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OSCARS 2017 Germany

Toni Erdmann represents Germany at the Oscars

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- The Cannes critics’ and FIPRESCI’s favourite, also a finalist for the European Parliament’s LUX Prize, has been submitted in the Best Foreign-language Film category

Toni Erdmann represents Germany at the Oscars
Sandra Hüller and Peter Simonischek in Toni Erdmann

The Cannes critics’ and FIPRESCI’s favourite, Toni Erdmann [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Maren Ade
film profile
]
 by Maren Ade, also a finalist for the European Parliament’s LUX Prize, has been submitted to represent Germany at the Oscars, in the Best Foreign-language Film category. The decision was made by an independent jury appointed by German Films and comprising the representatives of eight different associations and institutions of the German film industry. 

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The jury substantiated its decision as follows: "Toni Erdmann stood out among the eight films presented for its resolute artistic signature. It is a bold and stylistically confident cinematic display of character in touch with the pulse of our times." Ade conveyed her joy about the jury’s decision with a touch of humour: "I am very happy that the jury is sending Toni Erdmann into the Oscar race and am anxious to see how Toni behaves in Los Angeles." 

Toni Erdmann, produced by Komplizen Film in co-production with coop99 Filmproduktion (Austria), knm (Monaco), and Missing Link Films (with support from the FFA, the DFFF, several German regional funds, the Austrian Film Institute and the FISA, Eurimages, and MEDIA), tells the story of Winfried (Peter Simonischek), a music teacher, and his daughter Ines (Sandra Hüller), a career-minded woman who travels the world optimising companies. When his surprise visit in Romania appears to leave his daughter more annoyed than pleased, Winfried undergoes a radical metamorphosis to become Toni Erdmann, his intrusive and vibrant alter ego. Little by little, Ines gets into the game, and father and daughter make an amazing discovery: the more they clash, the closer they become.

Toni Erdmann world-premiered in competition at Cannes, where it garnered euphoric acclaim from the audience, the press and the industry alike, and won the FIPRESCI Award. This autumn, Ade’s film will go to Toronto, San Sebastián and New York. At the opening-night ceremony of the Spanish festival, Toni Erdmann will be awarded the 2016 FIPRESCI Grand Prix for Best Film of Year. The movie is also among the three finalists for the LUX Film Prize of the European Parliament. 

International sales agent The Match Factory has already sold the film to 100 territories worldwide. It was very successfully released in France last week (via Haut et Court, already 105,000 admissions) and Sony Pictures Classics is planning to release it in the USA at the end of December. In Germany, Toni Erdmann was released by NFP Marketing & Distribution on 14 July, and has already exceeded 450,000 admissions.

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