21/08/2008

German audiences will this week be able to enjoy six high-quality European films which hit screens today alongside one US blockbuster.

This week’s German release – Räuber Kneißl – is an event in itself as it’s the latest work by Marcus H. Rosenmüller, the young prodigy of domestic film. He first came to attention three years ago with the comedy Grave Decisions [+see also:
trailer
film profile], which, along with his coming-of-age films, Good Times and Beste Gegend [+see also:
trailer
film profile], was set in his native Bavaria.

Rosenmüller’s new film explores a local legend dating from the early 20th century, the story of Bavarian Robin Hood Mathias Kneißl, played by Maximilian Brückner (German Shooting Star 2007). Produced by Munich-based company Wiedemann & Berg, the title is launched by Movienet.

Meanwhile, Kick Film are releasing Mozart in China, the children’s film about cultural exchanges by Bernd Neuburger. The title is produced by Kick Film in co-production with Austria (Extrafilm) and China (see news).

German viewers will also have the chance to discover festival favourites, such as Christophe Honoré’s French film Love Songs [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], which screened in competition at Cannes 2007 (distributed by Pro-Fun); and the delightfully mischievous I Served the King of England [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by renowned Czech director Jiri Menzel, which enjoyed immense domestic success and screened in competition at last year’s Berlinale (see news, distributed by Farbfilm).

Also hitting screens is Gianni Zanasi’s Italian title Don’t Think About It [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (distributed by Kool), starring Valerio Mastandrea. The film offers a portrait of contemporary Emilia Romagna and was selected in the Venice Days section at last year’s Venice Film Festival.

The enticing line-up also includes Garth Jennings’ UK film Son of Rambow [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (co-produced by France and Germany), which received the UBS Audience Award at the recent Locarno Film Festival. The title is released on German screens by leading distributor Senator.

(Translated from French)