We haven't even gotten to the Academy Awards and already I'm shocked.
I haven't even seen either movie, but somehow The Edge of Heaven snuck up on Golden LOLA winner Vier Minuten (Four Minutes) to be named Germany's entry for the Best Foreign Film Academy Award.
The German government made the announcement yesterday.
I've heard nothing but good things about The Edge of Heaven, the Best Screenplay winner and winner of the Award of the Ecumenical Jury at Cannes Film Festival this summer.
I guess what surprises me is the storyline and feel of Vier Minuten seems like a better fit for American audiences. Edge of Heaven is the story of a German father who marries a Turkish prostitute and the relationship between his son and the woman after the father dies. Vier Minuten is the story of a prison music teacher who finds a star pupil, who also happens to be serving a life sentence for murder.
Vier Minuten won the top prize (the Golden LOLA) at the Germany Academy Awards, as well as a Best Actress nod for Monica Bleibtreu
Meanwhile, Vier Minuten will console itself with a run for the Golden Globes, presented by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association
Let the battles begin.
THE EDGE OF HEAVEN Representing Germany in the Race for the OSCAR
The independent expert jury, appointed by German Films to select the German entry to compete for the 80th Academy Award for the Best Foreign Language Film, has – under the chairmanship of Dagmar Hirtz – chosen THE EDGE OF HEAVEN by Fatih Akin.
The jury on its decision: “Before a background of political and cultural differences in a globalized world, an exceptional love story and family story is told between Germans and Turks. The film convinces with its dramaturgical composition, visual arrangement and its emotional portrayal.”
The production by corazón international/Hamburg (producers: Fatih Akin, Andreas Thiel, Klaus Maeck), in co-production with NDR/Hamburg, Anka Film/Istanbul and Dorje Film/Rome had its world premiere in the international competition of the 2007 Cannes International Film Festival, where it won the prize for Best Screenplay and the Award of the Ecumenical Jury.
Fatih Akin on the jury decision: “I am extremely happy. What luck, that Tom Tykwer filmed PERFUME in English.”
THE EDGE OF HEAVEN was also screened in the official competition in Bangkok and at Cinemanila (winning the award for Best Film) and celebrated its successful North American premiere just recently at the Toronto International Film Festival.
World sales agent The Match Factory has already sold the film to over 50 territories, including France, Italy, Spain, UK, Japan, Korea, Australia, Argentina, Brazil and Canada.
THE EDGE OF HEAVEN will be released in German cinemas on 27 September 2007 by Pandora Filmverleih.
THE EDGE OF HEAVEN was supported by the German Federal Film Board (FFA), BKM, FilmFoerderung Hamburg, Filmstiftung NRW, Nordmedia, and the Kulturelle Filmfoerderung Schleswig-Holstein.
On 22 January 2008, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) will nominate five films from the international entries to participate in the final selection to compete for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The official awards ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on 24 February 2008.
Edge of Heaven
Vier Minuten
The independent expert jury, appointed by German Films to select the German entry to compete for the 80th Academy Award for the Best Foreign Language Film, has – under the chairmanship of Dagmar Hirtz – chosen THE EDGE OF HEAVEN by Fatih Akin.
The jury on its decision: “Before a background of political and cultural differences in a globalized world, an exceptional love story and family story is told between Germans and Turks. The film convinces with its dramaturgical composition, visual arrangement and its emotional portrayal.”
The production by corazón international/Hamburg (producers: Fatih Akin, Andreas Thiel, Klaus Maeck), in co-production with NDR/Hamburg, Anka Film/Istanbul and Dorje Film/Rome had its world premiere in the international competition of the 2007 Cannes International Film Festival, where it won the prize for Best Screenplay and the Award of the Ecumenical Jury.
Fatih Akin on the jury decision: “I am extremely happy. What luck, that Tom Tykwer filmed PERFUME in English.”
THE EDGE OF HEAVEN was also screened in the official competition in Bangkok and at Cinemanila (winning the award for Best Film) and celebrated its successful North American premiere just recently at the Toronto International Film Festival.
World sales agent The Match Factory has already sold the film to over 50 territories, including France, Italy, Spain, UK, Japan, Korea, Australia, Argentina, Brazil and Canada.
THE EDGE OF HEAVEN will be released in German cinemas on 27 September 2007 by Pandora Filmverleih.
THE EDGE OF HEAVEN was supported by the German Federal Film Board (FFA), BKM, FilmFoerderung Hamburg, Filmstiftung NRW, Nordmedia, and the Kulturelle Filmfoerderung Schleswig-Holstein.
On 22 January 2008, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) will nominate five films from the international entries to participate in the final selection to compete for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film. The official awards ceremony will be held in Los Angeles on 24 February 2008.
Edge of Heaven
Vier Minuten
