This spring the Goethe-Institut New Zealand will be celebrating the 8th German Film Festival. Cinema-goers can look forward to the best new releases from Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Admission to all films is free of charge.
The festival will kick off in Wellington (21-24 Sept), followed by Christchurch (28 Sept & 1 Oct), Dunedin (1-2 Oct), New Plymouth (4-9 Oct) and Auckland (10-16 Oct).
Headlining the programme is a legal thriller that dramatizes the hunt for Nazi war criminal Adolf Eichmann. It tells the story of lawyer Fritz Bauer who took on the West German establishment in order to bring Eichmann to justice. Bauer faced blackmail and intimidation from powerful figures intent on protecting former Nazis within their own ranks. Directed by Lars Kraume, The People vs Fritz Bauer picked up six Lola statuettes including Best Film, Best Screenplay and Best Director at this year’s German Film Awards. Burghart Klaussner (Bridge of Spies, The White Ribbon) stars as Bauer.
Other highlights include Fukushima, mon amour from acclaimed director Doris Dörrie. Beautifully shot in black and white, the film is a haunting exploration of human survival in the aftermath of nuclear disaster.
Me and Kaminski reunites the director and star of Good Bye, Lenin! for a fantastically entertaining journey through life and art. Daniel Brühl (Captain America: Civil War) plays an unscrupulous journalist determined to make his name with a biography of a blind painter – who turns out to see straight through him.
The full line-up – including documentaries, drama, comedy and a fresh new adaption of a children’s classic – will be announced in August.
All ten films will screen in their original language with English subtitles.
Visit the Goethe-Institut website for more info
