Udo and the Heinzelmännchen

The year starts with an international blockbuster: since 2 January, Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott and Ella Balinska have been on a secret mission as "Charlie's Angels" under the Directorship of Elizabeth Banks. The reboot was filmed in Hamburg for around two weeks in September 2018 - including in the Elbphilharmonie concert hall and the Speicherstadt historical warehouse district.

The drama "Kardeşler - Brothers" by Ömür Atay screened in competition at the Karlovy Vary Festival last year and will be released in German cinemas on 9 January. What is it about? 17-year-old Yusuf is released from juvenile detention centre after four years. He is picked up by his older brother Ramazan, whom he is very ambivalent about. Although Ramazan carried out the honour killing of their sister on behalf of the family, Yusuf, who is still a minor, was presented as the murderer in order to reduce the sentence. Hamburg-based Executive Producer Stefan Gieren (the storybay) co-produced the film.

From 16 January, the motto will be "Lindenberg! Do your thing". In her biopic, Hamburg-based Directors Hermine Huntgeburth sheds light on the early years of the panic rocker up to the 70s. The Letterbox production starring Jan Bülow was filmed in Hamburg for around two weeks and will have its world premiere in the Hanseatic city on 7 January. Other roles include Detlev Buck, Charly Hübner, Max von der Groeben and Ruby O. Fee.

There will be a film for the whole family from 30 January with "Die Heinzels - Rückkehr der Heinzelmännchen". The animated film, produced by the Hamburg-based company Akkord Film, among others, is inspired by the Cologne Heinzelmännchen legend. Directors were Ute von Münchow-Pohl ("Der kleine Rabe Socke 1 & 2", "Die Häschenschule - Jagd nach dem Goldenen Ei"). Jella Haase ("Fack ju Göhte 1-3") and Louis Hofmann ("Dark"), among others, lend their voices to the endearing characters.

The fifth cinema release in January (30th) is a Dutch-German co-production on the subject of dementia: in "Romy's Salon", ten-year-old Romy reluctantly spends her afternoons in her grandmother's hairdressing salon, where she increasingly forgets things. At first, Romy is the only one who notices her grandmother's change - and tries to help her as much as she can. But at some point, the little girl reaches her limits. The filming took the team led by Director Mischa Kamp to Hamburg Central Station, among other locations. Executive Producer is the Hamburg-based company Leitwolf.Here is an interview with Mischa and Script Writer Tamara Bos.