Over 100 German films and co-productions could be seen at their "home festival" in Berlin, the Berlinale, one of the most important in the world. The one-shot trip through nighttime Berlin in VICTORIA by Sebastian Schipper (MonkeyBoy, Deutschfilm, Radical Media) was for many the talk of the festival, feted by audiences and critics alike, including Variety and The Hollywood Reporter. The jury was also impressed: jury president Darren Aronowsky presented the Silver Bear for the camerawork by Sturla Brandth Grøvlen with the comment: "This film rocked my world." VICTORIA also picked up the Prize of the Guild of German Arthouse Cinemas and the Prize of the Readers' Jury of the Berliner Morgenpost. This was a premiere for Sebastian Schipper, while Andreas Dresen was in the Berlinale Competition for the third time with the adaptation of the post-Wall novel AS WE WERE DREAMING (DE/FR, Rommel Film, Iskremas Filmproduktion). After the world premiere in the Berlinale Palast, Dresen was joined on stage by his young actors, the author of the source novel Clemens Meyer and the film crew as they were received by the audience with extensive applause. To date, Wim Wenders has made around 50 internationally multi-award-winning films in a career spanning over 40 years. In 2015, he was honored for his life's work with a Berlinale Honorary Bear. Festival director Dieter Kosslick praised Wim Wenders as "one of the most noted contemporary auteurs." Apart from an homage showing ten of his works, the festival also presented the director's latest film EVERY THING WILL BE FINE (DE/CA/SE/NO, Neue Road Movies) as a world premiere 'Out of Competition'. The feature film in 3D with James Franco and Charlotte Gainsbourg in the leads sold very well in the run-up to the Berlinale as well as during the festival itself. The same went for 13 MINUTES by Oliver Hirschbiegel (Lucky Bird Pictures, Delphi Medien, Philipp filmproduction), which also screened in the official program 'Out of Competition'. The drama about the failed Hitler assassin Georg Elser will be released in a large number of important territories, including the USA. The other German competition films as well as THE MISPLACED WORLD by Margarethe von Trotta, (Clasart Film- und Fernsehproduktion, Tele München), which was prominently programmed as the closing film of the Berlinale Specials, also sold well internationally at the Berlinale's associated European Film Market. Other German productions showing at the festival also posted good sales.

VICTORIA by Sebastian Schipper will be released in US cinemas by Adopt Films. The sales company The Match Factory also sold the film to the UK and Ireland (Artificial Eye), France (Jour2Fete/Version Originale), Australia/New Zealand (Madman), CIS and the Baltic States (A-One Films), Benelux (September Film), Denmark (Reel Pictures), Norway (Arthaus), Sweden (TriArt), Czech Republic (Film Europe), former Yugoslavia (MCF Megacom), Greece (Seven), Hong Kong (Edko), Portugal (Midas), Taiwan (Filmware) and Turkey (Fabula). Further territories such as Canada, Spain and Poland are in negotiations.

Andreas Dresen's AS WE WERE DREAMING was so far sold by The Match Factory to France (Sophie Dulac Distribution), Switzerland (Filmcoopi), the Baltic States (A-One Films), Greece (Ama Films), the former Yugoslavian territories (MCF Megacom), and Sweden (TriArt).

13 MINUTES by Oliver Hirschbiegel went to Sony Pictures Classics for the USA and Latin America. Beta Cinema also concluded deals in Berlin with Spain's Contracorriente Films, Monolith Films from Poland, and Swallow Wings from Taiwan. Further sales are pending. The film had already been sold before the Berlinale to such territories as the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand (Studiocanal), Japan (GAGA), France (Sophie Dulac Distribution), Scandinavia (Svensk Filmindustri), Benelux (September Film), Brazil (Mares Filmes), Greece (Feelgood Entertainment) and Colombia (Cine Colombia).

THE MISPLACED WORLD by Margarethe von Trotta has already been sold by Wild Bunch to Spain (Golem Pictures), Greece (Strada), Portugal (Leopardo), Scandinavia (Njutafilms), Hungary (Vertigo), Israel (Nachshon), Turkey (Calinos), Brazil (Mares Films), Central America (Palmera), Japan (Gaga) and Taiwan (Movie Cloud).

German Films had a wide range of activities at the Berlinale to support German cinema on an international level. At the stand in the European Film Market in the Martin Gropius Bau, the team informed accredited professionals about all aspects of German cinema abroad. The EFM market reception, which German Films co-hosted, a lunch for up-and-coming directors and international festivals together with the Perspektive Deutsches Kino sidebar, as well as a press lunch for the international press and young German directors created well-attended networking opportunities for the German and international film industries.

Young acting talent was the focus of the EUROPEAN SHOOTING STARS program of the European Film Promotion (EFP) at the Berlinale. This year saw Jannis Niewöhner from Germany being selected as one of the best European talents. He was very much in demand during a series of networking events with international casting directors, agents, directors, producers and members of the press. The highlight was the presentation of the SHOOTING STARS Awards on 9 February 2015 in the Berlinale Palast from the hands of the Hollywood star Natalie Portman.

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All of the German films and co-productions at the 2015 Berlinale...

Prizes for German films and co-productions...

Check BlickpunktFilm's Berlinale Special for more interesting information on the German filmmaking scene...

France is the frontrunner in the German Films' Distribution Support Program for 2014. As in the previous years, the majority of the funding for additional marketing measures for the theatrical releases of German films went to French distributors, followed by Spain and Poland. In total, 79 theatrical releases in 32 territiories were supported with funding amounting to 543,000 euros, of which 333,000 euros were grants and 210,000 euros repayable loans. The largest number of applications and funding decisions were for SUCK ME SHAKESPEER and TWO LIVES with eight funding decisions each, followed by STATIONS OF THE CROSS with seven and WETLANDS with six.

The "Distribution Support" funding program was established in 2005 to support the international circulation of German films and improve their market chances abroad. Further information about the program can be found here.

In its last sitting, the first of 2015, the German Films' "Distribution Support" awards committee decided to fund 16 foreign theatrical campaigns of German films. In total, 103,5000 euros were allocated. More...

There were five Oscars^® this year for German co-productions: CITIZENFOUR (DE/US, Praxis Films, BR, NDR) received the award in the Best Documentary Feature category on 22 February 2015, Laura Poitras's film also picking up the Independent Spirit Award for Best Documentary a day beforehand. THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL by Wes Anderson (GB/DE, Neunzehnte Babelsberg Film) won four Academy Awards^® in the categories for Best Production Design, Best Costume Design, Best Hair and Make-up, and Best Original Score.

A day before the Oscars^® ceremony, the red carpet was rolled out in Los Angeles for the German nominees. German Films joined forces with the Villa Aurora and the German Consul-General in Los Angeles to hold their traditional reception to honor Wim Wenders and the teams of CITIZENFOUR and THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL. Around 300 guests from the German and international film industries came together in the garden of the Villa Aurora artist residency and international meeting place in warm and sunny weather on Saturday, 21 February 2015. The director of Villa Aurora Margit Kleinman, the head of Berlin's Senate Chancellery, Secretary of State Björn Böhning, Dr. Bernd Fleischer, German Consul-General in Los Angeles, and German Films' managing director Mariette Rissenbeek welcomed those attending. Afterwards, the German Oscar® nominees were presented on the stage. Director Wim Wenders – nominated for THE SALT OF THE EARTH as Best Documentary Feature – introduced his team with co-director Juliano Ribeiro Salgado, as did CITIZENFOUR producer Dirk Wilutzky, who had brought producer and editor Mathilde Bonnefoy and director Laura Poitras along. Carl Woebcken presented the team of THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, including the other producers Henning Molfenter and Christoph Fisser. International and German film-makers then had a chance to network in a conducive atmosphere. Around 50 German and international members of the press had an opportunity for interviews against a wonderful backdrop

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The reception's official sponsors were: AUDI, Liebeskind Berlin, Engel & Völkers, AMI and Brands Within Reach. The reception was supported by: German Foreign Office, the Consul-General of the Federal Republic of Germany in Los Angeles, Goethe-Institut Los Angeles, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, MFG Medien- und Filmgesellschaft Baden-Württemberg

German films at SXSW, at New Directors/New Films in New York, and at Fantasporto. 

Oskar Sulowski wins Sundance Institute Global Filmmaking Award for ROSEBUDS (PL/DE). More...

Berlinale Co-Production Market: Eurimages Co-Production Development Award for 3 DAYS IN QUIBERON. More...

Short Film CALL HER LOTTE by Annekathrin Wetzel first German film to win a 3D Creative Arts Award.

Awards for German films at Luxor and Göteborg.

Awards for German short films at Clermont-Ferrand.

5 March 2015:
BELOVED SISTERS in Brazil (Distr: Mares Filmes, World Sales: Global Screen)

12 March 2015:
THE GREEN PRINCE in the CIS (Distr: Agency Intercinema, World Sales: Global Screen)

20 March 2015:
THE POLICE OFFICER’S WIFE in Poland (Distr: New Horizons Association, World Sales: The Match Factory)

26 March 2015:
THE 7TH DWARF in Hungary (Distr: ADS Service, World Sales: Global Screen)

27 March 2015:
MISS SIXTY in Poland (Distr: Bomba Film, World Sales: Picture Tree International)
STATIONS OF THE CROSS in Norway (Distr: arthous, World Sales: Beta Cinema)
STATIONS OF THE CROSS in Portugal (Distr: Vendetta Filmes, World Sales: Beta Cinema)

PHOENIX by Christian Petzold (Schramm Film Koerner & Weber) has been seen by around 140,000 cinema-goers in France and has posted a box-office of over 900,000 euros since its theatrical release on 28 January 2015. MAYA THE BEE MOVIE by Alex Stadermann (DE/AU, Studio 100 Media) has attracted over 600,00 admissions with box office takings of around 4 million euros since 4 February 2015.

HEAD FULL OF HONEY (Barefoot Film, Warner Bros) is still going strong in Germany: Til Schweiger's dramedy is set to reach the 6 million admissions mark this weekend. It has taken around 48 million euros box-office so far.