The largest German film festival outside of Europe, starts in San Francisco in the most beautiful cinema in the city, “Castro Theatre”. Is awarded to the actor Bjarne girl.
A Road trip in a snail’s pace: “25 km/h” launches the “Berlin & Beyond”film festival, the 23. Time by the Goethe-Institut. The Comedy of two unequal brothers, the realize a dream of youth and the Moped ride through Germany, celebrates at San Francisco international Premiere. The main actor Bjarne girl will be awarded with the Spotlight Award, have previously received, his film partner, Lars Eidinger (“25 km” / “work without the author” / “All other”), Tom Schilling (“Oh Boy” / “work without the author”), Ronald Zehrfeld (“Phoenix”).
As a “crime scene cleaner” or gawky village policeman in the TV cult series “murder with a view” has a girl played long in the hearts of the German audience – whether he succeeds also in the case of the Americans, it will show. German Humor in American cinema – the Oscar-candidates, “Toni Erdmann” once – very popular. For comedies made in Germany are to be found in the USA, hardly any lender.
As goofy police officer Dietmar Schäffer Bjarne girl in Germany gained cult status
Sigrid Savelsberg, President of the festival, Berlin & Beyond, has decided to nevertheless be aware for a Comedy as the opening film: “I want to get away from the prejudice, that the German movie is insanely top-heavy,” she says. “25 km/h shows two very different brothers. The one stayed at home when sick father, and the other’s career. After many years, they meet on the occasion of the funeral of the father. First, they argue, but gradually they come together.” This Film, believe Savelsberg, will favor the Americans, after all, it is about a universal theme: “What is the importance of the family, what is the significance of the career and what I give up.”
Advertising for the German Film
The Festival serves as a showcase of German film – and can use a bit of advertising. 2018 managed just 18 German title in the American cinema, the number of visitors was only 144.069 (source: German Films). In 2017, there were still 4.013.794, which was to a considerable extent on the success of Fatih akin’s NSU-Drama “Out of Nothing”. After all, he received the Golden Globe for best Film.
Fatih akin’s Film “From Nothing” also made popular in the USA
The American public is particularly interested in films that deal with German history. Thus, the “Centerpiece” of the festival, which shows the film, “The silent classroom” based on a true story: A GDR school class solidarity in 1956 with the insurgents in Hungary, and is punished for it. Director Lars Kraume was already pushed to 2016, with the political Thriller “The state against Fritz Bauer” in the English-speaking countries, a relatively large interest.
Great range of subjects
“Berlin and Beyond” has won the middle while a loyal fan base. This year, around 10,000 visitors are expected. And which wants to offer Sigrid Savelsberg, together with the festival Director Sophoan Sorn a broad spectrum. “Our Festival has a very large and very diverse audience. We are looking for films of different themes to cover,” she says, and refers to, for example, on the rail, and documentary films. You’ll also films with Queer subject matter: “because San Francisco is also, of course, for Queer history.”
Sigrid Savelsberg by the Goethe-Institut takes care of the lead ums Festival
Youth films in the United States a mine field
In addition to Emily Atefs Drama “Three days in Quibéron” about Romy Schneider, Andreas Dresens “Gundermann” or Veit Helmers “From the driver who was looking for love”, there are also a whole range of children’s and youth films from Germany in the program. The Goethe-Institut uses the opportunity to young viewers to learn German – the audience of the future so to speak.
This is because of strict child protection rules is not easy; so Savelsberg. “We have a youth film always has something to do with themes, the find young people interesting. So, for example, drugs, Sex and alcohol.” In America it was very difficult, because, in education at all no Sex should happen. “In the movie “Amelie”, a youth jury in the run-up to the best Film selected, says the main character a few times, the evil F-word. As we have discussed at length whether we can show the Film, but that is the German reality, a youth film involves youth language and youth issues.”
Visitors of the festival get an insight into German art of film
More than 500 movies in the offer
In Germany, the year 2018/2019, the Goethe-Institut celebrates the German Film is still extensive and provides DC 48 films for free as a Stream in the English language. From the “Beloved sisters” to “Oh Boy” and “Goethe!”, from the “Blue angels” to the “Cabinet of Dr. Caligari”. And in the category “Critically considered” German and US-American film journalists their very own favorite movies.
The film festival “Berlin & Beyond” starts in the Castro theatre
Seven-day, from the 8. up to the 14. In March, the Festival. More than 500 German films were shown in San Francisco in the last 23 years. The Deutsche Welle is a media partner.