The Audi Festival of German Film 2011

Cities and dates: Sydney 6 - 18 April, Melbourne 7 - 18 April,
Brisbane 7 - 12 April, Adelaide 13 - 18 April, Perth 14 - 18 April
Check local guides for screening times

It's the season for film festivals again, we're just enjoyed the French and now comes the 10th Audi Festival of German Films, full of enticing movies both new and retrospective. This year the program has been divided into three sections, Current German Features, Retro Features from the last ten years, and Radical Documentaries reflecting radical lifestyles in art, fashion, and sport. As usual the program is varied and covers a wide range of subjects, from a lively youthful Goethe to an eerie father addicted to death.

Let me take you through a sample of the many features on offer, starting with Philipp Stolzl's Goethe! The poet and writer having a huge influence on literature and German culture, as a young man was something of a tearaway, like the young Mozart in Amadeus. In this handsomely mounted period piece (in bucolic mood) we follow Goethe's romancing Lotte Buff. In 1772 after being rejected by his publisher and also failing his law exams Goethe (Alexander Fehling) is packed of to the dreary bedraggled town of Wetzler, under the strict supervision of Albert Kestner (Moritz Bleibtreu), head of the law court.

The grim prospect is brightened considerably when Goethe meets the town's beautiful Lotte (Miriam Stein), and instantly falls in love. The problem being Lotte has to help her family and save them from bankruptcy by marrying the wealthy but dull Kestner. Goethe persists in his courtship, ending up facing Kestner in a duel, and Goethe is no marksman.

It's a bright romantic costume romp, remarkable this carefree youth becomes the serious man of letters later in life, his experiences recorded in 'The Sorrows of Young Werther'. A vastly different mood for my next film The Poll Diaries, a darkening story of another poet Oda Schaefer, once famous if hardly known today.

An epic production directed by Chis Kraus, with touches of David Lean featuring impeccable photography and memorable images. It's 1914 and thirteen year old Oda von Siering (Paula Beer), returns from Berlin to live in a remote Estonian village with her professor father Baron Ebbo von Siering (Edgar Selge) preoccupied by death. Ebbo collecting in his laboratory dead things in bottles which would do justice to Ray Bradbury. Oda nurses an escaped wounded anarchist (Tambet Tuisk) back to health secretly in the laboratory's attic. Much attracted to the poetic anarchist, Oda begins to write verse until family emotions flare and a highly charged dramatic conclusion is reached.

Some great set pieces including the mansion of marvelous decrepitude on stilts by the sea, and the creepy laboratory. The feeling for period beautifully expressed, as in the automobile rattling up the driveway, the coffin filled with ice, and the Russian solders and family cavorting on the beach. Outstanding performance by Paula Beer, ably supported by a strong cast. Cello music adds the right note of ominous solemnity.

For a dizzying look at the alpine world, think mountaineering and for classic German cinema, think The White Hell of Pitz Palu. Leni Riefenstahl's remarkable 1929 film of courage on the icy slopes comes full circle with Nanga Parbat. Joseph Vilsmaier's new feature in that tradition, recreates the tragic German expedition with the Messner Brothers in 1970 and their attack on the Nanga Parbat's treacherous Rupal face. Reinhold (Florian Stetter) a dare-devil risk taking climber, and less flamboyant brother Günther (Andreas Tobias) reach the peak overjoyed at their achievement, however only Reinhold makes it down. His story of his brother's death is not totally accepted back home, putting a damper on the mission. This theme reflects Touching the Void.

Stunning scenic shots on the Himalayas dwarfing climbers, brave men battling the death defying climb tensely staged, perhaps at risk to the actors or their doubles. An suspenseful early sequence as the two boys climb a steep graveyard wall sets the style of what's to come, as later the small figures struggle to survive in an expanse of white horror.

Coming down to earth, let's look at the excellent Julia's Disappearance. Charmingly scripted and acted has as it central the universal problem of aging. A group of diverse people assemble for Julia's 50th. birthday party in an upmarket Zurich restaurant. Each of the party has their own hangups about getting old, they play out their fears and doubts against the clock as Julia (Corinna Harfouch) the star of the party fails to arrive on time.

Julia has met with John (Bruno Ganz) charming but older man, apparently unconcerned about the aging process. They enjoy cocktails at a bar, while her guests languish in the other restaurant. Clever touches abound, when the guests wish to read the menu they each take out their reading glasses in unison. The marvelously shrewish old woman who delights in sabotaging her own party. An opening scene so typical of people on a bus, where Julia sits next to an elderly Lilli, who points out old people become invisible, especially to the two young shoplifters in a seat behind. Script has underlying truths perceptively handled by director Christoph Schaub.

Bruno Ganz, Germany's answer to Gerard Depardieu, again has the lead role of Kater (The Cat) in Wolfgang Panzer's The Day of the Cat, a Machiavellian political drama. Kater the Swiss President is facing a crisis in his cabinet, the polls are bad. The approaching visit of the King and Queen of Spain should provide some good picture opportunities, but is fought with danger. Plotting against him is Dr. Stoltz an old friend, leading Kater's unhappy wife Marie (Marie Baumer) to believe, erroneously, their gravely ill young son in hospital is to be used in a publicity photo shoot during the Royal Visit. Marie keeping the Royal guests waiting, then with an impassioned outburst at the formal banquet, rather sinks Kater's boat.

But this cat has nine lives, so Kater outflanks his political conspirators. Lavish sets, with endearing performances from Ganz and Marie Baumer gaining our sympathy. Tension mounts in a number of scenes to the ticking of a watch, reflecting the opening sequence of minute closeups of a watch parts. Ganz is experienced at playing politicians under stress was Hitler in Downfall, traces of that portrayal lingers in Kater.

Finally must mention perhaps the most poignant story The Day I was Not Born. Poor Maria (Jessica Schwarz) discovers her identity is a fiction, triggered off when she hears a nursery rhyme in Spanish at the Buenos Aires air terminal on route to Chile. Without speaking Spanish she remembers the lyrics. This sets Maria on a search in Argentina to discover her real family and learn of her father Anton's (Michael Gwisdek) hidden past. Highly dramatic with scenes of tenderness under the assured direction Florian Cossen.

Hoping this sampling has whet you appetite to check the festival program for around thirty other features worthy of your attention.

John Bale