31/08/2012 - Christian Petzold’s East German heroine who wanted to cross over to West Germany is now to represent the country on the other side of the Atlantic

It’s no great surprise that Christian Petzold’s Barbara [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Christian Petzold
film profile], a film that was universally acclaimed then awarded at the last Berlinale, has been chosen to represent Germany in the competition for the 2013 Oscar for best film in a foreign language. An independent nine-member jury nominated by German Films and presided over by Stefan Schubert chose it from among eight titles competing for the honour (read more) for "its great formal clarity and strong female character who, caught between individual freedom and social responsibility, has to make a personal choice".

Since its release on March 8 by Piffl Medien, the film has made over €350,000. Its producers Schramm Film Koerner & Weber (the film was also co-produced by ZDF and funded by the Medienboard Berlin-Brandebourg, the ministry of culture, the FFA, and the DFFF federal fund) are delighted.

"This honour comes just as the film is about to be released in the United States, Great Britain, Spain, and Italy," they said.

After a Silver Bear for Best Director in Berlin, Barbara was then awarded a Silver Lola for Best German Film of the Year (read more) and screened at film festivals like Istanbul, Moscow, and Karlovy Vary. Even before it sets off to Toronto, The Match Factory, in charge of its international sales, has already found over 40 territories to acquire it.

Barbara, which recorded about 300,000 admissions in France, has already been released in Switzerland, Austria, Sweden, Finland, and Belgium. In the United States, Adopt Films intends to release the film on December 21.

The final list of nominees for the next Academy Awards is to be announced on January 15. The 85th Oscars awards ceremony is to be held on February 24, 2013, at Hollywood's Kodak Theatre, now re-named the Dolby Theatre.

(Translated from French)