It was hot outside, but Munich is a competitor for the coldest film festival in Europe. While the Mercury has skyrocketed, the activity of industry in the Munich International Film Festival was, as usual, centered on the Amerikahaus, a cultural institution which promotes transatlantic relations. The festival participants looked for shady zones in gardens meetings for the Al Fresque.
Stellan Skarsgård ventured inside to recover his Cinemerit Award, while the other recipient of the honor, Gillian Anderson, went on stage of the Deutsches Theater to receive his. Their films – Joachim Trier Sentimental value And Marianne Elliott The Salt Chemin – played at the festival and other strengths so far include Elena Oxman External land Receive the first Queer Media Society prize for a feature film. Uta brieswitz American Sweatshop Also played at the festival and she gave a masterclass of the industry, animated to Deadline, speaking of her film and indicating a crowd wrapped in the way of doing it in Hollywood.
With the last part of the current festival, the artistic directors Julia Weigl and Christoph Gröner, have located a cool place in the Amerikahaus to give the deadline the bottom of the festival so far, which will happen and their plans for the future.
DEADLINE: Stellan Skarsgård then Gillian Anderson won your Cinemerit prizes this time – and you organized two very different types of ceremony?
JW: We made one here in our festival center, which is an unusual thing to do for us, and we had a nice conversation thereafter with Stellan Skarsgård. He was there for three whole days and went to the Q + A of the two projections of Sentimental value. This is this easy -to -live atmosphere, it was a real festival experience for him. With Gillian Anderson, our second recipient of the Cinemerit Award, he had a very classic feeling because we did it to the Deutsches Theater, our biggest place. It was a beautiful ceremony with a lot of emotions. She cried. We all cried. And after the screening, there was a standing ovation for herself and her role in The Salt Chemin. And that’s exactly what we want, real emotions.
Behind the scenes with the winner of the Cinemerit Award Stellan Skarsgård
Munich International Film Festival
DEADLINE: How many people in the industry are here this time?
CG: There will be the same number of accreditations as last year, around 2,700 people. It is not necessarily a question of obtaining more accreditations. We may have 10% more, but we would probably have to change this atmosphere of being very familiar and to be close. The quality of the people present is so high. During the world first of I’m not motionlessAndreas Bühlmann of Swiss Films said: “Wow, I see most of the Swiss film industry here this evening.” It was proof of concept for us, that we are attiring more and more people of the highest quality of all German regions and it is magnificent.
DEADLINE: The emphasis is put on the world of German-speaking film, to what extent do you want to build your international audience beyond that?
CG: We are extremely interested in interest international people and the public in German industry, so that the connection is extremely important for us. And this also increases from year to year. We want to have this mission statement, to be the number one platform for the German film industry. But that, of course, means having them here and having them meet more and more international guests.
JW: It was precisely why we presented the Cinecopro conference four years ago, and why we brought the Cinecopro Award. We believe in the future of co -productions and Germany which will open up to other countries, in particular in Europe, sharing creativity, financing and collaboration on creative efforts. At the same time, we now have the conference of creators, organized with the German Producers Alliance, which launches the festival during our warm -up day. It is a huge asset to talk about the future of production in Germany, but with international inspiration.
DEADLINE: We can see the industry in Germany, as elsewhere, faces challenges. You are connected to all producers, distributors, sales agents, donors … How do you assess the health of the national company?
The outdoor areas of the festival were packed while temperatures climbed to Munich
CG: Within the festival, we were carefully optimistic. As a festival organizers, we put a lot of work in the way we can create a positive mood and use our platform to have essential discussions. So, during our warm -up day, our very first day before the gala opened, we had the conference of creators and also invited the Minister of Culture to the State of Bavaria. He spoke to heads of different companies for the first time in the concept, at the national level, to have new [media] Laws. Then come the opening on Saturday, suddenly, there were various positive messages in terms of: “Yes, we understood the problem. Yes, the situation is not good, but we are really working on it now.
DEADLINE: Julia, you have played a decisive role in creating a new industrial group that brings together all festivals in Germany to share information and objectives. How does it work?
JW: We all depend on the regional funds and this image is very different depending on where you look in Germany. For example, when we look at Eastern Germany, a large part of cultural funding is withdrawn. Thus, having this solidarity between festivals and that this lobby works at the national level helps to keep our funding at least visible, it means that there is a conversation at a more national level.
DEADLINE: You are in the last section. One element to come is the prices of new talents, is it important, so show the next generation of filmmakers from Germany who loves and recognition?
CG: It is not only a question of showing love, it is also a question of discovering who is the new Tim Fehlbaum, who is the new Baran Bo Odar, and who is the new Vicky Krieps and Eva Trobish. This is why we are here, the new German voices that shine and collaborate internationally. And that’s what we’re going to see on Friday.
JW: And then, of course, we look forward to our fence film, which is Christian Petzold Mirrors No. 3. He will be there and also give a conference on the film. It is certainly one of the final strengths.
DEADLINE: There is a lot of things here and yet there is a more relaxed atmosphere than in many festivals. Is this something you cultivate?
CG: Well, we use a lot of frantic energy so that everyone is relaxed.
