Sales: Films Boutique, Theatrical Release: February 13, 2025, Grant: 12.000 €)
THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG in Japan (Distributor: GAGA Corporation, World Sales: Films Boutique, Theatrical Release: February 14, 2025, Grant: 15.000 €)
THE SUPER ELFKINS in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Distributor: Una Film, World Sales: Sola Media, Theatrical Release: February 27, 2025, Grant: 3.000 €)
THE SUPER ELFKINS in Serbia (Distributor: Taramount Film, World Sales: Sola Media, Theatrical Release: February 27, 2025, Grant: 5.000 €)
THE SUPER ELFKINS in Croatia (Distributor: Editus, World Sales: Sola Media, Theatrical Release: February 27, 2025, Grant: 5.500 €)
WOW! MESSAGE FROM OUTER SPACE in North Macedonia (Distributor: Cutaway, World Sales: The Playmaker Munich, Theatrical Release: February 20, 2025, Grant: 2.500 €)
Please note: Correct at time of going to press. Changes may occur at any time.
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| Contact:
Angela Sonntag (Head of Press & Public Relations) | |
| German Films Service + Marketing GmbH
Herzog-Wilhelm-Straße 16
80331 München/Deutschland Tel +49-89-59 97 87-0
Fax +49-89-59 97 87-30 | |
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