It’s Time for Wine and Discussion as German Films Celebrates 70th Anniversary at Cannes: ‘We Have to Be Even More Daring’
variety.comMarta Balaga German Films celebrated its 70th anniversary at Cannes on Sunday, with its guests looking back but also looking forward. “It has gotten much better,” Managing Director Simone Baumann told Variety at the event. “We’ve had Oscar-winning ‘All Quiet on the Western Front,’ Oscar-nominated ‘The Teachers’ Lounge’ [for best international feature], films by Wim Wenders and with Sandra Hüller!
Sure, Wim showed a Japanese movie and Sandra a French one [‘Perfect Days’ and ‘Anatomy of a Fall’], but it doesn’t matter: It’s more ‘mixed’ these days and I am proud of it, to be honest.” At Cannes, 11 German productions and co-productions have been selected this year, including Match Factory’s main competition offerings “Motel Destino” by Karim Aïnouz – who also attended the bash – and Miguel Gomes’ “Grand Tour.” Run Way Pictures is behind Mohammad Rasoulof’s anticipated “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.” As festivals get “more competitive,” underlines Baumann, international collabs are here to stay.
As well as films that aren’t afraid of tackling contemporary events, observed “The Teachers’ Lounge” producer Ingo Fliess. “We wanted to take a look at our society as it is.
To make a film that’s completely in the present, not in the past. The world is curious about Germany, but also about the Germany of today,” he said.
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