The 20th edition of the German Film Festival opened in Ludwigshafen on Wednesday evening. Meret Becker was among the star guests on the red carpet.
Only the Berlinale has more visitors – the largest film festival in the region has begun in Ludwigshafen with the German Film Festival. Until September 8th, 64 works will be shown on four cinema screens on the Parkinsel in the Rhine.
Actress Meret Becker guest star on the red carpet
The tragicomedy “Familie is nich” kicked things off on Wednesday evening. In it, Anne, a loner who lives in a village in Brandenburg, suddenly finds herself faced with the challenge of having to look after her granddaughter.
Anne is played by actress Meret Becker, who also appeared on the red carpet in Ludwigshafen that evening. “I think it’s really nice that we’re by the water and in the sun, and it’s of course a pleasure that we can be the opening film,” said Becker.
Meret Becker signs autographs at the film festival in Ludwigshafen SWR
Many prominent faces at the festival in Ludwigshafen
In addition to Meret Becker, the director of the opening film, Nana Neul, also came. Overall, the organizers expected more than 850 prominent guests from culture, business and politics to attend the start of the anniversary year.
“It’s hell here, there are long queues in front of the cinema tents,” said SWR reporter Panja Schollbach, describing the atmosphere immediately before the opening. Both cinema tents were sold out.
Ludwigshafen
Tickets for opening film almost sold out 20th Festival of German Film in Ludwigshafen: What you should know
The 20th German Film Festival begins on Wednesday on the Parkinsel in Ludwigshafen. 64 current films will be shown over 19 days. Here are some highlights and important information.
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Prime Minister Schweitzer wants places to dream
The Prime Minister of Rhineland-Palatinate, Alexander Schweitzer (SPD), attended the opening as a representative of the government. Especially at a time when democracy is facing great challenges, it is important to have places where people can experience culture together, he said in Ludwigshafen.
“We need places where we can dream, feel, but also think and reflect together. The medium of film is an art form that allows us to have this experience in a diverse and creative way.” The state of Rhineland-Palatinate is supporting the festival with 150,000 euros.
“Full house” on the opening night of the German Film Festival in Ludwigshafen SWR
Film festival in Ludwigshafen is considered a major meeting place for actors
The film festival, which runs until September 8th, is seen as an exchange of ideas and an industry meeting place. Actors Ulrich Tukur, Andrea Sawatzki, Christian Berkel, Annette Frier, Karoline Herfurth, Kostja Ullmann and Oliver Wnuk are also expected to attend in the next few days.
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The German Film Festival starts in just under two weeks on the Parkinsel in Ludwigshafen. Which actors and filmmakers are expected?
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When asked about the selection criteria for the films, director Michael Kötz said: “We accept films that we would like to see a second or third time. We do not accept films that are only supposedly important or that correspond to a trend but are not successful. We are ruthless in our actions as advocates for our audience.”
Can last year’s visitor numbers be topped?
The organizers are expecting more than 100,000 visitors. Last year, according to the organizers, around 108,000 cinema fans came. The festival takes place in an open-air cinema and in cinema tents with more than 1,000 seats.
Several guests will also be honored over the 19 days. Awards for acting will go to Liv Lisa Fries (Babylon Berlin), Christoph Maria Herbst (Contra) and Joachim Król (Prize of Freedom). Eleven films will compete for the Film Art Prize and the Rheingold Audience Award.
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The festival in Ludwigshafen is considered the most popular German film festival after the Berlinale. In its 20th year, the organizers are honoring two actors and one actress.
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From a small film show to a big festival
The German Film Festival has been taking place in Ludwigshafen since 2005. The beginnings were modest: around 7,000 visitors attended the first edition.
