GFQGERMAN FILMS QUARTERLY - THE BERLINALE ISSUE
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GFQ
G E R M A N F I L M S Q U A R T E R LY
THE BERLINALE ISSUE
ISSUE 1-2018
NEW GERMAN FILMS AT THE BERLINALE
SHOOTING STAR Franz Rogowski
DIRECTORS Burhan Qurbani & Ziska Riemann
PRODUCER Arne Birkenstock of Fruitmarket Arts & Media
ACTRESS Henriette Confurius
CONTENTS GFQ 1-2018
4 5 6
7 8 10
13 16 32
35 36 49
2
GFQ 1-2018 CONTENTS
IN
IN BERLIN
THIS ISSUE
NEW D OCUM ENTARIES
3 TAGE IN QUIBERON 3 DAYS IN QUIBERON Emily Atef ................. 4 ABHISHEK UND DIE HEIRAT
ABHISHEK AND THE MARRIAGE Kordula Hildebrandt .................. 43
IN DEN GÄNGEN IN THE AISLES Thomas Stuber ............................ 5
CLIMATE WARRIORS Carl-A. Fechner, Nicolai Niemann ............... 43
MEIN BRUDER HEISST ROBERT UND IST EIN IDIOT MY BROTHER’S
NAME IS ROBERT AND HE IS AN IDIOT Philip Gröning .................... 6 EINGEIMPFT FAMILY SHOTS David Sieveking ................................. 44
TRANSIT Christian Petzold ................................................................ 7 FAREWELL YELLOW SEA Marita Stocker ....................................... 44
DAS SCHWEIGENDE KLASSENZIMMER GLOBAL FAMILY Melanie Andernach, Andreas Köhler .................. 45
THE SILENT REVOLUTION Lars Kraume ......................................... 8
JOMI – LAUTLOS, ABER NICHT SPRACHLOS
STYX Wolfgang Fischer ...................................................................... 9 JOMI’S SPHERE OF ACTION Sebastian Voltmer ............................. 45
DER FILM VERLÄSST DAS KINO – VOM KÜBELKIND-EXPERIMENT KINDSEIN – ICH SEHE WAS, WAS DU NICHT SIEHST!
UND ANDEREN UTOPIEN FILM BEYOND CINEMA – THE DUMPSTER KINDSEIN – UNADULTERATED Lilian Nix ...................................... 46
KID EXPERIMENT AND OTHER UTOPIAS Robert Fischer .............. 10
LAS LENTEJAS Y EL DESTINO Miguel Müller-Frank .................... 46
GESCHICHTEN VOM KÜBELKIND
STORIES OF THE DUMPSTER KID Ula Stöckl, Edgar Reitz ............. 11 DIE NEUEN KINDER VON GOLZOW
THE NEW CHILDREN OF GOLZOW Simone Catharina Gaul ........... 47
LUZ Tilman Singer ........................................................................... 12
WENN GOTT SCHLÄFT WHEN GOD SLEEPS Till Schauder ........... 47
RÜCKENWIND VON VORN AWAY YOU GO Philipp Eichholtz ............ 13
303 Hans Weingartner ..................................................................... 14 NEW SHORTS
FOR THE TIME BEING Daniela Lucato ........................................... 48
SUPA MODO Likarion Wainaina ....................................................... 15
THE REDHEAD Natalie MacMahon .................................................. 48
BLAU David Jansen ........................................................................... 16
LA SOMBRA DE UN DIOS
P O R T R A I TS
A GOD’S SHADOW Bernhard Hetzenauer ...................................... 49
BEYOND CULTURAL BORDERS
A portrait of director Burhan Qurbani .............................................. 18 UGLY Nikita Diakur .......................................................................... 49
“IT HAS TO HAVE A STORY AND A ʻKA-POW!!ʼ” UPCOM ING F ILM S
A portrait of director Ziska Riemann ............................................... 20
25 KM/H Markus Goller ................................................................... 50
PRODUCING FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MARKET
A portrait of Fruitmarket Arts & Media ........................................... 22 BERLIN, I LOVE YOU Peter Chelsom, Dennis Gansel, Massy Tadjedin,
Til Schweiger, Fernando Eimbcke, Dianna Agron, Dani Levy,
THE WORK BECOMES THE THING Justin Franklin, Daniel Lwowski, Josef Rusnak ............................... 50
A portrait of actress Henriette Confurius ....................................... 24
DAS BOOT Andreas Prochaska ....................................................... 50
NEWS & NOTES ................................................................................ 26
THE BRA Veit Helmer ...................................................................... 51
N E W F E ATU R E S
CENTURY OF WOMEN Uli Gaulke ................................................... 51
1000 ARTEN REGEN ZU BESCHREIBEN
DIFFERENT KINDS OF RAIN Isa Prahl ............................................ 32 DOGS OF BERLIN Christian Alvart ................................................. 51
ARTHUR & CLAIRE Miguel Alexandre ............................................ 33 GLÜCK IST WAS FÜR WEICHEIER Anca Miruna Lazarescu ......... 52
DIESES BESCHEUERTE HERZ GUNDERMANN Andreas Dresen .................................................... 52
THIS CRAZY HEART Marc Rothemund ............................................ 34
KIDNAPPING STELLA Thomas Sieben ........................................... 52
FACK JU GOEHTE 3 Bora Dagtekin ................................................. 35
KOPFPLATZEN Savas Ceviz ............................................................ 53
HEXE LILLI RETTET WEIHNACHTEN
LILLY’S BEWITCHED CHRISTMAS Wolfgang Groos ........................ 36 LEIF IN CONCERT Christian Klandt ................................................ 53
HILFE, ICH HAB MEINE ELTERN GESCHRUMPFT MARNIE’S WORLD Christoph Lauenstein, Wolfgang Lauenstein ... 53
HELP, I SHRUNK MY PARENTS Tim Trageser ................................ 37
DAS SCHÖNSTE MÄDCHEN DER WELT Aron Lehmann ................. 54
SCHNEEBLIND SNOWBLIND Arto Sebastian ................................. 38
DIE UNSICHTBAREN Markus Dietrich ............................................ 54
STEIG.NICHT.AUS! DON’T.GET.OUT! Christian Alvart ..................... 39
AN UNUSUAL SPY Nicola Alice Hens .............................................. 54
A THOUGHT OF ECSTASY RP Kahl ................................................ 40
Shareholders & Supporters ............................................................ 57
TIAN – DAS GEHEIMNIS DER SCHMUCKSTRASSE
TIAN – THE MYSTERY OF ST. PAULI Damian Schipporeit ............... 41 Film Exporters ................................................................................. 58
VIELMACHGLAS A JAR FULL OF LIFE Florian Ross ...................... 42 Imprint .............................................................................................. 59
3
IN BERLIN GFQ 1-2018
IN
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© Rohfilm Factory/Peter Hartwig
3 TAGE IN QUIBERON
3 DAYS IN QUIBERON
1
981, Quiberon, a small village on the Schneider to be more vulnerable than ever. GENRE Drama CATEGORY Feature YEAR OF
coast of Brittany, France. Hilde Fritsch And yet, by the end of those days, she may PRODUCTION 2018 DIRECTOR Emily Atef
arrives to visit her old friend who has have found the inner strength to be able to SCREENPLAY Emily Atef CINEMATOGRAPHY
retreated to a spa hotel to escape the start over, something she desperately wants… Thomas Kiennast CAST Marie Bäumer, Birgit
daily pressures of her life. Her friend is Minichmayr, Charly Hübner, Robert Gwisdek
world-famous star Romy Schneider, but to- EMILY ATEF was born in Berlin to French and PRODUCER Karsten Stöter CO-PRODUCERS
gether they appear like two regular women, Iranian parents. She grew up in Los Angeles Danny Krausz, Sophie Dulac, Michel Zana
who are just happy to be reunited. Yet it and Paris, before moving to London to work PRODUCTION COMPANY Rohfilm Factory, in
quickly becomes apparent that Hilde is sup- in the theater. In 2001, she enrolled in the co-production with Dor Film, Sophie Dulac
posed to offer the support the sensitive German Film & Television Academy (dffb) in Productions RUNTIME 115 min LANGUAGE
actress needs to be able to truly face her own Berlin. Her acclaimed films include: MOLLY’S German, French FESTIVALS Berlinale 2018
demons. Shortly after, the young journalist WAY (2005), THE STRANGER IN ME (2008), (In Competition)
Michael Jürgs and Romy's long-time ac- KILL ME (2011), DON’T WORRY I’M FINE (TV,
quaintance, photographer Robert Lebeck, 2017), and 3 DAYS IN QUIBERON (2018). SALES
arrive to conduct an interview for the famous Beta Cinema
German magazine STERN. Immediately, a beta@betacinema.com
cat-and-mouse game ensues between the www.betacinema.com
fragile diva and the ambitious author. Hilde
attempts to guard her friend, while the jour-
nalists try to capture the most inner feelings
of this fascinating woman for their audience.
For three days and nights the action between
tenderness and mutual manipulation keeps
the four people deeply engaged in ups
and downs of emotions, and reveals Romy
4
GFQ 1-2018 IN BERLIN
IN
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© Sommerhaus Filmproduktion/Anke Neugebauer
IN DEN GÄNGEN
IN THE AISLES
A
fter the shy and reclusive THOMAS STUBER was born in 1981 in Leipzig GENRE Drama CATEGORY Feature YEAR OF
Christian loses his job, he starts and completed his degree in Media and PRODUCTION 2018 DIRECTOR Thomas
to work for a wholesale market. Directing at the Filmakademie Baden- Stuber SCREENPLAY Clemens Meyer,
Bruno from the beverage aisle Württemberg in 2011. With the short film Thomas Stuber CINEMATOGRAPHY Peter
takes him under his wing and quickly be- ES GEHT UNS GUT he won the Young Talent Matjasko CAST Franz Rogowski, Sandra
comes a fatherly friend to him. He shows him Award of the Film Industry in Baden- Hüller, Peter Kurth PRODUCERS Jochen
the ropes and patiently teaches him how to Württemberg in 2006. His first feature film Laube, Fabian Maubach CO-PRODUCERS
operate the fork lift. In the aisles he meets TEENAGE ANGST was invited to the Undine Filter, Thomas Král, Martin Früh-
“Sweets”-Marion. He is instantly smitten by Berlinale/Perspektive Deutsches Kino in 2008 morgen PRODUCTION COMPANY Sommer-
her mysterious charm. The coffee machine and won the German Young Talent Award at haus Filmproduktion, in co-production with
becomes their regular meeting point and the the Sehsüchte International Student Film Rotor Film, DEPARTURES Film RUNTIME
two start to get to know each other. But Festival. In 2011 his short film OF DOGS AND 125 min LANGUAGE German FESTIVALS
Marion is married and Christian’s feelings for HORSES was nominated for the First Steps Berlinale 2018 (In Competition)
her seem to remain unrequited, especially Award. It won the German Short Film Award
when Marion does not return to work one day. in Gold and won the Student-Oscar® in Silver SALES
Christian slowly becomes a member of the in 2012. His feature film A HEAVY HEART Beta Cinema
wholesale market family and his days of driv- premiered at the Toronto International Film beta@betacinema.com
ing fork lifts and stacking shelves mean much Festival and won the German Film Award in www.betacinema.com
more to him than meets the eye. Silver in 2016. His latest film, IN THE AISLES,
premieres in Competition at the Berlinale
2018.
5
IN BERLIN GFQ 1-2018
IN
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© Philip Gröning Filmproduktion
MEIN BRUDER HEISST
ROBERT UND IST EIN IDIOT
MY BROTHER’S NAME IS ROBERT AND HE IS AN IDIOT
W
hat is the nature of time? For PHILIP GRÖNING was born in 1959 in Düssel- GENRE Drama CATEGORY Feature YEAR OF
the teenage twins Robert and dorf. Also active as a screenwriter and pro- PRODUCTION 2018 DIRECTOR Philip Gröning
Elena, a weekend can seem ducer, his award-winning films include: SCREENPLAY Philip Gröning, Sabine Timoteo
endless yet still fly by. Time SUMMER (1986), THE TERRORISTS (1992), CINEMATOGRAPHY Philip Gröning CAST
almost stands still while discussing philos- VICTIMS. WITNESSES (doc, 1993), LOVE, Josef Mattes, Julia Zange, Urs Jucker, Stefan
ophy, lying in a blissful cornfield near a MONEY, LOVE (2000), INTO GREAT SILENCE Konarske, Zita Aretz PRODUCERS Philip
remote gas station. They are in their own little (doc, 2005), THE POLICE OFFICER’S WIFE Gröning, Matthias Esche, Philipp Kreuzer,
world, a twin world of twin games and twin (2013), and MY BROTHER’S NAME IS ROBERT Emmanuel Schlumberger CO-PRODUCERS
love. A confined world where emotions rise, AND HE IS AN IDIOT (2018). Elda Guidinetti, Andres Pfäffli PRODUCTION
where pressure mounts into rage… The COMPANIES Philip Gröning Filmproduktion,
turmoil of adolescence. Nature, time, love, Bavaria Pictures, L Films, in co-production
death. with BR, WDR, ARTE RUNTIME 172 min
LANGUAGE German FESTIVALS Berlinale
“What then is time? If no one asks me, I know 2018 (In Competition)
what it is. If I wish to explain it to him who
asks, I do not know.” Saint Augustine SALES
The Match Factory
info@matchfactory.de
www.the-match-factory.com
6
GFQ 1-2018 IN BERLIN
IN
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© Marco Krüger/Schramm Film
TRANSIT
G
erman troops are fast ap- Everything changes when Georg falls in love GENRE Drama CATEGORY Feature YEAR OF
proaching Paris. Georg, a German with the mysterious Marie. Is it devotion or PRODUCTION 2018 DIRECTOR Christian
refugee, escapes to Marseille in calculation that has led her to share her life Petzold SCREENPLAY Christian Petzold
the nick of time. In his luggage, he with a doctor, Richard, before journeying on CINEMATOGRAPHY Hans Fromm CAST Franz
carries the documents of an author, Weidel, in search of her husband? He’s said to have Rogowski, Paula Beer, Godehard Giese, Lilien
who has taken his own life in fear of his surfaced in Marseille in possession of a Batman, Maryam Zaree, Barbara Auer,
persecutors. Those documents include a Mexican visa for him and his wife. Matthias Brandt, Sebastian Hülk, Emilie
manuscript, letters and visa assurance from de Preissac, Antoine Oppenheim, Ronald
the Mexican embassy. TRANSIT is based on the eponymous novel by Kukulies, Justus von Dohnányi, Alex
Anna Seghers, which was written in 1942 in Brendemühl, Trystan Pütter PRODUCERS
In Marseille, only those who can prove they Marseille. Making use of the breathtaking, Florian Koerner von Gustorf, Michael Weber
will leave, may remain. Visas for possible host almost uncanny parallels between historical CO-PRODUCER Antonin Dedet PRODUCTION
countries, transit visas, and those scarce fact and present-day Marseille, Christian COMPANY Schramm Film Koerner & Weber,
tickets for passage by ship are much needed. Petzold tells the story of a great, nearly im- in co-production with neon productions, ZDF,
Georg has memorized Weidel’s papers and possible love amid escape, exile and a longing ARTE RUNTIME 101 min LANGUAGE German,
assumes his identity. He delves into the for a place one can call home. French FESTIVALS Berlinale 2018 (In Com-
quasi-existence of flight: refugee chatter in petition)
the corridors of a small hotel, the consulates, CHRISTIAN PETZOLD’s highly-acclaimed
cafés and bars that line the harbor... He films include: PILOTINNEN (1995), CUBA SALES
befriends Driss, the son of his comrade Heinz, LIBRE (1996), DIE BLEISCHLAFDIEBIN (1998), The Match Factory
who died on the run. Why move on at all? THE STATE I AM IN (2000), SOMETHING TO info@matchfactory.de
Are new beginnings possible elsewhere any- REMIND ME (2001), WOLFSBURG (2002), www.the-match-factory.com
way? GHOSTS (2004), YELLA (2006), JERICHOW
(2008), DREILEBEN – BEATS BEING DEAD
(2011), BARBARA (2012), PHOENIX (2014), and
TRANSIT (2018).
7
IN BERLIN GFQ 1-2018
BERLIN
AL
SPECIA E
L
© STUDIOCANAL/Julia Terjung
DAS SCHWEIGENDE
KLASSENZIMMER
THE SILENT REVOLUTION
K
urt and Theo are classmates and LARS KRAUME was born 1973. He worked as GENRE Drama CATEGORY Feature YEAR OF
best friends. In 1956 they are about a freelance photographer before enrolling at PRODUCTION 2018 DIRECTOR Lars Kraume
to finish school in Stalinstadt, in the German Film & Television Academy in SCREENPLAY Lars Kraume CINEMATOG-
the GDR. On one of their secret Berlin in 1994. Since then he works as a RAPHY Jens Harant CAST Leonard Scheicher,
excursions to West Berlin to go to the movies, director, script author and producer. In Tom Gramenz, Lena Klenke, Jonas Dassler,
they see disturbing pictures of an uprising addition to numerous episodes of the TATORT Ronald Zehrfeld, Florian Lukas, Jördis
in Hungary in the newsreel Wochenschau. series, his films include: DUNCKEL (1998), Triebel, Michael Gwisdek, Burghart Klaußner
The students are impressed by the young DER MÖRDER MEINER MÜTTER (TV, 1999), PRODUCER Miriam Düssel PRODUCTION
Hungarians, who fight for their freedom and VIKTOR VOGEL – COMMERCIAL MAN (2001), COMPANY Akzente Film RUNTIME 111 min
they decide to show their solidarity. In class, KISMET (2002), NO SONGS OF LOVE (2005), LANGUAGE German FESTIVALS Berlinale
they hold a minute’s silence in honor of the DER ELEFANT (TV series, 2005), GUTEN 2018 (Special Gala)
victims. Little do they know how much trouble MORGEN HERR GROTHE (TV, 2007), THE
their seemingly harmless act of solidarity will DAYS TO COME (2010), MEINE SCHWESTERN SALES
mean for their future… (2011), FAMILIENFEST (2015), THE PEOPLE STUDIOCANAL
VS. FRITZ BAUER (2015), THE VERDICT (TV, chloe.marquet@studiocanal.com
2016), and THE SILENT REVOLUTION (2018). www.studiocanal.com
8
GFQ 1-2018 IN BERLIN
PANO
RAM
SPECIA A
OPE L
NING
FILM
© Benedict Neuenfels
STYX
T
he transformation of a strong WOLFGANG FISCHER was born in 1970 in GENRE Drama CATEGORY Feature YEAR OF
woman torn from her contented Vienna/Austria. From 1990-1995, he studied PRODUCTION 2018 DIRECTOR Wolfgang
world during a sailing trip. Psychology and Painting at the University of Fischer SCREENPLAY Wolfgang Fischer,
Vienna and Film and Video at the Art Academy Ika Künzel CINEMATOGRAPHY Benedict
in Düsseldorf, followed by studies in Film and Neuenfels CAST Susanne Wolff, Gedion
Rike – 40, a doctor from Europe – embodies Television at the Academy of Media Arts Oduor Wekesa PRODUCERS Marcos Kantis,
a typical Western model of happiness and (KHM) in Cologne. His films include: 9H11 Martin Lehwald, Michal Pokorny CO-PRODU-
success. She is educated, confident, deter- (short, 1999), REMAKE OF THE REMAKE (doc, CERS Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu,
mined and committed. We see Rike’s every- 1999), GREY (short, 2001), WHAT YOU DON’T Bady Minck PRODUCTION COMPANY
day life, as an emergency doctor, before she SEE (2009), and STYX (2018). Schiwago Film, in co-production with AMOUR
fulfils a long-held dream and sails out to sea FOU Vienna RUNTIME 93 min LANGUAGE
alone in her sailing boat. Her goal: Ascension German, English FESTIVALS Berlinale 2018
Island in the Atlantic Ocean. But her dream (Panorama Special – Opening Film)
holiday is quickly broken off on the high seas,
when, after a storm, she finds herself near a SALES
stricken fishing boat. Around a hundred Beta Cinema
people are about to drown. Rike follows mari- beta@betacinema.com
time law and radios for help. As her request www.betacinema.com
is going nowhere, she is forced to make a fatal
decision.
9
IN BERLIN GFQ 1-2018
FORUM
© Laura Ettel/Fiction Factory Robert Fischer Filmproduktion
DER FILM VERLÄSST
DAS KINO – VOM KÜBELKIND-EXPERIMENT
UND ANDEREN UTOPIEN
FILM BEYOND CINEMA – THE DUMPSTER KID EXPERIMENT AND OTHER UTOPIAS
I
n 1962, Edgar Reitz (HEIMAT) co-signed Vice Director at the Munich Film Museum, GENRE Film History CATEGORY Documentary
the Oberhausen manifesto that set the where he was involved in the reconstruction YEAR OF PRODUCTION 2018 DIRECTOR
New German Cinema in motion. In 1968, of Orson Welles’ unfinished films, he switched Robert Fischer CINEMATOGRAPHY Laura
Ula Stöckl emerged as Germany’s first to filmmaking in 1999. A selection of his films Ettel WITH Edgar Reitz, Ula Stöckl, Kristine
feminist filmmaker. A year later, Stöckl and includes: STRANGE BEHAVIOR OF MOVING de Loup, Werner Herzog, Alexander Kluge,
Reitz joined forces to create STORIES OF THE PICTURES (short, 1978), MONSIEUR Klaus Eder, Christian Reitz, Bernhard Sinkel,
DUMPSTER KID, a series of 22 hilarious, ir- TRUFFAUT MEETS MR. HITCHCOCK (1999), Sylvia Uthoff, Reiner Uthoff, and others PRO-
reverent short films that have been talked NEVER STOP BEGINNING – UFA STAR DUCER Robert Fischer PRODUCTION COM-
about – but rarely seen – for nearly 50 years. CAROLA HOEHN (2000), FILM IS TRUTH: PANY Fiction Factory Robert Fischer Film-
This is a documentary on the background and MILOS FORMAN (2000), FASSBINDER IN produktion RUNTIME 90 min LANGUAGE
rediscovery of the DUMPSTER KID series, but HOLLYWOOD (2002), DALTON TRUMBO: German FESTIVALS Berlinale 2018 (Forum)
also much more: Reitz and Stöckl are joined REBEL IN HOLLYWOOD (2006), ERNST
on-camera by Werner Herzog, Alexander LUBITSCH IN BERLIN (2006), WORKING WITH SALES
Kluge and others to reflect on nothing less MAX OPHULS: LOLA MONTES REVISITED Edgar Reitz Filmstiftung
than the future of cinema. (2007), STARTING OUT: THE MAKING OF stiftung@reitz-medien.de
JERZY SKOLIMOWSKI’S DEEP END (2011), www.edgar-reitz-filmstiftung.de
ROBERT FISCHER was born 1954 in Greven. OUTLAW BROTHERS: THE MAKING OF THE
He started writing about film in the mid- LONG RIDERS (2013), SWAN SONG: THE
1970s and soon became one of Germany’s STORY OF BILLY WILDER’S FEDORA (2014),
foremost film historians. For his translations RETURN OF BEETHOVEN STREET: SAM
of Truffaut’s complete writings into German, FULLER IN GERMANY (2015), SUCKER
he was named Chevalier des Arts et Lettres by PUNCH BLUES: A LOOK BACK ON JOHN
the French Cultural Minister Jack Lang. To- HUSTON’S FAT CITY (2017), and FILM
gether with Joe Hembus he wrote a history of BEYOND CINEMA: THE DUMPSTER KID
the New German Cinema. After five years as EXPERIMENT AND OTHER UTOPIAS (2018).
10
GFQ 1-2018 IN BERLIN
FORUM
© Edgar Reitz Filmstiftung
GESCHICHTEN
VOM KÜBELKIND
STORIES OF THE DUMPSTER KID (RESTORED VERSION)
T
HE DUMPSTER KID is an artistic (1993), and DIE WIDERSTÄNDIGEN “ALSO GENRE Art, Experimental CATEGORY Feature,
creation: in every story, society MACHEN WIR WEITER” (2015). Series of Shorts YEAR OF PRODUCTION
forces her to learn something. But 2018 (restored version, 1969 original version)
she, fully grown from the moment of EDGAR REITZ was born in 1932 in Morbach DIRECTORS Ula Stöckl, Edgar Reitz SCREEN-
her birth, unquestionably learns more than is and studied Theater and Art History. He was PLAY Ula Stöckl, Edgar Reitz CINEMATOG-
called for. This extra knowledge, which is not a member of the Oberhausen Group in 1962 RAPHY Edgar Reitz CAST Kristine de Loup,
wanted by society, regularly brings her into and, together with filmmaker Alexander Alf Brustellin, Heidewig Fankhänel, Josette
danger. Dumpster Kid dies in each story and Kluge, co-founder of the Institute for Film in Genet-Bollinger, Werner Herzog PRODUCER
across each genre. Her stories are set in a 1963 at the Ulm Academy of Design. A selec- Edgar Reitz PRODUCTION COMPANY Edgar
whole range of different time periods. tion of his numerous and highly-acclaimed Reitz Filmproduktion RUNTIME 220 min
films includes: MAHLZEITEN (1966), DIE LANGUAGE German FESTIVALS Berlinale
ULA STÖCKL was born in 1938 in Ulm. After REISE NACH WIEN (1973), DIE STUNDE NULL 1971, Edinburgh 1977, Berlinale 2018 (Forum
studying Languages in Paris and London, she (1976), DER SCHNEIDER VON ULM (1978), – Restored Version)
studied at the Institute for Film of the HEIMAT (1982-1984), DIE ZWEITE HEIMAT
Academy of Design Ulm. Her film THE CAT (1985-1992), DIE NACHT DER REGISSEURE SALES
HAS NINE LIVES (1968) is considered to be (1994), HEIMAT 3 (2004), HEIMAT – FRAG- Edgar Reitz Filmstiftung
the first feminist film in the Federal Republic MENTE (2006), and DIE ANDERE HEIMAT stiftung@reitz-medien.de
of Germany, followed by such classic (2013), among others. www.edgar-reitz-filmstiftung.de
women’s films like ERIKA’S PASSIONS (1976)
and DER SCHLAF DER VERNUNFT (1984).
A selection of her other highly-acclaimed
films includes: THE GOLDEN THING (1971),
EIN GANZ PERFEKTES EHEPAAR (1974),
A WOMAN WITH RESPONSIBILITIES (1978),
DAS ALTE LIED (1992), DIE WILDE BÜHNE
11
IN BERLIN GFQ 1-2018
PERSP
EKTIV
DEUTS E
CHES
KINO
© Tilman Singer, Dario Mendez Acosta
LUZ
A
rainy night. Dazed and numb, Luz, TILMAN SINGER was born in 1988 in Leipzig GENRE Mystery, Drama, Thriller CATEGORY
a young cabdriver, drags herself and studied at the Academy of Media Arts Feature YEAR OF PRODUCTION 2017
into the brightly lit entrance of a Cologne. His films include: the shorts DIRECTOR Tilman Singer SCREENPLAY
run-down police station. In a BOLD STROKES (2014), THE EVENTS AT MR. Tilman Singer CINEMATOGRAPHY Paul
nightspot, Nora seductively engages police YAMAMOTO’S ALPINE RESIDENCE (2014), Faltz CAST Luana Velis, Jan Bluthardt, Julia
psychiatrist Dr. Rossini in a conversation. EL FIN DEL MUNDO (2016), the music videos Riedler PRODUCERS Mario von Grumbkow,
Nora tells the doctor about her old school- WOMAN “FEVER” (2016) and HUYGHEND Luisa Stricker, Tilman Singer, Dario Mendez
mate Luz’ rebellious past at a Chilean school “SPEEDBOAT” (2017), and his feature debut Acosta PRODUCTION COMPANY Kunsthoch-
for girls. Nora is possessed by a demonic LUZ (2017). schule für Medien Köln (KHM) RUNTIME 70
entity, longing for the woman it loves – Luz. min LANGUAGE German, Spanish FESTIVALS
Increasingly drunk on both alcohol and Nora’s Berlinale 2018 (Perspektive Deutsches Kino)
story, Rossini turns into easy prey. When call-
ed to the police station, the now demonically SALES
revived doctor puts Luz into a state of hyp- Kunsthochschule für Medien Köln (KHM)
nosis, supervised by his colleagues, commis- dilger@khm.de
sioner Bertillon and her translator Olarte. www.khm.de
Luz recalls the events predating her arrival at
the police station. But the entity that has
taken control of the doctor wants something
more. Bit by bit, it slips into Luz’ reenactment
and makes old memories come to light.
12
GFQ 1-2018 IN BERLIN
PERSP
E
DEUTS KTIVE
CHE
KINO S
OPENIN
G FILM
© Fee Scherer
RÜCKENWIND
VON VORN
AWAY YOU GO
C
harlie finds it hard to keep con- PHILIPP EICHHOLTZ was born in 1982. His GENRE Drama CATEGORY Feature YEAR
flicting expectations apart: those films include: LOVE ME! (2014), DANCING OF PRODUCTION 2018 DIRECTOR Philipp
coming from her closer sur- QUIETLY (2016), and AWAY YOU GO (2018). Eichholtz SCREENPLAY Philipp Eichholtz
roundings and those towards CINEMATOGRAPHY Fee Scherer CAST
herself. Her boyfriend desires the welcoming Victoria Schulz, Aleksandar Radenkovic,
of a child, but Charlie feels uncertain about it. Daniel Zillmann, Angelika Waller, Karin
What will become of her own needs? She Hanczewski, Amelie Kiefer PRODUCERS
misses the excitement of the carefree days of Oliver Jerke, Philipp Eichholtz PRODUCTION
the past. COMPANY Von Oma gefördert RUNTIME 80
min LANGUAGE German FESTIVALS Berli-
nale 2018 (Perspektive Deutsches Kino –
Opening Film)
SALES
UCM.ONE
joachim.keil@ucm.com
www.darlingberlin.de
13
IN BERLIN GFQ 1-2018
GENER
ATION
14PLU
S
© Kahuuna Films
303
W
hen biology student Jule (24) They cross France to the Atlantic coast GENRE Drama, Road Movie CATEGORY
discovers she’s pregnant, through beautiful landscapes, cooking, Feature YEAR OF PRODUCTION 2017 DIREC-
she sets out on a journey to camping, surfing and having adventures TOR Hans Weingartner SCREENPLAY Hans
Portugal in her old “303” together. As they travel on to Spain, their Weingartner, Silke Eggert CINEMATOGRAPHY
camper van to tell her boyfriend Alex. Outside conversations become more and more per- Sebastian Lempe, Mario Krause CAST Mala
of Berlin she picks up Jan (24), a political sonal and intimate. Emde, Anton Spieker, Arndt Schwering-
science student, who’s hitch-hiking to Spain Sohnrey, Martin Neuhaus, Steven Lange PRO-
to find his biological father, whom he has Jule keeps her pregnancy secret, but Jan DUCER Hans Weingartner PRODUCTION
never met before. knows she’s going to see her boyfriend. They COMPANY Kahuuna Films RUNTIME 138 min
both realize a relationship is not in the LANGUAGE German FESTIVALS Berlinale
After a heated argument, Jule kicks Jan out cards. But when soulmates meet, anything is 2018 (Generation 14plus)
of the bus and leaves him at a rest stop. That possible...
night, Jule is assaulted in her van. Jan, who SALES
happens to be spending the night at the same HANS WEINGARTNER was born in 1970. He Global Screen
truck stop, notices and scares the attacker studied Physics and Neurosciences in Vienna info@globalscreen.de
off. Over tea in Jule’s camper, they find out and Berlin and earned a diploma as a camera www.globalscreen.de
that they actually like each other. assistant from the Austrian Association of
Cinematography, followed by post-graduate
So the next morning, Jule invites Jan along studies at the Academy of Media Arts (KHM)
for the ride again. As they both love to debate, in Cologne. His films include: the shorts DER
they’re soon getting into deep talks about DREIFACHSTECKER (1994), SPLIT BRAIN
human nature, love and relationships, the (1997), and FRANK (1999), and the features
meaning of life and everything else. They find THE WHITE SOUND (2000), THE EDUKATORS
common ground despite or because of their (2004), RECLAIM YOUR BRAIN (2007), HUT IN
differences. THE WOODS (2011), and 303 (2017).
14
GFQ 1-2018 IN BERLIN
GENER
ATIO
KPLUS N
© One Fine Day Films
SUPA MODO
S
UPA MODO revolves around a young, LIKARION WAINAINA has directed numerous GENRE Children & Youth, Drama CATEGORY
ambitious girl whose dream of being award-winning music videos, short films and Feature YEAR OF PRODUCTION 2018
a super-heroine is short-lived by a television films. SUPA MODO is his feature DIRECTOR Likarion Wainaina SCREENPLAY
terminal illness that would render film debut. Mugambi Nthiga, Silas Miami, Wanjeri
her dream impossible, if it wasn’t for a whole Gakura, Kamau Wandung‘u CINEMATOG-
village masterminding a genius plan that will RAPHY Enos Olik CAST Stycie Waweru,
make her wish come true. Marrianne Nungo, Nyawara Ndambia,
Johnson Fish Chege, Humphrey Maina,
Joseph Omari, Rita Njenga, Dinah Githinji,
Nellex Nderitu, Edna Daisy, Peris Wambui,
Mercy Kariuki, Cindy Kahuha PRODUCERS
Sarika Hemi Lakhani, Siobhain “Ginger“
Wilson, Tom Tykwer, Guy Wilson, Marie
Steinmann-Tykwer PRODUCTION COM-
PANIES One Fine Day Films, Ginger Ink Films
RUNTIME 74 min LANGUAGE Swahili
FESTIVALS Berlinale 2018 (Generation Kplus)
SALES
Rushlake Media
info@rushlake-media.com
www.rushlake-media.com
26 15
IN BERLIN GFQ 1-2018
BERLIN
AL
SHORT E
S
© David Jansen/Sodakinda
BLAU
A
whale dreams its entire life, DAVID JANSEN’s other animation films in- GENRE Animation, Fantasy CATEGORY Short
according to ancient mythology. clude: BEELZEBUBS TAGTRAUM (2009), YEAR OF PRODUCTION 2017 DIRECTOR David
The ocean. The vastness of the I DON’T CARE (2010), DAS TIER KANN LÜGEN Jansen SCREENPLAY David Jansen CINE-
sea. A whale cow and her calf. (2012), DÄWIT (2015), and BLAU (2017). MATOGRAPHY David Jansen ANIMATION
David Jansen & Sophie Biesenbach PRODU-
In BLAU, the life and mythology of these giant CER David Jansen RUNTIME 15 min
marine mammals are woven into one fan- LANGUAGE no dialogue FESTIVALS Berlinale
tastical story. 2018 (Berlinale Shorts)
SALES
David Jansen
jansen@hiundmoinsen.de
www.sodakinda.com
16DIRECTOR’S PORTRAIT GFQ 1-2018
© Joachim Gern for the FACE TO FACE WITH GERMAN FILMS 2018 campaign
BEYOND
CULTURAL
BORDERS
A PORTRAIT OF DIRECTOR BURHAN QURBANI
H
e himself would never put it this dreamed of hiding his nose in books rather studies also turned out more than ordinary.
way, of course, but seen from the than behind a camera; his professional am- Qurbani’s graduation film SHAHADA was
outside there can be no doubt: bition was to become a theater dramaturg or made in cooperation with the department
Burhan Qurbani is a real exception a literary scholar. But then he read some in- Das kleines Fernsehspiel at public broad-
among German filmmakers. However, this formation material from the Filmakademie caster ZDF, but the film with its episodic nar-
has astonishingly little to do with the family Baden-Württemberg and thought it might rative actually landed at the 2010 Berlinale
background of the director, who appears ex- also appeal to him, so he spontaneously rather than on TV. More precisely – it went
tremely modest and thoughtful during our decided to apply. “Unlike most of my fellow straight into the competition. “So actually,
conversation in his shared home in Berlin- students, I had no film experience. For the you have just made a student film that’s sup-
Neukölln. His parents came to Germany from whole of the first year of study I was actually posed to be shown on TV sometime around
Afghanistan not long before his birth, and busy learning the basics,” he remembers of 11 pm. But instead you are suddenly hauled
there is no question that this also distin- his initial months studying the subject of in front of a world audience,” Qurbani recalls
guishes the 37-year-old from many of his Scenic Direction. “The only thing I found the rather overwhelming experience, from
colleagues. quite easy, thanks to my practical experience which, in his own words, it took him a full
in the theater, was dealing with the actors.” year to recover properly. “All at once, slowly
But there are other reasons why Qurbani and feeling my way into dealing with criticism
his films are unique in this country. Even the Eight years and several short films later (in- and the public was no longer possible. I was
way in which Qurbani began his career can cluding some that won prizes in Hamburg, standing there naked, so to speak, and
hardly be described as typical. Actually, he Dresden and Abu Dhabi), the end of his vulnerable. But I wouldn’t want to change it
18GFQ 1-2018 DIRECTOR’S PORTRAIT
zu glauben
ist schwer,
nichts zu glauben
ist unmöglich
Festival Internazionale
I Internationale
del Film di Roma Hoferr Filmtage
2014 2
2014
weißt du, was du glaubst?
weißt du, was du liebst?
weißt du, wer du bist?
A Film by Burhan Qurbani BETA CINEMA presents
p an UFA FICTION production in co-production with ZDF / DAS KLEINE FERNSEHSPIEL in collaboration with ARTE in co-production with CINE PLUS FILMPRODUKTION and UFA CINEMA N
with JONAS NAY, TRANG LE HONG
H , DEVID STRIESOW, JOEL BASMAN, SASKIA ROSENDAHL, PAUL GÄBLER, DAVID SCHÜTTER, JAKOB BIEBER, GRO SWANTJE KOHLHOOF, MAI DUONG KIEU, AARON LE, LARISSA FUCHS, AXEL PAPE andd THORSTEN MERTEN
with Maryam Zaree, Jeremias Acheampong, Carlo Ljubek, Marija karicic, Sergej Moya, Vedat Erincin, Anne Ratte-Polle, Nora Abdel-Maksoud, Burak Yigit, Yollette Thomas, Alexandros (Alexi) Gehrckens suppoorted by MITTELDEUTSCHE MEDIENFÖRDERUNG, MEDIENBOARD BERLIN-BRANDENBURG
N , BKM - DER BEAUFTRAGTE DER BUNDESREGIERUNGG FÜR KULTUR UND MEDIEN, NORDMEDIA - FILM- UND MEDIENGESEELLSCHAFT NIEDERSACHSEN/BREMEN MBH, DEUTSCHER FILMFÖRDERFOONDS supported by THE JERUSLAM INTERNATIONAL FILM LAB
Regie Burhan Qurbani Drehbuch Burhan Qurbani & Ole Giec Produzenten Susa Kusche, Uwe Spiller, Robert Gold Co-Produzent Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg und ZDF kleines Fernsehspiel director of photography YOSHI HEIMRATH set design JILLL SCHWARZER costume design JULIANE MAIER montage JULIA KARG
K make up JANA SCHULZE music MATTHIAS SAYER and TIM STRÖBLE
S sound STEPHAN VON HASE, KAI LÜDE, RAINER GERLACH sounddesign RAINER GERLACH mix FLORIAN BECK
Redaktion Burkhard Althoff (ZDF) Producer Leif Alexis Kamera Yoshi Heimrath Schnitt Simon Blasi Szenenbild Barbara Falkner Kostüm Irene Ip Maske Anja Heinemann, Sandra Meyer
casting NINA HAUN youth casting JACQUELINE RIETZE vietnamese casting THUY TRANG NGUYEN executive producer MICHAEL JUNGFLEISCH line producer DAVVID BESECKE co-producers CINE PLUS FRANK EVERS, HELGE NEUBRONNER co-producers
d BURHAN QURBANI, YOSHI HEIMRATH
commissioning editorss BURKHARD ALTHOFF (ZDF / DAS KLEINE FERNSEHSPIEL), OLAF GRUNERT
G (ARTE) produced by JOCHEN LAUBE, LEIF ALEXIS writtent by BURHAN QURBANI and MARTIN BEHNKE directed by BURHHAN QURBANI
Musik Daniel Sus Ton Magnus Pflüger Mischung K 13 Sounddesign Jörg Theil Titeldesign WEAREFLINK Casting Karen Wendland Produktionsleitung Christine Günther Postproduktion Pictorion Pictures GmbH
for anything. If nothing else, because the And for him, this sense of responsibility also Berlin Alexanderplatz, the screenplay
attention the film drew enabled me to travel means that he is compelled to relate some- written together with Martin Behnke, who
all around the world.” thing about life in the here and now, about was also co-author of WE ARE YOUNG. WE
the state of the world. “As filmmakers in ARE STRONG.. Qurbani has been working on
Five years later Qurbani saw his second film Germany we get so much public money, and this film for a good four years now, not only
on the cinema screens: WE ARE YOUNG. WE personally I think it’s foolish to stick to the at home at the kitchen table in his shared
ARE STRONG., which was nominated for small world of private affairs,” he says to apartment, but also under the guidance
the German Film Award for Best Film and explain his choice of themes. “Of course it’s of Romanian screenplay author Razvan
won the Bavarian Film Prize in the category also important to talk about love, sex and Radulescu (MOTHER & SON) in the ac-
Screenplay. But it is not so much these tenderness. But in the process you can open claimed Torino FilmLab, and in Los Angeles,
astonishing success stories that make his the doors and latch onto something more where he was a Villa Aurora fellow in 2016.
works into remarkable phenomena – it is universal. I think we, as directors, should Meanwhile, the funding and casting are all
their subjects. SHAHADA presents a very open and expand our perspectives.” wrapped up.
modern, enlightened debate about Islam in
Germany, and WE ARE YOUNG. WE ARE And so it is no wonder that ultimately, In ALEXANDERPLATZ the Berlin-based petty
STRONG. re-assesses the radical right-wing Qurbani prefers to see himself as a Euro- criminal Franz Biberkopf is cast as Francis,
riots in Rostock-Lichtenhagen in 1992, which pean rather than a German filmmaker. a refugee from Africa. “I want to tell a story
appeared disturbingly up-to-date when the “I have already had chances to work in Israel that not only focuses on the community of
Pegida demonstrations reached their first and together with colleagues from France, sub-Saharan migrants in Berlin but also
climax parallel to the film’s cinema launch. America, Arabia or Spain. Often, I find what compels German audiences to really look
Very few directors in this country can claim they are producing more exciting to watch hard at the issues,” Qurbani comments
to have a finger on the pulse of German than a lot of what I see in this country. In regarding the relevance of his next film. “The
society in the same way he does. Europe in particular, the neighboring coun- usual kind of refugee story probably only ad-
tries represent assets we ought to exploit,” dresses viewers who are already interested
Qurbani is correspondingly happy to accept he notes. “Of course, it should be permissi- in the topic anyway. But if you take one of the
the label “political filmmaker”: “That doesn’t ble to tell German and also very personal most important novels of German literary
mean that everything you make is auto- stories. But you also need to present a history and turn the main character into a
matically political. But if you introduce broader framework, enabling people to de- refugee from Africa, I hope that it will be
something into the public domain it be- cipher them beyond cultural borders.” noticed in a very different way, and taken
comes a political issue. Once something seriously.”
has a certain size of audience, after all, it is He aims to do that very thing once again
no longer private. Then you also take on with his new project. The shooting of Patrick Heidmann
responsibility.” ALEXANDERPLATZ is due to begin this
spring: it is an adaptation of Alfred Döblin’s
19DIRECTOR’S PORTRAIT GFQ 1-2018
courtesy of Ziska Riemann
“IT HAS TO
HAVE A STORY
AND A
‘KA-POW!!’”
A PORTRAIT OF DIRECTOR ZISKA RIEMANN
S
itting in a cosy corner café in audience. But given her extensive background ploma! But I grew up with Jim Jarmusch,
Berlin’s formerly upcoming but as a comic book author and artist it is also David Lynch arthouse films and pop culture;
now definitely arrived Schöneberg no surprise: after all, the woman creates videos, music clips, horror films etc.”
district, Ziska Riemann is rocking a visuals.
dark blue and black, wooly, but definitely not “I first started to express myself artistically
spiky, certainly elegant and fluffy ensemble. “Film people understand graphic novels,” in visual terms but I have always been a
It took a little back and forth to nail the now Riemann explains. “You can call them graph- storyteller,” Riemann says. “I wrote short
official description of her outfit but with that ic novels, but for me they are more of an stories as a kid instead of keeping a diary. It
settled, it’s on to other things: the great illustrated novel. But whatever you call gave me anonymity and thus more freedom,
coffee, the lovely smell of cheese and why the them, they are filmic tales,” she continues, and later, when I realized I could combine it
place won’t serve certain snacks at certain “and I work the same way with a camera: with drawing, I started doing the same for
times. “They’re French,” Riemann says, “so which is the right angle? Shall we zoom or graphic stories and learned that every story
they have very strict rules!” Makes perfect track in? Pan left or right? It all made for has its own way of wanting to be told. Some
sense when she puts it like that. great film training.” At which point, take need a very short form, like a joke or poem,
note, Riemann did not attend film school and others need to be elaborated, turned into
And that’s the thing for Riemann, the im- is not only none the worst for it, she’s most books or films. I also composed, wrote poe-
portance of framing and defining the ter- likely all the better! She did study Fine Arts, try, but always after developing the story
minology, language and images for the however, “not long enough to get the di- first. It has to have a story.”
20GFQ 1-2018 DIRECTOR’S PORTRAIT
Born in Munich but moved to Berlin as a is: manic and depressive! I want to dedicate
child of a puppeteer father and architect the film to her.”
mother, Riemann remembers her father
“telling us great bedtime stories, inventing It’s a lot to juggle: “There is much animation,
and changing them as he told them. I learn- many stunts, special effects, underwater
ed that stories are like clay: you can shape shots, a great deal to coordinate, but the edit
and model them. He was my best teacher.” is almost done and I’m maybe finished in
Her mother, “was the exact opposite, from a April.” Riemann has to be because “I’m
very scientific background. She’s always already shooting my next one, in June, a
supported me in my direction, though.” Back teenage sex-comedy called GET LUCKY. It’s
then, Riemann lived in the “still very run all about kids having it out in a house by the
down, there wasn’t even train service” Baltic.”
district of Friedenau. “We still had wartime
ruins. There were lots of academics, all with- All the now classic Riemann-signatures are
out money! It’s gentrified now, of course.” going to be there: “It’s full of jokes, very light,
funny, but of a punk rock style, with some
Living with hippy parents can take its toll, animation, rough and dirty. I wrote the script,
however, and Riemann “dropped out at after all! I wasn’t sure about directing but
thirteen! I ran away from home and squatted the producers at Deutschfilm and Rommel
in Kreuzberg, in the Rauchhaus, which I Film wanted me. I think I can do something
think was Berlin’s first squat. I couldn’t more mainstream but it still has this dirty
stand my parents! Nobody could! They side. I can’t change completely! And I’m
couldn’t stand each other! Always arguing working with my usual cameraman, Hannes
and discussing! So off I went!” Looking back, Hubach.”
Riemann admits “I shouldn’t have done it Riemann, who describes herself as “an
that early because there were a lot of introvert,” had made three or four shorts by So how to describe a Ziska Riemann film? “It
experiences I could have avoided.” During a then (“Just to see what it was like”) and so has very strong visuals, a lot of pop culture
phase of living rough, Riemann started she agreed. elements. LOLLIPOP MONSTER had music
drawing and selling comic books and “I videos, ELECTRIC GIRL has animation. All
made a bit of a living too. Then, when I was “I really enjoyed it,” Riemann says of her my films have slightly exaggerated colors,”
seventeen, I met the comic book artist directorial debut, LOLLIPOP MONSTER she explains. “Comic books involve working
Gerhard Seyfried. He was quite famous at (2011). Eventually produced by Network with a ‘Ka-Pow!’ at the end of every page to
the time but had no idea what to do next, Movie and ZDF Das kleine Fernsehspiel, this get you to turn to the next, whether it’s a
whereas I had so many!” dark, coming-of-age story, which Riemann strong stop or something to chew on. My
also co-wrote with Luci van Org and has films have a strong moment at the end of
Seyfried basically ‘professionalized’ Rie- been compared to HEAVENLY CREATURES each scene. I’m totally more into colors,
mann and they collaborated on two now and the experimental Czech film DAISIES, “is emotions, wild people, strong characters
classics of the genre; Future Subjunkies and her and my story. We met at a party when we that express themselves, not quiet ones.”
Space Bastards. “I was seventeen when the were 20 and realized we had known each
first one came out,” Riemann explains, “and other as kids. We were terrible kids! Ringing “I think people who were former comic book
it inspired the nascent techno scene, they doorbells and running away and so on. But artists become really good directors,”
even named their festivals after our jokes! if we had been together as teenagers we Riemann continues. “Like Tim Burton, Terry
Somehow we hit this upcoming scene with would have been monsters!” Gilliam, there is always a connection be-
our books, lifestyle and the main characters tween comic art and film. I’m not so into
sort of floating through the stories,” she ela- What Riemann describes as “an intense Marvel but I like the supernatural in films:
borates. “They were more ideas and feelings story, an intense film,” won her regular cine- everything is possible, your characters can
than stories, but they hit the zeitgeist.” matographer Hannes Hubach and lead do anything.” She cites GHOST WORLD and
actress Jella Haase Bavarian Film Awards. HAPPINESS as two films that had a very
Then, aged 26, Riemann “needed money!” The film opened the German Film Festival at strong influence on her.
and teamed up with Völker Schlöndorff, as the MOMA in New York, and also screened at
you do! “Through him I met the Babelsberg the Berlinale, Karlovy Vary and Golden Horse A casual cinemagoer, Riemann’s dream
film scene,” she says, “wrote a treatment in Taiwan. Posted by eager fans on YouTube, project is The Tigress, a novella by Walter
that did not work out, but then I applied for a “it was a big success, especially in the UK. Serner, “about a woman nobody believes can
scholarship in Munich and got accepted, We hit ten million views till it was pulled. It be tamed. She lives in Paris, everyone calls
where I wrote my first script, BLAME IT ON was rated 16 but really resonated with a her The Tigress. Then a young man comes,
THE DOGS.” This dark comedy about a man younger audience.” tries and fails. It has drama, humor, tragedy,
who is afraid of dogs and falls in love with a because they are in love. I read it a long time
woman who then buys herself one, was pro- Riemann is currently in post-production on ago and was so impressed. I identify with my
duced by ARD in 2001 and shown at the Mu- ELECTRIC GIRL (WT), about a young woman characters, of course,” she continues, “but I
nich Film Festival, later winning Riemann who dubs anime, Japanese animation, and think I’m pretty tamed by now! I know a lot of
the Tankred Dorst Film Script Award. “I think slowly comes to believe that she herself is difficult people and I like that. I like the
it’s one of the best I’ve written,” she says the lead character. “She starts to see her complicated, I like psychos; it’s always inter-
proudly. role as saving the planet, developing super- esting! But I think I’m just a normal woman
hero powers to do so,” Riemann explains, by now! I dunno! I used to be driven by
Still writing, Riemann then teamed up with “but in the end realizes that she is bipolar. neurosis, but not anymore!”
producer Herbert Rimbach of Avista Film: My friend, who is the role model for the
“He wanted a script but also wanted me to character, has the worst possible form of it. Simon Kingsley
direct. I was told the same thing on BLAME And she hates the word ‘bipolar’. She says
IT ON THE DOGS but did not believe it. But it’s manic depression because that’s what it
21PRODUCER’S PORTRAIT
Arne Birkenstock (© Fruitmarket/René Dohmen)
GFQ 1-2018
PRODUCING FOR
THE INTERNATIONAL
MARKET
A PORTRAIT OF FRUITMARKET A R TS & MEDIA
“
O
ur focus on the development wind Pictures (the other three being CHAN- produced newly invented masterpieces of
process has been the secret DANI, SOUND OF HEIMAT and BELTRACCHI), classical modernists.
of our success,“ says produ- spent over a year in German cinemas in 2005
cer Arne Birkenstock, looking with just seven copies and clocked up more Although Birkenstock still harbors ambitions
back at the 12 years of activities since found- than 40,000 admissions. to direct if the right project comes along and
ing Cologne-based Fruitmarket Arts and he can find sufficient time from his busy
Media in 2004. The documentary as a genre During the first few years, Birkenstock con- schedule as a producer, Fruitmarket has
had dominated his work in the film industry centrated on producing his own projects as focused in recent years on producing films by
even before he set up his production com- director: CHANDANI – DAUGHTER OF THE other directors as well as being open to third
pany as he had already started directing TV ELEPHANT WHISPERER followed in 2010 and party projects.
documentaries for the UNTER DEUTSCHEN went on to win the 2011 German Film Award
DÄCHERN and MENSCHEN HAUTNAH for Best Children’s Film, while the 2012 film Thus, he has collaborated with Lola-winning
series whilst still studying at university. In SOUND OF HEIMAT – GERMANY SINGS, a documentary filmmaker Uli Gauke on two
1999, he collaborated with André Schäfer on documentary road movie with the New Zea- projects – THE SHOW MUST GO ON about a
the award-winning documentary MAN SIEHT land musician Hayden Chisholm exploring the retirement home in Hollywood and CENTURY
JA MIT DEN OHREN – ÜBER DEN FUSS- German phenomenon of Volksmusik, was OF WOMEN portraying the lives of four re-
BALLWAHNSINN SAMSTAGS IM RADIO. made in collaboration with fellow director Jan markable ladies who have all now turned 100
Tengeler. – and with the Swiss theater director Milo Rau
“I launched the company to produce my first on THE MOSCOW TRIALS and THE CONGO
feature documentary 12 TANGOS – ADIOS Birkenstock picked up another Lola statuette TRIBUNAL as well as with Yasemin and
BUENOS AIRES,“ recalls the 50-year-old who for Best Documentary in 2014 for the interna- Nesrin Samdereli on their latest project THE
studied at universities in Cologne and Argen- tionally acclaimed documentary BELTRACCHI NIGHT OF ALL NIGHTS about five couples
tina and is an accomplished accordion player. – THE ART OF FORGERY about the art forger from Germany, Turkey, India, USA and Brazil,
This first film, one of four co-produced with Wolfgang Beltracchi who fooled the art who have all celebrated their 50th or 60th
Cologne-based production company Trade- market for almost 40 years and successfully wedding anniversary together.
22GFQ 1-2018 PRODUCER’S PORTRAIT
“One can’t really speak of a common thematic game WITNESS J and discovered the web ongoing debate about film policy in Germany
thread running through all of our projects,“ archive where the hearings in Bukavu and through his position as a board member of
Birkenstock suggests. “On the one hand, Berlin can be accessed. the German Film Academy for the documen-
there’s a film like SOUND OF HEIMAT about tary sector. In autumn 2016, he initiated a
German Volksmusik or CHANDANI about a THE CONGO TRIBUNAL, which brought to- think tank at the Film Academy to discuss
little girl in Sri Lanka, and you have films gether the main protagonists and analysts of possible solutions to the crisis facing docu-
which are clearly political like the two with the Congo War in Bukavu and one month later mentaries and new models for funding the
Milo Rau or an entertaining documentary like in Berlin for a large, three-day civil tribunal, development, financing, production and dis-
THE NIGHT OF ALL NIGHTS. What they have is described by Birkenstock as “the biggest tribution of documentaries.
in common is that we take our time in the de- challenge to date“ for his young company. “It
velopment so that we can then get the right was the most complex project we’ve done: in “The Film Academy is the ideal forum for
size budgets because we produce for the in- the editing, we had 40 talking heads and no such an initiative to bring people together
ternational market,“ he observes. main character, and what’s more we financed with different positions and agendas and en-
and produced an interactive web project as courage them to have an open exchange of
“When I go to the markets like the EFM, IDFA well as the film, and then organized a tour of views,“ he suggests. “Here was a chance to
or Hot Docs, I have tended to have target the film through the troubled region of think outside of the box and initiate some new
meetings with potential partners and com- Eastern Congo and then in Germany and channels of thought rather than coming up
missioning editors to discuss projects rather Switzerland. But I am very satisfied how with the usual demands as seen from the po-
than getting caught up in the pitching everything turned out.“ sition of a trade association. Moreover, the
forums.“ However, the introduction of new discussion wasn’t just limited to the docu-
blood into the company in the person of the This year has now seen the film screen in mentary genre because we realize that these
junior producer Merle Rueffer is likely to see Rotterdam at the end of January and invita- issues affect the arthouse film overall.“
Fruitmarket changing its approach some- tions from other international festivals are
what. “Merle took part in the EURODOC pro- likely to be making their way to Fruitmarket’s In the meantime, Birkenstock has his hands
gram and is now bringing co-production Cologne office. But “the most striking“ out- full with the theatrical distribution and
projects to the company thanks to this net- come for Birkenstock is that an international festival career of THE CONGO TRIBUNAL; the
work, and she will be more active in visiting group of lawyers, experts and human rights release in March of THE NIGHT OF ALL
the different markets for documentaries in activists will now use the film as a model to NIGHTS; as well as the completion of two new
the future.“ establish regional tribunals in the DRC in documentaries – Uli Gaulke’s THE SHOW
order to document, negotiate and process at MUST GO ON and MAMACITA by José Pablo
Moreover, another development in the com- least some of the countless crimes from the Estrasa Torrescano. Financing has been clo-
pany will see it exploring the opportunities of ongoing civil war in the region. sed on Gaulke’s next feature documentary
transmedia and interactive projects after the CENTURY OF WOMEN which will begin shoot-
experiences gained by creative producer Together with Milo Rau he even founded the ing later this year, while development funding
Sebastian Lemke who worked on the NGO “Doctivism“ in order to raise money for was granted at the end of last year by for
multiplatform narratives for THE CONGO this ambitious project. In addition, the film Enrique Sánchez Lansch’s POL POT
TRIBUNAL. has been selected to the German Film Aca- DANCING about one of the most important
demy’s shortlist for the documentary cate- female dancers in Cambodia and the reign of
Rau’s film received its world premiere in gory and will be screened during the terror under Pol Pot and the Khmer Rouge. In
Locarno last summer and was then invited to Berlinale in the Lola@Berlinale sidebar for addition, Fruitmarket will be launching a co-
DOK Leipzig for the international premiere accredited professionals. production with the Norwegian director Tonje
where a transmedia exhibition to accompany Hessen Schei (DRONE) and her company
the film was presented for the first time. Apart from writing books on film and music UpNorth about a kids’ fight club in Pakistan.
Some 3,000 festival guests visited the exhibi- and serving on funding committees, Birken-
tion and experienced the VR installation, the stock has also become more involved in the Martin Blaney
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