27/03/2008

This week, alongside several US titles, creative European films make their mark. Two entirely German-produced films set the standard: the musical drama Meer ist nich and the documentary about dance Tanz mit der Zeit.

Meer ist nich, produced by Ostlicht Filmproduktion and released by Kinowelt, is the directorial debut of Hagen Keller, the cinematographer who lensed The Lives of Others [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Florian Henckel von Donners…
interview: Ulrich Muehe
film profile]. This former conscientious objector – who was punished by the GDR by not being allowed to finish his studies and so took on all kinds of menial jobs – offers viewers a truly eye-opening film.

The film’s 17-year-old heroine Lena is torn between her parents’ expectations for her future and her passion for music – she plays the drums. Four minutes [+see also:
trailer
film profile] proved that the enthusiasm of young women musicians is a subject that touches viewers, and the actress Elinor Lüdde has already won over the press with her performance in Meer ist nich, for which she also won the 2008 Bavarian Film Award for Best Young Actress.

Trevor Peters’ Tanz mit der Zeit, released by Ventura, looks at the project entitled "TEMPS – ils dansent depuis 1927" (“TIME – they’ve been dancing since 1927”) by the choreographer Heike Hennig, who invited some former Leipzig dancers, aged between 65 and 80, to return to the stage one last time.

Also hitting German screens is Sergej Stanojkovski’s award-winning film Kontakt [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (a German/French/Macedonian co-production), which was co-written by Gordan Mihic (who penned Black Cat, White Cat and the recent Absurdistan [+see also:
trailer
film profile]).

This love story between two criminals who meet by chance in a dilapidated house stars beautiful actress Labina Mitevska (Before the Rain, I Am From Titov Veles [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Teona Strugar Mitevska
film profile]). The film is being released by Filmlichter.

Universum are launching German/Danish animated film Princess [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Anders Morgenthaler. This title – which has been lauded at festivals and won multiple awards – tells the story of a woman who decides to take care of her dead sister’s daughter. She sets out to avenge her late sibling’s reputation as a porn star and drug addict known as Princess.

Finally, German audiences will be able to discover The Diving Bell and the Butterfly [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], the French co-production by Julian Schnabel that scooped awards at Cannes (Best Director, Technical Grand Prize) and the Golden Globes and was nominated for four Oscars. This outstanding title is being released by Prokino.

(Translated from French)