24/11/2006

German distributors have no fear of Casino Royale this week, with the release of some attractive titles, including six local (co-)productions.

First up is Michael Hofmann’s charming story about love and chocolate, Eden. The German/Swiss production – taking festivals by storm (see news) – is being released through Pandora.

Another much-awaited title is Winter Journey [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Hans Steinbichler (Hierankl), which is being brought to the big screen by X Verleih. The production by Munich-based outfit d.i.e. Film tells the story of an irresponsible father and husband who loses his money in a brothel instead of looking after his ill wife (Hanna Schygulla).

Meanwhile, Salzgeber are releasing Kirsi Liimatainen’s Sonja, a story of ambiguous friendship between two teenagers, produced by Falk Baumgarten for the Konrad Wolf School, while producer-distributor Mero are releasing the comedy Der Prinz aus Wanne-Eickel by Alexander von Janitzky.

The film – supposed to be set in 2017 – tells the story of three no-hopers who finance their second-rate horror films through small jobs, such as working as waiters at a regal gala – but when one of them seduces the princess, anything is possible.

A far cry from a fiction, Malerei heute (lit. "Painting Today") by Anja-Christin Remmert is a documentary written, produced and co-directed by Stefan Hayn that focuses on Hayn’s work as a poster designer who creates posters that mirror society’s fears.

Malerei heute is being released through Freunde der deutschen Kinemathek, who are also distributing French/German title The Making Of by Viola Stephan, a film that examines the functioning of the human brain through interviews with neurologists and psychologists.

Yesterday’s European releases included two UK titles: Pawel Pawlikowski’s drama The Last Resort (see Focus on My Summer of Love [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jean-Paul Rougier
interview: Pawel Pawlikowski
interview: Tanya Seghatchian
film profile]), a prelude to a trilogy on immigrants (dist. Peripher Filmverleih) and Senses, a collective film released through W-Film – and the impressive French/Spanish/US co-production Goya's Ghosts [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Milos Forman (co- scripted by Jean-Claude Carrière), starring Javier Bardem, Natalie Portman and Michael Lonsdale (dist. Tobis Film).

(Translated from French)