German Films celebrated its 70th anniversary at Cannes on Sunday, with its guests looking back but also looking forward.
“It has gotten much better,” Managing Director Simone Baumann told Variety at the event.
“We’ve had Oscar-winning ‘All Quiet on the Western Front,’ Oscar-nominated ‘The Teachers’ Lounge’ [for best international feature], films by Wim Wenders and with Sandra Hüller! Sure, Wim showed a Japanese movie and Sandra a French one [‘Perfect Days’ and ‘Anatomy of a Fall’], but it doesn’t matter: It’s more ‘mixed’ these days and I am proud of it, to be honest.”
At Cannes, 14 German productions and co-productions have been selected this year, including Match Factory’s main competition offerings “Motel Destino” by Karim Aïnouz – who also attended the bash – and Miguel Gomes’ “Grand Tour.” Run Way Pictures is behind Mohammad Rasoulof’s anticipated “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.”
As festivals get “more competitive,” underlines Baumann, international collabs are here to stay.
“It has gotten much better,” Managing Director Simone Baumann told Variety at the event.
“We’ve had Oscar-winning ‘All Quiet on the Western Front,’ Oscar-nominated ‘The Teachers’ Lounge’ [for best international feature], films by Wim Wenders and with Sandra Hüller! Sure, Wim showed a Japanese movie and Sandra a French one [‘Perfect Days’ and ‘Anatomy of a Fall’], but it doesn’t matter: It’s more ‘mixed’ these days and I am proud of it, to be honest.”
At Cannes, 14 German productions and co-productions have been selected this year, including Match Factory’s main competition offerings “Motel Destino” by Karim Aïnouz – who also attended the bash – and Miguel Gomes’ “Grand Tour.” Run Way Pictures is behind Mohammad Rasoulof’s anticipated “The Seed of the Sacred Fig.”
As festivals get “more competitive,” underlines Baumann, international collabs are here to stay.
- 5/20/2024
- by Marta Balaga
- Variety Film + TV
Sandra Hüller (a Best Actress nominee) and Christian Friedel, stars of Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest — nominated for Best Picture, Best International Picture, Director, Sound, and Adapted Screenplay — are familiar with Shakespeare’s famous verse from Hamlet: ”All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women are merely players …” That’s because both thespians have been playing the Danish prince on stages around Germany for years.
Due to Germany’s repertory system in city and state theaters, an actor can revisit an assortment of plays time after time over a number of years.
Friedel tells me that he first played the Dane in 2012. It’s a sort of rock star Hamlet performed with his band, Woods of Birnam. “It can take years until the piece is really finished,” he explains.
He adds that “It changes as you’re getting older,” an experience he feels with movies as well.
Due to Germany’s repertory system in city and state theaters, an actor can revisit an assortment of plays time after time over a number of years.
Friedel tells me that he first played the Dane in 2012. It’s a sort of rock star Hamlet performed with his band, Woods of Birnam. “It can take years until the piece is really finished,” he explains.
He adds that “It changes as you’re getting older,” an experience he feels with movies as well.
- 3/9/2024
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Be For Films has boarded “Yellow Letters,” the upcoming project of Ilker Çatak, whose film “The Teachers’ Lounge” is nominated for an Oscar in the international feature film category.
Set to start shooting this summer in Germany, “Yellow Letters” follows an artist couple Derya and Aziz who experiences the arbitrariness of the Turkish state and lose their jobs and livelihood overnight. The trade-off between their ideals and the necessities of life proves to be a challenge for their marriage.
Be For Films will introduce “Yellow Letters” to buyers at the European Film Market, which kicks off next week.
The film reteams Çatak with Be For Films. The Brussels-based company sold “The Teacher’s Lounge” around the world, including in the U.S. with Sony Pictures Classics. The movie went on to represent Germany in the international feature film race and won a Lola in Gold for best picture at the German Film Awards last year.
Set to start shooting this summer in Germany, “Yellow Letters” follows an artist couple Derya and Aziz who experiences the arbitrariness of the Turkish state and lose their jobs and livelihood overnight. The trade-off between their ideals and the necessities of life proves to be a challenge for their marriage.
Be For Films will introduce “Yellow Letters” to buyers at the European Film Market, which kicks off next week.
The film reteams Çatak with Be For Films. The Brussels-based company sold “The Teacher’s Lounge” around the world, including in the U.S. with Sony Pictures Classics. The movie went on to represent Germany in the international feature film race and won a Lola in Gold for best picture at the German Film Awards last year.
- 2/8/2024
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Ingo Fliess, producer of director Ilker Çatak’s German International Feature Film Oscar nominee The Teachers’ Lounge, tells Breaking Baz that he has partnered with Munich-based Trimafilm to explore “common” projects.
Fliess’ production outfit If… Productions will start work with Trimafilm on a prestige television mini-series being developed for Çatak and Eva Trobisch, who works alongside Trimafilm’s founder Mariko Minoguchi as a writer and director, and whose film Ivo will play at the forthcoming Berlinale.
Both the If… Productions and Trimafilm outfits enjoy a similar flair for smart and socially aware movies, and for passionately made documentaries. Trimafilm’s releases include the feature film All Is Well and the documentary Iron Butterflies.
Fliess explained that last year his company decided to share office space with Trimafilm while “remaining two independent companies” who are in constant exchange “of ideas about directors, scripts, about ideas and having many synergies.” He stressed,...
Fliess’ production outfit If… Productions will start work with Trimafilm on a prestige television mini-series being developed for Çatak and Eva Trobisch, who works alongside Trimafilm’s founder Mariko Minoguchi as a writer and director, and whose film Ivo will play at the forthcoming Berlinale.
Both the If… Productions and Trimafilm outfits enjoy a similar flair for smart and socially aware movies, and for passionately made documentaries. Trimafilm’s releases include the feature film All Is Well and the documentary Iron Butterflies.
Fliess explained that last year his company decided to share office space with Trimafilm while “remaining two independent companies” who are in constant exchange “of ideas about directors, scripts, about ideas and having many synergies.” He stressed,...
- 2/6/2024
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Exclusive: Filmmaker Ilker Çatak, whose terrific film The Teachers’ Lounge is Germany’s submission for Best International Feature at the 96th Academy Awards, wants to see and make films that provoke.
But what exactly does that mean?
Well, according to Çatak, most filmmakers, including himself, can feel a bit ‘same,’ despite best intentions. “We’re all kind of left-wing and woke, none of us are racist and we have the same values,” he begins during one of several conversations we’ve held over recent months at Telluride, TIFF and over email. “Sometimes I feel like I watch films, and they’re so safe. You know where the story’s going to, and I actually want to see films that sometimes provoke and are not aligned to my perception of the world.”
“I like it when a filmmaker makes a bold decision and risks something,” adds the director, whose credits include I Was,...
But what exactly does that mean?
Well, according to Çatak, most filmmakers, including himself, can feel a bit ‘same,’ despite best intentions. “We’re all kind of left-wing and woke, none of us are racist and we have the same values,” he begins during one of several conversations we’ve held over recent months at Telluride, TIFF and over email. “Sometimes I feel like I watch films, and they’re so safe. You know where the story’s going to, and I actually want to see films that sometimes provoke and are not aligned to my perception of the world.”
“I like it when a filmmaker makes a bold decision and risks something,” adds the director, whose credits include I Was,...
- 9/26/2023
- by Baz Bamigboye
- Deadline Film + TV
Los Angeles, Aug 24 (Ians) Signing up for the best International Feature from Germany, the country has picked Ilker Catak’s schoolroom drama ‘The Teachers’ Lounge’ to represent their work for the 2024 Oscars as part of the best international feature category.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, an independent jury picked the feature, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival this year, from a 12-title shortlist.
‘The Teachers Lounge’ has been a massive hit in Europe and film stars Leonie Benesch, and is produced by Ingo Fliess. The movie had its world premiere in Berlinale’s Panorama section, and won the Label Europa Cinemas prize.
Furthermore, it took five prizes at the German Film Awards, including the Lola in Gold for best feature film, and has been shortlisted for the European Film Award.
THR reported, Leonie Benesch stars in ‘The Teachers Lounge’ as an idealistic and ambitious young teacher who sees her...
According to The Hollywood Reporter, an independent jury picked the feature, which premiered at the Berlin Film Festival this year, from a 12-title shortlist.
‘The Teachers Lounge’ has been a massive hit in Europe and film stars Leonie Benesch, and is produced by Ingo Fliess. The movie had its world premiere in Berlinale’s Panorama section, and won the Label Europa Cinemas prize.
Furthermore, it took five prizes at the German Film Awards, including the Lola in Gold for best feature film, and has been shortlisted for the European Film Award.
THR reported, Leonie Benesch stars in ‘The Teachers Lounge’ as an idealistic and ambitious young teacher who sees her...
- 8/24/2023
- by Agency News Desk
- GlamSham
The film premeired in the Panorama section of the Berlinale 2023.
Ilker Çatak’s electrifying drama ’The Teachers’ Lounge’ is to represent Germany in the best international feature film category for the 96th Academy Awards.
The decision was taken by an independent nine-member jury drawn from various associations working within the German film industry after screenings of a total of 13 films in Munich over two days on August 22 and 23.
The jury said by nominating The Teachers’ Lounge it had chosen “a highly topical, universal feature film that is impossible to resist”, and pointed out director Çatak “is masterful in the way...
Ilker Çatak’s electrifying drama ’The Teachers’ Lounge’ is to represent Germany in the best international feature film category for the 96th Academy Awards.
The decision was taken by an independent nine-member jury drawn from various associations working within the German film industry after screenings of a total of 13 films in Munich over two days on August 22 and 23.
The jury said by nominating The Teachers’ Lounge it had chosen “a highly topical, universal feature film that is impossible to resist”, and pointed out director Çatak “is masterful in the way...
- 8/23/2023
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
German culture minister Claudia Roth is readying a major revision to Germany’s Film Law (the Ffg).
The German film industry has proposed fundamental changes to the country’s funding system.
The proposals come as German culture minister Claudia Roth and her Bkm ministry prepare for a major revision to Germany’s Film Law (the Ffg) which will come into effect from January 2025.
Earlier this year, Roth called for a fundamental reform of Germany’s €370m film funding system, saying that profound changes in the film landscape since the advent of the streamers, declining admissions and too much bureaucracy made far-reaching alterations necessary.
The German film industry has proposed fundamental changes to the country’s funding system.
The proposals come as German culture minister Claudia Roth and her Bkm ministry prepare for a major revision to Germany’s Film Law (the Ffg) which will come into effect from January 2025.
Earlier this year, Roth called for a fundamental reform of Germany’s €370m film funding system, saying that profound changes in the film landscape since the advent of the streamers, declining admissions and too much bureaucracy made far-reaching alterations necessary.
- 6/30/2023
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
It also won the prizes for best director, screenwiting, lead actress and editing.
Ilker Çatak’s The Teachers’ Lounge was the surprise winner of the German Film Awards’ top prize of the Golden Lola for best film, ahead of the Silver Lola for Edward Berger’s All Quiet On The Western Front and the Bronze Lola for Ali Abbasi’s thriller Holy Spider.
The fourth feature from Çatak stars Benesch as a teacher struggling to keep a situation under control in a secondary school also won best director for Çatak, best screenplay for Çatak and Johannes Duncker, best lead actress...
Ilker Çatak’s The Teachers’ Lounge was the surprise winner of the German Film Awards’ top prize of the Golden Lola for best film, ahead of the Silver Lola for Edward Berger’s All Quiet On The Western Front and the Bronze Lola for Ali Abbasi’s thriller Holy Spider.
The fourth feature from Çatak stars Benesch as a teacher struggling to keep a situation under control in a secondary school also won best director for Çatak, best screenplay for Çatak and Johannes Duncker, best lead actress...
- 5/13/2023
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
The Teachers’ Lounge, İlker Çatak’s unsettling look at a teacher at the end of her rope, beat our multi-Oscar winner All Quiet on the Western Front to win the top prize for best film at the 2023 German Film Awards, known as the Lolas.
Çatak won the best director Lola and his drama also picked up prizes for best screenplay and best editing, as well as the best actress nod for star Leonie Benesch.
But All Quiet did not go home empty-handed. The first German-language adaptation of the Erich Maria Remarque classic 1929 anti-war novel won nine Lolas, including the runner-up silver Lola for best film.
Holy Spider, Ali Abbasi’s Iranian serial killer movie, which premiered in Cannes last year and was largely financed out of Germany, won the third prize Lola in bronze.
This year’s Lolas were held amid an atmosphere of turbulence and soul-searching. Recent revelations about the behavior of Till Schweiger,...
Çatak won the best director Lola and his drama also picked up prizes for best screenplay and best editing, as well as the best actress nod for star Leonie Benesch.
But All Quiet did not go home empty-handed. The first German-language adaptation of the Erich Maria Remarque classic 1929 anti-war novel won nine Lolas, including the runner-up silver Lola for best film.
Holy Spider, Ali Abbasi’s Iranian serial killer movie, which premiered in Cannes last year and was largely financed out of Germany, won the third prize Lola in bronze.
This year’s Lolas were held amid an atmosphere of turbulence and soul-searching. Recent revelations about the behavior of Till Schweiger,...
- 5/12/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Striking while the iron is hot, multi Berlinale prize-winning filmmaker Ilker Çatak will be moving on to his next project later this year with a drama titled Yellow Letters. Screen Daily reports that locations in Hamburg, Berlin and most likely Turkey will be included in the project set for an autumn shoot. Haut et Court folks come onto the project as co-producers and the film will see Çatak reteam with if…Productions’ Ingo Fliess and his cinematographer Judith Kaufman. The Teachers’ Lounge played like gangbusters at the Berlinale.
Based on Çatak’s own screenplay (with contributions from Ayda Çatak and Enis Köstepen), Yellow Letters tells the story of an artist couple in Turkey who lose their jobs overnight due to arbitrary state action and start to live in exile.…...
Based on Çatak’s own screenplay (with contributions from Ayda Çatak and Enis Köstepen), Yellow Letters tells the story of an artist couple in Turkey who lose their jobs overnight due to arbitrary state action and start to live in exile.…...
- 3/20/2023
- by Eric Lavallée
- IONCINEMA.com
Project is set to film in Germany in autumn 2023.
The Teachers’ Lounge director Ilker Çatak is reteaming with producer Ingo Fliess of if…Productions and cinematographer Judith Kaufman for his next feature, Yellow Letters.
Paris-based Haut et Court is on board as a co-producer and distributor in France and Alamode as distributor in Germany.
Set to shoot in Hamburg and Berlin from autumn 2023, Yellow Letters tells the story of an artist couple in Turkey who lose their jobs overnight due to arbitrary state action and start to live in exile. Together with their growing daughter, they fight for a life...
The Teachers’ Lounge director Ilker Çatak is reteaming with producer Ingo Fliess of if…Productions and cinematographer Judith Kaufman for his next feature, Yellow Letters.
Paris-based Haut et Court is on board as a co-producer and distributor in France and Alamode as distributor in Germany.
Set to shoot in Hamburg and Berlin from autumn 2023, Yellow Letters tells the story of an artist couple in Turkey who lose their jobs overnight due to arbitrary state action and start to live in exile. Together with their growing daughter, they fight for a life...
- 3/20/2023
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
Leonie Benesch as an idealistic young teacher who tries to get to the bottom of a series of thefts.
Curzon FIlm has acquired UK and Ireland rights to İlker Çatak’s The Teachers’ Lounge from Brussels-based sales company Be For Films.
The Berlin Panorama title has also sold to King Records for Japan, Nonstop Entertainment for Scandinavia, Alambique for Portugal, Lighthouse Film Distribution for Singapore and Light Year Images for Taiwan.
The film stars Leonie Benesch as an idealistic young teacher who tries to get to the bottom of a series of thefts at the high school where she works.
Curzon FIlm has acquired UK and Ireland rights to İlker Çatak’s The Teachers’ Lounge from Brussels-based sales company Be For Films.
The Berlin Panorama title has also sold to King Records for Japan, Nonstop Entertainment for Scandinavia, Alambique for Portugal, Lighthouse Film Distribution for Singapore and Light Year Images for Taiwan.
The film stars Leonie Benesch as an idealistic young teacher who tries to get to the bottom of a series of thefts at the high school where she works.
- 3/10/2023
- by Louise Tutt
- ScreenDaily
Sony Pictures Classics has bought “The Teachers’ Lounge,” Ilker Çatak’s drama which world premiered at the Berlin Film Festival, for North America, Latin America and Eastern Europe (excluding Hungary).
“The Teachers’ Lounge” marks the fourth feature from Çatak, who co-wrote the screenplay with Johannes Duncker. The movie played in the Panorama section and won the Europa Cinemas Label award for Best European film, as well as the Cicae Arthouse Cinema Award.
Produced by Ingo Fliess and shot by award-winning cinematographer Judith Kaufmann (“Corsage”), “The Teachers’ Lounge” stars Leonine Benesch (“The Crown”), Michael Klammer, Rafael Stachowiak, and Eva Löbau.
Benesch stars in the film as Carla Nowak, a dedicated sports and math teacher who starts her first job at a school. She stands out among the new staff because of her idealism. When a series of thefts occur at the school and one of her students is suspected, she decides...
“The Teachers’ Lounge” marks the fourth feature from Çatak, who co-wrote the screenplay with Johannes Duncker. The movie played in the Panorama section and won the Europa Cinemas Label award for Best European film, as well as the Cicae Arthouse Cinema Award.
Produced by Ingo Fliess and shot by award-winning cinematographer Judith Kaufmann (“Corsage”), “The Teachers’ Lounge” stars Leonine Benesch (“The Crown”), Michael Klammer, Rafael Stachowiak, and Eva Löbau.
Benesch stars in the film as Carla Nowak, a dedicated sports and math teacher who starts her first job at a school. She stands out among the new staff because of her idealism. When a series of thefts occur at the school and one of her students is suspected, she decides...
- 3/2/2023
- by Elsa Keslassy
- Variety Film + TV
Leonie Benesch stars as idealistic teacher in Ilker Çatak’s fourth feature.
Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all media rights in North America, Latin America and Eastern Europe excluding Hungary to Ilker Çatak’s Berlin Panorama award winner The Teachers’ Lounge.
Çatak’s fourth feature won the Europa Cinemas Label award for Best European film in the Panorama as well as the Cicae Arthouse Cinema Award and stars Leonie Benesch stars as an idealistic sports and maths teacher.
When one of her students is suspected of being behind a series of thefts the teacher investigates and comes under intense pressure from all sides.
Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all media rights in North America, Latin America and Eastern Europe excluding Hungary to Ilker Çatak’s Berlin Panorama award winner The Teachers’ Lounge.
Çatak’s fourth feature won the Europa Cinemas Label award for Best European film in the Panorama as well as the Cicae Arthouse Cinema Award and stars Leonie Benesch stars as an idealistic sports and maths teacher.
When one of her students is suspected of being behind a series of thefts the teacher investigates and comes under intense pressure from all sides.
- 3/2/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
Sony Pictures Classics has picked up all rights in North America, Latin America and European Europe (excluding Hungary) to the Ilker Çatak drama The Teachers’ Lounge, which won both the Europa Cinemas Label award and the Cicae Arthouse Cinema award at this year’s Berlin Film Festival.
The news comes just a day after the SPC acquisition announcement for The Miracle Club, a Dublin-shot feature starring Laura Linney, Maggie Smith and Kathy Bates.
Related Story 2023 Independent Spirits’ Best Feature Contender ‘Our Father, The Devil’ Acquired By Cinedigm Related Story Laura Linney Comedy 'The Miracle Club' Acquired By Sony Pictures Classics Related Story Sony Pictures Classics Sets Yogi Berra Doc 'It Ain't Over' For Theatrical Release
Çatak’s fourth feature The Teachers’ Lounge watches as dedicated sports and math teacher Carla Nowak (The White Ribbon‘s Leonie Benesch) starts her first job at a school. She stands...
The news comes just a day after the SPC acquisition announcement for The Miracle Club, a Dublin-shot feature starring Laura Linney, Maggie Smith and Kathy Bates.
Related Story 2023 Independent Spirits’ Best Feature Contender ‘Our Father, The Devil’ Acquired By Cinedigm Related Story Laura Linney Comedy 'The Miracle Club' Acquired By Sony Pictures Classics Related Story Sony Pictures Classics Sets Yogi Berra Doc 'It Ain't Over' For Theatrical Release
Çatak’s fourth feature The Teachers’ Lounge watches as dedicated sports and math teacher Carla Nowak (The White Ribbon‘s Leonie Benesch) starts her first job at a school. She stands...
- 3/2/2023
- by Matt Grobar
- Deadline Film + TV
Leonie Benesch stars as idealistic teacher in Ilker Çatak’s fourth feature.
Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all media rights in North America, Latin America and Eastern Europe excluding Hungary to Ilker Çatak’s Berlin Panorama award winner The Teachers’ Lounge.
Çatak’s fourth feature won the Europa Cinemas Label award for Best European film in the Panorama as well as the Cicae Arthouse Cinema Award and stars Leonie Benesch stars as an idealistic sports and maths teacher.
When one of her students is suspected of being behind a series of thefts the teacher investigates and comes under intense pressure from all sides.
Sony Pictures Classics has acquired all media rights in North America, Latin America and Eastern Europe excluding Hungary to Ilker Çatak’s Berlin Panorama award winner The Teachers’ Lounge.
Çatak’s fourth feature won the Europa Cinemas Label award for Best European film in the Panorama as well as the Cicae Arthouse Cinema Award and stars Leonie Benesch stars as an idealistic sports and maths teacher.
When one of her students is suspected of being behind a series of thefts the teacher investigates and comes under intense pressure from all sides.
- 3/2/2023
- by Jeremy Kay
- ScreenDaily
İlker Çatak’s The Teachers‘ Lounge, a German drama set in a primary school, has won the Europa Cinemas Label as Best European film in the Panorama section of the 2023 Berlin International Film Festival.
Leonie Benesch (Babylon Berlin, Around the World in 80 Days) stars in The Teacher’s Lounge as an idealistic and ambitious young teacher who finds herself at odds with fellow teachers, parents and an inflexible and frustrating bureaucracy. Leonard Stettnisch, Eva Löbau, Michael Klammer, Anne-Kathrin Gummich, Kathrin Wehlisch, Uygar Tamer, and Özgür Karadeniz co-star.
“The film explores key subjects like the prevalence of bureaucracy in schools and issues of race and class, but above all it is a compelling rollercoaster of a drama,” the Europa Cinemas jury said in a statement.
The Europa Cinemas prize is backed the Europa Cinemas theatre network, an association of independent theater owners, representing more than 3,000 screens in over 700 cities across Europe,...
Leonie Benesch (Babylon Berlin, Around the World in 80 Days) stars in The Teacher’s Lounge as an idealistic and ambitious young teacher who finds herself at odds with fellow teachers, parents and an inflexible and frustrating bureaucracy. Leonard Stettnisch, Eva Löbau, Michael Klammer, Anne-Kathrin Gummich, Kathrin Wehlisch, Uygar Tamer, and Özgür Karadeniz co-star.
“The film explores key subjects like the prevalence of bureaucracy in schools and issues of race and class, but above all it is a compelling rollercoaster of a drama,” the Europa Cinemas jury said in a statement.
The Europa Cinemas prize is backed the Europa Cinemas theatre network, an association of independent theater owners, representing more than 3,000 screens in over 700 cities across Europe,...
- 2/25/2023
- by Scott Roxborough
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Ilker Çatak’s ‘The Teachers’ Lounge’ Wins Europa Cinemas Prize In Berlin
Ilker Çatak’s The Teachers‘ Lounge has won the Europa Cinemas Label as Best European film in the Berlinale’s Panorama section. The award was voted on by a jury of four exhibitors from the Europa Cinemas network consisting of Marius Bălănescu (Cinema Victoria, Cluj-Napoca, Romania), Will Fitzgerald (Pálás, Galway, Ireland), Tanja Helm (Cinematograph & Leokino, Innsbruck, Austria) and Ola Starmach (Kino Pod Baranami, Kraków, Poland). Members of the Europa Cinemas network will receive a financial incentive when they program the film, ensuring it a wider release. “The Teachers‘ Lounge is an intense and very well-made drama set in a German primary school. The film explores key subjects like the prevalence of bureaucracy in schools and issues of race and class, but above all, it is a compelling rollercoaster of a drama,” read the jury statement. The title is...
Ilker Çatak’s The Teachers‘ Lounge has won the Europa Cinemas Label as Best European film in the Berlinale’s Panorama section. The award was voted on by a jury of four exhibitors from the Europa Cinemas network consisting of Marius Bălănescu (Cinema Victoria, Cluj-Napoca, Romania), Will Fitzgerald (Pálás, Galway, Ireland), Tanja Helm (Cinematograph & Leokino, Innsbruck, Austria) and Ola Starmach (Kino Pod Baranami, Kraków, Poland). Members of the Europa Cinemas network will receive a financial incentive when they program the film, ensuring it a wider release. “The Teachers‘ Lounge is an intense and very well-made drama set in a German primary school. The film explores key subjects like the prevalence of bureaucracy in schools and issues of race and class, but above all, it is a compelling rollercoaster of a drama,” read the jury statement. The title is...
- 2/24/2023
- by Melanie Goodfellow
- Deadline Film + TV
Film has secured multiple deals in Europe and beyond.
Brussels-based sales company Be For Films has agreed multiple deals for İlker Çatak’s The Teachers’ Lounge, which recently world premiered in the Panorama section of the Berlinale.
The film, which stars Leonie Benesch, has sold in Europe to France (Tandem), Benelux (Cineart), Italy (Lucky Red), Spain (A Contracorriente), Greece (Cinobo), Hungary (Mozinet) and Switzerland (Filmcoopi).
It has also sold to Madman for Australia and New Zealand, New Cinema in Israel, Bir Film in Turkey, Moving Turtle for Mena and Dhl Studio in South Korea.
Be For Films says discussions are ongoing for the USA,...
Brussels-based sales company Be For Films has agreed multiple deals for İlker Çatak’s The Teachers’ Lounge, which recently world premiered in the Panorama section of the Berlinale.
The film, which stars Leonie Benesch, has sold in Europe to France (Tandem), Benelux (Cineart), Italy (Lucky Red), Spain (A Contracorriente), Greece (Cinobo), Hungary (Mozinet) and Switzerland (Filmcoopi).
It has also sold to Madman for Australia and New Zealand, New Cinema in Israel, Bir Film in Turkey, Moving Turtle for Mena and Dhl Studio in South Korea.
Be For Films says discussions are ongoing for the USA,...
- 2/21/2023
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
İlker Çatak’s fourth feature stars Leonie Benesch.
Brussels-based sales company Be For Films has boarded İlker Çatak’s The Teachers’ Lounge, which world premieres in the Panorama section at next month’s Berlinale.
The film stars Leonie Benesch as an idealistic young teacher who tries to get to the bottom of a series of thefts at the high school where she works. But she reaches breaking point as she finds herself mediating between outraged parents, opinionated colleagues and aggressive students. Benesch made her name in Michael Haneke’s award-winning drama The White Ribbon, and has since gone on to star in The Crown,...
Brussels-based sales company Be For Films has boarded İlker Çatak’s The Teachers’ Lounge, which world premieres in the Panorama section at next month’s Berlinale.
The film stars Leonie Benesch as an idealistic young teacher who tries to get to the bottom of a series of thefts at the high school where she works. But she reaches breaking point as she finds herself mediating between outraged parents, opinionated colleagues and aggressive students. Benesch made her name in Michael Haneke’s award-winning drama The White Ribbon, and has since gone on to star in The Crown,...
- 1/27/2023
- by Tim Dams
- ScreenDaily
The sci-fi satire is Sophie Linnenbaum’s graduation film.
Sophie Linnenbaum’s sci-fi satire The Ordinaries was one of the big winners at this year’s Filmfest München, picking up the German Cinema New Talent Award for best director and best producer for Britta Strampe and Laura Klippel of the Berlin-based production house Bandenfilm.
The Ordinaires is Linnenbaum’s graduation film from the Film University Babelsberg.
“You have to rub your eyes in amazement: this is supposed to be a graduation made at a university? The Ordinaries has what feels like a multimillion-dollar budget,” enthused the jury of producer-director Sönke Wortmann,...
Sophie Linnenbaum’s sci-fi satire The Ordinaries was one of the big winners at this year’s Filmfest München, picking up the German Cinema New Talent Award for best director and best producer for Britta Strampe and Laura Klippel of the Berlin-based production house Bandenfilm.
The Ordinaires is Linnenbaum’s graduation film from the Film University Babelsberg.
“You have to rub your eyes in amazement: this is supposed to be a graduation made at a university? The Ordinaries has what feels like a multimillion-dollar budget,” enthused the jury of producer-director Sönke Wortmann,...
- 7/4/2022
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
Ilker Çatak-directed feature will have its world premiere at the Munich International Film Festival.
Copenhagen-based LevelK has acquired world sales rights for German drama I Was, I Am, I Will Be (Es Gilt Das Gesprochene Wort), which will have its world premiere at the Munich International Film Festival.
The deal marks LevelK’s first German feature.
Ilker Çatak directs and co-writes with Nils Mohl. The story follows a Turkish gigolo who meets a German pilot on the beaches of Marmaris.
Çatak said, ”A Turkish gigolo meets a German pilot… With that premise, we instantly knew that such a relationship...
Copenhagen-based LevelK has acquired world sales rights for German drama I Was, I Am, I Will Be (Es Gilt Das Gesprochene Wort), which will have its world premiere at the Munich International Film Festival.
The deal marks LevelK’s first German feature.
Ilker Çatak directs and co-writes with Nils Mohl. The story follows a Turkish gigolo who meets a German pilot on the beaches of Marmaris.
Çatak said, ”A Turkish gigolo meets a German pilot… With that premise, we instantly knew that such a relationship...
- 6/17/2019
- by Wendy Mitchell
- ScreenDaily
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.