INTRODUCING: A WEALTH OF GERMAN CINEMA
Peter Krausz
The high level of filmmaking activity in Germany continues unabated. With substantial public and private support for financing films, combined with the international success of so many films, the organisers are privileged to have the opportunity, and difficult task, to select films for Australia which reflect a variety of genres, regions, styles, approaches and stories. I think you will find all tastes and interests catered for in this comprehensive overview of some of the best German films available.
This year the festival has sorted the films into thematic areas, partly to assist your choices as to which films you may want to see, but also to indicate the strength of genre and style that is now so prevalent with German writers and directors. It is worth noting the acclaim that German films now receive with regular Oscar nominations and awards by many film festivals and film critics groups around the world. It is fair to say that German Cinema has reached a level of achievement now, not seen since the heyday of the silent era!
So what are the themes for the films this year?
Let's start with something tasty: Culinary Comedies: Led by Fatih Akin's delightful cultural morsel Soul Kitchen, which explores the differences between two brothers, the running of a restaurant and the need to experiment or be popular - a comedic change of pace from this master filmmaker. Tandoori Love takes us on a Swiss journey through Indian culture, while Maria, ihm schmeckt's nicht!/Wedding Fever in Campobello, takes us to Southern Italy and a wedding that needs perhaps more spice. Die Standesbeamtin/Will You Marry Us will delight and amuse as a marriage registrar in a small Swiss town encounters a past relationship, which eventually does become food for thought! The highly popular Kebab Connection rounds out the flavoursome group with a knockabout comedy for all cuisines.
The backbone of the festival is now called German Currents, showing first releases and 2009/10 productions only: Michael Haneke's Das Weiße Band/The White Ribbon, Germany's Oscar contender is a haunting, reflective and compelling film set just before WW1 in a small German town. This is an unforgettable film, and a key highlight of the festival this year. A similarly epic tale is told in the film John Rabe based on the true story of the German factory manager shielding his Chinese workers in Nanjing during the Japanese invasion of China in 1936. We also welcome another film from prominent director Margarethe von Trotta, whose latest film Vision - Aus dem Leben der Hildegard von Bingen/Vision is an insightful story of a religious woman whose impact on those around her is both powerful and spiritual.
Männerherzen/Men in the City provides us with an amusing look at various males and their relationships in a cosmopolitan city, with perspectives that may surprise and enlighten. Whisky mit Wodka/Whisky with Vodka portrays an aging actor whose stormy behaviour on a film set leads to some concerning developments; indeed lovers of cinema will revel in the Day for Night aspects of this film about making a film, directed by Andreas Dresen.
A wide range of themes and perspectives are utilized by filmmakers: The cathartic drama Es kommt der Tag/The Day Will Come convinces critic and audiences as a woman's terrorist past comes back to haunt her when her daughter discovers the truth. Sturm/Storm is a powerful tale of a female war crimes prosecutor trying to bring to justice a perpetrator of many murders in the former Yugoslavia. Die Tür/The Door is a haunting thriller where a man is given the opportunity to relive part of his life when a tragedy occurs, but at what cost? Back on screen is previous festival guest Jürgen Vogel in the compelling drama Schwerkraft/Gravity where a major event turns one man's life into an edgy, thrilling, rollercoaster ride. The intricacies of contemporary behaviour, attitudes and motivations are explored in Zarte Parasiten/Tender Parasites as a couple (one of them Robert Stadlober) spend their time acting as parasites on other people's lives: A disturbing film that will engender a lot of discussion. In contrast, Lila Lila/My Words, My Lies - My Love is an amusing story about a waiter (Daniel Brühl) whose discovery of an unpublished manuscript turns into quite a twisting tale. Younger people are again well catered for with Vorstadtkrokodile 1 and 2/Crocodiles 1 & 2 two lively films about a gang of children who discover a great deal about themselves, their community and the social issues that impact on their lives.
Berlin Based films feature prominently in this year's festival, demonstrating the way the city itself creates a particular influence on its population and vice versa. Die Wölfe/Wolves of Berlin is a three-part series of films set at crucial times in Berlin history: 1949, 1961 and 1989, and involves a complex sequence of characters experiencing the key events that helped formulate the German identity, both past and present. Berlin '36 will surprise many with its account of the true story of a female Jewish athlete competing for Germany at the Berlin Olympics in 1936 and the role the Nazis had in her ultimate fate. In a similar vein, Aimée & Jaguar presents the true story of two women caught up in WW2 and their personal and public experiences.
The festival focuses on two German directors, Sönke Wortmann and Fatih Akin:
Festival guest Sönke Wortmann will introduce his blockbuster and epic tale Die Päpstin/Pope Joan, the legendary tale of the supposedly only female Pope ordained, set in 9th Century Germany and Italy. Der Bewegte Mann/Maybe, Maybe Not with Til Schweiger embroiled in a story of misunderstandings and attractions is one of Wortmann's earlier and lasting successes, complimented by the action adventure tale Der Schatz der Weißen Falken/The Treasure of the White Falcons as a group of children find a mysterious map leading to an important discovery.
Fatih Akin's resonant documentary on Turkish music and culture Crossing the Bridge will delight musical fans as well as those who appreciate exploring modern Istanbul, while his early film Kurz und schmerzlos/Short Sharp Shock highlights Akin's abiding interest in cultural harmony as seen through the eyes of three friends from different backgrounds. The perfect addition to Akin's recent success Soul Kitchen!
There is something for everyone in this 9th annual showcase of the best of German cinema. Guten Appetit! Savour and enjoy!
Peter Krausz has been an advisor for the Festival of German Films since 2001. He is a film critic based in Melbourne.
Reprinted with permission from Kultur Magazine, April 2010, Goethe Institute Australia.