A festival comes of age: FilmFestival Cottbus experienced record visitor numbers on its 18th birthday – and received personal congratulations from Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier
The guest of honour did not spare the superlatives: “The festival has become the most important meeting place for the eastern European film industry” and, he added, is now Germany’s most important cinema gathering after the Berlinale. Federal Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier explained that he was very pleased to act as the patron of the 18th FilmFestival Cottbus. The festival’s balance sheet was impressive: 136 productions from 30 countries were presented in six days, from 11 to 16 November 2008. Some 500 industry visitors from all over the world accepted the invitation to east Germany and 17,000 film buffs ensured that the cinemas were full. The festival spotlighted “New Cinema from the Baltic”, a special focus that brought together filmmakers from the three Baltic states – Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania – as well as from all the other countries around the Baltic Sea.
Steinmeier explained in his opening speech that the significance of the film festival went far beyond the subject of cinema. Across the whole of Europe, he said, it constituted a unique meeting place for east and west: “With the festival, Germany is also setting a political example: for cultural proximity and community with our eastern neighbours, for lively cultural interchange with the countries of eastern Europe and for joint ideas and projects far beyond the domain of film.” In this connection the German foreign minister particularly emphasized the Russian Day, which was successfully established in Cottbus in 2008. “I find that particularly helpful especially against the background of current political debates in Europe. After all, people here attempt and prepare to do what we policymakers can not always achieve without problems: building bridges between Europe and Russia.” Culture can play a trailblazing role here.
Festival director Roland Rust cited other reasons for Russia’s outstanding role at the festival: “We want to do justice to the phenomenal development of Russian cinema. In the last six, seven years, Russia has become the largest film producer in eastern Europe. Russian cinema currently offers everything: from blockbusters to low-budget experimental films, from genre movies to arthouse productions. Furthermore, the artistic quality of most of the films is simply amazing.”
For the launch of the Russian Day, Rust organized a German-Russian industry gathering at which, among others, producers and directors from both countries met. The outcome was very positive: a German-Russian film agreement, which has been planned for many years, is now to be ready for signature before the Berlinale in February 2009. The agreement will make coproductions much easier. The film festival would also like to contribute to ensuring that the number of German-Russian film productions increases as rapidly as possible. Federal Foreign Minister Steinmeier announced that a bilateral masterclass for young talents in the areas of screenwriting, directing and producing will be established in Cottbus in 2009.
