RELEASES Germany
Marcus O. Rosenmüller’s Wunderkinder hits screens
by Bénédicte Prot
06/10/2011 - Like the director who bears the same name, Marcus H. Rosenmüller, the director known for his TV dramas, adverts and music videos Marcus O. Rosenmüller has decided, in his latest film, to explore the enchantment of a child’s world, set to a backdrop of music with a civilising influence. Wunderkinder is being launched today on German screens by the recently renamed distributor StudioCanal. It tells the sad story of three young virtuosos united by their passion for music, their curiosity and their enthusiasm despite their differences in nationality and religion.
When the Nazis invade the Soviet Union and arrive in the Ukrainian town where they live, the two Jewish child prodigies, violinist Abrascha and pianist Larissa, are no longer allowed to be friends with Hanna, the violinist daughter of a German brewery owner. Wunderkinder, produced by Berlin-based CCC Filmkunst, is an ode to courage which sensitively tackles a difficult subject, without lapsing into cliché.
Today also sees the release in German cinemas of Lars von Trier’s Melancholia [trailer, film focus], which earned Kirsten Dunst the Best Actress Award at the latest Cannes Film Festival. This Danish/French/German/Swedish drama, co-produced by Zentropa’s German arm, is distributed by Concorde.
European cinema, much to the fore in this week’s line-up (six of today’s eight new releases were produced in Europe), is also represented by Radu Munteanu’s Romanian title shown at Cannes last year, Tuesday, After Christmas [trailer, film focus] (distributed by Peripher); Rowan Atkinson’s UK comedy Johnny English [trailer] (Universal); French director Laure Charpentier’s extravagant female-centred film Gigola [trailer], starring Lou Doillon and Marisa Paredes (Pro-Fun); and Dima El-Horr’s French/Lebanese co-production Every Day is a Holiday [trailer] (EZEF).
(Translated from French)
