Face to face with German films unveils its next six ‘faces’
German Films has announced that its on-going initiative supporting German cinema internationally, FACE TO FACE WITH GERMAN FILMS, will focus on the artists behind the camera as the campaign enters its 3rd year.
Six of the most prominent German directors working today: Emily Atef, ValeskaGrisebach, Lars Kraume, Anca Miruna Lazarescu, Burhan Qurbani and David Wnendt, will represent German cinema’s current accomplishments and dynamic voices, through upcoming press activities at the Berlinale and through 2018.
The FACE TO FACE WITH GERMAN FILMS campaign celebrates current trends in German filmmaking, promoting German cinema to international audiences and an awareness of modern German storytelling and styles. The initiative launched in 2016 with six German actresses headlining the campaign – including the multi award-winning Sandra Hüller (TONI ERDMANN) and Paula Beer of the internationally acclaimed FRANTZ. Sandra Hüller can be seen in IN THE AISLES, Paula Beer in TRANSIT – both screening In Competition at the Berlinale 2018. Last year, the second phase of the initiative launched during the Festival de Cannes and featured six of Germany’s most exciting actors, including established names such as Alexander Fehling (THREE PEAKS, HOMELAND) and Tom Schilling (WOMAN IN GOLD, OH BOY), as well as new faces such as Louis Hofmann (DARK & the Oscar®-nominated LAND OF MINE).
The six award-winning German directors announced today as heading the campaign’s 3rd phase, have garnered a great deal of international recognition for their varied works to date.
EMILY ATEF – whose upcoming feature 3 DAYS IN QUIBERON will screen at this year’s Berlinale in Competition, is inspired by the life of world-famous actress Romy Schneider; VALESKA GRISEBACH – whose latest feature, WESTERN premiered in Un Certain Regard at Cannes in 2017 to critical acclaim and went on to win a number of festival awards; LARS KRAUME – director of THE PEOPLE VS. FRITZ BAUER,which won six German Film Awards in 2016 including Best Film and Best Director as well as the Audience Award at the Locarno Festival 2015. His upcoming feature, THE SILENT REVOLUTION – featuring one of 2017’s ‘Faces’ Ronald Zehrfeld – will screen as a Berlinale Special Gala at this year’s Berlin Film Festival; ANCA MIRUNA LAZARESCU – is currently working on her next project HAPPINESS SUCKS and a new HBO Europe original series. Her short film SILENT RIVER was invited to screen at over 300 film festivals and received more than 80 international awards in 2011; BURHAN QURBANI – whose feature debut FAITH (SHAHADA) premiered In Competition at the Berlinale in 2010, is currently working on his third feature, ALEXANDERPLATZ; and DAVID WNENDT – whose feature debut, COMBAT GIRLS won many awards, including three German Film Awards. His film WETLANDS received a great deal of attention at the Locarno Festival in 2013 and screened In Competition at the Sundance Film Festival 2014.
Mariette Rissenbeek, Managing Director, German Films:
“We are thrilled that, with our third edition, we are bringing these important ‘Faces‘ from behind the camera into the spotlight. The six great directors of the campaign have very diverse artistic styles and have already gained recognition – at home and internationally – but also have exciting new projects, several of which will screen at the Berlinale. This offers a great opportunity to not only see these new films, but also to talk to the directors about their work there.”
2017 was another stand-out year for German cinema and series. Homegrown films continued to exceed expectations, enjoying a strong presence at the international box office and received over 300 awards at major international film festivals. For the second consecutive year, a German film screened in Competition at Cannes (IN THE FADE – the recent Golden Globe & Critics’ Choice Award winner); German films were more strongly represented at the Toronto International Film Festival than ever before (including premieres of Wim Wenders’ SUBMERGENCE and Robert Schwentke’s THE CAPTAIN, starring Alexander Fehling as well as THREE PEAKS from Jan Zabeil – all of which screened in the prestigious Special Presentations Section); and international audiences embraced the German animation RICHARD THE STORK in cinemas across 44 territories. Original German series also drew in quite the international following, with Netflix premiering its first original German-language serial production DARK, which has recently been renewed for a second season, and the acclaimed Sky series, BABYLON BERLIN with ‘Faces’ Liv Lisa Fries and Volker Bruch in the lead roles.
