Quality and innovation at Ludwigshafen
The 5th Ludwigshafen German Film Festival (June 18-28) is in full swing.
An initiative of the Mannheim-Heidelberg International Film Festival, the event is generously backed by the region. As ever, its aim is to promote quality films and bold and inventive young directors by awarding €50,000 to the winner of its main prize, the Filmkunstpreis. Other honours include the Audience Award.
The festival opened with the competition screening of Andreas Kleinert’s summer comedy Haus und Kind, about love, desire and sorrow. Penned by seasoned screenwriter Wolfgang Kohlhaase and produced by Peter Hartwig for KINEO Filmproduktion, the film centres on a man caught between his wife and mistress.
Ten other titles will vie for the main prize, to be awarded by a jury comprising producer Susann Schimk, actor-director Vadim Glowna and historian-critic Klaus Kreimeier. Contenders include Maren Ade’s Everyone Else [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maren Ade
film profile] (see Focus), which scooped double honours at Berlin and was released in Germany last Thursday; Connie Walther’s Frau Böhm sagt Nein, starring Senta Berger (produced by Zeitsprung Entertainment); Ina Weisse’s The Architect [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which features Josef Bierbichler and was lauded at the Lolas and the Max Ophüls Festival; and Werner Schroeter’s European co-production That Night [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], presented in competition at Venice (see review).
The interesting "Lichtblicke 2009" section will screen 11 films, including two major hits: the collective film Germany 09: 13 Short Films About the State of the Nation [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (see review), which had a special screening at Berlin; and the debut work by one of the latter film’s protagonists, young 16-year-old rebel Helene Hegemann. Her film Torpedo has been described as a little gem that reveals the young artist’s innate talent.
The festival is also hosting a selection of children’s films, as well as discussions and meetings. On Sunday, a Career Achievement Award was presented to actress Hannelore Elsner, who has worked with Edgar Reitz, Rudolf Thome and, more recently, popular comedy filmmaker Dani Levy and Doris Dörrie in her outstanding Cherry Blossoms - Hanami [+see also:
trailer
film profile].
(Translated from French)
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