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Other winners include Guillaume Senez and Jafar Panahi.

Belgium’s Guillaume Senez, Iceland’s Benedikt Erlingsson and Iran’s Jafar Panahi were among the award-winners at this year’s Filmfest Hamburg, which ended yesterday (6 October).

The Art Cinema Award went to Benedikt Erlingsson’s political comedy Woman At War which opened the Filmfest on 26 September and will be released in German cinemas by Pandora Filmverleih.

Senez’s second feature Our Battles (his debut was Keeper) won the Critics’ Choice Award which was presented for the first time in collaboration with the Association of German Film Critics (Vdfk).

The family drama...

A strong showcase of German cinema was on offer at the Toronto Film Festival with a slew of films tackling such timely issues as sexual violence, the plight of refugees, the end of the Soviet Union and Germany’s recent turbulent history.

This year’s selections included works from such prominent names as Werner Herzog, Margarethe von Trotta, Christian Petzold, Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck and Sven Taddicken.

In Herzog and André Singer’s doc “Meeting Gorbachev,” the prolific filmmakers offer a portrait of Mikhail Gorbachev, the last president of the Soviet Union, and his lasting impact on world politics.

In “Searching for Ingmar Bergman,” which also unspools in the Tiff Docs sidebar, von Trotta explores the Swedish director’s cinematic legacy.

Von Donnersmarck, who won the foreign-language film Oscar for 2006’s “The Lives of Others,” revisits East Germany in “Never Look Away,” which follows the life of an artist struggling...

It starts with a rape. I won’t lie: I sighed thinking Sven Taddicken’s The Most Beautiful Couple was going to end up another drama about coping and retribution like most others wherein Liv (Luise Heyer) struggles as Malte (Maximilian Brückner) protects. So it was a welcome surprise when we’re moved past this harrowing prologue to meet the couple two years later working, smiling, and possibly healed in a bid to forget. Not only that, but Liv proves the one who wants to celebrate upon returning home from her final therapy session. She’s the one who’s ready to officially begin this next chapter of their lives while Malte is left stuck in his head — guilty, embarrassed, and impotent.

Taddicken isn’t averse to the complexities of the situation as presented or the psychological issues that arise from it. Liv and Malte were on vacation, had sex on the beach,...

Variety has been given exclusive access to the trailer for Sven Taddicken’s “The Most Beautiful Couple,” which has its world premiere in the Contemporary World Cinema section of the Toronto Film Festival.

In the film Liv and Malte are forced to revisit their past when Malte spots the man who sexually assaulted Liv two years ago. While Liv yearns for acceptance and healing, Malte is trying to fight the urge for revenge. But will their love survive?

Taddicken says: “The premise of ‘The Most Beautiful Couple’ felt like a worst-case scenario for any loving couple. It was like a nightmare that kept haunting my thoughts. So I finally sat down and started to think it through, while wondering if there is a cure for that couple. I guess it’s that same energy that kept me writing that also keeps the audience tied to the film.”

Taddicken’s first feature,...

The 2018 Toronto International Film Festival has rounded out its slate of gala premieres in what is looking like a very strong filmmaker-driven slate. Here are all the new additions.

Galas 2018

Green Book Peter Farrelly | USA World Premiere

Closing Night Film — Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy Justin Kelly | Canada/USA/United Kingdom World Premiere

The Lie Veena Sud | Canada World Premiere

Opening Night Film — Outlaw King David Mackenzie | USA/United Kingdom World Premiere

Special Presentations 2018

22 July Paul Greengrass | Norway/Iceland North American Premiere

American Woman Jake Scott | USA World Premiere

Baby ( Bao Bei Er ) Liu Jie | China World Premiere

Boy Erased Joel Edgerton | USA International Premiere

Driven Nick Hamm | Puerto Rico/United Kingdom/USA North American Premiere

Duelles (Mothers’ Instinct) Olivier Masset-Depasse | Belgium/France World Premiere

A Faithful Man ( L’homme fidèle ) Louis Garrel | France World Premiere

Gloria Bell Sebastián Lelio | USA/Chile World Premiere

Hold the Dark Jeremy Saulnier | USA World Premiere...

Historical romance, literary adaptations, arthouse drama, star-studded comedies, children’s pics, animated fare and a high-profile documentary are among the many German films and co-productions on offer at this year’s Cannes Film Market.

Unspooling as part of the festival are Wim Wenders’ “Pope Francis: A Man of His Word,” repped by Focus Features and bowing in Special Screenings; “In My Room,” Ulrich Koehler’s story of a man who suddenly realizes everyone around him has disappeared, which world premieres in Un Certain Regard; and, in Intl. Critics’ Week sidebar, Anja Kofmel’s Swiss co-production “Chris the Swiss,” a partially animated documentary from Urban Distribution that investigates the mysterious death of a young Swiss journalist during the Yugoslav wars.

On the market side, one historical niche that is proving particularly successful is that of the turn-of-the-century artist.

Picture Tree Intl. is following its 2016 hit “Egon Schiele — Death and the Maiden,...

Berlin-based One Two Films, co-producer of such recent high-profile works as Jennifer Fox’s “The Tale” and Isabel Coixet’s “The Bookshop,” is set to follow its winning run with a slew of upcoming German and international productions.

One Two Films’ Jamila Wenske and Sol Bondy are partnering with Canadian writer-producer Mike MacMillan on two English-language films currently in development. “I Will Not Go Quietly” centers on a distant but desperate father who travels from Toronto to Switzerland to reach his ill daughter; the film is penned by MacMillan and Darragh McDonald. “Nightlife” is a comedy set in Berlin.

In addition, the company is co-producing Icelandic director Grimur Hakonarson’s recently wrapped “The County.” The film, which follows his 2015 Cannes Un Certain Regard award winner “Rams,” is a co-production by Iceland, Denmark, Germany, and France.

Wenske and Bondy — selected by Variety for its 2018 10 Producers to Watch list — are re-teaming with...

German co-producer joins anticipated new project from Grimur Hakonarson, which will start shooting in late February.

Source: Cannes Film Festival

‘Rams’

Sol Bondy and Jamila Wenske’s Berlin-based One Two Films, has joined as a co-producer on Grimur Hakonarson’s The County, the Icelandic director’s anticipated follow-up to 2015 hit Rams.

One Two joins alongside German broadcaster Sr/Arte.

Grimar Jonsson of Iceland’s Netop Films is the lead producer, with partners Profile Pictures of Denmark, Haut et Court of France and now One Two of Germany. Backers include the Icelandic Film Centre, Danish Film Institute, Nordisk Film + TV Fond and Sr/Arte.

As with Rams, Jan Naszewski’s New Europe will handle sales. Distributors already on board are Sena in Iceland, Scanbox for Scandinavia and Haut et Court in France.

The County will start shooting in late February in the countryside of northern Iceland, for delivery in early 2019.

The story is a drama set in rural Iceland...

Picture Tree International line-up also includes Jakob Lass’ Tiger Girl.

Picture Tree International (Pti) has confirmed its line-up for the upcoming edition of Efm at the 67th Berlin International Film Festival (February 9 - 19, 2017).

In its fourth year, the Berlin-based sales and distribution company returns with a slate including Jakob Lass’ Tiger Girl, which will receive its world premiere as a Panorama Special in Berlin; action-comedy Hot Dog, starring Til Schweiger and Matthias Schweighöfer; and Zaza Urushadze’s (Oscar nominated for 2013 drama Tangerines) The Confession.

Tiger Girl, for which Pti has acquired international rights, is Lass’ second feature, following Love Steaks (2013).

In Hot Dog, Schweiger and Schweighöfer will play two friends who make it their mission to free the daughter of the Moldovan ambassador from her kidnappers.

The film is currently being shot in Berlin and is expected to be released in autumn 2017 by Warner Bros. Pictures Germany.

The Confession (formerly titled Monk) centres on a former film director...

The winners for the 51st annual Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Awards were announced on Saturday night.

Hungarian director Szabolcs Hajdu’s “It’s Not the Time of My Life” took home the Grand Prix Crystal Globe prize and a $25,000 cash award. The helmer, who also stars in the film, was also awarded the best actor award for his role. The movie follows two families that happen to temporarily share an unusual apartment.

The Special Jury Prize and the $15,000 cash prize was given to “Zoology.” Directed by Ivan I. Tverdovskiy, the feature follows a disillusioned middle-aged woman who grows a tail and embarks on a thrilling new romance before reality catches up with her.

Read More: Karlovy Vary Review: ‘We’re Still Together’ Is A Smart And Sensitive Micro-Budget Drama

Damjan Kozole won the best director award for “Nightlife,” which tells the story of a wealthy couple that changed by a sudden accident.

Original Bliss German film Original Bliss (Gleißendes Glück) has won two awards as the 51st edition of the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival starts to draw to a close.

The psychological romance, directted by Sven Taddicken, took home the International Critics' Award (Fipresci) and the Europa Cinemas Label Award.

The Fipresci jury described the film as "distinctive, daring and provocative, disturbing but at the same time romantic; it does not cease to suprise. They added: "The director’s thematic and artistic ambition is matched by narrative playfulness, and delivered by an exceptional performance of the three lead actors."

The Europa Cinemas Label Jury added that it was "a daring exploration of faith, deviant addictions and violence".

The Ecumenical Jury Award was given to Roberto Andò's The Confessions (Le confessioni), an Italy/France co-production about a monk invited to meeting of G8 finance ministers.

They said it was: "A film...

Eichinger’s Hands Of A Mother won three prizes at the German Cinema New Talent Awards.

Florian Eichinger’s third feature Hands Of A Mother (Die Hände meiner Mutter) was the big winner at this year’s German Cinema New Talent Awards held during the 34th edition of Filmfest München (23 June - 2 July) which ended at the weekend with the international premiere of Matt Ross’ Captain Fantastic.

Eichinger received the £33k (€30k) award for Best Direction, while his lead actor Andreas Döhler was named Best Actor for his performance as a man who breaks his self-denial to recall having been sexually abused as a child by his mother.

The co-production by Kinescope Film and Bergfilm with Zdf’s Das kleine Fernsehspiel unit, which is the final part of Eichinger’s trilogy about violence within the family after 2008’s Bergfest and 2013’s Nordstrand, will be released theatrically in German cinemas by Farbfilm Verleih on 1 December. International sales are...

Festival reveals guests headed to Karlovy Vary next month.

Us actor Willem Dafoe and writer-director Charlie Kaufman are to be honoured at the 51st Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (Kviff) (July 1-9) on its opening night .

Dafoe is to receive the Crystal Globe for outstanding contribution to world cinema and the festival will screen his performances in Abel Ferrara’s Pasolini and Martin Scorese’s The Last Temptation of Christ.

Kaufman, who won an Oscar for his script for Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, will receive the president’s award and the festival will screen animation Anomalisa, which he co-directed with Duke Johnson.

As previously announced, the festival set in the Czech Republic spa town will open with the world premiere of Second World War thriller Anthropoid, with actors Jamie Dornan and Toby Jones, Aňa Geislerová, Alena Mihulová, Václav Neužil and Marcin Dorocinski in attendence alongside writer-director Sean Ellis.

Guests

Other...

The event will host 19 world premieres in its New German Cinema strand.

This year’s Filmfest München (June 23 - July 2) will open with Maren Ade’s Toni Erdmann, the Cannes Competition title that topped Screen’s Jury Grid last month.

The event will also stage a retrospective of films by German director Christian Petzold.

Titles by Dani Levy, Sven Taddicken, Ana-Felicia Scutelnicu and Oliver Rihs are among 19 world premieres being presented in the festival’s New German Cinema sidebar.

Swiss-born director Levy will be coming to Munich with Wunderlich’s World, starring Katharina Schüttler, Hannelore Elsner and Toni Erdmann’s Peter Simonischek, while Taddicken’s adaptation of A.L. Kennedy’s novel Original Bliss will be shown in the Bavarian capital before having its international premiere in Karlovy Vary’s official competition a week later.

This year’s line-up also includes a number of co-productions such as Moldovan filmmaker Ana-Felicia Scutelnicu’s Anishoara, a second...

The event will host 19 world premieres in its New German Cinema strand.

This year’s Filmfest München (June 23 - July 2) will open with Maren Ade’s Cannes competition title Toni Erdmann.

The event will also stage a retrospective of films by German director Christian Petzold.

Titles by Dani Levy, Sven Taddicken, Ana-Felicia Scutelnicu and Oliver Rihs are among 19 world premieres being presented in the festival’s New German Cinema sidebar.

Swiss-born director Levy will be coming to Munich with Wunderlich’s World, starring Katharina Schüttler, Hannelore Elsner and Toni Erdmann’s Peter Simonischek, while Taddicken’s adaptation of A.L. Kennedy’s novel Original Bliss will be shown in the Bavarian capital before having its international premiere in Karlovy Vary’s official competition a week later.

This year’s line-up also includes a number of co-productions such as Moldovan filmmaker Ana-Felicia Scutelnicu’s Anishoara, a second collaboration with Germany’s Wiedemann Bros., Romanian-born [link=nm...

The final film of Jan Nemec, who died in March, to play in the main competition.Scroll down for competition line-ups

The 51st Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (July 1-9) has unveiled the competition titles in its Official Selection, East of the West and Documentary sections.

The 12-strong main competition will comprise eight world premieres and four international premieres, including the last film from renowned Czech director Jan Nemec, who died in March.

The Czech filmmaker was a notable voice of the country’s New Wave movement of the 1960s with titles such as Diamonds Of The Night (1964). His final film, The Wolf From Royal Vineyard Street, will world premiere at Kviff and is an adaptation of his own quasi-autobiographical short stories.

Other titles include Slovak-Czech drama The Teacher from Jan Hrebejk while Roberto Andò is returning to Kviff with The Confessions, three years after his hit Viva la Libertà.

Debut features...

Stars: Lucie Aron, Anna Brüggemann, Michael Kamp, Moritz Knapp, Birge Schade, Florian Stetter, Sven Taddicken, Lea van Acken, Franziska Weisz | Written by Anna Brüggemann | Directed by Dietrich Brüggemann

Maria, fourteen years of age, just wants to be a good Catholic. Her family is part of a fundamentalist Catholic community who try to live in a modern world whilst dedicating their lives to their religion. She wants live a life without sin, sacrifice everything for those around her and avoid the sinful temptations of the Devil. Her biggest dream is to be a saint and show God that she loves him the most. Unfortunately, her troubled family life, bullying, school and a boy named Christian get in the way of her perfect dream but even they won’t stop her from reaching her place in heaven.

Stations of the Cross is a German film which deals with radical faith and religious devotion.

The German sales co. known for providing the fest circuit and art-house plexes with subtitled stuff from around the globe will set fire to the Director's Fortnight section this year. If I'm counting right, the Match Factory supply the section with a trio of titles (five total in the fest) including the much discussed on this site Cam Archer's sophomore feature, and they nabbed a Main Comp spot for one of the most celebrated directors of the decade in Apichatpong Weerasethakul latest – a sort of “ghost” story. - The German sales co. known for providing the fest circuit and art-house plexes with subtitled stuff from around the globe will set fire to the Director's Fortnight section this year. If I'm counting right, The Match Factory supply the fest with a five titles including The Light Thief (see pic above), The City Below, the including the much discussed...

The German sales co. known for providing the fest circuit and art-house plexes with subtitled stuff from around the globe will set fire to the Director's Fortnight section this year. If I'm counting right, The Match Factory supply the fest with a five titles including The Light Thief (see pic above), The City Below, the including the much discussed on this site Cam Archer's sophomore feature, and they nabbed a Main Comp spot for one of the most celebrated directors of the decade in Apichatpong Weerasethakul latest – a sort of “ghost” story. Everything Will Be Fine (Alting Bliver Godt Igen) by Christoffer Boe - Completed Shit Year by Cam Archer - Completed The City Below (Unter Dir Die Stadt) by Christoph HOCHHÄUSLER - Completed The Light Thief by Aktan Arym Kubat - Completed Uncle Boonmee Who Nn Recall His Past Lives (Loong Boonmee Raleuk Chaat) by Apichatpong Weerasethakul -...

AMSTERDAM -- Croatian director Rajko Grlic won the top prize Monday at the ninth edition of Film by the Sea, a Dutch festival dedicated to film adaptations of novels.

Grlic won the award for "Border Post", a feature adaptation of the Ante Tomic novel "No One Will Surprise Us". The story deals with the threat of an Albanian invasion in Yugoslavia.

This year's Film by the Sea competition lineup offered nine screen adaptations: "Atonement" by Joe Wright, "Away From Her" by Sarah Polley, "Border Post", "Emma's Bliss" by Sven Taddicken, "Evening" by Lajos Koltai, "Gone Baby Gone" by Ben Affleck, "I Served the King of England" by Jiri Menzel, "La Caja" by Juan Carlos Falcon and "Opium" by Janos Szasz.

During the festival, held in the Dutch coastal town of Vlissingen, German director Volker Schlondorff received a life achievement award.

• Last year The Lives of Others cleaned up the "German Oscars", with eight nominations apiece, this year we find a tight race between Tom Tykwer's take on the Patrick Suskind novel a prison drama by helmer Chris Kraus. Perfume - The Story of a Murderer got a theatrical release stateside in late December. The Golden and Silver Lolas will be presented in a gala ceremony in Berlin on May 4. Here are the noms:Best Feature Film Emma's Bliss (dir: Sven Taddicken)The Counterfeiters (dir: Stefan Ruzowitzky)Perfume - The Story Of A Murderer (dir: Tom Tykwer)Four Minutes (dir: Chris Kraus)Grave Decisions (dir: Marcus H. Rosenmueller)Winter Journey (dir: Hans Steinbichler)Best Documentary The Short Life of Jose Antonio Gutierrez (dir: Heidi Specogna)Working Man's Death (dir: Michael Glawogger)Best Children's and Youth Film Hände Weg Vom Mississippi (dir: Detlev Buck)The Cloud (dir: Gregor Schnitzler)Best Direction

...

COLOGNE, Germany -- Oscar-nominated Stasi drama The Lives Of Others, fragrant blockbuster Perfume: The Story of a Murderer and controversial comedy "Mein Fuehrer: The Truly Truest Truth About Adolf Hitler" are among the titles selected for the Berlinale's European Film Market's German Cinema showcase.

The lineup, which provides a cross-section of the most successful and critically acclaimed German-language films of the past year -- along with a few new titles -- includes Marcus H. Rosenmueller's sleeper hit Grave Decisions; Chris Kraus' award-winning 4 Minutes; Matthias Luthardt's Pingpong, which won the screenwriting award in Cannes; and Ralf Westhoff's speed-dating comedy Shoppen, which was snapped up for German release by X Verleih following its debut at the Hof Film days.

The 17 titles picked for this year's showcase will be screened at the CinemaxX 1 cinema Feb. 9-17.

A full list of German Cinema titles follows.

A Friend Of Mine Sebastian Schipper (sales: Telepool)

Emma's Bliss Sven Taddicken (sales: The Match Factory)

4 Minutes Chris Kraus (sales: Beta Cinema)

Grave Decisions Marcus H. Rosenmueller (sales: Beta Cinema)

Mein Fuhrer Dani Levy (sales: Beta Cinema)

Neandertal Ingo Haeb, Jan-Christoph Glaser (sales: Rommel Film)

Offset Didi Danquart (sales: Bavaria Film International)

"Perfume: The Story of a Murderer" Tom Tykwer (sales: Summit Film Sales)

Pingpong Matthias Luthardt (sales: Media Luna Entertainment)

Shoppen Ralf Westhoff (sales: Drife Prods.)

Summer '04 Stefan Krohmer (sales: Bavaria Film International)

The Cloud Gregor Schnitzler (sales: Bavaria Film International)

The Last Train Joseph Vilsmaier, Dana Vavrova (sales: Telepool)

The Lives Of Others Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (sales: Beta Cinema)

Warchild Christian Wagner (sales: Christian Wagner Film)

While You Are Here Stefan Westerwelle (sales: Kunsthochschule fuer Medien KHM)...

• Ioncinema.com presents: Best of Fests Tromsø International Film Festival When: January 16th to 21st, 2007 Counting Down: updateCountdownClock('January 16, 2007'); Where: Location: Tromsø, NorwayOfficial Website: http://www.tiff.no/What: Tiff is a popular film festival for our audience, and at the same time an important meeting point for Norwegian and international film industry. TIFF07 will be Tromsø's 17th international film festival. Tromsø International Film Festival had in 2006 a total admission of 44 804. This makes Tiff Norway' largest festival.Accredited: No  Film Line Up:Opening NightSPANDEXMAN - Bobbie Peers, 2007Winterland - Hisham Zaman, 2006Closing NightONCE In A Lifetime - John Dower, Paul Crowder, 2005Competition ProgramBORDERPOST - Rajko Grlic , 2006Born And Bred - Pablo Trapero , 2006Chronicle Of An Escape - Isreal Adrián Caetano, 2006Colossal Youth - Pedro Costa, 2006Family Ties - Kim Tae-Yong, 2006Glue - Alexis Dos Santos, 2005Gypo - Jan Dunn, 2005Longing - Valeska Grisebach, 2006Lucy - Henner Winckler, 2006Requiem -

...

NEW YORK -- The Hamptons International Film Festival, which runs Oct. 19-22, has unveiled its lineup of 53 features, a conversation with Robert Altman, career achievement awards for Ellen Burstyn and Ted Hope and festival panels with Christine Vachon and Darren Aronofsky. The fest opens with Philip Haas' Iraq war drama The Situation and closes with the Polish brothers' sci-fi drama The Astronaut. Between those films are six features in the Golden Starfish Feature competition and five in the Golden Starfish Documentary race. Narrative features vying for more than $190,000 in goods and in-kind services to be used toward the filmmakers' next feature are Brad Gann's coming-of-age drama Black Irish; Jens Lien's existential Norwegian feature, The Bothersome Man; Sven Taddicken's German romance, Emma's Bliss; Guy Moshe's slavery study, Holly; Dina Zvi-Riklis' intergenerational Israeli saga, Three Mothers; and Rajnesh Domalpalli's exploration of class divisions, Vanaja.

NEW YORK -- The Hamptons International Film Festival, which runs Oct. 19-22, has unveiled its lineup of 53 features, a conversation with Robert Altman, career achievement awards for Ellen Burstyn and Ted Hope and festival panels with Christine Vachon and Darren Aronofsky. The fest opens with Philip Haas' Iraq war drama The Situation and closes with the Polish brothers' sci-fi drama The Astronaut. Between those films are six features in the Golden Starfish Feature competition and five in the Golden Starfish Documentary race. Narrative features vying for more than $190,000 in goods and in-kind services to be used toward the filmmakers' next feature are Brad Gann's coming-of-age drama Black Irish; Jens Lien's existential Norwegian feature, The Bothersome Man; Sven Taddicken's German romance, Emma's Bliss; Guy Moshe's slavery study, Holly; Dina Zvi-Riklis' intergenerational Israeli saga, Three Mothers; and Rajnesh Domalpalli's exploration of class divisions, Vanaja.

NEW YORK -- With a recurring theme of women and children caught in war zones, the 14th annual Hamptons International Film Festival unveiled a lineup of 18 features in competition and its opening-night film: the world premiere of Philip Haas' Iraq war drama The Situation. Six narrative and six documentary features will compete for Golden Starfish Awards, and six other pictures are part of the Films of Conflict and Resolution competition. "Submissions went up 30% this year, which has made it more competitive for our films," artistic director Rajendra Roy said. Brad Gann's Black Irish, Jens Lien's The Bothersome Man, Sven Taddicken's Emma's Bliss, Guy Moshe's Holly, Dina Zvi-Riklis's Three Mothers and Rajnesh Domalpalli's Vanaja will compete for the narrative award, which includes more than $190,000 in goods and in-kind services.

MUNICH -- Actresses shut out their male colleagues to take both acting awards at this year's Munich International Film Festival. In a surprise decision, the three-man jury of cameraman Gernot Roll (Nowhere in Africa), producer Uli Putz (Beyond Silence) and actor Ulrich Noethen (Downfall) chose two women for the Foerderpries Deutscher Film, Munich's top acting award, instead of awarding one of the prizes to a male performer. Joerdis Triebel won for her performance in Emmas Glueck (Emma's Luck), a drama from director Sven Taddicken, while the second award went to Rosalie Thomass for her starring role in an episode of German police series Polizeiruf 110.