„Toni Erdmann“ goes Oscars: Filmstiftung-backed hit comedy now also in the race for Best Film

• Exceptional production in Oscar race for Germany
• Already on the shortlist for the Best Foreign Language Feature Film
• Theatrical release in the USA on 25 December, 2016
• Announcement of nominations on 24 January, 2017, Oscar award ceremony on 26 February, 2017

The Filmstiftung-backed hit comedy „Toni Erdmann“ by Maren Ade now has two chances of a nomination for the 89th Academy Awards: it’s in the list of titles that were published by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences today and now also being considered for an Oscar nomination in the Best Film category. A total of 336 films are listed here.

The theatrical release of „Toni Erdmann“ in the USA is on 25 December, initially in cinemas in Los Angeles and New York, and will then be launched by the US distributor Sony Pictures Classics  in numerous other cinemas throughout North America from mid-January. This means that the film will have fulfilled the main condition for being selected as ¨Best Film¨ as it must have been screened in a cinema in Los Angeles for at least one week before the end of the year.

Moreover,  „Toni Erdmann“ is one of nine films which could be nominated by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in the category of Best Foreign Language Feature Film. Maren Ade’s exceptional production is representing Germany in the Oscar race and was only just awarded five European Film Awards (Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenwriter, Best Actors) a few days ago.  Last but not least, it has been nominated for the Golden Globes.

Around 750,000 cinema-goers in Germany alone have now seen the hit comedy with Sandra Hüller and Peter Simonischek. Following its world premiere in Cannes, „Toni Erdmann“ was, among other things, the opening film of Filmfest München, screened at the Sarajevo Film Festival, as a Special Presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival as well as at the New York Film Festival. On 10 December, the film received five European Film Awards in the categories of Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenwriter, Best Actress and Best Actor. ¨Toni Erdmann¨ is nominated as Best Foreign Language Feature Film for the Golden Globes on 8 January. At the Film Festival Cologne in October, „Toni Erdmann“ was presented with the first NRW Film Prize as Best Feature Film and also received the 2016 LUX Film Prize. It was awarded the Guild Film Prize at the Filmkunstmesse in Leipzig. During the San Sebastian Film Festival, „Toni Erdmann“ was presented with the FIPRESCI Grand Prix 2016 after having already received the film critics' FIPRESCI Award at the festival in Cannes. The comedy also has the chance of a prize in the category of Best International Film at the International Spirit Awards on the eve of the Oscar ceremony. „Toni Erdmann“ will be representing Germany on 24 January in the nominations race for the 89th Oscars.

Today, 23 December, will see the film being released on DVD in Germany.

„Toni Erdmann“ is a production of Komplizen Film in co-production with coop99Filmproduktion and Missing Link Films. SWR, WDR and ARTE participated in the production as broadcasters. Part of the film was shot in Aachen, and Bucharest was another location. The Film- und Medienstiftung is the main funder with a total of 785,000 Euros, with additional backing coming from MBB, FFHSH, FFF, DFFF, FFA, BKM, ÖFI, Filmstandort Austria, MEDIA and Eurimages.

The nominations for the Oscar awards ceremony on 26 February will be announced on 24 January.