| Impressive German productions were represented at the Venice Film Festival with THE UNIVERSAL THEORY (ma.ja.de Fiction) by Timm Kroeger in the competition section Venezia 80, SENTIMENTAL STORIES (German Film and Television Academy Berlin) by Xandra Popescu in the short film competition Orrizzonti Corti and the two documentaries HOLLYWOOD GATE (Rolling Narratives) by Ibrahim Nash'at and LIFE IS NOT A COMPETITION, BUT I'M WINNING (Schuldenberg Films) by Julia Fuhr Mann in the section Settimana Internationale della Critica. In addition, two majority German productions, UPWIND (Neonreal, Volucap) by Florian Siebert and TALES OF THE MARCH (Daring House, Studio Deussen) by Stefano Casertano, participated in this year's Venice Immersive section. In the competition of the virtual reality section Venice Immersive, the German co-production EMPEROR (Reynard Films) by Marion Burger, Ilan Cohen won the Achievement Prize.
Also special for German Films this year was the Venice Production Bridge. A total of 2,903 industry delegates attended the event. The third edition presented two focuses, a European one (Germany, supported by German Films) and an international one (Quebec, supported by Sodec). Together with German regional film funds German Films hosted two VR panels ("Meet the German Creators" and "German XR Gaming: Exploring the Potential and the Market of Narrative Games in XR"). In addition, German Films invited together with SODEC Quebec to a roundtable discussion with director Edward Berger (ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT) and Canadian director Philippe Falardeau. | |
| The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) took place this year September 7-17, 2023. 14 German productions and co-productions were invited. The drama NOT A WORD (VOLTE Films Balagué & Legrand) by Hanna Slak, screened in the Plaform section, as well as the drama ACHILLES (Galan Gedan Filmproduktion, Barrierifilm, Basis Berlin) by Farhad Delaram and the road movie ARTHUR & DIANA (German Film and Television Academy, DFFB) by Sara Summa, screened in the Discovery section celebrated their world premiere in Toronto. All three of them were well received by the audience and got positive reviews. Special attention was paid to THE TEACHERS' LOUNGE (if... Productions Film) by Ilker Çatak. The drama was screened in the Centrepiece section and also launched its Oscar campaign in Toronto with the support of U.S. distributor Sony Pictures Classics. For German Films, the events at the festival also were a great success. The German Reception welcomed 125 guests (international festival representatives, foreign distributors and multipliers) as well as the teams of the German films. The German Films booth, organized under the umbrella of European Film Promotion and the four world sales companies Beta Cinema, Global Screen, Media Luna new films and Picture Tree International, became an important networking and meeting point for festival programmers and German film teams to exchange ideas. In addition, the Business Lunch for North American distributors was very well received. | |
| The German drama ISTINA (TRUTH) by Tamara Denić (Hamburg Media School) was able to celebrate a big win in September. In the 50th Student Academy Awards® competition, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences decided that ISTINA (TRUTH) was one of the three winners in the Narrative category. A total of fourteen winning films were selected from nearly 2,500 entries.
ISTINA is about a photographer and journalist who is threatened by right-wing extremist groups in her Serbian homeland, whereupon she flees to Germany with her daughter. But in her new home she faces increasing hostility and threats. ISTINA is the graduation film of a team of students from Hamburg Media School, at its core Tamara Denić (director), Christian Siée (producer), David M. Lorenz (screenplay) and André Stahlmann (cinematographer).
The winners of the Student Acadamy Awards® will be honored at an in-person awards ceremony on October 24 at the Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills. | |
| After 19 feature films have already been chosen as part of the European Film Awards’ Feature Film Selection 2023, the European Film Academy announced 21 further films that have been added to the shortlist for the European Film Awards, now comprising 40 strong European feature films on September 27, 2023. From Germany AFIRE, THE TEACHERS' LOUNGE and THE UNIVERSAL THEORY have been selected for this year’s European Film Awards Feature Film Selection. The nominations of the European Film Awards will be revealed on November 7, 2023. This year the awards ceremony, presented jointly by the European Film Academy and European Film Academy Productions, takes place on December 9, 2023 in Berlin. See the full list and further more information about the European Film Awards here. | |
| The 28th edition of the Festival du Cinéma Allemand in Paris will take place this year from October 11-15, 2023. The event will open with THE TEACHERS' LOUNGE by İlker Çatak. In cooperation with the French distributor TANDEM, the leading actress Leonie Benesch will present this impressive film to the French audience as an "Avant Premiere" on the opening night. In cooperation with the Goethe-Institut and with the support of the DFJW/OFAJ, the editor and filmmaker Bettina Böhler will give a masterclass for students in Paris and present the films SCHLINGENSIEF, TRANSIT and WESTERN. Director Milena Aboyan will present her film ELAHA to the French press and audience twice during the weekend. Producer Fabian Gasmia will accompany the film SUN AND CONCRETE on Thursday. Young talents are also part of the festival. Lisa Hürtgen will present her film SWIMMING LESSON as well as the entire Next Generation Short Tiger Program 2023. In the presence of director Wim Wenders, the screening of ANSELM (French distributor Les Films du Losange) will close the festival on Sunday evening October 15, 2023).
The Festival of German Film in Paris is organized in cooperation with the Goethe-Institut Paris and with the support of ARTE, the DFJW/OFAJ and the German Embassy in Paris.
List of screened films:
THE TEACHER'S ROOM by İlker Çatak (Tandem)
ANSELM by Wim Wenders (Les Films du Losange)
ELAHA by Milena Aboyan (Wayna Pitch)
IN THE DEAD ANGLE by Ayşe Polat
LAST EVENING by Lukas Nathrath
SUN AND CONCRETE by David Wnendt
SHE CHEF by Melanie Liebheit, Gereon Wetzel
WHEN WILL IT FINALLY BE AS IT WAS again by Sonja Heiss
SCHLINGENSIEF by Bettina Böhler
TRANSIT by Christian Petzold
WESTERN by Valeska Grisebach
Next Generation Short Tiger 2023 (various directors)
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| From September 7-13, 2023, the 23rd edition of the Festival de Cine Alemàn took place. The Festival of German Films in Buenos Aires was a great success. Internationally renowned director Christian Petzold opened the event with his film AFIRE. A special guest was also filmmaker German Kral, who presented with his team his film ADIOS BUENOS AIRES.
A total of 3,867 visitors attended the screenings in the cinemas Cinepolis. The most seen film was AFIRE with 839 spectators.
It was followed by ADIOS BUENOS AIRESwith 413 visitors and IN THE BLIND SPOT with 392 visitors. More information and the list of the shown films here. | |
| DOK Preview Germany is an exclusive showcase featuring up to 8 German feature-length documentaries in the final stages of production. The hand-picked selection of films comprises a mix of works-in-progress and freshly completed films ready for their premiere with international distribution in mind. The teams present their projects to international buyers, editors, world sales, festival curators and distributors.
DOK Preview Germany is a joint production of German Films and DOK Leipzig, with the support of AG DOK. It takes place on October 9, 2023 during DOK Leipzig, International Leipzig Festival for Documentary and Animated Film. D-Facto Motion will award the Works-in-Progress Prize to one of the projects presented at DOK Preview Germany, providing post-production services valued at 10,000 Euro.
Project Selection 2023:
ANGRY SPIRITS by Iris Pakulla (Gebrueder Beetz Filmproduktion)
THE END OF THE ROAD by Marc Eyrich (Licht & Stories)
THE INFINITE NIGHT (WT) by Clara Trischler (HORSE&FRUITS)
GET PHYSICAL by Ilker Abay and Miro Wallner
JOHATSU – INTO THIN AIR by Andreas Hartmann and Arata Mori (Ossa Film)
PING PONG by Jonas Egert (madfilms)
REPRODUCTION by Katharina Pethke (Fünferfilm)
WOMEN SPEAKING (WT) by Kristine Nrecaj and Birthe Templin (Filmkantine) | |
| This year’s 46th edition of the Drama International Short Film Festival (September 4-10, 2023) presented Germany as the focus country. Six German short films were selected for the competition sections. In the International Competition, THE AGE OF INNOCENCE by Maximilian Bungarten received a Special Mention from the jury. Together with the AG Kurzfilm and the Goethe-Institut Thessaloniki, German Films supported the festival with the presentation of two touring programs of German short films: “Short Export 2023 – Made in Germany and “Emerging Artists Vol. 6 – Contemporary Experimental Films and Video Art from Germany”. Both programs were presented by one of the directors, Jonathan Brunner (BORDER CONVERSATIONS) and Bruno Christofoletti Barrenha (DIGITAL ASHES), as well as by AG Kurzfilm’s managing director Jutta Wille. Jutta Wille was also one of the panelists at the talk “From Script to Spotlight: Navigating the Development and Festival Circuit of Short Films” and served as a member of the animation jury. Other German jury members included Filmfest Dresden’s co-director Anne Gaschütz (International Student Competition), Greek Film Festival Berlin director Sofia Stavrianidou (Short and Green Competition), and journalist Achim Forst (FIPRESCI jury). For the festival’s Pitching Lab, four German projects were selected and presented by the directors: German-Syrian animation THE HEAVINESS OF ABSENCE by Jalal Maghout, the fiction WHEN SAINTS TURN MACHINE by Svenja Heinrichs, LIFESCORE by Zorana Mušikić and May Odeh, and the animation SIMON by Martin Vallejos, which won the Pitch Lab’s Stathis Paraskevopoulos Award. A complete list of all German films and projects presented at Drama 2023 is available here. As part of the German Focus, two further programs of short films will be screened in Athens in October. | |
| Cartoon Forum, the most important pitching & co-production forum for animated TV projects in Europe, opened its doors from September 18 to 21, 2023 in Toulouse, France. Producers from over 500 companies pitched their projects in front of over 1,000 broadcasters, investors, and other potential partners from 37 countries, with 270 buyers on site in Toulouse. Trends could be presented like multi-layers projects are on the rise: 17 projects have shown a crossover approach, which is almost 23% of the selection. One outstanding example is the German co-production SUPER BIKES, a co-production with Beta Film (DE), Carlsen Verlag (DE), and Ulysses Filmproduktion (DE). The TV series will become a game, and will be adapted into a book series.
Adult animation is still on the rise. With 14% (compared to 10% in 2022) of the selected projects being targeted at Young Adults/Adults, it is evident that adult animation is definitely consolidating its position. A total of 76 international animated series or specials were selected from 37 countries. 7 projects were German co-productions at Cartoon Forum Toulouse: ACHOO, HICCUPS & CO., 26‘, Ahoifilm (DE).
DOUGIE DOLITTLE, 20x22‘, Caligari Film- und Fernsehproduktion (DE).
HAPPILY NEVER AFTER, 10x20’, Heliumfilm (CZ), Reynard Films (DE).
JUST ONE DAY, 29’, FelsFilms (GER), Raumkapsel Animation (DE).
LITTLEST ROBOT, 52x11’, Toon2Tango (DE), V House Animation (MK).
THE SORCERER'S APPRENTICE, 52x11’, bigchild Entertainment (DE).
SUPERBIKES, 52x11‘, Beta Film (DE), Carlsen Verlag (DE), Ulysses Filmproduktion (DE). | |
| The focus of the next session for the English-language KINO! FILM SALON online film club on October 15, 2023 will be Sherry Hormann’s A REGULAR WOMAN. The international festival premiere took place at the Tribeca Film Festival in 2019. Our curator Jim Kolmar selected this movie: “Sherry Hormann’s 2019 film A REGULAR WOMAN explores the devastating circumstances around a real life Berlin “honour killing” in 2005. Almila Bagriacik plays Aynur, a young Turkish-Kurdish woman who breaks from the strictures of her devout Muslim family by pursuing love, work, and self-determination. Bagriacik narrates the film as Aynur, after her murder takes place. It’s a startling innovation that incriminates everyone in its caustic, calm retelling of the film’s traumatic events. A shockingly blunt indictment of religious misogyny, A REGULAR WOMAN is a visually striking and deeply sad exploration of how easily family and autonomy can unravel in the face of blithe dogma and unexamined loyalties.“ The film is based on the story of Hatun Aynur Sürücü, whose murder caused an outcry in 2005 and the witness are still in the witness-protection program to this day. RSVP: https://bit.ly/kinofilmsalonaregularwoman
Date and time: Sunday, October 15, 2023 at 11am - 12pm PT, 2pm - 3pm ET, 8pm - 9pm CET.
Hosted by Jim Kolmar
KINO! FILM SALON is a production of Telescope Film, in collaboration with the German Film Office. | |
| Episode 50 - October 19, 2023: Fantasizing is Clemens Schick’s life force. While firmly established in the film world the talented actor and writer could also see himself as a monk, dancer, a farmer or a B&B owner. Clemens also talks about the intense experience of watching Space Odyssey as a twelve-year-old, the process of procrastination and the happiness of silence. Enjoy our latest Short Take episode! You can find all of the episodes on our website and wherever podcasts are available. SHORT TAKE on Instagram! | |
| Episode 3 - October 10, 2023: Tim Oliver Schultz has shown his versatility on the screen many times – never more so as villain Theo in HEILSTAETTEN. We talked to the actor and producer about the found footage film, the Horror genre in general and why villains tend to think they’re the heroes. Episode 4 - October 24, 2023: In this episode we’re talking to film critic Adrian Gmelch about horror – why elevated Horror is not the best term for what’s happening in the genre. Plus some horror genre and film history and a few great film suggestions, German and otherwise. You can find all of the episodes on our website and wherever podcasts are available. DEEP DIVE GENRE on Instagram! | |
| AJB DOC Main Award for WHEN SPRING CAME TO BUCHA
At the 6th Al Jazeera Balkans Documentary Film Festival, directors Mila Teshaieva and Marcus Lenz were awarded the main award for WHEN SPRING CAME TO BUCHA. The jury praised the documentary about the war in Ukraine for depicting a true human tragedy in a very emotional, realistic, sensitive and subtle way. Wim Wenders will receive the Lumière Award
The 15th edition of the Lumière film festival, will take place from October 14 to 22, 2023 in Lyon. This year the German filmmaker Wim Wenders will receive the Lumière Award. The Award was created by Thierry Frémaux to recognise a leading figure for his or her entire body of work and pivotal role in the history of cinema. Rendez-vous: French-German Filmmeeting in Paris
German Films, Unifrance and the Franco-German Film Academy invite to the 21st Franco-German Film Meeting on October 10 and 11, 2023 at the Goethe-Institut in Paris. This year's edition of the Rendez-vous will be attended by about 200 participants from production and the film industry. Focus Germany: German Films supports the Festival Cine por Mujeres Madrid
This year, the Focus Section of the Festival Cine por Mujeres Madrid (October 24 - November 5, 2023) will be dedicated to German cinema, with the intention of giving visibility to the talent of its women professionals and transmitting their vision of the world to the attending audience, as well as facilitating their encounter with Spanish experts. German Films will support the program together with the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany and the Goethe-Institut in Madrid. Clermont-Ferrand 2024: Submission Of Short Films And Co-Production Projects
The final deadline for short film submissions to the Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival 2024 is on October 3, 2023. For the 16th time, the European co-production forum Euro Connection will be held during the festival on February 6 and 7, 2024. Submissions are welcomed from short film projects up to 30 minutes (animation, feature film, documentary, VR) that are planned as international co-productions, have already secured part of the financing, and will not start shooting before June 2024. The contact for submissions from Germany is the AG Kurzfilm – German Short Film Association. Further information at here.
The Euro Connection deadline is on October 20, 2023. | |
| German productions and co-productions at Ottawa, Telluride, London, Busan, New York, San Sebastian, Helsinki, Zurich, Warsaw, Raindance, The Hamptons, Chicago, Bristol and Bucharest. | |
| Awards for German productions and co-productions in Locarno and Venice. | |
| International releases of German films in October 2023 supported by the German Films Distribution Support program: CHECKER TOBI AND THE JOURNEY TO THE FLYING RIVERS in Austria (Distributor: Luna Filmverleih, World Sales: Megaherz, Theatrical Release: October 5, 2023)
WILD HEART in Lithuania (Distributor: Unlimited Media, World Sales: The Playmaker Munich, Theatrical Release: October 6, 2023)
THE FOX in Israel (Distributor: Lev Cinemas, World Sales: Beta Cinema, Theatrical Release: October 12, 2023)
LASSIE - A NEW ADVENTURE in Bulgaria (Distributor: Pro Films, World Sales: Global Screen a Telepool brand, Theatrical Release: October 13, 2023)
ANSELM in France (Distributor: Les Films du Losange, World Sales: Hanway Films, Theatrical Release: October 18, 2023)
THE SOCIAL EXPERIMENT in Hungary (Distributor: ADS Service, World Sales: Tobis Film, Theatrical Release: October 19, 2023)
THE BLIND SIDE OF THE HEART in Austria (Distributor: Filmladen Filmverleih, World Sales: The Match Factory, Theatrical Release: October 25, 2023)
ANSELM in the Netherlands (Distributor: Cherry Pickers, World Sales: Hanway Films, Theatrical Release: October 26, 2023)
MISSION: SCHOOL OF FUN in Switzerland (Distributor: Praesens-Film, World Sales: Tobis Film, Theatrical Release: October 26, 2023)
AFIRE in Italy (Distributor: Just Wanted, World Sales: The Match Factory, Theatrical Release: October 27, 2023)
Please note: Correct at time of going to press. Changes may occur at any time.
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