Summer is upon us, and as much as I love it, it sure ain’t the best of times for new arthouse films. So, fast forward with a look at noteworthy German films in production/coming soon that we will get to see over the next months and 2014. As I was writing this, the list got so long that I will have to split it in half and continue next Friday with The Great German Directors.Let's start on the soft side of arthouse: In 11th century Persia, a surgeon’s apprentice disguises himself as a Jew in order to study at a school that does not admit Christians. If this sounds familiar, you have probably read Noah Gordon’s books. In April I was lucky to attend the premiere of filmmaker Philipp Stölzl directing Wagner’s Dutchman at the Staatsoper Berlin, where a critic mentioned that Stölzl (YOUNG GOETHE IN LOVE, which we showed at last year’s GOETHE FILMS to a full house) was just finishing THE PHYSICIAN (Der Medicus) -- starring Ben Kingsley, Stellan Skarsgård and one of Germany’s new shooting stars, Elyas M’Barek (TURKISH FOR BEGINNERS). The lavish, 2-hour+ UFA production --entirely financed with German money, 26m Euros of it to be exact-- and shot at Germany’s Castle Querfurt and in Marokko, opens this Christmas. (trailer) Continue reading "In Production (& win Wenders' WINGS)" »
