The 27th annual survey of contemporary German filmmaking notes the emergence of strong new writing/directing talents—Valeska Grisbech’s Sehnsucht (Longing) was lauded at the last Berlin Film Festival; Hans Steinbirchler’s Winter Journey returns Hanna Schygulla to the German screen; Axel Koenzen’s Firn is a strong and suspenseful drama of domestic betrayal; and Chris Kraus’s Four Minutes took the top prize at the Shanghai Film Festival. Kino! 2006 also celebrates the return of veterans such as Andreas Dresen, with his new comedy Summer in Berlin; Romuald Karmakar, with his record of pre-9/11 lectures at the Al Quds mosque (Hamburg Lectures); and Michael Verhoeven, with his eye-opening documentary about the complicity of the ordinary German soldier in the murder of civilians (The Unknown Soldier). New German Cinema remains lively, surprising, and unafraid. All films in German with English subtitles, unless otherwise noted.
Organized by Laurence Kardish, Senior Curator, Department of Film; in collaboration with German Films Service + Marketing (Munich), and its New York representative Oliver Mahrdt.
Presented with the support of the Goethe-Institute, New York and the German Consulate General in New York. Thanks to Christian Dorsch, Managing Director, and Nicole Kaufmann, Project Coordinator, German Films; and to all the distributors, producers, and directors participating in this series.