Since 25 years we have not seen in Italy such a strong presence of great German directors. Almost all the most prestigious filmmakers of German cinematography from the 70’s to this day, will meet in Viareggio in occasion of EuropaCinema’s festival which will be celebrating its 25th edition in 2008. Already in the 80’s EuropaCinema dedicated to Germany an important event titled to the renaissance of its cinema against the offensive of the American one.

After the great success obtained by Spanish Cinematography at EuropaCinema 2007, Germany will be the absolute protagonist of the festival in 2008 with its films and its “historical” as well as new talented authors who will be hosted in Viareggio from Tuesday April 15th to Saturday April 19th.

This is to reconfirm and strengthen a tradition which has always seen Germany at the forefront within the EuropaCinema programs, since its foundation due to the work of Felice Laudadio with the collaboration of Federico Fellini who ideated the logo and the first festival’s poster which for the edition 2008 has been drawn by Ettore Scola.

During the festival promoted by the Municipality of Viareggio, will take place a retrospective of 16 films belonging to the “historical” German Cinema grown out of the Oberhausen Manifesto (1962) which very much contributed to the establishment of an new German cinematography and to the birth of the “Neue Kino”.

Historical German cinema

Already confirmed their presence in Viareggio the directors Michael Fengler, Peter Fleischmann, Reinhard Hauff, Peter Lilienthal, Edgar Reitz, Volker Schlöndorff, Rudolf Thome, Margarethe von Trotta, the producers Ulrich Felsberg and Dieter Geissler, the actor Mario Adorf. The following films will be screened within the retrospective section at the presence of the authors: Jagdszenen aus Niederbayern by Fleischmann; Messer im Kopf by Hauff; Die Artisten in der Zirkuskuppel: ratlos by Kluge; Das Autogramm by Lilienthal; Heimat - Fragmente by Reitz; Die Blechtrommel by Schlöndorff; Hitler - ein film aus Deutschland by Syberberg; Der Philosoph by Thome; Das Versprechen and Rosa Luxemburg by von Trotta; the collective film Deutschland im Herbst directed among the others, by Kluge, Reitz and Schlöndorff; the film-documentary by Reitz Die Nacht der Regisseure starring many of the above cited authors and whose Italian edition has been realized by Carlo di Carlo, who has realized also the whole Heimat by Reitz, presented in original version in Viareggio in 2004.

Are also programmed: Neapolitanische Geschichten by Werner Schröter, introduced by the actress Ida Di Benedetto; Lisbon Story by Wim Wenders introduced by Ulrich Felsberg;Satansbraten by Rainer W. Fassbinder, introduced by the actress Ingrid Caven; Aguirre, der Zorn Gottes by Werner Herzog, introduced by the producer Peter Berling; Deutschland bleiche Mutter by Helma Sanders-Brahms; Die artisten in der Zirkuskuppel: Ratlos by Kluge and Hitler - ein film aus Deutschland di Syberberg (7 hours length film that will be presented at the Congress Center on Saturday April 19th and at Casa del Cinema of Rome on April 25th in occasion of the Liberation Day).

The Fellini 8½ Award for Cinematic Excellence will be consigned to the German “historical” authors and directors who will be present in Viareggio.

Contemporary German cinema

7 German films in competition and 3 out of competition films of recent production, never distributed in Italy, will be screened at the Politeama Theatre at the presence of their directors and main actors.

A Jury composed exclusively by the festival’s audience and presided by the screenwriter Giorgio Arlorio (Queimada by Gillo Pontecorvo with Marlon Brando) will assign the EuropaCinema Award to the best long feature film in competition selected by the director Laudadio and the vice-director Francesca Pappalardo.

The films in competition are:

* BEAUTIFUL BITCH by Martin Theo Krieger (Second feature film, 2007, 103′, drama, European premiere) Also the protagonist of the film Katharina Derr will be present.
Bica, 13 years old Rumaninan girl who lives imprisoned by her patsy, will try to reach freedom.
* TRADE - Willkommen in Amerika by Marco Kreuzpaintner (Third feature film, 2007, 119′, drama, Italian premiere) Also the producer of the film Rosilyn Heller will be present.
The crude story of the slave market of American paedophiles and of the Mexican girls kidnapped for exploitation and prostitution purposes.
* NACHT VOR AUGEN (Night before eyes) by Brigitte Bertele (First feature film, 2008, 90′, drama, World premiere)
Dramatic story of the coming home of a German soldier from Afghanistan who will have to deal with his nightmares
* WIR SAGEN DU! SCHATZ. (Family rules!) by Marc Meyer (First feature film, 2007, 99′, black comedy, World premiere) Also the protagonist of the film Samuel Finzi, the actress Margot Nagel and the producer Faysal Omer
A lonely man tries to create the perfect family kidnapping possible family members. Could this persons grow together peacefully? Is happiness really possible?
* FÜR DEN UNBEKANNTEN HUND (For the Unknown Dog) by Ben Reding e Dominik Reding
(Second feature film, 2007, 103′, drama, Italian premiere)
Bastian commits a crime, escapes and join a group of artisans on the road living following ancient simple life’s rules. The experience will change Bastian’s life…
* STELLUNGSWECHSEL (Special escort) by Maggie Peren (First feature film, 2007, 97′, comedy, World premiere) Also the actor of the film Kostja Ullmann will be present.
Comedy on the work’s shakiness of a group of men who decide to open an escort agency for women only.
* NICHTS GEHT MEHR (Blocked out) di Florian Mischa Boeder (Opera seconda, 2008, 100′, comedy, World premiere)
Two brothers are involved in anarchists actions. Sought by the police, escape at Hannover. Slowly one of them will understand that his life must change.

Out of competition will be presented:

ULZHAN, latest film by Volker Schlöndorff, Italian premiere (2007, 105′)
On the infinite Central Asia’s steppe, is ridde a treasure a man seeks. Poor, but finally happy for the first time in his life, he will meet on the road weird persons and the beautiful Ulzhan.

and 2 documentaries 2008 (World Premiere):

* GEGENSCHUSS - AUFBRUCH DER FILMEMACHER di Dominik Wessely
The authors of the New German Kino represent the new young and rebel cinema of the post-Adenauer’s period. The documentary describes the gravitational center of the movement: the legendary Filmverlag der Autoren to narrate an important part of the History of German cinema.
* AUGE IN AUGE - EINE DEUTSCHE FILMGESCHICHTE di Michael Althen e Hans Helmut Prinzler.
A journey to discover hundred years of German cinema. Important German authors tell us films that influenced them. A tribute to everything we love about German cinema.

Out of competition

Will be presented the film WOYZECK by Enrico De Angelis (2008), professor of German studies at the University of Pisa.
Cinema Master Classes

Five “Master Classes” - realized in collaboration with Pisa University and the professor Lorenzo Cuccu - will take place from April 15th to 19th at Cinema Eden at 11.00am of at the end of a film’s screening at 9.00am. Free entrance.
Mater Classes’ schedule:
• Tuesday 15, at 9.00am: screening of the film “Satansbraten” by Fassbinder (112′) with Ingrid Caven. 11.00am: Matser Class with Ingrid Caven and the producer and director Michael Fengler. Both worked often in Fassbinder’s films, therefore he will be the protagonist of the Master Class moderated by the producer Peter Berling.
• Wednesday 16, at 9.00am: screening of the film “Das Autogramm” (92′) by Peter Lilienthal, followed by the Lesson held by the director.
• Thursday 17, at 9.00am: screening of the film “Heimat - Fragmente” (146′) by Edgar Reitz, followed by the Lesson held by the director.
• Friday 18, at 9.00am: screening of the film “Die Blechtrommel” (142′, Oscar winner) by Volker Schlöndorff, followed by the Lesson held by the director.
• Saturday 19, at 9.00am: screening of the film “Das Versprechen” (115′) by Margarethe von Trotta, followed by the Lesson held by the director.

Recital by Ingrid Caven

Ingrid Caven was Reiner W. Fassbinder’s first wife and one of his luckiest actress, among the list of women that have always been on his side as friends, accomplices, colleagues. Ever since she was young, she always flaunted a superb elegance, confronting taboo themes for German cinema, on the stage and on film. The sister of opera singer Trudeliese Schmidt, she found her artistic dimension in acting, starting out as a theater actress in the Anti-theatre movement where she met director Fassbinder, and actors and authors, such as Hannes Gromball, Ulli Lommel, William Powell and Katrin Schaake. Together with them, she then tackled the big screen.

Her first appearance was on Peter Moland’s short film Fernet Jamaica (1969), written by Fassbinder, but when the latter decides to pass behind the camera, Ingrid Caven becomes one of his fetish actresses. From their artistic camaraderie came pictures as Love Is Colder Than Death (1969), Gods of the Plague (1970), Why Does Herr R. Run Amok? (1970), The American Soldier (1970) and The Merchant of Four Seasons (1972), but also TV movies as The Coffeehouse (1970) and The Niklashausen Journey (1970). Her marriage to Fassbinder ended in 1972, but the couple continued working together in Beware of a Holy Whore (1971), Martha (1973), Fear of Fear (1975), Mother Küsters Goes to Heaven (1975) and Fist-Fight of Freedom (1975). Besides working with Fassbinder, Ingrid Caven worked intensely with Daniel Schmid who chose her as the protagonist of many of his pictures, such as Tonight or Never (1972) and one of his best movies, Shadow of Angels (1976), in the role of prostitute Lily Brest. Her long-time friend and director Ulli Lommel exploited her decadent touch in The Tenderness of Wolves (1973), before being called to France, where Jean Eustache required her for his pic Mes petites amoureuses (1974). The last two movies with her ex-husband Fassbinder were Satan’s Brew (1976) and In a Year with 13 Moons (1978). After being chosen as a member of the Berlin Film Fest Jury in 1979, over the Eighties she worked in many movies unreleased in Italy, alternating them to her stage performances. In 1992, her friend Schmid directed her in Zwischensaison and the following year she sided Catherine Deneuve in My Favorite Season (1993) by André Téchiné. In Le Temps retrouvé (1999) by Raoul Ruiz she played the role of a Russian princess. She is presently tied to French writer Jean-Jacques Schuhl who dedicated a book to her, “Ingrid Caven”, winner of the prestigious French literary contest Goncourt 2000.

To attend Ingrid Caven’s concert the costo f the ticket is of 5€. The tickets will be available at Teatro Politeama from April Friday 18th. The concert will be the only event with fee of EuropaCinema festival 2008, except for the festival guests.

The festival

EuropaCinema festival is by promoted and financed by the Tuscany Region, Tuscany Film Commission and the Municipality of Viareggio, is sustained by: the Ministry of Cultural Goods and Activities, the Province of Lucca, Banca Cassa di Risparmio di Firenze, Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Lucca German Films, the Embassy of Federal Republic of Germany in Italy and the Goethe-Institut of Rome. As for the past edition of the festival, Lancia is main sponsor of the event that will offer to the directors present in Viareggio its cars. Distillerie Bottega, other sponsor of the festival’s past editions will assign the Alexander Award to the director Volker Schlöndorff.

EuropaCinema, Mostra of European Cinema ideated and directed by Felice Laudadio, and realized by the Cultural Association “C&C - Cultura&Cinema”, is presided by Luciana Castellina; vice-director Francesca Pappalardo; administration and film transfer Patrizia Prosperi; hospitality coordinator Francesca Campagna; general secretary Roberta Vecchio; presenter and tv shooting Orsetta Gregoretti; general catalogue Adele Dorothy Ciampa; graphic project Alessandra Pasquarelli; general coordination in Viareggio: Eugenio Biancalana, Agenzia Italia.

EuropaCinema 2008 avail itself of the cooperation of the producer, writer and actor Peter Berling, the director Carlo Di Carlo, the critic Klaus Eder and the journalist Umberto Guidi. The referee for the Communal administration of the festival in Viareggio is Giulio Marlia, executive of the Cultural field and cinema expert.

The International press office is held by PUNTOeVIRGOLA (Olivia Alighiero e Flavia Schiavi, ph. +39.06.39388909, e-mail. info@studiopuntoevirgola.com), regional press office is held by Studio Brandi (ph. +39.0584.961169, email debrand@tin.it).