PR_23: Review 2011
Oldenburg comes of age
For the 18th time the festival looks back on exciting and successful days: More than 15.000 visitors watched the 55 films
After five eventful days filled with 8 world premieres, 9 international premieres, 3 European premieres, 17 German premieres and a total of 55 shown films the Oldenburg International Film Festival ended on Sunday to a rapt audience and with another audience record. The festive opening gala was highlighted by the comedy “No Sex is no Option” by Torsten Wacker in front of 1300 people at Oldenburg’s EWE Arena with stars Stephan Luca, Anna Thalbach, Armin Rohde and Janin Reinhardt in attendance. With the award ceremony and the premiere of “Anduni – Where is Home” with guest Florian Lukas the festival ended on Sunday.
“Dr. Ketel” by Linus de Paoli won the jury award “German Independence Award – Best German Film”. The international jury of Matthew Modine, Radley Metzger, Ildi Toth Davy, Soopum Sohn, and Matteo Lovadina concluded, “The film adventurously explores the techniques of film making. Pushing the boundaries of storytelling to an area that is unique in contemporary cinema.”
The “German Independence Award – Audience Award” – presented by Peter Göttelmann, CEO Marketing of EWE AG – went to “Happy New Year” by K. Lorrel Manning with Michael Cuomo as lead actor. Both attended the festival.
Director Markus Engel received the award for the best short film for his work “The Last Guest” with a special recommendation going to “15 Summers Later” by Pedro Collantes.
Another highlight of the festival was the German premiere of US-Spanish co-production “The Way” by Emilio Estevez in attendance of Deborah Kara Unger and Yorick van Wageningen at the packed St. Lamberti Church, where the festival showed a film for the first time.
Among the many programming highlights were “Brawler”, an energizing tale about two brothers who fight for the same woman in a series of illegal bouts. Filip Tegstedt was showing his surprise hit “Marianne”, a suggestive and sensitive family drama drawing heavily from myths about ghosts and trolls. Henry Barrial’s “Pig” is a dystopian scifi-film enriching the program. Robbie Pickering’s debut film “Natural Selection” had won several awards at SXSW Festival in Texas already. He ironically mixes the conventions of Christian redemption films with classical outsider road movies.
Among the guests of this years festival were: Matthew Modine, Deborah Kara Unger, Inger Nilsson, Ted Kotcheff, Roger Fritz, Mark Polish, Arthur Brauss, Radley Metzger, Bela B. Felsenheimer, Stephan Luca, Anna Thalbach, Armin Rohde, Janin Reinhardt, Kostja Ullmann, Ken Duken, Florian Lukas, Marc Senter, Nathan Grubbs, Chris Sivertson, Noémie Merlant, and Burak Yigit.
PR_22: Award winners announced
The award winners of the 18th Oldenburg International Film Festival have been announced
„German Independence Award – Best German Film“ for „Dr. Ketel“ by Linus de Paoli. „Happy New Year“ by K. Lorrel Manning wins the audience award. „Der letzte Gast“ by Markus Engel is honored as “Best Short Film”, a special recommendation goes to „15 Summers Later“ by Pedro Collantes. The new award for “Outstanding Acting Performance“ goes to Maja Schöne of „The Fire“.
With more than 14500 international guests and visitors the 18th Oldenburg International Film Festival ends on a high note today with the award show for the German Independence Awards. The retrospective went to Canadian filmmaker Ted Kotcheff. Roger Fritz was honored with a tribute.
The winner of the “German Independence Award - Best German Film” is “Dr. Ketel” by Linus de Paoli. The 4000 EUR award was handed out by mayor Prof. Dr. Gerd Schwandner and the members of the international jury: Matthew Modine, Radley Metzger, Ildi Toth Davy, Soopum Sohn and Matteo Lovadina. Anna and Linus de Paoli and a score of members from their team came to Oldenburg and received the award together with actors Ketel Weber, Burak Yigit and Oldenburg born Franziska Rummel. From the jury: “There was one film that adventurously explored the techniques of filmmaking. Pushing the boundaries of storytelling to an area that is unique to film making.”
For the first time the jury introduced an award for “Outstanding Acting Performance” – it went to actress Maja Schöne (“The Fire”).
The audience voted for “Happy New Year” as the best independent film. Director K. Lorrel Manning and actors Michael Cuomo received the award from Peter Göttelmann, CEO marketing of EWE Oldenburg. Michael Cuomo’s acting in this moving story about an Afghanistan veteran reminds us, that war leaves the deepest marks on human souls. The award is sponsored by the EWE and worth 2000 EUR.
Director Markus Engel received the short film award for “Der letzte Gast”. The jury consisted of Arthur Brauss, Pia Marais and Frank Fokke. From the jury: “The film builds an atmosphere of authenticity drawing the audience into the story, which fascinating twists keep the suspense high.” The award is worth 500 EUR. A special recommendation went out to “15 Summers Later” by Pedro Collantes.
The 18th Oldenburg International Film Festival closed on Sunday tonight with “Anduni – Fremde Heimat” presented by actor Florian Lukas.
PR_12: Closing Night and further Highlights
Closing Night film and further highlights
This year too Oldenburg is looking forward to many premieres, international stars, inspiring talks and unforgettable moments. The program has been announced and we are happy to present some of the highlights:
The Closing Night Gala film is Oldenburg’s nod to Turkish-German cinema: Samira Radsis’ feature film debut “Anduni – Fremde Heimat” is a tragic comedy documenting the never-ending search for our identities. The film had its world premiere at the Max Ophüls Festival and received the Award of the DEFA Foundation. The film is released by Filmlichter on December 1st in Germany.
Henry Barrial’s “Pig” is a puzzle: A man wakes alone in the desert, his hands are bound and he can’t remember who he is and how he got there. Barrial drew inspiration from the CIA’s treatment of terror suspects for this twisted and complex search for memory and identity. The film won the Best Feature Award at the London International Festival of Science Fiction and Fantasy.
“Hellacious Acres: the Case of John Glass” is an apocalyptic nightmare: Protagonist John Glass is woken from cryogenic sleep after human civilization has been wiped out. His mission: to save the last small hope for humanities survival. Director Pat Tremblay presents his story as a dark and thoughtful, yet always funny and weird low-budget sci-fi piece. We happily join John on his quest for the ominous Self Sector.
Robbie Pickering’s protagonist Linda has to take some unexpected detours on her search for redemption and liberation in “Natural Selection”. Linda struggles through her marriage, learns of her infertility and has to find out that her husband has been donating to a sperm bank for years. As a strong believer she sets out to find the one son her husband has anonymously fathered. “Natural Selection” will have its European Premiere in Oldenburg after winning seven awards at the SXSW Festival.
“Freerunner” is ninety minutes of pumping adrenaline: A group of hip young free runners wakes up to realize that somebody strapped bombs to their necks. Now they have to run. Lawrence Silverstein created a fierce film about the bad ass version of parkour. The film has its world premiere in Oldenburg and features Seymour Cassel in a guest role.
The great José Garcia picks up on living the Italian mafia way really quickly in “At Gino’s”. His pizza parlor is broke, but his dying uncle has set aside millions for him, but only if he joins the ranks of the mafia clan. Gino has always led a quiet life in Brussels and now transforms himself into something his genes always knew he was meant for. Samuel Benchetrit’s mix of comedy, tragedy, slapstick and social criticism will have its German premiere in Oldenburg.
Two nameless ghosts are fed up with their spiritual existence. They go on a pilgrimage along the St. James Way to find the Finis Terrae – the end of the world. They follow their goal on foot, horseback or in wheelchairs – always clinging to the hope that reaching the end of the world will offer them a chance to return to the lands of the living. Sergio Caballero’s “Finisterrae” offers wild and off-beat comedy in the subversive style of early Monty Python.
Chris Siverston’s “Brawler” is transporting the underground fighting scene of the Mississippi delta straight into Oldenburg cinemas. The film is a hardboiled, tough tale about brotherly rivalry, bloody sport and neglected love. The characters are vividly portrayed and the story offers some surprising twists. “Brawler” has its European premiere in Oldenburg.
The documentary “Twittamentary” is filmmaking 2.0: Internet, microblogging and social networks are the focal points of director Tan Siok Siok’s work. She records the tales of Twitter users, collecting footage from tweets and videoblogs and driving through the whole of the USA to get to the bottom of the virtual phenomenon that is creating friendships and transforms our communication and society.
Together with Wirtschaftsförderung Oldenburg and cre8 Oldenburg Filmfest Oldenburg presents the world premiere of “Twittamentary” and will be offering a special event: After the screening director Tan Siok Siok will hold a special Q&A. The talk will be tweeted as well as held in the cinema, with questions from fans within the cinema and around the merging.
PR_10: Jury and German Independence Award
International jury and nominees for the „German Independence Award – Best German Film“ announced
Jury president Matthew Modine is joined by an impressive cast of film industry insiders on the festival’s jury. Four excellent German films will compete for the jury’s favor.
International jury
Oliver Stone, Sir Alan Parker, Stanley Kubrick and Robert Altman have all worked with him. Matthew Modine won a Golden Globe for “Short Cuts” and the actor’s award at the Venice Film Festival. In 2011 the 52year old actor, director and producer heads the jury of the Oldenburg International Film Festival. His directorial debut came for Radley Metzger at the age of 28 with the historical tragedy “Dark Odyssey”. His later works like “Therese and Isabelle” or “The Lickerish Quartett” are hailed as masterpieces of erotic cinema. Last year the festival’s retrospective showcased Metzger’s works. Director, writer and cameraman Soopum Sohn is a mainstay at Pusan and Sundance Film Festivals, winning the silver medal at the Student Academy Awards for his “Island to Island”. He is junior professor at the Long Island University. Running a company like Altadena Films has given Ildi Toth Davy the chance to bring many films like “The Girl Next Door” or “Travellers” into international cinemas. She started her career as a sales assistant at Carolco on the film “First Blood”, which is part of this year’s retrospective. Matteo Lovadina has been working in the film industry for more than ten years before he started his own distribution company Reel Suspects. Two of his films “22nd of May” and “The Orphan Girl without an Arm” are running in Oldenburg this year.
„German Independence Award – Best German Film“. The nominees.
Breathing: Austrian actor and first time director Karl Markovics is presenting an impressive piece of social realism with his debut feature. 19year old Roman Kogler (Thomas Schubert) is about to be released from prison but he is ill prepared for the life outside – reclusive, solitary and with no contact to his family he seems bound to fail. “Breathing” is released in Germany on December 8th by ThimFilm Verleih. It was selected as the Austrian entry for the Oscar 2012.
Dr. Ketel: The graduation film by Anna and Linus de Paoli is set in the near future. Health care has become too expensive for ordinary citizens and the black market for prescription drugs is run by ruthless security companies. In this shady world the philanthropist Dr. Ketel tries to care for his patients, but he is hunted by the mysterious Louise, played by none other than Amanda Plummer.
Headshots: Director, editor and writer Lawrence Tooley presents his first feature film project. Marianne (Loretta Pflaum) is a Berlin fashion photographer, who realizes that her life in the city of creative and hip people has reached a dead end. When she learns that she is pregnant and a model dies during a photo-shoot her life unravels. Headshots is a film about self realization, false love and painful truths.
The Fire: Director Brigitte Maria Bertele tells the story of 35year old Judith who is raped on her way home. She fights the memories of the crime but the destructive energies begin to change her life. “Der Brand” is an intense portrait of a woman who repeatedly became victim to sexual violence. The film starts in German theatres on October 27th by Zorro Film Verleih. It won an award for Best Directing at the festival in Montreal.
PR_09: Opening film (31.08.2011)
World premiere: "Kein Sex ist auch keine Lösung" opens the 18th Oldenburg International Film Festival. More...
PR_07: Retrospective Ted Kotcheff (22.08.2011)
- © 2002 Filmbild Fundus Herbert Klemens
Oldenburg Film Festival honors Canadian filmmaker and producer Ted Kotcheff with a retrospective
The 80-years old Canadian director Ted Kotcheff is best known for his worldwide success of „First Blood“, though his body work consists of a diverse yet coherent creation spanning nearly six decades. He is an uncompromising chronicler of moral outsider stories.
“I’m not the judge of my characters; I am their best witness.”
This personal credo of internationally acclaimed director Ted Kotcheff – a maverick of the moral ‘outback’- resonates throughout his nearly 6-decades spanning and ongoing body of cinematic work as a director. Inherently weaving through the varied terrains of genres of drama, comedy, and action, is Kotcheff’s unapologetic exposure of an individual or country’s myths, but with an ever-present awareness of and deference to his role as an empathetically observant ‘outsider’.
Not unlike his lifelong friend, acclaimed and controversial novelist Mordecai Richler (with whom he collaborated on three of his films), Ted Kotcheff’s films purposely punctured the sensitivity of provincial sensibilities with their caustic wit and astute observation of moral ambiguity and importantly- life unexamined.
Considered his finest film to date, ‘Wake in Fright’ was so controversial upon its 1971 release that the beginning of the ‘Australian Renaissance’ of the film industry has been attributed to Kotcheff’s film which is credited by Australian cinema greats such as Peter Weir, Fred Schepisi, and Bruce Beresford as their ‘inspiration’ that great cinema could be made Down Under. That an ‘outsider’ could capture the essence and character of a foreign land with such verisimilitude and authenticity is attributed to his commonwealth country claim of empathy as a Canadian who also understood that “the vast empty spaces don’t ‘liberate’, they imprison”. “Wake in Fright” was last shown at the Museum of Modern Art in New York in honor of Kotcheff’s 80th birthday.
The Oldenburg retrospective presents „Wake in Fright“ and five other works by Kotcheff. The programming will include the comedy „The Apprenticeship of Duddy Kravitz“ starring Richard Dreyfuss. For this film Kotcheff received the Golden Bear at the 1974 Berlinale, the first time such an award went to a Canadian director. His 1978 film „Who is killing the Great Chefs of Europe?“ was nominated for several Golden Globes and is considered a cult classic. „Life at the Top“ from 1965, his worldwide hit „First Blood“ from 1982, and „Joshua Then and Now“, a second collaboration with Mordecai Richler that was nominated for Cannes’ Golden Palm Award in 1985, round off the retrospective.
Ted Kotcheff will attend the festival from September 14th to 18th.
Images for the films can be downloaded from: http://www.filmfest-oldenburg.de/presse/downloads/
PR_05: Trailer and further highlights (16.08.11)
- © Internationales Filmfest Oldenburg
Oldenburg Film Festival reveals this year’s festival trailer and offers a glimpse into the festival’s future
Festival trailer to be released in cinemas nationwide – Director Torsten Neumann talks about the future of the festival and presents first highlights and guests of this year’s edition.
During the annual press conference held at the CinemaxX Oldenburg on Tuesday, August 16th 2011, director Torsten Neumann revealed the new festival trailer, which will be running in cinemas nationwide from August 18th. The three minute short was shot in Oldenburg on a single day in July. Star of the trailer is the award winning Hollywood actress Deborah Kara Unger, who was jury president at Oldenburg Film Festival in 2010. Torsten Neumann wrote, produced and for the first time directed the trailer. It is a dreamlike yet whimsical take on the festival’s point of view of Oldenburg as a place in limbo between the past and the future, all the while taking a subtle jab at Oldenburg’s claim of being the “City of the Day After Tomorrow”. The trailer pays homage to classic films like Hitchcock’s “Rebecca” and “Vertigo” as well as Fleming’s “Gone with the Wind”.
It was also announced that Matthew Modine will be this year’s jury president, deciding on who the “German Independence Award – Best German Film” goes to. The American actor and director had his breakthrough performance in Kubrick’s “Full Metal Jacket”. His first leading role came in the award winning “Birdy” by Alan Parker. He starred alongside Al Pacino, Dennis Quaid, Cameron Diaz and Jamie Foxx in “On every given Sunday”. Among his works as director is “Jesus was a Commie”, which will see its German premiere in Oldenburg.
Other film highlights include: The German premiere of “The Way” by Emilio Estevez. The film will have a special gala screening in Oldenburg’s St. Lamberti Church. Martin Sheen, Deborah Kara Unger, Yorick van Wageningen and are the stars of Emilio Estevez’s touching father-son story. The film will be released in the spring of 2012 in Germany by Koch Media.
Director Koen Mortier takes a look at guilt and redemption in “22nd of May”. Belinda Chayko’s “Lou” is an homage to love and a courtship of memories amidst the decay of Alzheimer’s, starring the great John Hurt. Henry Barrial’s “Pig” is a mystery and a real tour de force: A man wakes bound in the desert with no recollection how and why he got there. Stefan Schaefer’s romantic “My Last Day Without You” stars Ken Duken in a film about a fateful meeting in New York. The film will be released later in 2011 by falcom Filmverleih. The horror anthology “Theatre Bizarre” is based on the genius idea that seven filmmakers agree to a similar concept, are given the same budget and complete artistic license for their part of this omnibus film. Among the directors are Richard Stanley, Buddy Giovinazzi, Tom Savini and Douglas Buck. Director K. Lorrel Manning’s “Happy New Year” is a candid telling of a wounded Afghanistan veteran, intensely portrayed by Michael Cuomo - one man’s story of “the war within” puts a face on the too often hidden reality of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
This years guest of honor and featured star of the tribute section will be German actor, photographer and director Roger Fritz, whose first film “Verstummte Stimmen” from 1962 was awarded the Bundesfilmpreis. Filmfest Oldenburg shows his first feature “Mädchen, Mädchen” and the 1969 “Mädchen mit Gewalt”. The tribute is accompanied by an exhibition of Fritz’ photographs in Oldenburg’s Stadtmuseum.
The festival wants to thank its sponsors, partners and contributors:
Benefactors: nordmedia/ EFRE Förderung and City of Oldenburg.
Main Sponsor: OLB - Oldenburgische Landesbank
Premium Sponsor: EWE AG
Sponsors: CeWe Color, ACARA Hotel, DPD - Deutscher Paketdienst, Männermode Bruns, Audi Zentrum Oldenburg, altera Hotel & Restaurant and DATO-Druck, joining the festival sponsor’s for the first time.
Partners: CinemaxX Oldenburg, Einrichtungshaus Ullmann, Kottkamp and the Kulturetage.
The Nordwest Zeitung is our established Media Partner.
PR_03: First highlights of the 18th Oldenburg Film Festival (05.08.2011)
Oldenburg Film Festival is proud to announce the first films of this year’s program. The great outsiders of Hollywood are joined by the most talked about talents of the independent scene
The festival offers German premieres of two true American cinema icons for the 2011 edition. John Carpenter makes a remarkable comeback with his latest horror-thriller “The Ward” and cult-director Monte Hellman will present his neo-noir thriller “Road to Nowhere”. Carpenter was a master of the genre cinema in the 1980s, with classics like “Escape from New York” or “Halloween” to his name, while Monte Hellman raised the bar for New Hollywood cinema in the 1970s with films like “Two Lane Blacktop”.
Swedish first-time director Filip Tegstedt marries a tender family-drama to chilling horror in his touching “Marianne”. His splendid cast is led by none other than Peter Stormare (“Fargo” and “The Big Lebowski”). Brothers Mark and Michael Polish, who won the German Independence Award in 2003 with “Norfolk”, return to their roots with the dreamlike lovestory “For Lovers Only”, great camerawork and emotional storytelling make this a masterpiece of American cinema. Their talent for visual narratives and daring stories is utterly fascinating. In their previous works they collaborated with the likes of Bruce Willis, Nick Nolte, Daryl Hannah, James Woods or Billy Bob Thornton.
Oldenburg will also present great European cinema. Catherine Deneuve, the Grande Dame of French film, gives a brilliant performance in Thierry Klifas’ “His Mother’s Eyes” next to the muse of Pedro Almodóvar, Marisa Paredes, and Jean-Marc Barr. Atmospherically dense cinema from Hungary is presented by actor-director Endre Hules. “The Maiden Danced to Death” is the first Canadian-Hungarian co-production and Hules doesn’t only use this clash of cultures for his inspiring story but also managed to cast Canada’s premiere Hollywood star Deborah Kara Unger for the lead role, who adds her on-screen presence to an already remarkable feature.
More than 900 film entries mean yet another record year for the Oldenburg Film Festival. The steadily increasing number is proof for the international renown and importance the festival has garnered over the years. Small wonder that it is named among the Top Five Independent Film Festivals Worldwide by the Ultimate Film Festival Guide.
Press relations for the 18th Oldenburg International Film Festival are handled by Berlin based PR agency kainz+hamm filmcontact. If you have any inquiries or want to get accreditation or need to schedule interviews, please contact kainz+hamm filmcontact using one of the methods detailed below.
PR_01: Oldenburg Filmfestival coming of age (April 4 2011)
After last year’s budget cuts cast doubts on the future of the „German Sundance“ it is now certain that there will be an 18th edition of the festival in 2011.
There will be an Oldenburg Film Festival No. 18. After the forced budget cuts by the municipal council in 2010 the festival was financially endangered. Grants by the city of Oldenburg were cut by more than half. In December 2010 the municipal council got together and with the votes of CDU, Green Party and Free Voters Association took back some of the harshest cuts from last year, leaving the festival well short of the original funding, but securing finances enough for a continued operation. The municipal budget for 2011 – still under review by the municipal superintendent – provides 77.000 Euro in funding for the festival.
Torsten Neumann’s reaction was positive: “This is a very good sign for us and more than enough reason to continue with the festival in Oldenburg.” If nothing else, the very high attendance turnout despite fewer screenings at last year’s festival was giving a clear indication that the festival is of vital interest for cinema lovers in Oldenburg and for the film industry as well.
Last year’s chosen mascot, the frog, has proven to be a symbol of growth and prosperity as foreseen by jury-president Deborah Kara Unger.
The 18th International Oldenburg Film Festival takes place from September 14th to September 18th 2011.
Films for entry consideration can still be submitted until June 22nd. The early bird deadline, allowing entry at a reduced rate, is April 22nd. The documents for film entries can be found online at www.filmfest-oldenburg.de. Films can also be submitted through withoutabox.com. American film critic Chris Gore describes the Oldenburg Film Festival as one of the Top 5 most influential festivals worldwide in his esteemed Film Festival Guide. In 2011 the festival will stay true to its commitment to innovative and independent filmmaking.
PR_20: Review 2010
The 17th Oldenburg International Film Festival takes positive stock of this year’s edition and is able to match last year’s audience with 14.500 admittances –despite smaller venues and twelve screenings less. More...
PR_19: The award winners of the 17th Oldenburg Film Festival
“Picco” has been honored with the “German Independence Award – Best German Film”.The Audience Award went to “The Happy Poet” by Paul Gordon. “Salvation Insurance” by Jeremy Bradley and Reuben Sack has been honored as “Best Short Film". More...
PR_14: MUBI co-operation starts
Oldenburg Filmfestival enters a co-operation with on-demand video portal MUBI More...
PR_10: Festivalhighlights 2010
Like in previous years this year’s festival edition will feature its share of premieres, inspiring film talks, international stars and unforgettable moments. More...
PR_08: Deborah Kara Unger revealed as jury president
Actress Deborah Kara Unger is going to preside over the international jury.
The Gala Night will feature her in Raul Inglis’ thriller “Takedown”.
The Closing Night screening will be Tamar Simon Hoff’s world premiere of “Pound of Flesh”. More...
PR_07: „The City Below“ to open Oldenburg International Film Festival
The nominees for the “German Independence Award – Best German Film” have been announced. More...
PR_06: Trailer and cinematic festival highlights
Trailer to run nationwide in cinemas – Festival director Torsten Neumann commented on the strained budget situation and presented first festival highlights and guests. More...
PR_04: Retrospective Radley Metzger – master of erotic cinema
The 81 year old American director, producer, writer and distributor Radley Metzger is seen as the most stylish exponent of erotic author’s cinema, revolutionizing mainstream cinema in the 70s with his mixture of ambition and sexploitation. More...
PR_03: Speed Pitch 2010
For the first time the festival teams up with Creativity Media and Wirtschaftsförderung Oldenburg to include a Speed Pitch at the festival, giving aspiring filmmakers the chance to introduce their projects to members of the film industry. More...
PR_02: Tribute to Timothy Bottoms | First films
With Timothy Bottoms Oldenburg International Film Festival is honoring an icon of New Hollywood cinema. The first festival films have been confirmed – among them are several premieres. More...
PR_01: Innovations at the 17th Oldenburg International Film Festival
The Oldenburg International Film Festival is the first German festival to showcase a selection of its films online via the video-on-demand platform MUBI. Also new this year is the introduction of an iPhone app for festival visitors. This mobile festival guide will provide users with quick and conclusive information about films, events and locations during the Oldenburg Festival. More...
