71st Berlinale with "Bloodsuckers – A Marxist Vampire Comedy", "Copilot" and "Instructions for Survival"

On February 10, the organisers of the 71st Berlin International Film Festival announced the productions which will screen in the Berlinale’s "Encounters", "Panorama" and "Perspektive Deutsches Kino" sections. The Filmstiftung-backed production "Bloodsuckers – A Marxist Vampire Comedy" by Julian Radlmaier was invited to screen in the "Encounters" section. The drama "Copilot" by Anne Zohra Berrached, which was also supported by the Filmstiftung, will be screened in the "Panorama". The documentary film "Instructions for Survival" by Yana Ugrekhelidze will be screened in the "Perspektive Deutsches Kino".

Encounters: "Bloodsuckers – A Marxist Vampire Comedy"
1928: The Russian aristocrat Lyovushka meets Octavia, a young factory owner, at a fashionable Baltic resort whilst on the run from the Soviets. A summer romance is brewing. Too bad that vampires are on the loose in the area and neither Lyovushka nor Octavia are what they claim to be. And so the communist vampire comedy continues its sinister course. Director Julian Radlmaier also wrote the screenplay which had earned him the Screenplay Award in 2019. The lead roles are taken by Alexandre Koberidze, Lilith Stangenberg, Alexander Herbst, Andreas Döhler and Corinna Harfouch. Faktura Film co-produced with The Post Republic, Maier Bros. and Ludwig Kameraverleih with participation from the broadcasters WDR and Arte. Grandfilm will be handling theatrical distribution in Germany, with Arri Media onboard as sales agent. The Filmstiftung supported the project, which was also realised in Solingen, Bochum and Erfstadt, with a total of 170,000 Euros for production and distribution, with additional funding coming from FFHSH, MBB, nordmedia, BKM and the DFFF.

Panorama: "Copilot"
When Asli, a bright science student, meets the charismatic Saeed in the mid-90s, it is love at first sight. The two marry and Asli swears eternal fidelity to Saeed, promising never to reveal his secrets. The two seem to have a rosy future ahead of them. But then Saeed makes a decision that not only shatters Asli’s dreams, but also shakes the entire world to its foundations. Anne Zohra Berrached directed the story of a love between two students Asli and Saeed. "Copilot" was produced by Razor Film together with zero one film and Haut & Court from Paris, with participation from broadcasters NDR and Arte. The director, who won many awards for her film "24 Weeks", directed from her own script which was written in collaboration with Stefanie Schmitz. Canan Kir and Roger Azar play the lead roles. Neue Visionen is the theatrical distributor in Germany, with world sales being handled by Cologne’s The Match Factory. The Filmstiftung allocated 250,000 Euros to the production which was partly shot in NRW. Additional funding came from MBB, MDM, FFHSH, BKM, DFFF, the German-French Funding Committee, Eurimages and the FFA.

Perspektive Deutsches Kino: "Instructions for Survival"
The film introduces us to the love story of Alexander and Mari. Due to his trans identity and the designation “female” in his passport, Alexander has to live in hiding in his homeland, and can’t be legally employed. The couple considers leaving their country, and how they could go about it. Director Yana Ugrekhelidze paints an intimate portrait of solidarity that points to a larger social context and gives visibility to the couple’s challenges. The Filmstiftung supported the project with 60,000 Euros. Further support came from the Robert Bosch Stiftung’s cross-border commuter program. The producer is Fortis Fem Film from Cologne. The production company received a grant from the Mediengründerzentrum and has set itself the goal of empowering women in the film industry.