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German films and co-productions in Cannes this year are sure to entice festgoers and buyers alike with an eclectic selection heavy on historical drama and animation fare.

Highly anticipated works by Fatih Akin, Mascha Schilinski and Christian Petzold are premiering at the festival along with German co-productions from Wes Anderson, Sergei Loznitsa and Kirill Serebrennikov that explore postwar Germany, lives intertwined through time, loss and grief, international espionage, Stalin’s Great Purge and a war criminal’s escape from justice.

Unspooling in Cannes Premiere, Akin’s “Amrum” is a family drama set in 1945 on the titular North Sea German island and based on the autobiographical novel of screenwriter Hark Bohm, who also penned the script. It centers on 12-year-old Nanning (Jasper Billerbeck), who does everything he can to help his mother feed the family during the last days of the war, only to face all new challenges when peace finally arrives.

Germany network Rtl Deutschland has struck a long-term strategic deal with Wiedemann & Berg Film and the producer’s parent, Leonine Studios.

The multi-year agreement covers free TV and streaming, and means Rtl Deutschland will have exclusive rights to German theatrical releases from the two companies, which produced or co-produced the country’s most successful film in each year between 2020 and 2023.

The pact includes the new comedy Alter Weisser Mann from director Simon Verhoeven starring Jan Josef Liefers, Nadja Uhl, Friedrich von Thun, Michael Maertens, Meltem Kaptan and Elyas M’Barek. It began shooting this month.

The film follows family man Heinz Hellmich, who tries show is ‘wokest’ side and prove he is not an ‘old white man’ to land the job he has longed for. Inviting his boss and colleagues to a dinner party, his family politically correct facade begins to crumble, causing chaos among the guests.

Andreas Fischer, Chief Operating...

The American-Israeli director Niv Kleiner (Central Valley) will write and direct the Berlin-set The Liver, a black comedy about a down-on-his-luck DJ trying to secure an organ transplant.

German-Swiss actor Raphaël Tschudi (Anuk III) will play Henri, a former DJ who landed in the German capital many years ago and still barely speaks German, who desperately needs a new liver. When he fails to find a donor among his old Berlin Club buddies, he turns to the black market to find a fitting organ. But the past he’s been running away from will soon catch up with him and he’ll need to make peace with his worst enemies to save his own life.

Emilia Schüle, star of the Canal+ series Marie Antoinette, co-stars, alongside Fauda actress Laetitia Eido, and German actors Winfried Hochholdinger (Babylon Berlin) and Jan Josef Liefers (Tatort, The Tower).

“The Liver is a small, fine...

Pope Francis, Hillary Rodham Clinton and former Un chief Ban Ki-Moon will be honored at the upcoming Cinema for Peace gala in Berlin on February 19.

The long-running gala run by the Cinema for Peace Foundation will be accompanied by the inaugural World Forum on the Future Of Democracy, Tech and Humankind.

The latter event will run from February 18 to 19 at the Allianz Forum next to the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin with the aim of promoting the renewal of democracy and freedom at a time when both are under threat.

The Cinema for Peace Foundation was created in 2008 as an international non-profit organization with the goal to foster change through film. Over the years it has worked with a host of stars including Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Leonardo DiCaprio and George Clooney.

Clinton and Ban will attend the February 19 gala in person while Pope Francis will be shown receiving his award in a recorded video.

A series of ironic and satiric videos from some of Germany’s most prominent film and television actors criticizing and mocking new government lockdown measures have sparked a furious online debate, and support from an unlikely source.

Many in the media here have sharply criticized the videos, but members of the far right are applauding

Around 50 well-known German and German-speaking actors, including Vicky Kriebs (The Phantom Thread), Ulrich Tukur (The Lives of Others), Volker Bruch (Babylon Berlin), Heike Makatsch (Love, Actually), and TV stars such as Jan Josef Liefers, Meret Becker and Ulrike Folkerts, all posted short videos in which ...

A series of ironic and satiric videos from some of Germany’s most prominent film and television actors criticizing and mocking new government lockdown measures have sparked a furious online debate, and support from an unlikely source.

Many in the media here have sharply criticized the videos, but members of the far right are applauding

Around 50 well-known German and German-speaking actors, including Vicky Kriebs (The Phantom Thread), Ulrich Tukur (The Lives of Others), Volker Bruch (Babylon Berlin), Heike Makatsch (Love, Actually), and TV stars such as Jan Josef Liefers, Meret Becker and Ulrike Folkerts, all posted short videos in which ...

HBO Max is stacking its list of streaming movies and TV shows for the new year. So bring on 2020, and everything 2021 has to offer.

Spread the word, Upper Eastsiders -- all six seasons of Gossip Girl are coming to HBO Max on January 1st. The month also brings the film premiere of Locked Down starring Anne Hathaway and Chiwetel Ejiofor, the second special episode of the Emmy-winning drama Euphoria, the season four return of the beloved Search Party, and the two-part documentary Tiger, which illuminates the rise, fall and epic comeback of global golf icon Tiger Woods. Selena Gomez is back for seconds with a new season of Selena + Chef, and HBO Max is also serving up new episodes of Looney Tunes Cartoons, Batman Beyond and Batman the Animated Series.

On January 29, John Lee Hancock's suspenseful psychological thriller The Little Things starring Academy Award winners Denzel Washington, Rami Malek and Jared Leto,...

Bavaria Film’s powerhouse TV division boasts some of Germany’s hottest shows, and it is achieving worldwide success as it increases its focus on international co-productions.

Launched in 2007, Bavaria Fiction produces a wide range of scripted formats, from daily and weekly series to TV movies and lavish event productions, including Germany’s favorite cop show.

The company recently enjoyed a huge hit with “Das Boot,” which has sold to more than 100 territories around the world, including the U.S., where it streams on Hulu. Co-produced with Sky Deutschland and U.S. group Sonar Entertainment, the miniseries is a sequel to Wolfgang Petersen’s hit 1981 film and likewise based on the books of Lothar-Günther Buchheim.

“Das Boot” is the first major production to come out of Bavaria Fiction’s international TV unit. Launched three years ago, the department is headed by Moritz Polter.

Polter is overseeing a number of international co-productions,...

TBS has snagged German comedy-drama “Arthur’s Law” from its Turner stablemate TNT in Germany. The U.S. channel has taken the finished show subtitled in English, as well as the option to remake it locally.

TNT has been moving into originals in Germany with the acclaimed drug-trafficking drama “4 Blocks” on TNT Serie and “Arthur’s Law” on the TNT Comedy channel. “Arthur’s Law” follows unemployed Arthur Ahnepol (Jan Josef Liefers), who wants his obnoxious wife to die to claim the life insurance and start a new life with his mistress, which sets off a series of disastrous events.

The series, which is directed by Christian Zübert (“Lommbock”), has been nominated for several TV awards in Germany. Martina Gedeck (“The Lives of Others”) and Nora Tschirner (“Rabbit Without Ears”) star alongside Liefers in the German series.

“The tale of our anti-hero Arthur can be applied universally, and we are...

TBS is set to remake German comedy Arthur’s Law – the first original comedy from Turner’s German network TNT Comedy.

The U.S. cable network has secured the rights to the project, which is known locally as Arthurs Gesetz, from its parent company. It has picked up the format rights to the series as well as the rights to run the German version with subtitles.

The comedy follows unemployed Arthur Ahnepol, played by Jan Josef Liefers, who ekes out a bleak existence. Drawn from the strains of his unhappy marriage and bored to death, he makes a morbid plan: he wants his obnoxious wife to die. With the money from the life insurance there’s no obstacle for a restart with his beloved mistress. But an unwritten law dominates the life of the unlucky fellow: every problem solved by Arthur has a far worse effect. And so, he sets...

Exclusive: Das Boot director’s first film since 2006’s Poseidon.

Picture Tree International has pre-sold Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot) comedy Four Against The Bank, starring Til Schweiger, to Cis (Voxell Media), China (Beijing Shangzhou Media), Spain (Twelve Oaks), Poland (Monolith), Turkey (Sinema TV), Former Yugoslavia (Blitz), Taiwan (Av Jet) and airlines (Global Eagle).

The film marks Petersen’s first film as director since 2006’s Poseidon.

The crime comedy stars Schweiger, Matthias Schweighoefer, Michael ‘Bully’ Herbig and Jan Josef Liefers as four men, betrayed by a bank, who unite to take revenge. The cast also features Alexandra Maria Lara and Anje Traute.

Warner Bros. Germany released the film in German-speaking markets on Christmas Day last year, generating €9.1 million ($9.5 million) in Germany.

Meanwhile, Picture Tree’s Welcome To Germany has gone to Twelve Oaks (Spain), Turkey (Sinema TV), China (Hua Shi), Japan (Cetera), Eastern Europe (HBO) and Poland (Tvp).

Italy’s Draka has bought Tiger Girl and biopic [link=tt...

Exclusive: Das Boot director’s first film since 2006’s Poseidon.

Picture Tree International has pre-sold Wolfgang Peterson (Das Boot) comedy Four Against The Bank, starring Til Schweiger, to Cis (Voxell Media), China (Beijing Shangzhou Media), Spain (Twelve Oaks), Poland (Monolith), Former Yugoslavia (Blitz), Taiwan (Av Jet) and airlines (Global Eagle).

The film marks Petersen’s first film as director since 2006’s Poseidon.

The crime comedy stars Til Schweiger, Matthias Schweighoefer, Michael ‘Bully’ Herbig and Jan Josef Liefers as four men, betrayed by a bank, who unite to take revenge. The cast also features Alexandra Maria Lara and Anje Traute.

Warner Bros. Germany released the film in German-speaking markets on Christmas Day last year, generating €9.1 million ($9.5 million) in Germany.

Meanwhile, Picture Tree’s Welcome To Germany has gone to China (Hua Shi), Japan (Cetera), Eastern Europe (HBO) and Poland (Tvp). Italy’s Draka has bought Tiger Girl and biopic Egon Schiele.

Ufa Distribution teams up with Global Screen to sell So Viel Zeit, based on Frank Goosen novel.

The newly launched Ufa Distribution is teaming up with Munich-based Global Screen to handle international sales on SS-gb director Philipp Kadelbach’s new feature So viel Zeit (translated as So Much Time).

The adaptation of Frank Goosen’s eponymous novel about the rock band Bochums Steine, who make a comeback after 30 years when a band member learns that he is terminally ill, features a stellar cast including Jan Josef Liefers (Vier gegen die Bank), Jürgen Vogel (The Wave), Armin Rohde (Taxi), Matthias Bundschuh (Wir sind die Neuen) and Richy Müller (Schlussmacher) as the boys in the band.

In addition, Kadelbach and the producers of Ufa Fiction and Feine Filme have landed Klaus Meine, Rudolf Schenker, Matthias Jabs of the legendary band Scorpions to make a cameo appearance.

Backing for the co-production with public broadcaster Ard Degeto and Sky has come...

Veteran German director Wolfgang Petersen ("The Perfect Storm," "In The Line Of Fire," "Air Force One") is set to make his first film in Germany for three decades. The currently untitled co-production is purported to be a remake of Petersen's 1976 telemovie crime caper "Vier gegen die Bank".

An adaptation of Ralph Maloney's 1972 novel "The Nixon Recession Caper," the story follows four members of an exclusive country club who decide to rob a bank to solve their money problems. Til Schweiger, Matthias Schweighofer, Michael 'Bully' Herbig and Jan Josef Liefers are expected to play the leads in the new film.

The project marks Petersen's first German Language film since 1981's cinematic classic "Das Boot," his first film in Germany since the Dennis Quaid-led 1985 sci-fi feature "Enemy Mine," and his first film in almost a decade following 2006's "Poseidon".

Source: Screen...

Veteran German director Wolfgang Petersen is set to make his first film in Germany for 30 years.

The as-yet-untitled co-production between Hellinger Doll Filmproduktion and Warner Bros. Pictures Germany is understood to be a remake of Petersen’s 1976 TV crime caper Vier gegen die Bank.

The TV film, made for the Ard network, was itself based on Ralph Maloney’s 1972 novel The Nixon Recession Caper about four members of an exclusive country club who decide to rob a bank to solve their money problems.

The new film is expected to star top German acting talent with Til Schweiger, Matthias Schweighofer, Michael ‘Bully’ Herbig and Jan Josef Liefers playing the leads.

It would mark Petersen’s first film in the German language since the internationally feted Das Boot feature film and TV series from 1981.

The crime caper would also see the director make his first film in Germany since sci-fi Enemy Mine, which starred...

The Berlin International Film Festival is celebrating its opening today, on February 7, 2013 at 7.30 pm. After a few words of greeting from Minister of State for Cultural and Media Affairs Bernd Neumann and Governing Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit, the Festival will be officially opened by Jury President Wong Kar Wai (Hong Kong, China) and Berlinale Director Dieter Kosslick. The International Jury – whose other members are Susanne Bier (Denmark), Andreas Dresen (Germany), Ellen Kuras (USA), Shirin Neshat (Iran), Tim Robbins (USA) and Athina Rachel Tsangari (Greece) – will also be introduced during the gala. Anke Engelke will again host the evening. This year’s music will be provided by Ulrich Tukur & Die Rhythmus Boys. 3sat will be broadcasting the opening live. Ziyi Zhang in Yi dai zong shi (The Grandmaster) by Wong Kar Wai Following the gala, Wong Kar Wai’s epic martial-arts drama The Grandmaster will have its international premiere. The director and his leading actors,...

Young Simon (Jonatan S. Wachter) spends most of his time reading books while perched in an gigantic oak tree. His father, Erik (Stefan Godicke), wants Simon to put down his books and learn how to fight; he also wants Simon to learn carpentry. The problem is that Simon likes books and really wants to attend a prestigious private school to learn history. Eventually, Erik makes a deal with Simon -- as long as he abandons the strange relationship he has with the oak tree, he will find a way to pay for Simon to attend the fancy school. On his first day at school, Simon instantly befriends Isak (Karl Martin Eriksson), a Jewish boy whom Simon protects from anti-Semitic bullies. (See, knowing how to fight does come in handy!) The two boys are inseparable, each of them sensing a strange kinship with each other's family. Simon is intrigued by Isak's father,...

Simon and the Oaks

Directed by Lisa Ohlin

Written by Lisa Ohlin and Marnie Blok

Sweden, 2011

During the late 1930’s and early 1940’s, young Simon Larsson (Jonatan S. Washer) and his family live in the idyllic Swedish countryside. There, he and his father (Stefan Gödicke) are at constant odds, with Simon wanting to go to grammar school and his father wanting him to be a labourer. Isolated within his own home, Simon regularly takes refuge in his books, reading them while perched on a giant oak tree. Eventually, his father capitulates to his constant appeals, and at school, Simon meets Isak (Karl Martin Eriksson), the son of a wealthy Jewish bookseller (Jan Josef Liefers). As their friendship grows, and as the impending war looms, the two families come closer together, changing them in ways they’d never expect.

Saturated with the pastoral beauty of the Swedish countryside, and shot with careful and elegant poise,...

Could we have an early foreign film Oscar contender on our hands? While it seems like it will be hard to top Michael Haneke‘s Amour, and the fall film festival slate will likely reveal even more contenders, a strong possibility has landed today as we get our first domestic look at the Swedish hit Simon and the Oaks. From director Lisa Ohlin, the film won a record 13 nominations for Sweden’s Guldbagge Awards (aka their local Oscars) and has grossed over $4 million in select international markets.

Based on Marianne Fredriksson‘s novel, we’ve got the first trailer today for the WWII drama, which looks to be a crowdpleasing, emotional coming-of-age tale. At this point, it seems like a film of this ilk is almost obligatory come awards season, but hopefully this one rises above the others. Starring Bill Skarsgård (son of Stellan), Helen Sjöholm, Stefan Godicke and Jan Josef Liefers,...

Newbie specialty distributor The Film Arcade has acquired its second film, Lisa Ohlin’s “Simon and the Oaks.” The company picked up all U.S. rights to the Swedish drama and has an October 12 release scheduled for New York and L.A. Ambush Entertainment producers Miranda Bailey and Matthew Leutwyler launched Film Arcade with former Might Entertainment execs Andy Bohn and Jason Beck during the Sundance Film Festival in January. Along with Lionsgate, Film Arcade acquired the 2012 Sundance documentary “The Other Dream Team,” also scheduled for a fall opening. Based on the Marianne Fredriksson novel, “Oaks” tells the story of a gifted boy coming of age in Sweden during the Second World War. Bill Skarsgard, Helen Sjoholm and Jan Josef Liefers star. “Lisa Ohlin has crafted a poignant coming-of-age story about hope and survival during the darkest hours of the 20th century,” said Film Arcade execs. “We believe U.S.

Simon and the Oaks

Directed by Lisa Ohlin

Written by Lisa Ohlin and Marnie Blok

Sweden, 2011

During the late 1930’s and 1940’s, young Simon Larsson (Jonatan S. Washer) and his family live in the idyllic Swedish countryside. There, he and his father (Stefan Gödicke) are at constant odds, with Simon wanting to go to grammar school and his father wanting him to be a labourer. Isolated within his own home, Simon regularly takes refuge in his books, reading them while perched on a giant oak tree.

Eventually, his father capitulates to his constant appeals, and at school, Simon meets Isak (Karl Martin Eriksson), the son of a wealthy Jewish bookseller (Jan Josef Liefers). As their friendship grows, and as the impending war looms, the two families come closer together, changing them in ways they’d never expect.

Saturated with the pastoral beauty of the Swedish countryside, and shot with careful and elegant poise,...

Bill Skarsgård, Simon and the Oaks Best film Apflickorna / She Monkeys Producer: Helene Lindholm Play Producer: Erik Hemmendorff Simon och ekarna / Simon and the Oaks Producers: Christer Nilson, Per Holst Best Foreign Language Film Kynodontas / Dogtooth Director: Yorgos Lanthimos Jodaeiye Nader az Simin / A Separation Director: Asghar Farhadi Winter's Bone Director: Debra Granik Best Director Lisa Aschan for Apflickorna / She Monkeys Lisa Ohlin for Simon och ekarna / Simon and the Oaks Ruben Östlund for Play Best actress in a leading role Ann Petrén for her role as Jonna in Happy End Magdalena Poplawska for her role as Marta in Between 2 Fires Helen Sjöholm for her role as Karin Larsson in Simon och ekarna / Simon and the Oaks Best actor in a leading role Mikael Persbrandt for his role as Johan in Stockholm Östra / Stockholm East Sven-Bertil Taube for his role as George in En enkel till Antibes / A One-way to...

You can bring home a German indie film on DVD and Blu-ray at the end of March. The Baader Meinhof Complex will be released on DVD and Blu-ray on March 30. We have no pricing details at this time, but you can take a look at the Bd cover art and the special features below. The film stars Martina Gedeck, Moritz Bleibtreu, Johanna Wokalek, Nadja Uhl, Jan Josef Liefers, Stipe Erceg, Niels-Bruno Schmidt and Vinzenz Kiefer.

Germany in the 1970s: Murderous bomb attacks, the threat of terrorism and the fear of the enemy inside are rocking the very foundations of the yet fragile German democracy. The radicalised children of the Nazi generation lead by Andreas Baader, Ulrike Meinhof and Gudrun Ensslin are fighting a violent war against what they perceive as the new face of fascism: American imperialism supported by the German establishment, many of whom have a Nazi past. Their...

Cologne, Germany -- The crisis is officially over and its time to party. That was the message Tuesday from German publishing giant Axel Springer, which announced it would again hold its VIP gala the Golden Cameras in Berlin next year. Springer cancelled this year's Golden Camera event -- Germany's splashiest and highest profile TV prize gala -- citing the economic downturn.

The 2010 Golden Cameras will be held Jan. 30. That's earlier than usual. In the past few years, Springer has set the Golden Cameras on the eve of the Berlin International Film Festival, which will be held Feb.11-21, 2010.

German TV stars Bastian Pastewka and Jan Josef Liefers will host the 2010 event, which will be broadcast live on public network Zdf.

Us actor Brad Pitt arrives at the premiere of 'Inglourious Basterds' in Berlin, Germany, 28 July 2009. Directed by Quentin Tarantino, 'Inglourious Basterds' will be released in Germany on 20 August. Epa/Jens Kalaene Us actor Brad Pitt arrives at the premiere of 'Inglourious Basterds' in Berlin, Germany, 28 July 2009. Directed by Quentin Tarantino, 'Inglourious Basterds' will be released in Germany on 20 August. Epa/Jens Kalaene German actors Anna Loos (L) and Jan Josef Liefers (R) arrive at the premiere of 'Inglourious Basterds' in Berlin, Germany, 28 July 2009. Directed by Quentin Tarantino, 'Inglourious Basterds' will be released in Germany on 20 August. Epa/Soeren Stache Cast member, German actress Diane Kruger arrives at the premiere of 'Inglourious...

We have the exclusive red-band trailer premiere for The Baader Meinhof Complex, which will hit theaters nationwide on August 21. Click below to take a look at this upcoming German film, but only if you're 18 or older.

to check out our exclusive red-band trailer for yourself.

The Baader Meinhof Complex stars Martina Gedeck, Moritz Bleibtreu, Johanna Wokalek, Nadja Uhl, Jan Josef Liefers, Stipe Erceg, Niels-Bruno Schmidt, Vinzenz Kiefer and will be released on August 21.

BERLIN -- French actress Emmanuelle Beart and her German colleague Jan Josef Liefers will host the 20th annual European Film Awards on Dec. 1 in Berlin.

Beart and Liefers headline what will be a long roster of European talent that has signed on for presenting duties at this year's EFAs, European cinema's top honor.

EFA president Wim Wenders, France's Jeanne Moreau and Norwegian actress-director Liv Ullmann are among the cinema legends who will take the stage at Berlin's Arena.

Up-and-comers including Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, the villain in Casino Royale; Serbian director Stefan Arsenijevic; German talent Mehmet Kurtulus; and U.K. actress Lucy Russell all will present EFA statuettes to 2007 winners.

Pompadoured Finnish band the Leningrad Cowboys, made famous by the films of Aki Kaurismaki, will provide music for the event, which will be broadcast on German public network ZDF as well as on channels in 60 other territories around the world.