Germany sends „Two Lives“ into the Oscar race

• • „Two Lives“ by Georg Maas has been entered for the 86th Oscars
• • Independent jury of German Films decided on Tuesday
• • The jury: „The intensive interplay between Juliane Köhler and Liv Ullmann is impressive“
• • Oscar nominations on 16 January, 2014, Oscar ceremony on 2 March, 2014

An independent jury appointed by German Films decided on Tuesday to send „Two Lives“ by Georg Maas into the race for the Best Foreign Language Film. German Films will submit the film to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences for consideration for a nomination.

The jury under the chairmanship of Dagmar Hirtz gave the following motivation:“The film 'Two Lives' convincingly portrays a largely unknown chapter of German history: the Norwegian “Lebensborn Children”. The legacy of the Third Reich guiltily interlinks itself with the machinations of the secret police of the GDR. The intensive interplay between Juliane Köhler and Liv Ullmann and the expressive cinematography are impressive.”

Petra Müller, CEO of Film- und Medienstiftung NRW: „A convincing decision and also a nice surprise that this lavish production with large involvement from North Rhine-Westphalia is being submitted as a German film to the Oscar selection. My congratulations to the director Georg Maas, the producers Dieter Zeppenfeld of Zinnober Film and Rudi Teichmann of B&T Film and, above all, to the wonderful actresses Juliane Köhler and Liv Ullmann. We can’t wait to learn about the final five nominations and will keep our fingers crossed!“

“Two Lives” is based on the true story of the German woman Kathrine Evensen (Juliane Köhler), who is leading  a happy life with her family and mother (Liv Ullmann) in Norway. However, with the fall of the Berlin Wall, she is suddenly confronted with her secret Stasi past. Her false identity, which has long since become her desired way of life, threatens her entire existence. To prevent the truth from being revealed, she has to return to her previous role. But who is she really? The film was shot in Berlin and Cologne as well as in Bergen/Norway and Hamburg/Schleswig-Holstein.

“Two Lives” was produced by Zinnober Film, B&T Film and Helgeland Film (Norway), in cooperation with Degeto Film, ApolloMedia and the Norwegian investor FUZZ. The production was funded by Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, FilmFörderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein, the German Federal Film Fund (DFFF), the Norwegian Film Institute, and Vestnorsk. The film will be released in German cinemas by Farbfilm on 19 September.

The Oscars ceremony will be held in the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles/Hollywood on 2 March, 2014, and the nominations announced on 16 January.