EUROPEAN COMMISSION
PRESS RELEASE
Brussels, 6 February 2013
Berlinale festival to screen 17 films backed by EU MEDIA
programme
For two weeks (7-17 February), the 63rd Berlinale film festival will screen some of the
best new European and international films, including 17 (list in annex) supported by the
EU's renowned MEDIA programme. In total, these films have so far received nearly
€ 1 million from the programme, which aims to boost diversity and competitiveness
through its funding for film development, promotion and the distribution of European films
outside their country of origin. MEDIA also supports four of the festival's main attractions:
the 'Shooting Stars', presenting the 10 hottest young actors in Europe, the Berlinale Talent
Campus, Co-Production Market and Berlinale Residency (details below).
Androulla Vassiliou, European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Multilingualism and
Youth, said: "I am delighted that the Berlinale appreciates these films as much as we do;
the festival is a fantastic platform for European film-makers as well as for the MEDIA
programme – and long may that continue. The European Union provides significant added
value through targeted investment in the audiovisual and cultural sectors, which are
important contributors to the economy and jobs. I am confident that our new Creative
Europe programme, which encompasses MEDIA and our existing Culture programme, will
soon be approved by Member States and the European Parliament. Our proposal
envisages a seven-year budget of €1.8 billion for Creative Europe; while this is a relatively
small sum in the big picture, it will help the European film industry to respond to the
challenges of digitisation and globalisation, while at the same time promoting cultural and
linguistic diversity."
This year's 'Shooting Stars' are: Mikkel Boe Følsgaard (Denmark), Laura Birn (Finland),
Christa Théret (France), Saskia Rosendahl (Germany), Luca Marinelli (Italy), Arta Dobroshi
(Kosovo), Ada Condeescu (Romania), Jure Henigman (Slovenia), Nermina Lukač (Sweden)
and Carla Juri (Switzerland). They will be take part in a photocall and press conference on
Sunday 10 February (12:30, Hotel de Rome, Behrenstraße 37).
An information session on the current MEDIA and future Creative Europe programme, with
representatives of the Commission's MEDIA unit and the Education, Audiovisual and
Culture Executive Agency, will be held on Monday 11 February (11:00, Ritz-Carlton Hotel,
Potsdamer Platz 3). The European Commission will also host a MEDIA business centre at
the festival for film producers, distributors and trainers.
IP/13/91
Background
Now in its 16th year, 'Shooting Stars' is an initiative which puts a spotlight on Europe's
best young actors. Ten young stars from across Europe are chosen by a panel of experts
from a list of potential candidates nominated by the member organisations of the
European Film Promotion network, which gathers professional organisations in 36
European countries. Many of the previous winners have gone onto very successful
international careers. They include Daniel Craig (Skyfall, Casino Royale), Daniel Brühl
(Good Bye, Lenin!, Inglorious Basterds), Ludivine Sagnier (Swimming Pool, Un secret),
Maria Bonnevie (The Banishment), Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener, The Deep Blue
Sea), Moritz Bleibtreu (The Baader Meinhof Complex, Soul Kitchen), Johanna Wokalek
(The Baader Meinhof Complex, Pope Joan) and Nina Hoss (Wolfsburg, Barbara). MEDIA
has provided € 132 000 in support for European Film Promotion and the Shooting Stars,
which is half the project's budget for 2013.
The Berlinale Talent Campus offers training for more than 350 young filmmakers from all
over the world, who take part in workshops and master-classes given by leading experts.
In the past, it has provided a first step towards an international career for many young
directors. The Campus was launched in 2002 by Dieter Kosslick (Director of the Berlinale),
Paul Trijbits (executive producer of Jane Eyre, Tamara Drewe) and Klaus Keil (former chief
executive of Filmboard/ Medienboard). Collaborators have included the film directors Mike
Leigh, Wim Wenders, Jia Zhangke, Anthony Minghella, and the actress Juliette Binoche.
MEDIA contributes €300 000 per year to the Talent Campus – equivalent to half of its
budget.
The Berlinale Co-production Market presents around 40 film projects each year to potential
investors. Around 65% of the projects originate in Europe. MEDIA has supported the
market since 2005 and is contributing €105 000 for this year's event.
The Berlinale Residency is an international fellowship programme which enables
filmmakers to bring their projects to Berlin for four months starting in September. The
Residency has received € 154 000 this year from MEDIA Mundus, the international version
of the MEDIA programme.
Overall, the MEDIA programme will contribute a total of €755 million in support of
Europe's film industry in 2007-2013, with the aim of improving the distribution and
promotion of European films and strengthening the competitiveness of the sector.
The Commission has proposed a budget of €1.8 billion for the new Creative Europe
programme (2014-2020); of this, more than €900 million would be allocated to its 'MEDIA'
arm.
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For more information
European Commission:
http://ec.europa.eu/media
Androulla Vassiliou's website
Follow Androulla Vassiliou onTwitter @VassiliouEU
Berlinale Film Festival, Talent Campus, Co-production Market:
www.berlinale.de/en/HomePage.html
Shooting stars: www.shooting-stars.eu
Contacts :
Dennis Abbott (+32 2 295 92 58); Twitter: @DennisAbbott
Dina Avraam (+32 2 295 96 67)
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Annex
Films supported by the EU MEDIA Programme at 2013 Berlin Film
Festival
The Spirit of ’45 by Ken Loach (UK, Berlinale Special)
Elle s'en va (On my Way) by Emmanuelle Bercot (France, Competition)
La Religieuse (Die Nonne) by Guillaume Nicloux (France/Germany/Belgium,
Competition)
Layla Fourie by Pia Marais (Germany/South Africa/France/Netherlands,
Competition)
Paradies: Hoffnung (Paradise: Hope) by Ulrich Seidl
(Austria/France/Germany, Competition)
Poziţia Copilului (Child's Pose) by Călin Peter Netzer (Romania, Competition)
Night Train to Lisbon (Nachtzug nach Lissabon) by Bille Aug
(Germany/Switzerland/Portugal, Out of Competition)
Slow Food Story by Stefano Sardo (Italy, Culinary Cinema)
Krugovi (Circles) by Srdan Golubović (Serbia/Germany, Forum)
La Plaga (The Plague) by Neus Ballús (Spain, Forum)
Materia oscura (Dark Matter) by Massimo D’Anolfi and Martina Parenti (Italy,
Forum)
Shirley – Visions of Reality by Gustav Deutsch (Austria, Forum)
The Weight of Elephants by Daniel Josh Borgman (New Zealand/Denmark,
Forum)
Nono, Het Zigzag Kind (Nono, the Zigzag Kid) by Vincent Bal
(Netherlands/Belgium, Generation Kplus)
Boven is het stil (It's all so Quiet) by Nanouk Leopold
(Netherlands/Germany, Panorama)
Belleville Baby by Mia Engberg (Sweden, Panorama)
The Act of Killing by Joshua Oppenheimer (Denmark/Norway/UK, Panorama)
The Berlinale selections cover many different cinema genres; these include 'Culinary
Cinema', which focuses on films about food and the environment; the 'Panorama Special'
programme features new films by renowned directors, debut films and new discoveries;
The 'Generation' films are targeted at younger audiences (K Plus for children and 14 Plus
for teenagers). Perspektive Deutsches Kino fosters new directorial talents in Germany.
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2. Films supported by the EU MEDIA Programme which have
previously won awards at the Berlin Film Festival
2003 Golden Bear
In This World
Michael Winterbottom
2004 Golden Bear
Gegen Die Wand
Fatih Akin
2005 Silver Bear - Best Director
Sophie Scholl - The Final
Marc Rothemund
Days
2006 Silver Bear - Best Director
The Road to
Guantanamo
Michael Winterbottom
2006 Silver Bear - Best Actress
Requiem
Sandra Hüller
2006 Silver Bear - Best Actor
The Elementary Particles Moritz Bleibtreu
2006
Crystal Bear - Best
Feature
2007 Silver Bear - Best Actress
Drømmen - the Dream
Niels Arden Oplev
Yella
Nina Hoss
2010 Silver Bear - Best Director The Ghostwriter
Roman Polanski
2011 Jury's Grand Prix
The Turin Horse
Béla Tarr
The Guard
John Michael
McDonagh
2012 Golden Bear
Caesar Must Die
Paolo &Vittorio
Taviani
2012 Silver Bear – Best Actor
A Royal Affair
Mikkel Følsgaard
2012 Silver Bear – Best Script
A Royal Affair
Nikolaj Arcel and
Rasmus Heisterberg
2011
Best First Feature
Special Mention
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3. Major German films supported by the EU MEDIA Programme
Good Bye, Lenin (Wolfgang Becker, 2003)
2003 Best Film, Best Actor, Best Screenplay, European Film Awards
2003 Blauer Engel for Best European Film, Berlin Film Festival
2004 Best Foreign Film, César Awards
Gegen Die Wand/Head on (Fatih Akin)
2004 Golden Bear, Berlinale International Film Festival
2004 Public Choice Award, European Film Awards
Die Geschichte Vom Weinenden Kamel/The Story of the Weeping Camel
(Byambasuren Davaa, 2003)
2004 Best Director – Documentary, Directors Guild of America Awards
2005 Nomination for Best Documentary, Academy Awards
Das Leben Der Anderen/The Lives of Others (Florian Henckel von
Donnersmarck, 2006)
2006 Best Foreign Language Film, Academy Award
2006 Best Film, Best Actor, Best Screenwriter, European Film Awards
2008 Best Foreign Film, César Awards
Auf Der Anderen Seite/ The edge of heaven (Fatih Akin)
2007 Best Screenplay, Cannes Film Festival
2007 Best Screenplay, European Film Awards
2007 European Parliament Lux Prize
2007 German nomination for Best Foreign Language Film at the Academy
Awards
Soul Kitchen (Fatih Akin)
2009 Special Jury Prize, Venice Film Festival
Das Weisse Band/The White Ribbon (Michael Haneke, 2009)
2009 Palme d'Or, Cannes Film Festival
2009 Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay, European Film Awards
2009 German nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, Academy
Award
Pina (Wim Wenders, 2011)
2012 Nominated for Best Documentary Feature, Academy Awards
2011 Best Documentary, European Film Awards
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Barbara (Christian Petzold)
2012 Silver Bear for Best Director, Berlinale
2012 Best Feature Film at German Film Awards
2012 German nomination for Best Foreign Language Film, Academy
Award
Halt Auf Freier Strecke/Stopped On Track (Andreas Dresen)
2011 Main Award - Un Certain Regard, Cannes Film Festival
2012 German Film Awards: Best Feature, Best Main Act, Best Supporting
Act, Best Director
Lore (Cate Shortland)
2012 Prix du Public, International Film Festival, Locarno
2012 Stockholm International Film Festival, Best Feature, Best Act, Best
Design, Best Music
2012 Filmfest Hamburg, Critics' Choice
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