German Film Week begins Saturday
A carefully selected lineup of contemporary German cinema, many of which are already receiving numerous awards in international film festivals, highlights the 2017 German Film Week beginning October 14 to 18 at the SM City Cebu Cinema.
Organized by the Goethe-Institut Philippinen in partnership with SM Retail, SM Lifestyle Entertainment Inc., SM Cinema and with support of Film Development Council of the Philippines, the German Film Week offers a diverse selection of films for audiences, with the goal of promoting German language and culture.
“We are truly excited to unveil this year’s film and new voices to Philippine audiences,” said Goethe-Intistitut Philippinen Director and Head of Cultural Programs Dr. Ulrich Nowak. “Whether mainstream, romantic comedies, or micro-budget indies, we made sure our festival attendees will be entertained and pleased.
The German Film Week opening night recently took place at the SM Mall of Asia Cinema 4 with German filmmaker Markus Goller as its special guest. Goller, who is the director of “My Brother Simple/ Simpel,” which opens this year’s festivities, had a question and answer session after the film’s screening.
Aside from the Manila and Cebu leg, the German Film Week will move on to other Philippine locations: at SM City Clark from October 8 to 12 and SM City Davao from October 20-24.
The festival will screen 12 films that tackle issues of family, romance, journey, society, terrorism, German history and more.
The opening film “My Brother Simple/Simpel,” directed by Markus Goller, is based on a French bestseller about two brothers – one mentally handicapped – who try to find their long-lost father.
Other family-related films include “Toni Erdmann” directed by Maren Ade which follows the story of Winfried and his career woman daughter Ines; and Daniel Levy’s “The World of Wunderlichs,” about a single mother accompanied by her family on her casting journey.
There are also films about modern romance. Karoline Herfurth’s “You’ve Got a Message/SMS für Dich,” is about love in the digital age; while “The Bloom of Yesterday/ Die Blumen von gestern” by director Chris Kraus is a love story set in the world of academic discipline. “Return to Montauk,” directed by Volker Schlöndorff, relives a great but failed love affair.
The German Film Week also brings us to the world of punk rocker Fussel as he struggles between therapy and real life in “Happy Burnout”; and “Marija,” about a young woman who fights to live a freer, self-determined life.
On the other hand, Mark Rothemond’s “My Blind Date with Life” shows how Saliya Kahawatte loses his eyesight, yet succeeds in his career.
There are also films that we can say are ripped from the world headlines. Robert Thalheim’s “Old Agent Men/Kundschafter des Friedens” is about how Jochen Falk and two further former Stasi agents embark on a dangerous mission to rescue the kidnapped president of Katschekistan; while “Welcome to Germany/ Willkommen bei den Hartmanns” tells the story of Diallo, a Nigerian asylum-seeker who is taken in by a family in a posh district of Munich.
German Film Week also presents the screening of “Captive,” directed by acclaimed Filipino filmmaker Brillante Mendoza. “Captive” will be screened during the week-long festival in SM Mall of Asia and SM City North EDSA. “Captive” was screened in competition during the prestigious 62nd Berlin International Film festival, the prestigious Berlinale. This will be followed by a film appreciation video.
“The Brillante Mendoza screening is an addition to this year’s program,” said Dr. Nowak. “Our goal at the institute has always been to promote cultural exchange between Germany and the countries we support. And this is one way to achieve that goal—to share German features and highlight Filipino creativity.”
Tickets to the 2017 German Film Week are priced at P100 for all German films and P200 for Brillante Mendoza’s film. Tickets may be purchased at the cinema counters of participating SM malls.
For more information, visit Goethe.de/Manila.