Locarno Unveils First Look on German Cinema, a New Talent Showcase

variety.com:

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentFilms from Maze Pictures, producer of Colin Firth-starrer “The Happy Prince,” and from Basis Berlin, behind Oscar-nominated doc feature “Of Father and Sons,” figure among the six pix in post to be highlighted at Locarno’s First Look on German Cinema, which is shaping up as one of the festival’s industry highlights.Maze and Basis Berlin will unveil what look on paper like the section’s biggest commercial plays: Drug scene drama “Three Lives Long” and Iran-set social thriller “Empty Nets.”First Look’s most classic art house play may be Milena Aboyan’s “Elaha,” a Kurd bride-to-be emancipation drama set in contemporary Germany.Two other titles have more of an indie tenor: Pan-Europe road movie “Arthur & Diana” and farewell dinner dramedy “One Last Evening.” “Life is Not a Competition, But I’m Winning” weighs in as an arch film essay from queer feminist activist Julia Fuhr.Five of the six works in progress are first features, making the First Look on German Cinema an effective new talent showcase.

The directors, however, are not all totally German, three being born outside Germany – a sign of the welcome larger inclusivity and pulling power of today’s German film industry.Selected projects, none with a sales agent attached, will be awarded by a jury of major festival directors made up of Vanja Kaludjercic (International Film Festival Rotterdam), Tricia Tuttle (BFI London Film Festival) and HUH Moonyung (Busan International Film Festival).Awards take in the Cinegrell First Look Award, which consists of services towards the completion of films in post-production up to the value of €50,000 ($51,000).