“At Ellen’s Age” to be premiered in Locarno:
Pia Marais’ new film in the festival competition

"At Ellen's Age" to be premiered in Locarno / © Pandora

(14 Jul 2010) “At Ellen’s Age”, the new film by Pia Marais, will be celebrating its world premiere at the 63rd International Film Festival Locarno (4th – 14th August). After her debut “The Unpolished”, for which Marais won the Tiger Award in Rotterdam in 2007, this is the second collaboration between the South African-born director, Pandora Film (Claudia Steffen and Christoph Friedel), and the Filmstiftung NRW. In Locarno the film will be competing for the coveted Leopard. [...more]

Katriel Schory recognised as Film Ambassador of his Country:
Filmstiftung NRW and Arte honour director of Israel Film Fund

Katriel Schory beim Internationalen Filmkongress der Filmstiftung NRW

(12 Jul 2010) Katriel Schory, director of the Israel Film Fund, will receive recognition for his services to European film by the Filmstiftung NRW and Arte at the Jerusalem International Film Festival (8th – 17th July). Together with ARTE editor Rémy Burah, Claudia Droste-Deselaers, director of the Filmstif­tung NRW, will personally honour Schory in Jerusalem on 12th July. The Filmstiftung and the German-French television channel Arte intend this honour as thanks to Katriel Schory for his untiring commitment to European film. The initial idea was put forward by former CEO of the Filmstiftung, Michael Schmid-Ospach. [...more]

International Film Conference of Filmstiftung NRW:
Film country Spain, creative young generation and new film party

"Anita an Fred" opens the Int. Film Conference on 26th June

(10 Jun 2010) The International Film Conference of Filmstiftung NRW opens with Sophie Heldman’s “Anita and Fred” at Cinenova, Cologne on the evening of Saturday, 26th June. In her cinema debut, Heldman tells the story of Anita and Fred, who have been married for 50 years. Their life changes radically when they find out that Fred has a terminal illness. The Cologne company unafilm realised the entire drama with Senta Berger and Bruno Ganz in the leading roles in Düsseldorf and environs. Leading actor Bruno Ganz and Barnaby Metschurat, who plays the couple’s son Patrick, will attend the showing in Cologne, which is by personal invitation only. [...more]

Further information on International Film Conference:
· Programme Survey
· Download programme folder
· Press release: KinoSpecials at International Film Conference (21 May 2010)

“Among Farmers” celebrates its French premiere in Paris:
Spiegel, Ferres and Hoensbroech attend at Gaumont Opéra

Veronica Ferres as Marga Spiegel in "Among Farmers" / © 3L

(10 Jun 2010) On Monday 14th June, two days before the official start in France, “Among Farmers – Saviors in the Night” will celebrate its premiere in Paris. Ludi Boeken’s film based on the memories of Marga Spiegel received support from Filmstiftung NRW and will be shown for the first time in the Gaumont Opéra, a cinema on Boulevard des Italiens. Marga Spiegel herself and leading actresses Veronica Ferres and Lia Hoensbroech will attend the premiere. “Among Farmers” tells the story of a Jewish family who were hidden by Westphalian farmers and therefore escaped deportation by the Nazis. It is the true story of Marga Spiegel, aunt of Paul Spiegel, who will be 98 years old on 21st June. [...more]

Cannes Film Festival: Prize for “Life, Above All”
NRW-supported coproduction wins the Prix Francois Chalais

The team of "Life, Above All" in Cannes / © Hubert Bösl

(26 May 2010) The film "Life, Above All" by Oliver Schmitz, an entry in the section Un Certain Regard, was awarded the Prix Francois Chalais in Cannes on Saturday evening. The international coproduction by Dreamer Joint Venture, Senator Film Produktion, Niama-Film and the South African company Enigma Pictures, which received support from Filmstiftung NRW, is an adaptation of the successful novel “Chanda’s Secrets” by Canadian author Allan Stratton. The film was already acclaimed with great enthusiasm by the audience at its world premiere at the festival last Tuesday. [...more]

KinoSpecials at the International Film Conference:
"Yusuf" trilogy and "Women without Men" in Cologne

KinoSpecials at the International Film Conference in Cologne.

(21 May 2010) At this year’s KinoSpecials the Filmstiftung NRW will be showing the whole “Yusuf" trilogy by Semih Kaplanoglu at the International Film Conference which will take place from June 26th through 29th: “Yumurta – Egg” (2007), “Süt – Milk” (2008) and “Bal – Honey” (2010) will be presented on 26th and 28th in Cologne. The trilogy follows the life of his protagonist Yusuf in reverse order: “Egg” shows Yusuf as a 40-year-old poet, “Milk” portrays him in the 20s and “Honey” is the story of the young boy Yusuf. Kaplanoglu will be attending the premiere of “Bal”, which won the Golden Bear at this year`s Berlinale. Furthermore Venice Award -Winner “Women without Men” by Shirin Neshat will also be experiencing its premiere in the Filmforum NRW on 27th June. Neshat will also be attending the premiere. [...more]

Petra Müller named new CEO of Filmstiftung NRW:
Minister: "Strengthening of NRW as leading film location"

Petra Müller to get new CEO of Filmstiftung NRW / © medienboard

(21 Apr 2010) The Filmstiftung NRW is to get a new boss. On 1 August 2010, renowned media industry and film expert Petra Müller will take over the helm of Germany's largest regional film foundation from Michael Schmid-Ospach. Ms Müller, who currently heads the Media Board Berlin-Brandenburg, is looking forward to her new challenge: "I'm looking forward to continuing to develop the Foundation and its work and thereby helping to strengthen the film and media sector of NRW in a sustainable manner". Media Minister Armin Laschet welcomes the decision: "Petra Müller has an excellent reputation within the industry. She is therefore eminently suitable to strengthen the leading position of the film and media industry of NRW." [...more]

“The City Below”, the Sea and the Croisette
Christoph Hochhäusler’s new film to run in Cannes

N. Krebitz and R. Hunger-Bühler in "The City Below" / © Piffl

(16 Apr 2010) Director Christoph Hochhäusler has received an invitation to the International Film Festival Cannes (12 - 23 May) with his new film “The City Below”. The cinema production, which was supported by Filmstiftung NRW, will be celebrating its world premiere there in the series Un Certain Regard. Five years ago, Hochhäusler’s film “Low Profile” ran in the same section; like “The City Below”, it was produced by the Cologne company Heimatfilm and supported by the Filmstiftung. 20 shooting days took place in North Rhine-Westphalia.
In the same series will be shown "Life, Above All" by Oliver Schmitz, which also was supported by Filmstiftung NRW. [... more]

A Platform for the German Film Industry:
“German Pavilion” at International Film Festival in Cannes

"German Pavilion" in the Interna- tional Village in Cannes

(11 Mar 2010) German Films and FOCUS Ger­many are presen­ting their work to­gether for the 10th time in the “German Pavi­lion” at the 63rd Inter­natio­nal Film Festi­val in Cannes (12th – 23rd May 2010). For several years now, the Pavi­lion in the “Inter­natio­nal Village” of the “Marché du Film” has been a popular plat­form, where accre­dited festi­val visi­tors from the German and inter­natio­nal film world can develop per­sonal con­tacts and exchange news and views. The loca­tion of the pavi­lion directly beside the Festi­val Palais is ideal for making in­teres­ting new con­tacts on a (short) visit or immer­sing oneself in the latest specia­list litera­ture while sitting on the invi­ting terrace by the beach. [...more]

“Jew Süss – Rise and Fall” and “Bal” in Berlinale-Competition:
Filmstiftung NRW with 17 films at 60th Berlin Film Festival

"Bal (Honey)" and "Jew Süss - Rise and Fall" can be seen in the Ber- linale Competition © Kaplan Film, Concorde Filmverl.

(1 Feb 2010) The Berlin Film Festival will be cele­bra­ting its 60th birth­day from 11th – 21st Febru­ary, and the Film­stif­tung NRW has good cause to join the party. A total of 17 sup­por­ted films have been invited to the offi­cial se­ctions of the Ber­li­na­le. Two sup­port­ed pro­duc­tions have the chance to win one of the coveted bears: “Jew Süss – Rise and Fall” by Oskar Roehler and “Bal (Honey)” by Semih Kap­la­no­glu, which can be seen in the com­pe­ti­tion of the festival. In the series Ber­li­na­le Special it will be pos­sible to see Jo Baier’s “Henry of Navarre”, “Dan­cing Dreams” by Anne Linsel and Matti Ge­schon­neck’s “Box­ha­ge­ner Platz”. [...more]

“Saviours in the Night” opens New York Jewish Film Festival:
Filmstiftung with three films showing in the USA during January

Marga Spiegel with leading actres- ses in New York / © John Aquino

(13 Jan 2010) On January 12th “Savi­ours in the Night” opened the New York Jewish Film Fes­tival (till 28th January). Ludi Boeken’s film is based on the memoirs of Marga Spiegel and was sup­port­ed by Film­stif­tung NRW; the US pre­miere was shown at the Walter Reade Theater and atten­ded by Marga Spiegel, Ludi Boeken and leading ac­tresses Ve­ro­ni­ca Fer­res, Mar­ga­ri­ta Broich and Lia Hoens­broech. At the Fes­tival it will also be pos­sible to see Marleen Gorris’ cinema film “Within the Whirl­wind”, on 27th Jan­uary. Petra Seeger’s “In Search of Memo­ry” is coming to US cine­mas on 8th Jan­uary. [...more] [Pictures]

European Film Award in Bochum:
Kate Winslet honoured as Best Leading Actress

Director Stephen Daldry accepted the trophy on behalf

(13 Dec 2009) At the European Film Award cere­mony in Bochum’s Cen­tury Hall last night, Kate Wins­let re­ceived the award as best Euro­pean actress for her role in "The Reader". Direc­tor Ste­phen Dal­dry came on stage to accept the trophy on her behalf. An­thony Dod Mantle was presen­ted with the Carlo di Palma Euro­pean Cine­mato­grapher Award for "Anti­christ" and "Slumdog Millio­naire". "The Reader" and "Anti­christ" were both sup­ported by the Film­stif­tung NRW; Lars von Trier’s "Anti­christ" was shot en­tirely in NRW and a big part of the “Reader” was made during 20 shoot­ing days in MMC Studios, Cologne. [...more]

Filmstiftung NRW takes stock:
136 films supported with 29.4 million euro in 2009

CEO Michael Schmid-Ospach takes stock at a press conference

(8 Dec 2009) A Silver Bear in Berlin for “Gigante”, an Oscar in Holly­wood for Kate Wins­let in “The Reader”, a Palm in Cannes for Char­lotte Gains­bourg in “Anti­christ”, and two Lions in Venice for “Lebanon” and “Women with­out Men”: the film year now draw­ing to a close was one of the most success­ful in its history for the Film­stif­tung NRW, but the best event is yet to come for the film region. The Euro­pean Film Awards will be presen­ted in the Cen­tury Hall, Bochum on 12th December. It is the first time that the cere­mony for the most im­por­tant Euro­pean film award has taken place in NRW. [...more]