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MY GERMAN FRIEND

2012 Germany/Argentina
A german-argentinian co-production between Malena Filmproduktion, Ricardo Freixá, Geißendörfer Film-und Fernsehproduktion and WDR

With the support of Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, HessenInvestFilm, Deutscher Filmförderfonds, BKM, FFA, Instituto Nacional de Cine y Arte (INCAA)

Feature film, Digital/ 35 mm. 1:1,85,  100 min
Shooting Locations: Germany and Argentina

Summary:
Sulamit, the daughter of German-Jewish emigrants from Germany, grows up in Buenos Aires in the fifties. Between her and Friedrich, the German boy living next door whose parents escaped to Argentina after the war, a deep intimacy and kinship develops. When Friedrich realizes that his father was an SS Lieutenant Colonel in Nazi Germany, he breaks off all contact with his family and goes to Germany to study. Sulamit follows him a few years later. Friedrich takes an active part in the German protest movement of May ’68. Gradually his whole life centers on his political commitment. His desperate efforts to repair the damage that’s been done leave no room for a love relationship. He finally leaves Germany to join an Argentinian guerilla movement. His very first military action leads to his arrest. Sulamit remains in Germany, gets her master’s degree and  works as a translator. She starts a relationship with Michael, a man who loves her and supports her with her career. But to her he is more of a father figure and not the great love of her life. Sulamit visits Friedrich in a remote jail in Argentina, but he suppresses his feelings. Sulamit returns to Germany. When the dictatorship in Argentina finally falls, Friedrich is set free. He remains in Patagonia, living near an indigenous Mapuche settlement. Sulamit, now 43, once again travels to Argentina to meet Friedrich. This time their encounter is about to take a different turn.

    Script und direction : Jeanine Meerapfel
    Cast: Celeste Cid, Max Riemelt, Benjamin Sadler
    Photography: Víctor Kino González
    Art direction: Federico Mayol, Alexander Scherer
    Costume Design: Connie Balduzzi, Lucia Faust
      Make up: Waldemar Pokromski, Sabine Schumann
      Sound: Victor Tendler, Michael Busch
      Editing: Andrea Wenzler
      Music: Floros Floridis
      Production: Malena Filmproduktion, Ricardo Freixá, Geißendörfer Film- und Fernseh Produktion, WDR
     
      Producers: Jeanine Meerapfel, Ricardo Freixá, Hans W. Geißendörfer
      Executive Producer: Paul Müller
      Soundtrack-CD: of the film music composed by Floros Floridis: www.normal-records.com
      International distribution: Match Factory
      German Distribution: Neue Visionen
       
      The DVD of MY GERMAN FRIEND is ready! It can be bought now at www.neuevisionen.de.
It includes the Original Version with english, spanish and german Subtitles, the german dubbed version, and a 45 minutes long "Making of".

A film by Jeanine Meerapfel. Malena Filmproduktion. Buenos Aires, Argentina, March 2013.

Festivals

2012

12th Festival of German Films in Buenos Aires /13-18.09 / ARG
BFI London / 10-21.10 / UK
Sao Paulo IFF / 19.10-1.11 / BZ
Hofer Filmtage / 23-28.10 / DE
Biberacher-Filmfestspiele / 31.10 / DE
Festival of Human rights in Tübingen / 22-28.11/ DE

2013

Miami International FF / 01-10.03 / US
Festival Internacional de cine de Punta del Este / 03-10.03 / UR
Vendome FF / 08-12.04 / FR
Boston Jewish FF / 10-21.04 / US
Toronto Jewish FF / 11-21.04 / CA
Beijing International FF / 16-23.04 / CN
JeonJu International Film Festival / 25.04-03.05 / KR
AUDI festival of German Films / 30.04-15.05 / AU
Innsbruck FF / June / AT
Fine Art FF / 25.09-10.10 / PR
CINEMAISSI / 18-20.10 / FI
Jewish UK FF / 1-14.11 / UK
Jerusalem Jewish Film Festival / 30.11-06.12 / IL

2014

UK Israel FF - Tel Aviv / 16-19.04 / IL
Festival of Tolerance - Zagreb Jewish Film Festival / 18-24.05 / HR
Dona I Cinema - Mujer y Cine - Woman & Film / 3-6.06 / ES


international distribution: Match Factory / german distribution: Neue Visionen.