1.5.2016

10 years FSFF: One of Germany´s most important cinema events

The International Five Lakes Film Festival (27th July to 7th August 2016) is one of the most important cinema events in Germany and celebrates its anniversary year with star-studded guests and a hand-picked program. The festival is looking back on an impressive success story. It is now one of the most important and respected German film festivals: in a relaxed atmosphere in one of the most beautiful regions around Lake Starnberg and Ammersee the festival presents an impressive program for ultimately 19,000 visitors: Approximately 130 feature films, documentaries and short films in over 300 performances with 15 German and 25 Southern German premieres, with retrospectives, discussions and conversations. On 27th August the festival opens in Starnberg with the film "The olive tree" of spanish director Icíar Bollaín.

This year's Festival is more prominent than ever before: guests of honor are the German director, writer and film producer Doris Dörrie and the Serbian director Goran Paskaljević. The festival dedicated its retrospectives to both of them. The well-known and award-winning directors Sebastian Schipper ("Victoria"), Dani Levy ("Alles auf Zucker!"), Florian David Fitz ("The hottest day"), Götz Spielmann ("October November"), Nicolette Krebitz ("Wild") and Rosa von Praunheim ("Hardness") are expected for workshop discussions and panels in the section "Focus Script". All of them will present their latest films and will be available for Q&A’s after the screenings. Festival director Matthias Helwig says: "We are delighted to welcome the crème de la crème of German arthouse cinema this year."

This year's host country is Serbia. "We want to provide food for thought for today's political situation. With its history Serbia in many ways gives the opportunity to discuss. There are a variety of excellent films from this country," said the festival director.

The issue of refugees is also reflected in Fritz Lang. He had to leave Germany in 1933, his cinematic creativity was enthusiastically received in the US. From "The tired death" to "Metropolis" to Fritz Lang's appearance in "Contempt" can be seen at the festival. The series is initiated with the film "Fritz Lang" by Gordian Maugg with famous German actor Heino Ferch, who both are present at the festival, too.