"The Congress" by Ari Folman at the festival of Cannes

• Production of Cologne’s Pandora Film is the opening film of the "Quinzaine" sidebar
• Large parts shot in NRW and with funding from Filmstiftung NRW
• 66th Festival de Cannes: 15-26 May, 2013

The international co-production "The Congress" by Ari Folman has also been invited to the Festival de Cannes in May. The film was produced by Cologne-based Pandora Film, with large parts realised in North Rhine-Westphalia and supported by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW. "The Congress" will be the opening film of the "Quinzaine des réalisateurs" sidebar, the festival’s independent section.

"We are delighted that an impressive co-production like 'The Congress' – funded by NRW and produced here – is being screened in Cannes", Petra Müller, CEO of the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, says. "Ari Folman and Pandora Film shot in Dortmund and Cologne and brought stars like Robin Wright and Harvey Keitel to NRW. We are really excited about the world premiere in Cannes and congratulate the production team on the invitation from the festival!"

Ari Folman’s "The Congress" is based on a novel by Stanislaw Lem and centres on an actress who sells her digital personality rights to a powerful media concern that wants to implant films directly into people’s heads. Starring Robin Wright, Paul Giamatti and Harvey Keitel, the film is largely animated as was the case with Folman’s previous film "Waltz with Bashir". Scenes were realised in Cologne and Dortmund on five of the 20 days of shooting. "The Congress" is a production by Pandora Film with Paul Thiltges Distribution (L), ARP (F), Opus Film (PL), Entre Chien et Loup (B) and BFFG (ISR). Degeto Film is onboard as the broadcaster partner. The Film- und Medienstiftung NRW supported the film with 700,000 Euros, with additional funding coming from Eurimages, DFFF, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg and Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein.

¨Waltz With Bashir¨ received the Golden Globe and César, among others, in 2008 and was released in German cinemas by Pandora Filmverleih.

It had already been announced on 18 April that the NRW-funded international co-production ¨Heli¨ by the Mexican director Amat Escalante will be shown in the Competition of the 66th Festival de Cannes.

The film festival in Cannes is one of the most important film events worldwide. The 66th edition is being held from 15 – 26 May, 2013. As in previous years, the Filmstiftung will be present in the German Pavilion, the joint umbrella stand of Focus Germany, the amalgamation of the seven regional film funds, and German Films in the Cannes festival’s International Village. Focus Germany can be reached there via 0033-44-92590004 (fax 0033-4-92590005) or email at .