Is Harald Schmidt right?

Is it true that the only Oscar nomination German cinema stands the faintest chance of getting is for best catering in a Czech film production?

We beg to differ. Word is going round ever more feverishly that a new dawn is about to break for German films – well, for the short variety at least – and this time, they could just be right. To the patient, a great big heap of spoils. So, have we all been paying attention? Did everyone notice that five German short films have walked off with Oscars in the last 14 years? (And don‘t get me started on how many have been nominated over the years).
This suggests that it might be worthwhile crediting both the Ostrogoths and the Visigoths with the wherewithal to come up with films of some stature and significance.

Glory, glory, we are a somebody once more! But a who? With this and other similarly heavyweight tasks in hand, the viewing comittee plonked itself down to scour the horizon for the great technicolour hopes for tomorrow and, after ploughing through 700 submissions, we finally came up with a watertight case containing over two dozen reasons-to-be-hopeful. The table is laid and heaving with delicious fare and, as far as we are concerned, only the very best will do.

There will be plenty on offer - more than enough for everyone to gladly clap their eyes on - a vast assortment of films and styles showcasing the best from an extensive variety of bright-eyed hopefuls - more than can be said about that motley squad of German sportsfellows heading East in the quest for a tight bladder and bulging nets. However, Sepp Herberger was indeed right: an evening of German short films should be 90 minutes long and you only find out who’s won when the whole thing is over and done.

So, it’s showtime! Three programmes of films to be shown over six evenings are primed and eagerly awaiting their audiences - you know who you are. You know what counts, what a good film needs to become a great film, what distinguishes the best from the rest. And we know you know. So, a varied and entertaining brigade of candidates is now waiting for your answer to one simple question: who do you want to become a millionaire?

MADE IN GERMANY 1

Saturday, June 8th 2002, 11:00 pm, Metropolis
Thursday, June 13th 2002, 5.30 pm, Zeise 1
Friday, June 14th 2002, 6:00 pm, Elbe

1. Vegas
Maren Ade, Germany 2001, 10:03 Min., 16 mm, color, OV, short fiction
2. Salomon Grundy
Ali Eichelbach, Christian Meyer, Germany 2002, 1'40 Min., Betacam SP, color, engl. OV, Animation
3. Achtung – Die Achtung/Achtung – Respect
Michael Brynntrup, Germany 2001, 13'25 Min., 35 mm, color, without dialogue, Dolby SR, Experimentalfilm
4. Das Schloß/The Castle
Tine Kluth, Germany 2002, 15'00 Min., 35 mm, color, OV, Dolby Digital, Animation
5. heinz
Carsten Benger, Germany 2002, 3'40 Min., Mini DV, color, without dialogue, short fiction
6. Mit mir/With Me
Kerstin Cmelka, Germany/Austria 2000, 3'00 Min., 16 mm, color, stumm, Experimentalfilm
7. Kuscheldoktor/Wuppis
Anja Jacobs, Germany 2001, 20'30 Min., 35 mm, color, OV, short fiction
8. Entinen Mies
Lale Nalpantoglu, Germany 2001, 5'20 Min., Betacam SP, color, without dialogue, Dolby Stereo, Music-clip
9. Dufte/Great
Ingo Rasper, Germany 2001, 9'46 Min., 35 mm, color, OV w. engl. Subtitles, short fiction

MADE IN GERMANY 2

Sunday, June 9th 2002, 5.30 pm, Zeise 1
Thursday, June 13th 2002, 8.00 pm, Zeise 2
Friday, June 14th 2002, 8.00 pm, Elbe

1. Kampf dem Kino/Fight the Cinema
Gerd Gockell/Ute Heuer, Germany 2002, 5'00 Min., 35 mm, color, OV w. engl. subtitles, Dolby SR, Animation
2. Du und ich, wir könnten einander gehören/You and I, We Could Belong to Each Other
Sven Harguth, Germany 2002, 7'25 Min., 35 mm, color, Dolby SR, Episode Film
3. Hautnah/Skinflick
Thorsten Fleisch, Germany 2002, 7:30 Min., 16 mm, color, without dialogue, Experimentalfilm
4. Wahlverwandtschaften/Elective Affinities
Nils Loof, Germany 2001, 6'55 Min., 35 mm, color, OV w. engl. subtitles, Dolby SR, short fiction
5. Abgefahren!/Straight Ahead!
Matthias Luthardt, Germany 2001, 20:00 Min., color, OV, DV, Documentary
6. Zara
Stefanie Saghri, Germany 2002, 2'50 Min., 35 mm, color, without dialogue, Dolby SR, Animation
7. Paris Teltow
Hans-Friedrich Schimkönig, Germany 2001, 31:26 Min., Betacam SP, color, OV, short fiction
8. Das Rad/Rocks
Heidi Wittlinger/Chris Stenner/Arvid Uibel, Germany 2001, 8'45 Min., 35 mm, color, OV w. engl. subtitles, Dolby Digital, Animation

MADE IN GERMANY 3

Sunday, June 9th 2002, 8.00 pm, Metropolis
Friday, June 14th 2002, 3.00 pm, Metropolis
Saturday, June 15th 2002, 4.00 pm, Elbe

1. Camera
Kerstin Cmelka, Austria/Germany 2002, 9'00 Min., color, 16mm, Experimentalfilm
2. Kroko
Sylke Enders, Germany 2002, 29:30 Min., Betacam SP, color, OV, short fiction
3. Sofa
Hyekung Jung, Germany 2001, 3'00 Min., 35 mm, color, without dialogue, Dolby SR, Animation
4. Am See/At the Lake
Ulrike von Ribbeck, Germany 2002, 10'55 Min., 16 mm, color, OV, short fiction
5. Living Polaroids
Curtis Burz, Germany 2002, 9'40 Min., Mini DV, color & b/w, engl. OV, documentary short fiction
6. Handstand
Ruth Olshan, Germany 2000, 7'20 Min., 35 mm, color, OV, Dolby Stereo, short fiction
7. Road Movie
Harry Sachs, Germany 2001, 1'15 Min., 16 mm, color, without dialogue, short fiction
8. Hinten scheißt die Ente/The Duck Shits in the Back
Sabine Michel, Germany 2001, 13:10 Min., 35 mm, color, Dolby SR, short fiction