TheFilm Festivals Server
 

Babelsberg gets its dream start

 

Babelsberg Independents, set up to support new directors and producers, has already turned around a substantial number of projects and breathed new life back into the legendary Babelsberg Studios.

Within the first year, a dozen feature films have been set into motion, two of which are at this year's Berlinale. A third has its sights set on Cannes.

"I think it has worked out pretty well that our first two projects started just a year ago are here at the fest," says managing director Arthur Hofer.

 

Andreas Dresen's competition pic Nachtgestalten (Night Shapes), as well as Oskar Roehler's Panorama entry Gierig, were the first two projects that Babelsberg Independents initiated. "We are supporting young directors, graduates of local film schools and it works," says Hofer. "Look at Andreas Dresen: two weeks ago nobody knew who he was."

While focusing on local talent, Babelsberg Independents already has a number of international co-productions lined up for the next year.

Night Shapes

 

Together with a UK production company, Berlin-based Zero Film is set to co-produce the English-language feature Teeth as a Babelsberg Independents project.

Kylie Minogue will star in an event movie to be co-produced by Australia's Arrow 2000, and Babelsberg Independents. And a third international co-production with Sweden, Gripsholm, is set to roll this summer.

Hofer wants to keep production as much as possible in the Berlin region and take advantage of the Babelsberg Studios facilities. Teeth, centring on three men stuck in a lighthouse in England, will be shot there.

Babelsberg Independents provides about 20 per cent of the funding. Budgets so far have ranged from less than DM1 million for debut films up to DM8 million for the Babelsberg Independents co-production After the Truth, which is up for Cannes.

Hofer admits that projects such as Gierig and After the Truth, which stars Goetz George as Josef Mengele, who comes back to be tried in the present day, are difficult, but he is undeterred.

"We are prepared to take risks," he says. "We are prepared to support people with visions and the will to realise it." Liza Foreman