White Ribbon selected in competition

by German Films

27/04/2009 - Michael Haneke’s The White Ribbon [trailer, film focus] leads the German contingent at this year’s Cannes Film Festival (May 13-24). Made by the Berlin-based X-Filme Creative Pool, the German/Austrian/French/Italian co-production will screen in Official Competition.

The film tells the story of a school and church choir led by the local teacher in a village in Germany's Protestant north on the eve of WWI. When strange accidents begin to occur they increasingly take on the character of ritual punishments.

Other German co-productions in competition are Quentin Tarantino’s Inglourious Basterds [trailer] are Lars von Trier's Antichrist [trailer, film focus].

There are two Israeli/French/German co-productions in the festival line-up: Keren Yedaya’s Jaffa [trailer], which will be shown as a Special Screening, and Haim Tabakman’s Eyes Wide Open, to be presented in Un Certain Regard.

Also in Un Certain Regard are the co-productions Independence by Philippine filmmaker Raya Martin; The Wind Journeys by Colombia’s Ciro Guerra; and The Father of My Children [trailer, film focus] by Mia Hansen-Løve.

Critics’ Week will present the co-production Huacho [trailer] by Alejandro Fernández Almendras, Altiplano [trailer] by Belgium’s Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth and Lost Persons Area [trailer] by Caroline Strubbe, also from Belgium.

Lastly, the Directors' Fortnight programme includes the Israeli-German co-production Ajami by Scandar Copti and Yaron Shani.