by Becky T

See films in English for one whole week at the Hamburg film festival, September 19-26. Almost all films are in the original English, or if in the original language, e.g., Danish, Farsi, Korean, etc., will feature English subtitles. All films are listed in the special festival issue of Hamburg Pur magazine, free at the festival cinemas (see below) well as at the festival counter in the Levantehaus mall, Mönckebergstr 7, Tel 040-32 50 75 95, and the festival headquarters, Edmund Siemers Allee 1 (west Greve building). Tickets are available here, too.

Metropolis, Dammtorstr. 30, 040-34 23 53
Cinemaxx, Dammtordamm 1, 040-34 84 76 38
Abaton, Allende-Platz 3, Tel 040-320 320
Grindel, Grindelberg 7, Tel 040-44 93 33
Holi, Schlankreye 69, Tel 040-422 30 40
3001, Schanzenstr. 75-77, Tel 040-43 76 79

All cinemas, with the exception of 3001, are located on the “movie mile” or at stops along Metro bus #5. Tickets purchased in advance are Euro 6; during the festival they cost Euro 7. A week-long pass for all films costs Euro 90.

I. Main festival films

These are international films which may have appeared in other film festivals. They have been selected as worthy, interesting, and special. The opening film is Calendar Girls, a British comedy based on the true story of a group of women, much like those in Hamburg’s American Women’s Club, who publish a pin-up-girl calendar of themselves, nude, to great success. The closing film is Changes, a Polish film about a man with a difficult past who meets his finance’s family, to find that the relatives are hiding behind a squeaky clean façade.

II. Children’s films

Ten films will be shown all at Grindel, Kino 6. Seven are in competition for a Euro 2500-prize to be awarded on September 24. Seven Hamburg children will be the judges. Children in the audience may also choose a winner. On Saturday, September 20 (which is World Day of the Child), there will be a children’s party at Bogenallee, behind the Grindel cinema with games, prizes, music, etc. Children’s films in foreign languages will be accompanied by live readers speaking German. Tickets are Euro 3.50, with special rates for groups of five or more.

III. Tribute to Asta Nielsen, Danish star of silent movies

Two of her films, as well as a documentary and a fictional story of her life are scheduled.

IV: Eurovisuell

These 12 films were huge hits in their own countries (Russia, Belgium, Finland, Denmark, Italy, Austria, the Czech Republic, Iceland, Portugal, Bulgaria, and Yugoslavia). Co-sponsor for this segment is the Hamburger Abendblatt newspaper; viewers vote for their favorites.

V: Moin, Moin

As you know “moin moin” is as typically Hamburg as “Hummel Hummel.” This will feature films either made in Hamburg or made somewhere else by Hamburg movie people.

VI: DVD and VII: TV films

You guessed it: films which went straight to DVD and skipped the cinemas and films which were made especially for TV. On September 22, in Dammtor train station, a locomotive, decorated with “DVD, the 4th Dimension,” will be christened and sent out into the world.

What Else Do You Need to Know?

The festival headquarters, Edmund Siemers Allee 1,Tel 040-42 85 66 47, is in the so-called west Greve building, one of those new, light stone buildings on the left side of the old entrance to Hamburg university, between bus stops at Dammtor train station and the university library.

Parallel to the film festival is the Bit film festival, which features films that use digital technology in creative and innovate ways, including films to be viewed on the displays of mobile phones. There will be eight long and 125 short films, competing for Euro 45,000 prize money. The winners will be selected by viewers via SMS.

At the end of the festival, 25 selected films will go en masse to Zeise cinema, Friedensallee 7-9, in Altona, to be shown September 26-28.

On September 26 at 11 pm in Metropolis, the audience will select the best one-minute film advertising spots. This event, called Limit One Minute, is celebrating its 10th year and sells out very quickly.

Film Talk is a new addition. Every evening at 11 pm, famous people, directors, stars, etc., will meet for a panel discussion at the Hamburger Kammerspiele Theater, Hartungstr. 9-11 (near Abaton). This will be mostly in English, moderated by talk masters from the BBC, and is free of charge.

Note: the code for a film’s language is: OF = original version (often English); OmeU = original version with English subtitles; and OmU = original version with German subtitles

Entry is free to anyone who presents a Skoda car key, as long as there are seats available.

More information is at www.filmfesthamburg.de.

The winner of the Douglas Sirk award will go to French actress Isabel Hubbert. She will accept her award on September 25, during a lunch with dignitaries, at the Literaturhaus. Douglas Sirk is a Hamburger who made good in Hollywood in the 50s.

To apply for a one-week pass for Euro 90, send two photos, your name, address, phone, and email address to Filmfest Hamburg, Dauerkarte/Ticketing, Steintorweg 4, 20099 Hamburg by Sep 15. Pick up your pass at the festival headquarters (see above) Sep 19, 10 am-6 pm.

*On page 63 of the Hamburg Pur film festival magazine is an advertisement of another magazine called Szene Hamburg, and the cute girl with black hair wearing a white top on the front cover is Valerie, the daughter of our club member, Geraldine S.