Thrillers, wars and therapy sessions

Maria Köpf, CEO of Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein: "For film fans in the north, the fifth season begins at the end of September: Filmfest Hamburg is finally back! We are looking forward to the many stories that filmmakers from the north will be showing on the big screen for the first time in Hamburg - from the rebellious village girl Sibel and the amorous psychotherapist Max in 'What Doesn't Kill Us' to the daredevil war reporter Kapuściński in the animated film 'Another Day of Life'."

FUNDED FILMS

Four feature films with FFHSH funding will be screened in the FREIHAFEN section. The projects are in the running for the "Hamburg Producer Award for European Cinema Co-Productions":

The animated film celebrated in CannesAnother Day of Life by Raúl de la Fuente and Damian Nenow can be seen in Germany for the first time at Filmfest Hamburg. The Hamburg companies Wüste Film and Animationsfabrik are behind the story about war reporter Ryszard Kapuściński.

After Locarno and Toronto comes the rousing story of emancipationSibel by Çağla Zencirci and Guillaume Giovanetti is now also coming to Hamburg. The co-producer is Riva Filmproduktion, which made it onto the 2018 Oscar shortlist with the drama The Wound.

InContempt (Zentropa Hamburg), the fourth film adaptation of the Jussi Adler Olson crime novels, the film stars Fares Fares and Nikolaj Lie Kaas once again slip into the role of the Danish investigator duo. Directors Christoffer Boe spent over 30 days shooting the film in the north of the country.

The melodramaIn Love and War by Kasper Torsting (NordFilm/ Tamtam Film) deals with the history of Denmark and Germany during the First World War. The film is the first production of the German-Danish development initiative between the Danish Film Institute and the FFHSH.

In the new GROSSE FREIHEIT Filmfest series, German feature films are competing for the first time for the "German Cinema Production" Hamburg Producer Award, which is endowed with 25,000 euros. Hamburg-based Director Sandra Nettelbeck is also in the running with her tragicomedyWhat does not kill us (Sommerhaus Filmproduktion) at the Locarno Film Festival. August Zirner shines in the leading role as psychotherapist Max. Lola Randl's DocumentaryOf bees and flowers (detail film), on the other hand, is a portrait of city dwellers who set off into unknown territory and try to make themselves at home in the countryside.

The HAMBURGER FILMSCHAU section presents the lively and diverse film industry from Hamburg. The FFHSH has supported the following productions:

• Im Land meiner Kinder von Darío Aguirre, Büchner Filmproduktion

• Vierzehneinhalb Kollisionen von Guido Weihermüller, Close Distance Productions

World cinema is presented in the KALEIDOSCOPE section. Included is the FFHSH-funded productionThe school on the magic mountain by Radek Wegrzyn (detail film). In the TELEVISIONEN section, the FFHSH is represented with the newTatort: Borowski and the happiness of others (Andreas Kleinert, NordFilm Kiel). And in the special programme HEIMATFILME, Katja Benrath's short film and Oscar candidateWatu Wote once again.

FFHSH EVENTS AT THE FILMFEST HAMBURG

Premium content or siding? Film exploitation on SVOD platforms Friday, 28 September, 15:30-17:00, in the festival tent on Allende Square

More and more Executive Producers and distribution companies are trying to sell their films to SVOD platforms such as Netflix, Amazon and others. But is SVOD delivering the promised success? The German Film Academy and the FFHSH will explore this question under the moderation of Katja Eichinger. On the panel: Tilman Rautenstrauch (Studio Hamburg Enterprises), Dirk Schürhoff (Beta Cinema), Reinhardt Beetz (Gebrüder Beetz Filmproduktion) and Peter Schauerte (Warner Bros.).

Producers' breakfast - New collective agreements for the film industry Tuesday, 02 October, 09:00-11:30, festival tent

Whether it's maximum daily working hours, pay rises or the inclusion of new professions in the pay scale - there's a lot happening on the contract front at the moment. But how suitable are the new regulations for everyday use? Prof Dr Oliver Castendyk (Produzentenallianz), Matthias von Fintel (ver.di) and media lawyer Dr Ralph Oliver Graef will discuss the issue. An event organised by FFHSH together with the media law firm GRAEF Rechtsanwälte and the media team of Commerzbank Hamburg.

Immersive Technology as a Punk Moment - Masterclass with Simon Wilkinson Thursday, 04.10., 15:00-17:00, festival tent

VR expert and transmedia artist Simon Wilkinson will show what VR is really all about - and has numerous examples from Central Asia, Latin America and Africa. The masterclass will be held in English and moderated by Screen South CEO Jo Nolan. An event organised by the North Sea Region Interreg project "Create Converge", Screen South and the FFHSH.

Tablet Tour - Searching for film locations with the tablet Sunday, 30 September, 11:00-13:30 and 15:00-17:30, meeting point Beatles Platz (corner Reeperbahn / Große Freiheit)

The city tours organised by the Hamburg Loves Film initiative present current productions and film classics - this time with a focus on films by Fatih Akin. What's special: All guests are given an iPad on which the film clips from the locations are played and commented on. Costs 9 euros. Registration: ak@videosightseeing.de

ABOUT THE FILMFEST HAMBURG: Filmfest Hamburg takes place from 27 September to 6 October 2018. It will show 120 productions as world, European and German premieres. The festival cinemas are the Abaton, CinemaxX Dammtor, Metropolis, Passage and Studio-Kino. The 16th MICHEL Kinder und Jugend Filmfest takes place from 28 September to 6 October at the Abaton cinema