Let the bear hunt begin: Eleven Filmstiftung-backed films at the 74th Berlinale, with three in the Competition

A total of 11 productions backed by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW will be screening at the 74th Berlin International Film Festival (15-25 February), with three of them in the Competition: the new film by Andreas Dresen, "From Hilde With Love” (“In Liebe, Eure Hilde"), produced by Cologne’s Pandora Film, is the director’s fifth occasion be in the running  for the Golden Bear. Matthias Glasner will be in the line-up with a production from Port au Prince:   "Sterben", starring Corinna Harfouch and Lars Eidinger. A historical-psychological drama set in the 18th century,  "The Devil’s Bath” (“Des Teufels Bad") (Heimatfilm) by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala has also been selected for the Competition.

Walid Nakschbandi, CEO of the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW: "It’s great news that 11 NRW productions with such hugely important topics as stories of migration, social dramas or the love story of Hilde and Hans Coppi from The Red Orchestra can be seen at the Berlinale! Outstanding directors and producers will have a platform here to present their works – in large part shot in North Rhine-Westphalia – to the world. We are looking forward to glittering premieres and exciting discussions and wish the filmmakers every success in February!"

Encounters and Berlinale Special Gala

Two international co-productions about the history of migration will be screening in the Encounters competition: the tragicomedy "Sleep With Your Eyes Open" (Blinker Film) by Nele Wohlatz and "Cidade, Campo" (Sutor Kolonko) by Juliana Rojas. Eva Trobisch also received an invitation to Encounters for "Ivo" (Network Movie) which tackles the issues of palliative care and euthanasia. Tilman Singer will be showing his debut feature "Cuckoo" as a Berlinale Special Gala Premiere. The mystery thriller with "Euphoria" and "The Hunger Games" star Hunter Schafer was produced by Fiction Park Entertainment.

Panorama and Forum

The Berlinale and German Film Award-winner Nora Fingscheidt will be presenting her new film "The Outrun" (Weydemann Bros.) in the Panorama section. The film follows Rona (played by the multiple Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan) as she attempts to start  life anew on the Orkney Islands. „Every You Every Me" („Every You Every Me”, Network Movie) by Michael Fetter Nathansky, a romantic social drama set in Europe’s largest lignite  mining region, was shot entirely in Cologne and the surrounding area. „Reas" by Lola Arias will be shown in the Forum. The documentary musical has women and trans*-people reconstructing their past in the women’s prison in Buenos Aires. And „The Invisible Zoo" („Der unsichtbare Zoo”), a documentary format by Romuald Karmakar (Pantera Film), is about the animals and visitors to the Zurich Zoo, one of the leading zoological gardens in Europe.

Film- und Medienstiftung NRW at the European Film Market

This year will be the 10th time that  the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW is the Main Partner of the Berlinale Series Market (19-21 February) as part of the European Film Market (EFM). The conference programme will be shedding light on the current challenging developments in the industry such as contracting budgets and rising production costs. The "Up Next: Germany" showcase will include the Filmstiftung-backed vampire series „Love Sucks" (dirs: Andreas Prochaska and Lea Becker; Network Movie, Studio Zentral, U5, ZDF) and „A Better Place" (dirs: Anne Zohra Berrached and Konstantin Bock; Komplizenfilm/Studiocanal Series, ARD).

The Filmstiftung NRW will be promoting its region together with the other eight regional film funds on the „Focus Germany" stand at the EFM in the Gropius Bau,

Overview: NRW films and series at the 2024 Berlinale

Wettbewerb

„From Hilde With Love” („In Liebe, Eure Hilde“)

„Sterben“

„The Devil’s Bath” („Des Teufels Bad“)

Encounters

„Sleep With Your Eyes Open”

„Cidade; Campo”

„Ivo”

Berlinale Special

„Cuckoo“

Panorama

„The Outrun”

„Every You Every Me” („Alle, die Du bist”)

Forum

„Reas“

„The Invisible Zoo” („Der unsichtbare Zoo“)

Berlinale Series Market „Love Sucks“

„A Better Place“