European Film Awards: seven nominations for NRW-supported films

• 5 nominations for Roy Andersson’s „A pigeon sat on a branch, reflecting on existence": European Film 2015, European Director 2015, European Screenwriter 2015, European Comedy 2015, People’s Choice Award
• „Mustang“ by Deniz Gamze Ergüven: nominations for European Film 2015 and Prix FIPRESCI – European Discovery
• Awards ceremony in Berlin on 12 December

Two of the productions supported by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW have attracted a total of seven nominations for the European Film Awards 2015. „A pigeon sat on a branch, reflecting on existence“ by Roy Andersson is now in the running for awards in five categories – European Film 2015, European Director 2015, European Screenwriter 2015, European Comedy 2015 – as well as being nominated for the EFA People’s Choice Award. „Mustang“ by Deniz Gamze Ergüven was nominated for the category of European Film 2015. This was announced by the European Film Academy (EFA) during a ceremony at the European Film Festival in Seville. „Mustang“ had already been selected as one of five debuts for the European Discovery – Prix FIPRESCI which recognises an emerging directorial talent for its feature debut.

Petra Müller, CEO of Film- und Medienstiftung NRW: „We are delighted with the level of the present international reaction to the productions supported by the Filmstiftung. Here are two films which have both been nominated as 'Best Film' and are also in the running for the Foreign Language Film Oscar – they have every reason to hope that they will receive a European Film Award. Congratulations to the producers and both directors. Fingers crossed for the decision in Berlin in December!“

The winner of the Golden Lion of Venice, „A pigeon sat on a branch, reflecting on existence“ by Roy Andersson is the story of two world-weary men who travel around selling party novelties, and also provides insight into a chaotic world of past, present and future, and between reality and fantasy; a world of dreams and fantasies. Holger Andersson, Nils Westblom, Sture Olsson und Ingvar Olsson can be seen in the leads. The film was made as a co-production by Roy Andersson Filmproduktion AB (SWE) with Essential Filmproduktion (D), Société Parisienne de Production (FR) and 4 1/2 Fiksjon AS (NOR), with ZDF/ARTE, Arte France Cinéma and Sveriges Television as participating broadcasters. The Film- und Medienstiftung NRW backed the production with 100,000 Euros, with further funding coming from Eurimages, the Swedish Film Institute, the Nordisk Film & TV Fund, the Norwegian Film Fund and Centre National du cinéma et de l’image animée. The film was distributed in Germany by Neue Visionen, and was at the top of the arthouse box-office charts for a long time, posting some 114,000 admissions in German cinemas. „A pigeon…“ has been submitted by Sweden for the Foreign Language Oscar.

In „Mustang“, the director Deniz Gamze Ergüven tells a coming of age story about five Turkish girls fighting for their freedom and self-determination. „Mustang“ was produced by Düsseldorf-based Vistamar Filmproduktion and Cologne’s Uhlandfilm. The co-producers are CG Cinema (F) and BAM Films (TR). The leads are played by Günes Sensoy, Doga Zeynep Doguslu, Tugba Sungurolgu, Elit Iscan and Ilayda Akdogan. The Filmstiftung NRW supported with 100,000 Euros, with ZDF/ARTE as a broadcaster partner. Other backers include the FFA Minitraité, Eurimages and the Doha Film Institute. The film was submitted by France as its candidate for the Foreign Language Film Oscar. „Mustang“ had its world premiere in Cannes where it was shown in „La Quinzaine des Réalisateurs“ and received the „Europa Cinemas Label“. The initiative’s goal is to promote European films, their distribution and their profile with audiences and in the media. Moreover, „MUSTANG“ received awards at such festivals as Sarajevo, Odessa and Filmfest Hamburg, and is also a finalist for the LUX Film Prize of the European Parliament.

The more than 3,000 EFA members will now vote for the winners. The awards ceremony of the 28th European Film Awards with the announcement of the prize-winners will be held in Berlin on 12 December.

Further information at www.europeanfilmawards.eu