“System Crasher,” Nora Fingscheidt’s social drama about a troubled young girl, swept the 70th German Film Awards on Friday, winning a total of eight Lolas, including best film, director, actress and actor.
Forced to revamp this year’s ceremony due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the German Film Academy did away with its traditional gala event and instead produced a stripped-down show tailor-made for television that proved uniquely spontaneous, innovative and entertaining.
Hosted by actor Edin Hasanovic (“Skylines”), the show, broadcast live from Berlin and airing on Ard’s Das Erste, featured guest entertainers, actors and presenters in the studio as well as filmmakers, award winners and musicians taking part via video feed from their homes, including a musical performance by Gregory Porter from Los Angeles.
In addition to best film and director awards, “System Crasher” won Fingscheidt the screenplay Lola, best actress for Helena Zengel, supporting actress for...
Forced to revamp this year’s ceremony due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the German Film Academy did away with its traditional gala event and instead produced a stripped-down show tailor-made for television that proved uniquely spontaneous, innovative and entertaining.
Hosted by actor Edin Hasanovic (“Skylines”), the show, broadcast live from Berlin and airing on Ard’s Das Erste, featured guest entertainers, actors and presenters in the studio as well as filmmakers, award winners and musicians taking part via video feed from their homes, including a musical performance by Gregory Porter from Los Angeles.
In addition to best film and director awards, “System Crasher” won Fingscheidt the screenplay Lola, best actress for Helena Zengel, supporting actress for...
- 4/25/2020
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
Exclusive: Martin Schreier’s Dreamfactory, the period romantic drama that grossed close to $1m in its local market last year, has sold to the U.S. with German company Capelight partnering with Mpi for the North American release.
The deal, struck with Berlin-based agent Picture Tree International, is a similar one to Capelight’s earlier acquisition of German pic The Collini Case, which it will release this year again in collaboration with Mpi. Capelight also recently handled the U.S. release of South Korean action blockbuster Ashfall in December, grossing close to $400,000.
The distributor is planning an English language dub of Dreamfactory. Set in 1961, the movie follows a young studio extra’s ambitious efforts to reunite with the French girl he loves after being separated by the construction of the Berlin Wall.
Dreamfactory (German title Traumfabrik) comes from German outfit Traumfabrik Babelsberg, founded by Tom Zickler with Christoph Fisser, Vice...
The deal, struck with Berlin-based agent Picture Tree International, is a similar one to Capelight’s earlier acquisition of German pic The Collini Case, which it will release this year again in collaboration with Mpi. Capelight also recently handled the U.S. release of South Korean action blockbuster Ashfall in December, grossing close to $400,000.
The distributor is planning an English language dub of Dreamfactory. Set in 1961, the movie follows a young studio extra’s ambitious efforts to reunite with the French girl he loves after being separated by the construction of the Berlin Wall.
Dreamfactory (German title Traumfabrik) comes from German outfit Traumfabrik Babelsberg, founded by Tom Zickler with Christoph Fisser, Vice...
- 2/20/2020
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
A loving tribute to Studio Babelsberg, the story of a family’s escape from Nazi Germany, a moving drama about young Palestinians and Israelis working together, and an adaptation of Terry Pratchett’s children’s novel “The Amazing Maurice” are among a wide-ranging selection of German films on offer at Afm this year.
Leading sales companies are presenting the gamut of romantic dramas, arthouse works, high-profile literary adaptations, family films and animated pics.
Picture Tree Intl. presents Martin Schreier’s “Traumfabrik,” a period-piece love letter to East Germany’s famed Defa film studios, now known as Studio Babelsberg. Produced by the late Tom Zickler, the romantic drama follows a young studio extra’s ambitious efforts to reunite with the French girl he loves after being separated by the construction of the Berlin Wall. The film, which opens the 50th Goa Film Festival on Nov. 20, has already sold in major territories around the world,...
Leading sales companies are presenting the gamut of romantic dramas, arthouse works, high-profile literary adaptations, family films and animated pics.
Picture Tree Intl. presents Martin Schreier’s “Traumfabrik,” a period-piece love letter to East Germany’s famed Defa film studios, now known as Studio Babelsberg. Produced by the late Tom Zickler, the romantic drama follows a young studio extra’s ambitious efforts to reunite with the French girl he loves after being separated by the construction of the Berlin Wall. The film, which opens the 50th Goa Film Festival on Nov. 20, has already sold in major territories around the world,...
- 11/8/2019
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
Zickler best known for collaborations with actor Til Schweiger, including box office hits ’Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door’ and ’Barefoot’.
The German film community is mourning producer Tom Zickler, who died aged 55 on Monday (September 2) after a brief, but very severe illness.
“We are stunned, devastated and deeply sad,” Christoph Fisser, board member of Studio Babelsberg and co-managing director with Zickler of Traumfabrik Babelsberg, said. ”The German film landscape loses one of the greatest film producers and most passionate storytellers, who knew like no other how to enthral the audience. Cinema was his life. Far too early We have to...
The German film community is mourning producer Tom Zickler, who died aged 55 on Monday (September 2) after a brief, but very severe illness.
“We are stunned, devastated and deeply sad,” Christoph Fisser, board member of Studio Babelsberg and co-managing director with Zickler of Traumfabrik Babelsberg, said. ”The German film landscape loses one of the greatest film producers and most passionate storytellers, who knew like no other how to enthral the audience. Cinema was his life. Far too early We have to...
- 9/4/2019
- by Martin Blaney
- ScreenDaily
Tom Zickler, a German film producer who teamed with star actor-director Til Schweiger to create some of the most successful German films of the last 20 years, has died. He was 55.
Studio Babelsberg, the German backlot with whom Zickler set up a production joint venture, Traumfabrik Babelsberg in 2017, confirmed Zickler died Monday after a brief illness.
“We are stunned, upset and deeply sad,” said Studio Babelsberg head Christoph Fisser in a statement. “The German film scene loses one of its biggest film producers and the most passionate storytellers who knew how to thrill audiences like ...
Studio Babelsberg, the German backlot with whom Zickler set up a production joint venture, Traumfabrik Babelsberg in 2017, confirmed Zickler died Monday after a brief illness.
“We are stunned, upset and deeply sad,” said Studio Babelsberg head Christoph Fisser in a statement. “The German film scene loses one of its biggest film producers and the most passionate storytellers who knew how to thrill audiences like ...
Tom Zickler, a German film producer who teamed with star actor-director Til Schweiger to create some of the most successful German films of the last 20 years, has died. He was 55.
Studio Babelsberg, the German backlot with whom Zickler set up a production joint venture, Traumfabrik Babelsberg in 2017, confirmed Zickler died Monday after a brief illness.
“We are stunned, upset and deeply sad,” said Studio Babelsberg head Christoph Fisser in a statement. “The German film scene loses one of its biggest film producers and the most passionate storytellers who knew how to thrill audiences like ...
Studio Babelsberg, the German backlot with whom Zickler set up a production joint venture, Traumfabrik Babelsberg in 2017, confirmed Zickler died Monday after a brief illness.
“We are stunned, upset and deeply sad,” said Studio Babelsberg head Christoph Fisser in a statement. “The German film scene loses one of its biggest film producers and the most passionate storytellers who knew how to thrill audiences like ...
Picture Tree Intl. has clinched first deals on romantic drama “Traumfabrik,” which is produced by Tom Zickler, the former producing partner of German star Till Schweiger.
The film has been picked up by Leomus in China; Flins & Piniculas in Spain; Lev Films/Shani Film in Israel; Taiwan in Moviecloud; Media Squad in Czech Rep., Hungary and Poland; Encore in Global Airline; and Rocket Releasing in Cis. As previously announced, the film will release in Germany with Tobis Film.
Picture Tree is in ongoing negotiations for further key territories.
The pic is the first from new production company Traumfabrik Babelberg, headed by Zickler, formerly a producer at Schweiger’s Barefoot, and Christoph Fisser, CEO of Berlin production facility Studio Babelsberg.
Set in 1961 at Berlin’s Defa movie studios (since renamed Studio Babelsberg), Martin Schreier’s third feature centers on bit-part actor Emil (Dennis Mojen) and beautiful French dancer Milou (Emilia Schüle...
The film has been picked up by Leomus in China; Flins & Piniculas in Spain; Lev Films/Shani Film in Israel; Taiwan in Moviecloud; Media Squad in Czech Rep., Hungary and Poland; Encore in Global Airline; and Rocket Releasing in Cis. As previously announced, the film will release in Germany with Tobis Film.
Picture Tree is in ongoing negotiations for further key territories.
The pic is the first from new production company Traumfabrik Babelberg, headed by Zickler, formerly a producer at Schweiger’s Barefoot, and Christoph Fisser, CEO of Berlin production facility Studio Babelsberg.
Set in 1961 at Berlin’s Defa movie studios (since renamed Studio Babelsberg), Martin Schreier’s third feature centers on bit-part actor Emil (Dennis Mojen) and beautiful French dancer Milou (Emilia Schüle...
- 5/20/2019
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
“Traumfabrik” marks the return of one of Germany’s most successful producers back onto the film stage in more ways than one.
A period-piece love letter to East Germany’s famed Defa film studios, now known as Studio Babelsberg, “Traumfabrik” is a romantic drama set in 1961 that follows a young studio extra’s ambitious efforts to reunite with the French girl he loves after being separated by the construction of the Berlin Wall.
It’s also the name of a new Studio Babelsberg shingle headed by veteran producer Tom Zickler and Christoph Fisser, Studio Babelsberg vice president and COO.
Zickler launched the joint venture in 2017 after nearly 20 years of working with actor-director Til Schweiger on some of Germany’s most successful films of the past two decades. Overseeing production at Barefoot Films and Mr. Brown Entertainment, Zickler produced such hits as 1997’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”; 2010’s “Friendship!” and 2014’s “Head Full of Honey.
A period-piece love letter to East Germany’s famed Defa film studios, now known as Studio Babelsberg, “Traumfabrik” is a romantic drama set in 1961 that follows a young studio extra’s ambitious efforts to reunite with the French girl he loves after being separated by the construction of the Berlin Wall.
It’s also the name of a new Studio Babelsberg shingle headed by veteran producer Tom Zickler and Christoph Fisser, Studio Babelsberg vice president and COO.
Zickler launched the joint venture in 2017 after nearly 20 years of working with actor-director Til Schweiger on some of Germany’s most successful films of the past two decades. Overseeing production at Barefoot Films and Mr. Brown Entertainment, Zickler produced such hits as 1997’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door”; 2010’s “Friendship!” and 2014’s “Head Full of Honey.
- 5/13/2019
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
Picture Tree Intl. has acquired international sales rights to romantic drama “Traumfabrik,” which will be released in Germany by Tobis Film, in cooperation with Telepool. Pti will hold a private screening of the film for buyers in Cannes.
The pic is the first from new production company Traumfabrik Babelberg, headed by Tom Zickler, formerly a producer with German star Till Schweiger’s production company, Barefoot, and Christoph Fisser, CEO of Berlin production facility Studio Babelsberg.
Set in 1961 at Berlin’s Defa movie studios (since renamed Studio Babelsberg), Martin Schreier’s third feature centers on bit-part actor Emil (Dennis Mojen) and beautiful French dancer Milou (Emilia Schüle), who fall in love during the shooting of a film. When the border between East and West Germany is closed and construction begins on the Berlin Wall, the lovers are left stranded on opposite sides of the border. Emil hatches a crazy plan to be reunited with Milou.
The pic is the first from new production company Traumfabrik Babelberg, headed by Tom Zickler, formerly a producer with German star Till Schweiger’s production company, Barefoot, and Christoph Fisser, CEO of Berlin production facility Studio Babelsberg.
Set in 1961 at Berlin’s Defa movie studios (since renamed Studio Babelsberg), Martin Schreier’s third feature centers on bit-part actor Emil (Dennis Mojen) and beautiful French dancer Milou (Emilia Schüle), who fall in love during the shooting of a film. When the border between East and West Germany is closed and construction begins on the Berlin Wall, the lovers are left stranded on opposite sides of the border. Emil hatches a crazy plan to be reunited with Milou.
- 5/6/2019
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
“Dark” creators Baran bo Odar (left) and Jantje Friese (right), “Berlin Station” actress Emilia Schuele and actor Nikolai Kinski, and Michael Mueller, Mayor of Berlin, were among the guests at the Studio Babelsberg Night Friday at Berlin’s Soho House. Hosting the event were Studio Babelsberg’s president and CEO, Charlie Woebcken, and its COO, Christoph Fisser. Canada Goose was event partner.
Speaking about Babelsberg’s year ahead, Fisser said: “We are in talks for several international and German productions, including feature films and high-end drama series, like the third season of Netflix’s ‘Dark.'”
He added: “We hope that Germany’s film production support system will continue to improve in order to meet the demands of a variety of productions.”
Other guests included actresses Franka Potente, Lea van Acken, Antje Traue, Claudia Michelsen, Iris Berben, Heike Makatsch, Nora von Waldstaetten, Christiane Paul and Jessica Schwarz.
The actors present included Mark Waschke,...
Speaking about Babelsberg’s year ahead, Fisser said: “We are in talks for several international and German productions, including feature films and high-end drama series, like the third season of Netflix’s ‘Dark.'”
He added: “We hope that Germany’s film production support system will continue to improve in order to meet the demands of a variety of productions.”
Other guests included actresses Franka Potente, Lea van Acken, Antje Traue, Claudia Michelsen, Iris Berben, Heike Makatsch, Nora von Waldstaetten, Christiane Paul and Jessica Schwarz.
The actors present included Mark Waschke,...
- 2/10/2019
- by Leo Barraclough
- Variety Film + TV
Toni Erdmann star Sandra Hüller features in latest project from the director of Friendship!.
Sony’s Deutsche Columbia Pictures Filmproduktion and Studio Babelsberg’s in-house production arm Traumfabrik Babelsberg are co-producing Friendship! director Markus Goller’s latest feature project 25 Km/H, which began shooting in Baden-Württemberg this week.
The road movie stars Lars Eidinger (The Bloom of Yesterday), Bjarne Mädel (Tatortreiniger), Sandra Hüller (Toni Erdmann), Alexandra Maria Lara (Rush) and Jella Haase (Fack Ju Göhte).
The project is the first to go into production for Goller and screenwriter Oliver Ziegenbalg’s recently formed production company Sunny Side Up, and is also in co-production with Deutsche Columbia, Pictures in a Frame, Mythos Film, Traumfabrik Babelsberg and the single-purpose company 26th Babelsberg Film.
25 Km/H is Goller and Ziegenbalg’s first collaboration since their 2010 film Friendship! which was the most successful German film of that year with more than 1.5 million admissions.
That film was produced by The Live Of...
Sony’s Deutsche Columbia Pictures Filmproduktion and Studio Babelsberg’s in-house production arm Traumfabrik Babelsberg are co-producing Friendship! director Markus Goller’s latest feature project 25 Km/H, which began shooting in Baden-Württemberg this week.
The road movie stars Lars Eidinger (The Bloom of Yesterday), Bjarne Mädel (Tatortreiniger), Sandra Hüller (Toni Erdmann), Alexandra Maria Lara (Rush) and Jella Haase (Fack Ju Göhte).
The project is the first to go into production for Goller and screenwriter Oliver Ziegenbalg’s recently formed production company Sunny Side Up, and is also in co-production with Deutsche Columbia, Pictures in a Frame, Mythos Film, Traumfabrik Babelsberg and the single-purpose company 26th Babelsberg Film.
25 Km/H is Goller and Ziegenbalg’s first collaboration since their 2010 film Friendship! which was the most successful German film of that year with more than 1.5 million admissions.
That film was produced by The Live Of...
- 8/4/2017
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Production lot has previously housed international productions including Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel.
Studio Babelsberg is returning to the development of in-house German-language production and co-productions with local producers.
To this end, the studios on the outskirts of Berlin have set up a joint production outfit, Traumfabrik Babelsberg GmbH (literally translated as Dream Factory Babelsberg) with producer Tom Zickler, who left Barefoot Films (which he co-founded with actor-filmmaker Til Schweiger) last summer after 12 years.
The studio’s new production arm, which will be managed by Zickler with Studio Babelsberg’s vice president and COO Christoph Fisser, begins operations on February 1, 2017.
For Zickler, this new venture will be a form of homecoming. He worked on the studio lot in the mid-1980s when it was the East German state-run Defa Studios.
In addition, the Babelsberg studio lot was also the address for his first production company before he joined forces with Schweiger and actor André Hennicke in 1996 to...
Studio Babelsberg is returning to the development of in-house German-language production and co-productions with local producers.
To this end, the studios on the outskirts of Berlin have set up a joint production outfit, Traumfabrik Babelsberg GmbH (literally translated as Dream Factory Babelsberg) with producer Tom Zickler, who left Barefoot Films (which he co-founded with actor-filmmaker Til Schweiger) last summer after 12 years.
The studio’s new production arm, which will be managed by Zickler with Studio Babelsberg’s vice president and COO Christoph Fisser, begins operations on February 1, 2017.
For Zickler, this new venture will be a form of homecoming. He worked on the studio lot in the mid-1980s when it was the East German state-run Defa Studios.
In addition, the Babelsberg studio lot was also the address for his first production company before he joined forces with Schweiger and actor André Hennicke in 1996 to...
- 1/13/2017
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
The European Commission’s plans for a Digital Single Market (Dsm) were high on the agenda as the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) held its annual strategy meeting in Berlin for first time.
Representatives from all six studios attended the two-day meeting in the German capital.
Speaking exclusively to ScreenDaily, Stan McCoy, MPAA’s Brussel-based president and MD for Emea, said: “Rhere are really two reasons why the MPAA came to Berlin this year.
“Firstly, film production between Germany and America has never been stronger. You don’t have to look any further than Homeland [fifth season shooting in the Berlin-Brandenburg region], Grand Budapest Hotel and Monuments Men to understand that.
“Secondly, the German industry has stepped up to take leadership on issues surrounding the Digital Single Market and the threat it poses to the film sector.
“The members of the MPAA are very much interested in understanding the situation that confronts the entire sector in Europe and understanding how we can be...
Representatives from all six studios attended the two-day meeting in the German capital.
Speaking exclusively to ScreenDaily, Stan McCoy, MPAA’s Brussel-based president and MD for Emea, said: “Rhere are really two reasons why the MPAA came to Berlin this year.
“Firstly, film production between Germany and America has never been stronger. You don’t have to look any further than Homeland [fifth season shooting in the Berlin-Brandenburg region], Grand Budapest Hotel and Monuments Men to understand that.
“Secondly, the German industry has stepped up to take leadership on issues surrounding the Digital Single Market and the threat it poses to the film sector.
“The members of the MPAA are very much interested in understanding the situation that confronts the entire sector in Europe and understanding how we can be...
- 6/12/2015
- by screen.berlin@googlemail.com (Martin Blaney)
- ScreenDaily
Newmarket Entertainment has scored the remake rights to the 2007 German romantic comedy hit "Keinohrhasen" (Rabbit Without Ears) reports Variety.
The original followed a woman-chasing, tabloid journalist who meets his match in a children's daycare manager. The film grossed nearly $58 million in Germany, while its sequel has already taken in $40 million thus far.
Til Schweiger, who starred in and directed the original, produced with Tom Zickler through their Berlin-based Barefoot Films. No word yet on who might be cast in the U.S. remake.
The original followed a woman-chasing, tabloid journalist who meets his match in a children's daycare manager. The film grossed nearly $58 million in Germany, while its sequel has already taken in $40 million thus far.
Til Schweiger, who starred in and directed the original, produced with Tom Zickler through their Berlin-based Barefoot Films. No word yet on who might be cast in the U.S. remake.
- 1/20/2010
- by Garth Franklin
- Dark Horizons
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