20/01/2010

The German Film Academy has announced the 40 features (27 narrative films, nine documentaries and four children’s films) shortlisted by a jury of 33 members (composed mainly of Academy members, as well as some Culture Ministry representatives) for the Lola German Film Awards nomination race.

The 40 shortlisted works include multiple award-winning festival favourites such as Michael Haneke’s The White Ribbon [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Michael Haneke
film profile], Fatih Akin’s Soul Kitchen [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], Hans-Christian Schmid’s Storm [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alexander Fehling
interview: Hans-Christian Schmid
film profile] (LUX Prize 2009 competition), Maren Ade’s Everyone Else [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maren Ade
film profile], Jessica Hausner’s Lourdes [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jessica Hausner
film profile], Margarethe von Trotta’s Vision [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Andreas Dresen’s Whisky with Vodka [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Andreas Dresen
film profile], Sherry Hormann’s Desert Flower [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] and Wolfgang Panzer’s The Big Cat [+see also:
trailer
film profile].

The selection also includes films popular with audiences, such as Simon Verhoeven’s Men In the City [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Sönke Wortmann’s Pope Joan [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Kai Wessel’s Hilde [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and Christian Ditter’s film for children The Crocodiles [+see also:
trailer
film profile]; films by renowned young auteurs, including Anno Saul (The Door [+see also:
trailer
film profile]), Matthias Glasner (This is Love [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) and Benjamin Heisenberg (The Robber [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Benjamin Heisenberg
film profile]); and newer titles such as 66/67 - Fairplay War Gestern [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and Jo Baier’s mega-production Henry of Navarre, which is set for release in March.

The finalists will be announced on March 19 and the Lola Awards ceremony (with prizes totalling over €2.8m) will be held in Berlin on April 23.

(Translated from French)