Hamburg film legend turns 80

Helge AlbersCEO of Filmförderung Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein: "A Hamburg film legend is turning 80, and I don't think we can overestimate Hark Bohm's contribution to Hamburg as a film location. Whether the Wilhelmsburg classicThe North Sea is a murder sea or the recent collaboration with Fatih Akin on the scripts forChick andInto the fateHis projects have special appeal and stand the test of time. A tireless worker who also set the course in the background. The Filmbüro Hamburg can be traced back to his initiative, as can the 'Film' degree programme at the University of Hamburg, which he introduced together with a few companions in the 90s - and which is now part of the Hamburg Media School. Hark, the North German film industry thanks you from the bottom of its heart for your work over the past decades. We can't wait to see what else you have in store for us!"

Dr Carsten BrosdaSenator for Culture and Media: "Hardly anyone has shaped film in Hamburg as much as Hark Bohm. Classics such as "Nordsee ist Mordsee" are genre- and tradition-defining and still give us an unforgettable journey to old Hamburg today. In the film, you can see, hear and feel as if you can smell the world as it was almost half a century ago. We can still experience Hark Bohm's gift for intense storytelling today, especially in his successful collaboration with Fatih Akin. We would like to thank Hark Bohm for many decades of productivity for film in and from Hamburg and congratulate him on his 80th birthday."

About Hark Bohm Born in Hamburg, he has acted in more than 50 films over the past few decades, shooting award-winning films such asYasemin and co-wrote the scripts for "Tschick" and "Into the Fate" with Fatih Akin - the latter won the LOLA for Best Screenplay at the 2018 German Film Awards. He received the 2018 LOLA of Honour for his services to German film for a different reason: Bohm helped initiate the founding of various film institutions in both northern and southern Germany and further networked the scene.

Incidentally, "Nordsee ist Mordsee" is the first film from Hamburg to be saved for the digital age with the new FFA funding pot for film heritage.

Photo: Andre Poling