16/06/2010

The Ludwigshafen German Film Festival kicks off today and runs through June 27. Set up in 2005, the event refutes the idea that there is one German film industry, but celebrates individual visions and considers that quality is an essential element for the commercial success of films. Moreover, the main prize, worth €50,000, is called the Art of Film Award (Filmkunstpreis).

Last year, the event hosted over 30,000 visitors, who came for its programme of screenings and in-depth discussions organised with the numerous guests accompanying their films.

Among the 13 titles in the main competition are several films from the Berlinale, including competition titles such as Benjamin Heisenberg’s The Robber [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Benjamin Heisenberg
film profile] (see review), Burhan Qurbani’s Faith [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (see review) and Oskar Roehler’s Jew Suss: Rise and Fall [+see also:
trailer
film profile]; Andreas Kleinert’s delightful Boundaries [+see also:
film review
film profile] (presented in the Panorama section – see review); as well as Angela Schanelek’s French/German co-production Orly [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (see review) and Thomas Arslan’s In the Shadows [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Thomas Arslan
film profile], which were both in the Forum line-up.

The competition programme also includes two debut features: The Two Lives of Daniel Shore by Michael Dreher, who has won prestigious awards for his short films; and Dietrich Brüggemann’s Run If You Can [+see also:
trailer
film profile]. Meanwhile, Christian Becker and Oliver Schwabe will present Tender Parasites [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], which had its avant-premiere at the latest Venice Film Festival (see review).

The Lichtblicke 2010 section will screen Feo Aladag’s superb debut feature When We Leave [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Feo Aladag
interview: Feo Aladag
film profile] (presented in the Berlinale Panorama – see review); and the latest Max Ophüls Prize-winner, Gravity [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]. The latter, Maximilian Erlenwein’s final-year student film, describes how the life of a banker changes direction after he sees a client commit suicide before his eyes.

Also in the line-up are a selection of films for children and a screening of late Werner Schroeter’s final film, That Night [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]. The event will open with Rainer Kaufmann’s Erntedank. Ein Allgäukrimi, which is vying along with four other productions for the brand-new Best TV Drama Award.

The festival, which will give the audience the chance to vote for its favourite film, has also decided to honour the work of actor Moritz Bleibtreu.

(Translated from French)