Award Ceremony Monday, 11th February 2013 at the Berlinale Palast
InDEX » Page 04-05 Welcome Page 06-09 FOCUS ON partners and former SHOOTING STARS Page 10-11 About SHOOTING STARS weekend schedule in Berlin Page 12-13 Jury 2013 who selected this years’ SHOOTING STARS? Page 14-15 INTERNATIONAL CASTING DIRECTORS NETWORK interview with UK casting director Debbie McWilliams Page 16-55 Shooting Stars Europe’s up-and-coming acting talent of 2013 Page 56-58 SHOOTING STARS would like to thank companies supporting SHOOTING STARS Page 59 About EUROPEAN FILM PROMOTION the pan-European organisation behind SHOOTING STARS
IMPRINT Publisher European Film Promotion Idea & Concept Karin Dix Editors Karin Dix, Luisa Gräve, Sabine Rolinski Text Matt Mueller (Interviews), Karen Arikian Design Nanke Siemon Grafik PRINT Merkur Druck/Hamburg Cover © Eric Vernazobres SHOOTING STARS index page 3 © Gitte Post (Mikkel Boe Følsgaard), Kia & Henrik Karlberg (Laura Birn), C. Bellaïche / H&K (Christa Théret), Peter Hartwig (Saskia Rosendahl), Sirio Magnabosco (Luca Marinelli), Alice Petraud/FIFF (Arta Dobroshi), Marius Baragan (Ada Condeescu), Urska Kosir (Jure Henigman), Amerisa Lukač (Nermina Lukač), Cüneyt Kaya (Carla Juri) CREDITS © kiva (2, 7, 9, 10, 14); Oliver Mark (pages 6, 7); Markus Nass (pages 4, 6, 9, 11, 14, 15, 58), André Poling (page 13); Yves Salmon (pages 2, 6, 12, 57); Eric Vernazobres (pages 2, 5, 6, 7, 14, 57)
SHOOTING STARS 2013 P a g e 0 3
Shooting stars » Ada Condeescu
Luca Marinelli
Romania
Page 40
Italy
Page 32
Carla Juri
Jure Henigman
Switzerland
Slovenia
Page 52
Page 44
Laura Birn Finland
Page 20
Nermina Lukač
Sweden Page 48
Mikkel Boe Følsgaard
Christa Théret France
Denmark
Page 24
Page 16
Arta Dobroshi
Republic of Kosovo* Page 36
Saskia Rosendahl
Germany Page 28
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
MEDIA Programme   of the European Union
A ndro ul l a Va s s i l i o u, E uro pe a n Co m m i s s i o ne r f o r E duc a t i o n, C ul t ur e , M ul t i l i ngua l i s m a nd Yo ut h, w i t h S H O OT I NG S TA R S 2 0 1 2
Aviva Silve r, He a d of U n i t ME DIA Pro g ra mme of th e EU
The MEDIA Programme aims at strengthening the competitiveness of the European audiovisual industry with a series of support measures. Since its inception in 1997, EFP has received major financial support from the MEDIA Programme for its initiatives promoting European cinema and talent worldwide. EFP is grateful to Aviva Silver (Head of Unit) and her team for this on-going support and collaboration which has resulted in an enormous increase in programmes and initiatives over the past 16 years.
European Commission Directorate General for Education and Culture www.ec.europa.eu/media
˚ Europe’s Hottest Young Actors The Shooting Stars of 2013
Europe is full of talent and, during the Berlinale, ten of Europe’s most promising young actors will shine as the Shooting Stars of 2013! This extraordinary group of ten up-and-coming actors has been selected by an international jury. Together they represent acting skills from a broad range of European countries showing that Europe has a lot to offer. The Shooting Stars 2013 will attend a three-day programme of events during the Berlinale that includes one-on-one interviews with international casting directors, various presentations to the world’s film industry, a press conference, photoshoots, a workshop and an awards ceremony where each of the talent will be honoured by the Berlinale with the Shooting Stars Award on the main festival stage. European Film Promotion would like to thank Dieter Kosslick for his dedicated commitment to supporting Europe’s up-and-coming talents during the Berlinale. The Shooting Stars event is financially supported by the MEDIA Programme of the European Union, the ten participating EFP members and Tesiro. Additional support is provided by: MINI, the German Minister of State for Culture and the Media, Film- und Medien Stiftung NRW and Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg. Our congratulations to the Shooting Stars 2013!
Christian Juhl Lemche President, European Film Promotion
Zh a n g Z i y i (C h i n a)
Jak u b G i er s zał (Pol an d )
Z r i nka Cv i t e š i ć ( Cro a t i a )
TESIRO/China The Chinese jewellery company is championing the European film market by giving support to the Berlin International Film Festival in general as well as by supporting the young faces of European cinema: the SHOOTING STARS. Since 2008, TESIRO, as one of the world’s leading diamond traders, has backed the project and became the main sponsor of the event as of 2012. In this role, TESIRO donates the SHOOTING STARS Awards. As the main sponsor, TESIRO designs the awards which are presented each year by a famous host (in previous years, e.g. Ralph Fiennes, Dame Judi Dench, Matt Damon, Gwyneth Paltrow, and Zhang Ziyi).
»Sylvia Hoeks (The Netherlands) on screen at this years' Berlinale in Giuseppe Tornatore's THE BEST OFFER alongside Geoffrey Rush.
The inspiration comes from flying wings which represent the success they have after all their previous efforts. When the Shooting Stars hold their trophies in that joyous moment, they become a rising star like the wings able to fly into the sky. Similar to the exclusive “Blue Flame” cut diamond, the SHOOTING STARS trophy also shows the unique blue colouring in the diamond.
C a r ey M ul l i ga n ( U K ) , Cy ro n M e l v i l l e ( D e nm a r k) , D av i d K ro s s ( G e r m a ny )
Isa b e lla Ra g o n e s e (Ital y )
N atash a Petrovi c (FYR of Ma c e do ni a )
« FOCUS ON We are often asked about the effectiveness of SHOOTING STARS. Each year, we follow up on the activities of the actors, and the results have been consistent year to year: 80 % of the selected actors were subsequently cast in international productions. Bravo, SHOOTING STARS!
Ana ï s D e m o us t i e r ( Fra nc e )
BMW Group/Germany Lights, Camera, Action! All of Berlin is gripped by film fever. During the Berlinale the best European acting talents are presenting themselves to the media and the general public – their faithful companions are ten Shooting Stars branded MINIs.
Schramm Film
Individuality is a top priority for actors. The ten European Shooting Stars of 2013 can also visually express this with the MINI shuttle fleet at the Berlin Film Festival. For they will be transported under the banner of “MINI brings talent“ in the correspondingly designed MINI. As the exclusive automobile partner, the MINI shuttle fleet will be bringing the European Shooting Stars to the various festival events from 9 to 11 February.
N ina Hoss , Ma rko Ma n d ić in G O LD
» In GOLD, director Thomas Arslan, has fashioned a unique arthouse western about a group of Germans who join the 1890’s gold rush. Cast by Ulrike Müller, based in Germany and a member of the International Casting Director’s Network (see page 14), the film showcases the many talents of two former SHOOTING STARS, Nina Hoss (Germany) and Marko Mandić (Slovenia). Invited to take part in Berlin’s Competition, the story succeeds in taking the traditional U.S. western and making it truly and believably European. GOLD is supported by the Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg.
Whether it is the red carpet or a business meeting, the awards ceremony or after show parties – the popping of flashbulbs are guaranteed with the MINIs.
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FOCUS ON
Focus Features
Cpro - Fotolia.com
FOCUS ON » A Star is born.... There was a SHOOTING STAR Baby Boom in 2012. Anna Maria Mühe, Pihla Viitala and Pilou Asbaeck all welcomed new arrivals. Congratulations from EFP! Dom hnall Gle e so n , Alic ia Vik an d er i n A N N A K A R EN IN A
» Alicia Vikander
is a real high-flyer. Since her presentation in Berlin two years ago, the 24-year-old Swede has graced the big screen in two outstanding period films: in the Oscar-nominated A ROYAL AFFAIR (Nikolaj Arcel), and – alongside her SHOOTING STARS colleague from Ireland, Domhnall Gleeson – as Kitti, in ANNA KARENINA (Joe Wright). Sergej Bodrov has cast her in his upcoming fantasy adventure THE SEVENTH SON, and Lisa Langseth enticed her back to Sweden to shoot HOTELL. As further evidence of her flawless ability to walk the line between Hollywood and home-town, she has recently been cast in Bill Condon’s untitled WiKiLEaKS/DreamWorks Project, featuring Daniel Brühl (Germany’s SHOOTING STAR in 2003). EFP congratulates her on this vertical take off.
Gustaf Skarsgård, Anders Baasmo Christiansen in KON-TIKI
Oscar® nomination for KON-TIKI, directed by Joachim Rønning and Espen Sandberg, which follows the legendary explorer Thor Heyerdal’s epic crossing of the Pacific on a balsa wood raft in 1947 is on everyone’s lips as the U.S. award season enters full swing. The film has been nominated for an Academy Award® as Best Foreign Language Film, and received the same honor at the Golden Globes. Stunningly photographed and beautifully acted, the film highlights the talents of two former Shooting Stars: Gustaf Skarsgård (Sweden, 2007) and Anders Baasmo Christiansen (Norway, 2010).
Jiri Hanzl/Zentropa
FOCUS ON P a g e 0 9
in Memoriam
Mi kkel Bo e F ø lsg a a rd , Ma d s Mi k kel s en i n A ROYAL AF FAIR
Nominated for this year’s Golden Globes and Academy Award as Best Foreign Language Film, A ROYAL AFFAIR, directed by Nikolaj Arcel, has had a royal ride over the past year. The film debuted at the 2012 Berlin International Film Festival and immediately won two Silver Bears – one for Best Screenplay and the second for Mikkel Boe Følsgaard as Best Actor. The film has been released worldwide to critical acclaim – a stunning period drama highlighted by the wonderful performances of four Shooting Stars: Alicia Vikander (Sweden 2011), David Dencik (Denmark 2007), Cyron Melville (Denmark 2009) and the 2013 Shooting Star from Denmark, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard.
Emma Style 1962 – 2012 EFP would like to offer their sincere condolences on the recent death of UK casting director, Emma Style. Emma was an enthusiastic supporter of SHOOTING STARS since the very beginning. She had a sixth sense about actors, and understood their deep passion for their work. She brought that knowledge and experience with her to EFP projects, and we will be forever grateful for ther contributions. We will miss Emma very much.
» Zrinka Cvitešić, SHOOTING STAR from Croatia in 2010, has been cast in the West End theatre production of the award-winning musical, ONCE, a modern-day musical about a busker and an immigrant whose paths cross during an eventful week in Dublin, as they write, rehearse and record songs that tell their love story. Originally conceived as a film (which was financed in part by the Irish Film Board, an EFP member), ONCE won critical acclaim when it was released, as well as an Academy Award® for Best Original Song in 2008. The stage play, which opened on Broadway last year, won most of the top honors at the U.S. Tony Awards in 2012, including Best Musical and Best Book. Zrinka will take on the lead role of “Girl” when the show opens in London in April, 2013.
About shooting stars
About SHOOTING STARS SHOOTING STARS is a unique and well established pan-European initiative which annually spotlights Europe's most accomplished up-and-coming young actors at the Berlin International Film Festival. 2013 marks the 16th edition of SHOOTING STARS. Ten young European actors are chosen by a jury of experts to be honored as SHOOTING STARS at the Berlinale. They are selected from a broad range of candidates nominated by the member organisations of European Film Promotion (EFP). During a whirlwind weekend at the Berlinale, the SHOOTING STARS participate in a number of high-profile events. 9 - 11 February at the Berlin International Film Festival Lotte Verbeek (The Netherlands), German director Florian Gallenberger
About Shooting Stars P a g e 1 1
Award Ceremony The highlight of the weekend is the public presentation of the SHOOTING STARS on the main stage of the Berlinale Palast. In recognition of the actors' artistic achievement, the Berlin International Film Festival presents the SHOOTING STARS awards, donated by TESIRO. This gathering of the best of Europe’s young actors is broadcast by a number of international television outlets. The awards ceremony takes place on
Andrea Riseborough (UK) at the SHOOTING STARS awards ceremony 2011
Press Conference The SHOOTING STARS are introduced to the world’s media at a press conference, with International journalists, television broadcasters and photographers in attendance. In 2013, the press conference will take place on Sunday, 10 February at 12.30pm at the Hotel de Rome. In order to attend this event, please RSVP to: ShootingStarsBerlin@organic-marketing.co.uk
» A marvellous chance for young European actors as well as a most flattering and faith-inducing denomination,
Monday, 11 February at 19.30 in the Berlinale Palast
in as much as it opens new perspectives and can
Casting Breakfast
virtually change
At this invitation-only event, the SHOOTING STARS meet with leading International casting directors, and other industry professionals. The casting breakfast helps in establishing a strong network of professional contacts, which is an invaluable resource as the actors start out on their International careers.
careers, all over the course of three days.« Remus Achim
Public Forum a panel of experts will discuss THE ACTOR'S ROLE: HOW TO BECOME VALUABLE IN THE FILM INDUSTRY How does an actor become "seen" in the film business and how do the actors’ talent and team develop images and careers. On the panel: Studio Executive Joseph Middleton (Head of Casting for Paramount Studios), UK casting director Debbie McWilliams (JAMES BOND), DK Anne Lindberg (Lindberg Management), US agent Jack Whigham (CAA), Chinese actor & director Xu Zheng (LOST IN THAILAND)
trajectories and
Ana Ularu, Romanian SHOOTING STAR 2012
Sunday, 10 February, at 14.30 in Hotel de Rome, Opera Court SHOOT I NG STA RS 2012
JURY
The 2013 SHOOTING STARS jury is composed of five well known personalities from the film world. Their mandate was to select the ten most notable up-and-coming actors from Europe as this year’s SHOOTING STARS. There were 25 nominations from EFP members.
Alba Rohrwacher (Actress – Italy) Alba is one of the most critically acclaimed, internationally renowned, Italian actresses of her generation. Starring alongside BAFTA winning actress Tilda Swinton in Luca Guadagnino’s I AM LOVE and Saverios Costanzo’s THE SOLITUDE OF PRIME NUMBERS gave her well-deserved recognition. At the 2012 Berlinale she could be seen in the lead role in Doris Dörrie’s LUCK and she recently starred in the Venice Film Festival Golden Lion Award nominated DORMANT BEAUTY, directed by Marco Bellocchio. At the Berlinale 2009 she was presented by EFP as Italy’s participant of SHOOTING STARS – Europe’s Best Young Actors.
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Thierry Chèze (Journalist – France) Thierry Chèze is film editor at the renowned French cinema magazine “Studio Ciné Live” since it launched in 2007. At the Paris based monthly magazine he is in charge of spotlighting new talents in French cinema. He is also a regular collaborator on various TV shows including “Ca Balance à Paris”;, a weekly cultural magazine on “Paris Première channel” and “Le Ciné-Club” on France 2. Since 2010, Thierry Chèze is the voiceover of the Cannes Film Festival’s closing ceremony and the César ceremony. In addition to journalism, Thierry Chèze is also directing documentaries about acting.
Jina Jay (Casting Director – United Kingdom) Jina Jay’s credentials include Steven Spielberg’s WAR HORSE (starring David Kross, German SHOOTING STAR 2009), Ralph Fiennes’ CORIOLANUS (with Lubna Azabal, Belgian SHOOTING STAR 2004), Stephen Daldry’s THE READER (with David Kross) and ANNA KARENINA by Joe Wright, starring the 2011 SHOOTING STARS, Alicia Vikander (Sweden), Domhnall Gleeson (Ireland) and Bill Skarsgård (SHOOTING STAR, Sweden 2012). More recently she has worked with Michael Winterbottom, Susanne Bier and Anton Corbijn. Jina Jay is a member of The American Academy and BAFTA and is on the 2012 Jury for the BIFA’s.
Bettina Brokemper (Producer – Germany) When talking about ambitious internationally renowned producers, Bettina Brokemper, CEO at Heimatfilm is one of the most successful of her generation. In addition, since 2001 she is also Managing Director of Zentropa International Cologne and has co-produced several Lars von Trier films, most recently NYMPHOMANIAC and MELANCHOLIA. Her credits also include the 2010 Berlinale winner, BAL – HONEY by Semih Kaplanoglu. Bettina Brokemper is a member of the European Film Academy and German Film Academy and in 2008 was awarded with the ‘Prix Eurimages’ for Outstanding European Co-production. In 2006 she was presented by EFP as a PRODUCER ON THE MOVE at Cannes.
Jasmila Žbanić (Director and Scriptwriter – Bosnia-Herzegovina). Award-winning director Jasmila Žbanić was born in Sarajevo where she is currently based. Her credit list includes GRBAVICA, winner of the Golden Bear at the 2006 Berlinale and ON THE PATH which screened in Competition at the 2010 Berlinale and starred Zrinka Cvitešić, Croatian SHOOTING STAR 2010. Jasmila Žbanić is a graduate of the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo. In 1997, together with her friends, she founded the Artist’s Association “Deblokada” where she produced, wrote and directed several documentaries, video-art works and shorts, including PARTICIPATION, LOST AND FOUND and RED ROBBER BOOTS.
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INTERNATIONAL CASTING DIRECTORS NETWORK
INTERNATIONAL CASTING DIRECTORS NETWORK During the Berlin International Film Festival 2005, fifteen casting directors from seven countries have founded the International Casting Directors Network (ICDN). The initiative came about in connection with the EFP project SHOOTING STARS.
Today, the network has 40 members from 18 different countries. It is the first international network of its kind and is aimed exclusively at casting directors who cast international feature films. Up until then, casting directors were only organised in national associations. The ICDN meets annualy during the SHOOTING STARS weekend.
ICDN objectives
The goals of the ICDN include:
The ICDN offers casting directors the chance to exchange ideas on an international level about their different ways of working, to take advantage of synergies with international coproductions and to attract greater attention to the work of casting a film, and, to publicize, inform about and enhance the profession of the casting director in every country.
Establishing a recognized standard of professionalism in the industry Enhancing the statute of the profession of casting director Taking on responsibility to help shape film policy and processes Honouring achievements of members Providing members with professional support and resources
Interview
˚ Interview
Debbie McWilliams, UK Casting Director
... has cast nine Bond films in addition to SKYFALL, as well as Derek Jarman's CARAVAGGIO (with Tilda Swinton), MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE (Stephen Frears) and Kenneth Branagh’s HENRY V. Debbie McWilliams is a founding member of the ICDN and its spokesperson.
Can talent be nurtured and developed, or do you think that the really top-notch actors are born with their talent? It can be both. Like any talent (art, music, singing) it can be nurtured and drama school is a good place to do that. Film acting is an "art" which very few people are instinctively born with. It is gained through experience. But having said that I have seen performances by untrained actors which are extraordinary. Rules are always there to be broken. Have you ever had the feeling of goose bumps watching an actor audition? Yes. Berenice Marlohe auditioning for SKYFALL, most recently. Directors need to trust you and your recommendations: how easy is it to earn that trust? It helps if you have the same taste in actors. Also if you have a very sound knowledge of the actors you are presenting, or a very good feeling about them. If you lack confidence then the director will too. Why do you attend the SHOOTING STARS event in Berlin? I love meeting new young actors and the buzz of exchanging views with other casting directors. There is no other platform on which we can do this.
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His performance as the insane King Christian VII in Nikolaj Arcel's A ROYAL AFFAIR earned Mikkel - as the first Dane ever - a Silver Bear as Best Actor at the 2012 Berlinale, while the film itself is a nominee for Best Foreign Language Film at this year's Academy Awards®.
Mikkel Boe Følsgaard Gitte Post
˚ Denmark
Portrait - Mikkel Boe Følsgaard - DENMARK P a g e 1 7
˚ Thirty-six hours after » receiving the 2012 Silver Bear as Best Actor for A ROYAL AFFAIR, Mikkel Boe Følsgaard was back at school in Copenhagen – in tap-dancing class. “It was the biggest thing that ever happened to me,” he proclaims. “But it was healthy to go straight back to my routine. I could somehow close the door, leave all thoughts about my future outside and just be Mikkel at the theatre school as always.”
N
ot that his triumph was overlooked. Teachers and students at the Danish National Theatre School greeted him with champagne and cake as he arrived that morning on his bike. Other actors might have seized the offers that immediately followed, but Mikkel isn’t one to rush things. When he was 11, his grandfather took him to his first audition for a TV series. He won the role, but wouldn’t appear on screen again until A ROYAL AFFAIR. In the meantime, he took drama classes and played football in the small fishing town where he grew up, only to suffer a setback when he applied for theatre school at 18 and was rejected.
“
I was very sad. You work hard and you really want something and then you don’t get it,” says Mikkel, who did teacher training for a year before dropping out at 22 and reapplying to the national school. This time he was ready. “I’d improved a lot, and it helped to be a little older too.” In his third year, he begged his instructors to let him audition for A ROYAL AFFAIR and landed the career-launching role of mad king Christian VII, taking time off to shoot Nikolaj Arcel’s film in the Czech Republic opposite Danish superstar Mads Mikkelsen and 2011 SHOOTING STARS Alicia Vikander. Mikkel happens to be distantly related to the Danish royal family, but more important than bloodline is his superb performance as the childish, unstable monarch who slowly matures under Mikkelsen’s tutelage.
W
A. Teich/Berlinale 2012
hat transpired on screen was mirrored off it as well: Mikkelsen helped soothe his younger costar’s nerves (“I thought I might ruin the whole film”), becoming both mentor and friend. Since graduation, Mikkel has starred opposite Trine Dyrholm in a Danish mini-series and filmed a supporting role in a crime thriller. “I’ve had a pretty good start,” he concurs. “One day, I hope to make a movie outside Denmark but I’m not rushing anything.” M i kke l B o e F ø l s ga a r d r e c e i v i ng a S i l ver Bear a s B e s t Ac t o r a t t he B e r l i na l e 2 012
P a g e 1 8 Portrait - Mikkel Boe Følsgaard - DENMARK
Contact Lindberg Management Anne Lindberg Copenhagen, Denmark phone +45 33- 11 1557 al@lindbergmanagement.com www.lindbergmanagement.com
Nominated by
Filmography The Keeper Of The Lost Causes (Kvinden I Buret) by Mikkel Nørgaards, Denmark 2013 A Royal Affair (En kongelig affære) by Nikolaj Arcel, Denmark 2012
Danish Film Institute www.dfi.dk
Languages
Danish, English, knowledge of French
spotlight film / A ROYAL AFFAIR A ROYAL AFFAIR is a gripping tale of brave idealists who risk everything in their pursuit of freedom for the people, but above all it is the story of a passionate and forbidden romance that changed an entire nation. Director Nicolaj Arcel Production Company Zentropa Entertainments World sales TrustNordisk
Zentropa
take a peek
M a ds M i kke l s e n, A licia V ik an d er, M i kke l Boe Følsgaard in A ROYAL AFFAIR
Portrait - Mikkel Boe Følsgaard - DENMARK P a g e 1 9
» Seeing him in A ROYAL AFFAIR, one instantly knows that he can play any part. For his first role, he is simply breathtaking, taking care of every detail, showing incredible physical adeptness. We never see him creating emotions, they are
Gitte Post
just there. Like a miracle.«
P a g e 2 0 Portrait - Laura Birn - Finland
˚ It was in Brazil » that Laura Birn first became aware how much she loved performing. Having gone as a 17-year-old exchange student, she felt isolated while learning Portuguese. But when she met the members of a Brazilian theatre troupe, her world opened up, allowing her to push her own limits in a sympathetic environment. “I fell in love with it,” she states. “It was experimental so I didn’t need to learn lines, I could just stand on stage and do weird movements or be nude. I was a very good naked statue! I fell in love with the freedom that theatre gave me.”
O
n her return to Helsinki, it took a couple of years before Laura mustered the courage to pursue a career. Alerted to an open casting in 2002, she went along and landed the female lead in Perttu Leppa’s PEARLS AND PIGS, enrolling in her city’s Theatre Academy the same year. Since graduating in 2007, Laura has gone on to appear in films, television series and stage productions.
“
I have done my share of girls next door but at this moment my passion is for the weird girl – the girl with a dark secret,” she smiles. That certainly includes Aliide in Antti Jokinen’s PURGE, the role that impressed the SHOOTING STARS Jury of a young Estonian who does some terrible things in her Soviet-occupied country.
“
Aliide was a very important character for me,” says Laura, adding, “I have had good opportunities in Finland.” She loves her country’s penchant for dark humour, and admires the countryman who put Finnish film on the world map, Aki Kaurismaki. “I fall in love with being Finnish when I watch his films,” she says. “Maybe we are a shy nation and sometimes I feel, ‘Why can’t we be more easygoing socially?’ But other times I feel, ‘It’s us, and it’s cool. Not everybody needs to be the same.’”
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ext up for the luminous actress is a role in Swedish director Bjorn Runge’s MISSION 1325 – and another trip to the dancefloor. “I think dancing is the best thing you can do in your life,” she enthuses. “I love to watch ballet and modern dance, and also just go to a disco and dance.” If we visit her in Helsinki, will she take us to the best danceclubs? “I wouldn’t say Helsinki is the disco capital of Europe,” she laughs. “But I would find some very cool places to go.”
Laura is already one of Finland's most luminous stars, best known and nominated for this years' Jussi Awards for her lead as young Aliide in Antti Jokinen's PURGE and her supporting role as Iiris in Aku Louhimies' NAKED HARBOUR.
Laura Birn
Tuukka Ervati
˚ Finland
P a g e 2 2 Portrait - Laura Birn - Finland
Actors in Scandinavia Laura Munsterhjelm Helsinki, Finland phone +358 400- 540 640 laura@actorsinscandinavia.com www.actorsinscandinavia.com
Marica Rosengård
Contact
Nominated by Finnish Film Foundation www.ses.fi
Languages
Finnish, English, Portuguese, Spanish, Swedish
spotlight film / Purge PURGE is a breathtakingly suspenseful story of two women dogged by their own shameful pasts and the dark, unspoken history that binds them. Director Production Company World sales
Antti Jokinen Solar Films TrustNordisk
Solar Films
take a peek
L a ura B i r n a s Al i i de w i t h Tommi Korp ela in P URGE
Portrait - Laura Birn - Finland P a g e 2 3
» Laura Birn delivered a very complex performance in PURGE. The choices of her character in the course of the film were hard to accept, but, through her performance, we were able to accept and understand why the character behaved as she did.«
Filmography Heart Of A Lion (Leijona Sydän) by Dome Karukoski, Finland 2013 August Fools (Mieletön Elokuu) by Taru Mäkelä, Finland 2013 Purge (Puhdistus) by Antti Jokinen, Finland 2012 Naked Harbour (Vuosaari) by Aku Louhimies, Finland 2012
Marica Rosengård
Pearls and Pigs (Helmiä ja sikoja) by Perttu Leppä, Finland 2003
P a g e 2 4 Portrait - Christa Théret - France
˚ Interview» Christa Théret
? »
Why did you decide to become an actor?
Catherine Cabrol
Christa Théret: A casting director spotted me when I was eleven. She invited me to do some screentests and that’s how everything started with a role in Costa-Gavras’s LE COUPERET. The same thing happened two years later with Lola Doillon’s film, ET TOI, T’ES SUR QUI?. I guess you could call it a “lucky strike”. It was obvious to me that I wanted to keep going on this path. I feel passionate and involved as well as free and connected on a film set. My family is extremely supportive; I believe that my mother had more faith in me than myself.
Chr i sta Th é re t a t th e se t of TW IG G Y
? »
What’s the most difficult challenge you’ve faced as an actor?
? »
Do you find acting mysterious?
? »
Who inspires you?
? »
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Christa Théret: In LA BRINDILLE / TWIGGY, I play a young girl who refuses to acknowledge her pregnancy. She’s so focused on her career and doesn’t want this unexpected thing to change the course of her life. The part was quite hard to discover. Besides the fact that I had never experienced a pregnancy, it was difficult to rely on others’ experience since women who have gone through this resent talking about it. There’s a taboo. But the character moved me. She was a challenge and it was an important subject to show in a movie.
Christa Théret: Acting is mysterious in various ways. Nothing is ever won for long and each performance can be the last one. I would love to inhabit many very different characters. That’s the point and luxury of acting. So far I’ve played characters to whom I could connect on a certain level. I feel ready to inhabit characters very far from who I am but I would still need to be moved by them.
Christa Théret: I try not to be influenced when creating a character, but I admire Isabelle Huppert for her precision, sensitivity and choices. I also feel connected to the “worlds” created by Jane Campion, Andrea Arnold, Cristian Mungiu, Michael Haneke and Steve McQueen.
Christa Théret: Not to project myself into the future too much, and stay simple. I’ve worked recently with two huge actors, Michel Bouquet and Gérard Depardieu, who are both professional and remain human and simple with a strong force. They have kept their curiosity and ability to listen.
Christa Théret
C. Bellaïche / H&K
˚ France
Twice nominated for a César (LOL, TWIGGY), Christa can regularly be seen in films screening at International Film Festivals such as Cannes, in RENOIR (Gilles Bourdos) or Venice, in THE MAN WHO LAUGHS (Jean-Pierre Améris).
P a g e 2 6 Portrait - Christa Théret - France
Contact
Filmography
Agence Elizabeth Simpson Laura Meerson Paris, France phone +33 1- 4222 8550 lmeerson@agencesimpson.com www.agencesimpson.com
The Man Who Laughs (L’homme qui rit) by Jean-Pierre Ameris, France 2012 Renoir by Gilles Bourdos, France 2012
Nominated by uniFrance films www.unifrance.org
Twiggy (La Brindille) by Emmanuelle Millet, France 2011
Languages
French, English
spotlight film / THE MAN WHO LAUGHS Gwynplaine has a scar on his face, giving him a kind of permanent smile. Abandoned by the Comprachicos, who had kidnapped and slashed his face a few years earlier, he is taken in by Ursus together with a blind girl, Déa. They move from village to village, performing a show whose star is the now grown-up Gwynplaine. Life goes on until it is discovered that this scarred man is the heir to a large and noble family. Giddy with this sudden wealth and the carnal passions of a duchess, he distances himself from the only two people who have ever loved him for what he is. Director Production company World sales
Jean-Pierre Améris Incognita films EuropaCorp Group
Freeway (Voie rapide) by Christophe Sahr, France 2011 Mike by Lars Blumers, France 2010 LOL (Laughing Out Loud)® by Lisa Azuelos, France 2008
Jean-Marie Leroy
Thierry Valletoux 2012/Incognita Films Europacorp
take a peek
Chr i s t a T hé r et as A n d rée wit h M ich el Bou q u et in RENOI R C h r i sta Th ér et as D é a ne x t t o M a rc -Andr é G ro ndi n i n T H E M AN WH O L A U G H S
Portrait - Christa Théret - France P a g e 2 7
» We loved the maturity of her interpretation in TWIGGY. She is a very precise actress, who is able to go very deep and avoid the easy trap of acting too sentimentally. She offers a shining mix of fragility, melancholy and
Ugo Richard
charisma.«
Peter Hartwig
Saskia Rosendahl ˚ Germany
19 year-old Saskia caught everyone's attention with the title lead in Cate Shortland's LORE and is one of the leads in French director Denis Dercourt's HAPPY BIRTHDAY which was shooting in Germany in autumn 2012.
Portrait - Saskia Rosendahl - Germany P a g e 2 9
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T
hat’s certainly how it appears from the outside; it wasn’t nearly so straightforward in reality. Making LORE was a thrilling adventure for Saskia, who filmed the role when she was 17, but also an exhausting and difficult one. “We travelled for nine weeks around Germany and I really got into Lore’s mind; I couldn’t escape and therefore I was in the character the whole time,” she says. “There were moments when I felt desperate because I expected so much of myself. Without Cate, I wouldn’t have been able to do it.”
B
orn and raised in Halle (birthplace of Handel), where she still resides, Saskia once thought of becoming a midwife but her first love is dance. She’s been studying ballet since she was four, and performs in childrens’ productions at Halle’s opera house. Whether she pursues an acting career or not (she’s still unsure), she doesn’t ever want to stop working with children.
“
I love to touch people by telling a story which is why I want to continue acting,” says Saskia. “But I also feel my heart is searching for something else. I think I will always need something separate from acting in my life.” This soul-searching runs in her family: recently, Saskia’s father told her how he had been accepted into an acting school in Leipzig at her age but decided not to attend, becoming a psychotherapist instead.
A
fter LORE, Saskia returned for her final year of high school, took her A-levels, and spent the rest of the year attending dance and performance workshops, acting in two other features and travelling to the Toronto, Locarno and London film festivals with Shortland’s film. “It’s only now that I can relax a bit before the Berlinale,” she says. “I’m excited about SHOOTING STARS because LORE means so much to me. I’m so happy that people recognise what we did.”
Festival del film Locarno/phovea
I had no idea what it meant to be an actress but I felt that I would get to know myself by playing somebody else …” So divulges Saskia Rosendahl, our SHOOTING STAR from Germany, whose astonishing lead performance in Cate Shortland’s LORE as a Naziindoctrinated teenager coping with dawning post-war realities has earned her lavish praise. Leading industry title Variety hailed Saskia as “an exciting new talent [who] essays her complex role with maturity and assurance”.
Contact RIETZ MANAGEMENT Jacqueline Rietz Potsdam, Germany kontakt@rietz-management.de Phone + 49 331- 748 101 0
Nominated by German Films www.german-films.de
Languages
German, English, Spanish
Peter Hartwig
Peter Hartwig / busse & halberschmidt
» Saskia is able to transform herself and show an incredible range of emotions - without very much dialogue. She is a true natural talent and, with LORE, is making a phenomenal debut performance as she embarks on the transition from a child into a woman.«
S a s ki a R o s e nda hl a s E milie in HA P P Y BI RT HDAY
Vanessa Fuentes / Rohfilm
Portrait - Saskia Rosendahl - Germany P a g e 3 1
S a s ki a R o s en d ah l wit h cast of LORE
Filmography
spotlight film / LORE
Happy Birthday (Zum Geburtstag) by Denis Dercourt, Germany/France 2012
After her Nazi parents are imprisoned, Lore leads her younger siblings across a war-torn Germany in 1945. Amidst the chaos, she encounters mysterious refugee Thomas, who shatters her fragile reality with hatred and desire. To live, she must trust someone she was taught to hate and face the darkness within herself.
The Taste of apple seeds (Der Geschmack von Apfelkernen) by Vivian Naefe, Germany 2012
Director Production Company World sales
Cate Shortland Rohfilm Memento Films International
take a peek
Lore by Cate Shortland, Germany/Australia/UK, 2011
S as ki a R o s e nda hl a t t he s e t o f L O R E
Thomas M. Jauk/Rohfilm
Für Elise by Wolfgang Dinslage, Germany 2010
P a g e 3 2 Portrait - Luca Marinelli - Italy
˚Although it took time » for him to build up the courage to pursue his own career, Luca Marinelli was always able to draw from his own family for inspiration along the way. Whether it was watching old Italian movies on the sofa with his grandmother or observing his father at work as a professional voice-dubbing artist in Italy, his close-knit family gave him the solid foundation to pursue his own dreams in the profession. “They help me as a human being and as an actor,” says Luca. “They have given me a big suitcase of images and memories and feelings that I have with me all the time.”
A
fter graduating from the Silvio D’Amico Academy of Dramatic Arts in Rome, Luca landed one of his first auditions for Saverio Costanzo’s THE SOLITUDE OF PRIME NUMBERS in 2010. It proved an auspicious debut, garnering several awards and praise for Luca, who gained 15 kilos to play emotionally damaged loner Mattia. He was similarly impressive in Paolo Virzi’s EVERY BLESSED DAY as a night porter obsessed with ancient Greek poetry and Christian martyrs, expertly conveying the character’s shyness and comic irony.
“
I loved that job,” declares Luca. “I do usually like to find humour in my characters. I think it’s a wonderful way to make people laugh and cry at the same time. I love Peter Sellers for that. He could be heartbreaking and funny in the same scene. ‘Chance’ the gardener in BEING THERE? Just… wow!”
L
uca expresses his own preference for inhabiting characters who are “very far away from me. I like to put on a mask. Or maybe that’s just what I think to myself; maybe all of the characters I’ve played are very close to me.” What’s something about Luca that might surprise people? “The best thing is to surprise people with my work. It’s wonderful when you’re not recognised from a film because maybe that means you did a good job.”
C
urrently living in Berlin, Luca approaches each role as an exhilirating adventure. He recently played a small part in Paolo Sorrentino’s next film, LA GRANDE BELLEZZA, and is excited about the new explorations that lie ahead. “It’s a wonderful, serious game being an actor,” he effuses. “Each character is a big challenge.” And when he’s not working? “Then, I try to enjoy my life,” he says with classic Italian exuberance. “Right now I’m trying to think every day of a phrase that’s written on the wall of my house: ‘Dieser Tag ein Leben’.”
Luca attracted wide attention after his role in Saverio Costanzo's THE SOLITUDE OF PRIME NUMBERS and returns to the big screen as the lead in Paolo Virzi's romantic comedy EVERY BLESSED DAY.
Luca Marinelli
Sirio Magnabosco
˚ Italy
Intramovies
P a g e 3 4 Portrait - Luca Marinelli - Italy
L uc a M a r i ne l l i a s G ui do w i t h Fe de r i c a V i c t o r i a Ca i o z zo in EV ERY BLESSED DAY
spotlight film / EVERY BLESSED DAY Guido is shy, reserved, well-educated. Antonia is restless, touchy and proudly ignorant. This relationship seems strong and loving until the desire for a child that fails to come, spins into motion unpredictable consequences. Director Paolo Virzì Production Company Motorino Amaranto World sales Intramovies
take a peek
Johan Sandberg/Courtesy of L'Officiel Hommes Italia
Contact Officine Artistiche Daniele Orazi Rome, Italy phone +39 06- 5834 4689 daniele@officineartistiche.com www.officineartistiche.com
Nominated by Istituto Luce Cinecittà www.filmitalia.org
Languages
Italian, English, Spanish, German, French
Portrait - Luca Marinelli - Italy P a g e 3 5
Filmography Every Blessed Day (Tutti i santi giorni) by Paolo Virzì, Italy 2012 Nina by Elisa Fuksas, Italy 2012 Waves by Corrado Maria Sassi, Italy 2011
» His hypnotic innocent look – a major and rare quality for an actor – illuminates EVERY BLESSED DAY where his acting is very understated and unlike anything else we have seen.«
The Last Man On Earth (L’ultimo terrestre) by Gian Alfonso, Italy 2011
Sirio Magnabosco
Johan Sandberg/Courtesy of L'Officiel Hommes Italia
The Solitude Of Prime Numbers (La solitudine dei numeri primi) by Saverio Costanzo, Italy 2009
Dominique Charriau/Wire Image/Getty Images
As the first Kosovar actress in history, Arta walked the red carpet at the Cannes festival, for her lead in LORNA'S SILENCE (Dardenne brothers) and returned to the Croisette with Catherine Corsini's THREE WORLDS.
Arta Dobroshi ˚ Republic of Kosovo*
Portrait - Arta Dobroshi - Republic of Kosovo* P a g e 3 7
˚ Interview» Arta Dobroshi
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Why did you originally want to be an actor?
»
Arta Dobroshi: I left Kosova when I was 14 because the situation was dangerous, and my brother and I went to the States as exchange students. That’s where I took my first drama class. When I returned to Kosova, I studied at an academy and started doing plays and short films and reading books from all over the world. I’ve always seen myself as living in a world without borders. Even though we were always occupied, in my head, we were free.
? »
Does that sense of freedom feed into your performances?
Arta Dobroshi: I don’t know. It’s hard to ask me how I create my characters because you cannot put acting into words. It’s not maths, two plus two equals four. I really don’t know how I do it but I think that the more honest I am, the better I am. I’m not the sort of person who analyses stuff too much: do I love this character? Do I love this job? I just try to there in the moment.
? »
Arta Dobroshi: I want to work everywhere and with really good people. Of course I would love to work with Spielberg and all these great directors and screenwriters. That’s always been my ambition since I was 17, when people thought I was crazy because I was saying it in a place that was occupied. But then things become reality and now I try to give hope to youngsters by saying, “You can do what your heart wants.”
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Who or what inspires you?
Arta Dobroshi: I love nature. I love swimming. I love singing and dancing. I love all those things. It feels so nice just to walk in the mountains and maybe find a lake to swim in. I really love water. When I was little, I used to think I was a mermaid. I was in the water so much, I would think, “Why can’t I breathe underwater?”
? »
How was the experience of making THREE WORLDS with Catherine Corsini?
Arta Dobroshi: It was very different from the other film experiences I’ve had but it was a good one because it has brought me so many things. I always say that there is no such thing as a bad experience. If one set is more stressful than another, it’s all luxury because just twelve years ago, we couldn’t walk on the street and were afraid we might die. Now, I might feel stressed about something on a set, but really, so what?
Alice Petraud/FIFF
What are your dreams and ambitions in this industry?
P a g e 3 8 Portrait - Arta Dobroshi - Republic of Kosovo*
Filmography Three Worlds (Trois Mondes) by Catherine Corsini, France 2012 Late Bloomers by Julie Gavras, France/Belgium/UK 2011 Baby by Daniel Mulloy, UK 2010 (short film) Lorna’s Silence (Le Silence de Lorna) by Jean Pierre & Luc Dardenne, Belgium/ France/Germany/Italy 2008 The Sadness Of Mrs. Snajderova (Trishtimi i znj. Shnajder) by Piro & Eno Milkani Albania/Czech Republic/ Greece 2007
François de Ribaucourt/FIFF
Magic Eye (Syri Magic) by Kujtim Cashku, Albania/ Germany 2005
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.
Pyramide Productions 2011
Portrait - Arta Dobroshi - Republic of Kosovo* P a g e 3 9
A r t a D o bro s hi a s Ve ra w i t h C l o t i l de Hesme in T HREE WORLDS
» In THREE WORLDS, this actress displays a wealth of warmth and humanity. Her sensitivity and smartness literally take over the big screen the minute she appears. An overwhelming performance.«
Contact
spotlight film / THREE WORLDS What starts out as an evening of fun and games for a trio of young men in a high-powered car turns grim and serious when they hit a man in the street and flee the scene of the accident. The events triggered by this hit-and-run bring three very different worlds together. The driver of the car is Alan, who is days away from wedding the boss' daughter. The accident is witnessed by, Juliette, who is trying to work out her life after discovering she's pregnant. To round out the triangle, there is the world of Vera, wife of the man who has been hit. Vera becomes a key player in the drama. Director Production Company World sales
Catherine Corsini Pyramide Productions Pyramide International
take a peek
UBBA Rosalie Cimino Paris, France Tel. +33-6- 8341 8153 r.cimino@ubba.eu www.ubba.eu
Kosova Cinematography Center www.qkk-rks.com
Languages
Albanian, Bosnian, English, French
A r t a D o bro s hi , D a ni e l M ul l oy ( di r e c t o r o f BAB Y ) , i n C a nne s 2 0 1 2
Pixplanete/PR Photos
Nominated by
Marius Baragan/Marie Claire
Ada Condeescu ˚ Romania
IF I WANT TO WHISTLE, I WHISTLE (Florin Șerban) was Ada’s debut, followed with lead roles in Catalin Mitulescu's LOVERBOY, and Bogdan Mustata's feature debut WOLF.
Portrait - Ada Condeescu - Romania P a g e 4 1
˚ Interview» Ada Condeescu
Why did you originally want to become an actor?
»
Ada Condeescu: I grew up among actors and writers and I think this environment influenced me. As a young girl, I was fascinated by theatres, by the lights and the stage, and I always wanted to see what was beyond this world. It was an instinctive decision which I took long ago.
?
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When have you felt the most connection to a character?
Ada Co nde e s c u, G e o r ge P iş t erean u a t t he B e r l i na l e 2010
»
Ada Condeescu: With Veli in Loverboy, I felt she was a part of me after we finished the film. I did a lot of research before playing her: I met human-traffic victims and learned about this dependent, self-destructive love they experience. I discovered that the key to Veli was understanding her emotionally rather than rationally, and being able to feel this kind of love in which you are able to give everything and run to the end of the world with your eyes closed but with him by your side.
Can fear be a motivating factor in performance?
»
Ada Condeescu: Sometimes I feel fearful about playing with the emotions of invented lives. It can be a risky game which is why you have to find a strong equilibrium in your everyday life and have good control of your mind and emotions. But fear also gives me the courage to face it and to defeat it.
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Strada Film
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Do you feed aspects of yourself into your characters?
»
Ada Condeescu: I wouldn’t say that. But when I am preparing a part, I let myself be carried almost totally by the character in my own life: by their desires, their needs, their way of thinking. I’ll do almost anything to provoke new feelings, new thoughts, whatever is helpful to build a role.
What does it mean to you to be a Shooting Star?
»
Ada Condeescu: It’s an honour to be selected. I hope it will give me opportunities for new projects abroad. I believe that it’s vital as an actor to create many different types of characters.
Wolf (Lupu) by Bogdan Mustață, Romania/Germany 2013 Loverboy by Cătălin Mitulescu, Romania/Sweden/Serbia 2011 If I Want To Whistle, I Whistle (Eu când vreau să fluier, fluier) by Florin Șerban, Romania/Sweden 2010
» In LOVERBOY Ada Condeescu gives an impressive performance: sensual, loving and convincing. The camera loves her without falling into vulgarity or voyeurism.«
Alex Galmeanu
Filmography
Portrait - Ada Condeescu - Romania P a g e 4 3
Contact
Strada Film
Romanian Film Promotion Raluca Papanicoglu Bucharest, Romania phone +40 21- 326 6480 raluca@tiff.ro www.romfilmpromotion.ro
Nominated by Romanian Film Promotion www.romfilmpromotion.ro
Languages
Romanian, English, Italian
Ada Co nde e scu as Veli in LOV ERBOY
spotlight film / LOVERBOY Luca is 20 years old and lives in a small town by the Danube. He seduces girls and sends them to a human trafficking network in the Black Sea port Constanta. His life seems to change when he meets Veli. The sudden death of an ex-girlfriend and his new love for Veli make him wonder whether he should continue or not. To be a loverboy.
take a peek
Strada Film
Marius Baragan/Marie Claire
Director Production Company World sales
Cătălin Mitulescu Strada Film Celluloid Dreams
P a g e 4 4 Portrait - Jure Henigman - Slovenia
˚ Interview» Jure Henigman
? »
Why did you originally want to be an actor?
Jure Henigman: I wasn’t one of those guys who wanted to be an actor since kindergarten. My early wish was to become a mechanic. I also played handball and was quite serious about it but when I had to decide between school and professional sport, I chose school. My language teacher talked me into joining her acting class and, later, I tried my luck with the Academy for Theatre, Radio, Film and Television in Ljubljana. I got accepted and my love of acting has grown ever since.
? »
Your performance in A TRIP impressed the Jury. How was the experience?
Jure Henigman: That’s a real story about four friends who met at the Academy and decided to make a film no matter what. Every year I appreciate our experience a bit more. I play a soldier who comes home from Afganistan although the focus is the relationship between three friends. Gregor, my character, has problems expressing his feelings connected to having a violent father. He joined the army to escape. Pretty classical story. I come from a very different background: I have a loving family that supports me although they were sceptical about my decision to become an actor. But when they saw how much I loved it, they supported me. Again, classical.
? »
Do you feed aspects of yourself into your characters?
Jure Henigman: I built Gregor based on my own personality. His circumstances are different but I just imagined how I would react if I had a similar story. I am certain that acting is most affective when it’s personal. I always try to be as personal as I can, even though being personal all the time is one of the hardest things for me.
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Tell us something about yourself that will surprise people. Jure Henigman: People are usually surprised when I tell them I have a daughter. She is two, her name is Julija and she is my sunshine.
? »
What does it mean to you to be a SHOOTING STAR?
Jure Henigman: I am extremely honoured but also quite nervous because I’m not a fan of big events. But I’ve told myself, “Just try to have fun.” On the other hand, I love my profession and I want to explore all the possibilities. We don’t make many films in Slovenia so I hope this will expand my options.
Pa g e 4 5
Jure has attracted attention with his performance in Nejc Gazvoda's A TRIP, winning the Best Actor prizes at the Slovenian Film Festival and the Nashville Film Festival. He has just completed work on his second film with Gazvoda, the love story DUAL.
Jure Henigman Urska Kosir
˚ Slovenia
Filmography Dual (Dvojina) by Nejc Gazvoda, Slovenia 2013 Feed Me With Your Words (Nahrani me z besedami) by Martin Turk, Slovenia 2012 A Trip (Izlet) by Nejc Gazvoda, Slovenia 2011 Duck Hunting (Lov na race) (short) by Rok Biček, Slovenia 2010 Personal Baggage (Osebna prtljaga) by Janez Lapajne, Slovenia 2008
Urska Kosir
» The way he portrayed many emotions through his face is simultaneously, clear, precise and fascinating. In A TRIP, he shows his profound skill in combining a broad range of emotions with jawdropping naturalness.«
Portrait - Jure Henigman - Slovenia
Pa g e 4 7
spotlight film / A Trip Three friends embark on a road trip like in high school, but things have changed - Gregor is going to war mission, Ziva is going to study abroad, while Andrej is still the same. There are secrets left unsaid. Can their friendship survive? Director Nejc Gazvoda Production Company Perfo Production World sales Insomnia World Sales Perfo Production
take a peek
Jur e H e ni gm a n a s G r e go r i n A T R I P
contact
Nominated by Slovenian Film Centre www.film-center.si
Languages
Slovenian, English, Croatian, Serbian, Bosnian, Italian
Sarajevo Film Festival
Slovenian Film Centre Nerina T. Kocjančič Ljubljana, Slovenia Tel. +386 1- 2343 200 nerina.kocjancic@film-center.si www.film-center.si
Jur e H e ni gm a n a t t he S a rajevo Film Fest ival 2011
Robin Haldert/SCANPIX
Nermina Lukač
˚ Sweden
Portrait - Nermina Luka č - Sweden P a g e 4 9
The performance of a "take no shit" factory worker in Gabriela Pichler's debut, EAT SLEEP DIE, earned Nermina numerous awards, most recently for Best Actress at this years' Swedish Guldbagge Awards.
I
f Nermina Lukač had chased her original childhood dreams, she’d be putting out fires or defending Swedish law and order right now. “I grew up wanting to be a cop or a fireman,” she smiles. “Acting was a dream of mine but it wasn’t the biggest one.” When she left school at 19 and discovered she couldn’t enroll in police academy until she turned 22, Nermina changed course and studied to become a youth leader instead. Then, last year, fate guided her into the leading role on a feature film after her supervisor informed her that a female director was seeking a non-professional actress.
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AT SLEEP DIE is not merely Nermina’s first acting role, it’s her only one to date, making her naturalistic performance as a toughened Muslim-Balkan factory worker named Raša who loses her job all the more remarkable. “She’s a cocky tomboy who doesn’t think about what she says before it comes out of her mouth,” she reflects. From first frame to last, director Gabriela Pichler's camera remains locked on her young star’s sensitive, compelling portrayal of an immigrant woman with limited job prospects, facing desperation and an identity crisis in the wake of her abrupt unemployment.
H
aving no previous acting experience to draw upon, Nermina doesn’t mince words when asked to name the most difficult challenge she faced as Raša. “Crying!” she laughs. “I’m not good at crying. Gabriela had to have some very sad talks with me before we shot those scenes. She found some sad memories and she needed to because I had to cry as soon as she said, ‘Action!’”
L
ike her tough and spiky character, Nermina is originally from Montenegro. Her family emigrated to Sweden in 1992 to escape the war erupting in neighbouring Bosnia. “I can see Raša’s life in the life that my parents had when they first came to Sweden,” says Nermina, who turned 23 last month and took time off from her studies to make EAT SLEEP DIE. She returned to them straight afterwards but now she’s feeling inclined to pursue a new dream. “I still have some homework to finish before I get my diploma,” she says. “But I also want to find more movies; I want to work as an actress. It’s a lot of fun.”
P a g e 5 0 Portrait - Nermina Luka č - Sweden
Filmography
Anagram
Eat Sleep Die (Äta Sova Dö) by Gabriela Pichler, Sweden 2012
Anagram
Ne r m i na L ukač as Raša in EAT SLEEP DI E
spotlight film / EAT SLEEP DIE When the forceful young Muslim Swedish/Balkan ”take-noshit” factory worker Raša loses her job, she faces the system of unemployment. With no high school diploma, no job – but her boots deeply stained with the mud of the small town she grew up in – Raša finds herself on collision course with society. Director Production Company World sales
take a peek
Gabriela Pichler Anagram Production The Yellow Affair
Contact
Portrait - Nermina Luka č - Sweden P a g e 5 1
Swedish Artists Agency Peter Jansson Stockholm, Sweden phone +46 8 651 05 00 peter@artistgruppen.se www.artistgruppen.se
Nominated by Swedish Film Institute www.sfi.se
Languages
Swedish, Serbian, English
» She carries the movie on her shoulders. We are so impressed by the performance she gives us in EAT SLEEP DIE that we are already dying to see more of her. We believe the truthfulness of her character at every point, and this instantly creates a deep empathy that lasts for the whole film.«
Abu Dhabi Film Festival
N er m i n a L u k ač a t th e Ab u D h ab i Fi l m Festi val 2 0 1 2
P a g e 5 2 Portrait - Carla Juri - Switzerland
˚ Interview» Carla Juri
? »
Why did you decide to become an actor?
Carla Juri: bI came to acting by accident. I grew up in the mountains, surrounded by nature. There were no real distractions so fantasy and the mystery of the unknown were a big part of my daily life. Rather than deciding to be an actor, I was exploring different forms of art and acting is the one which fulfils me the most right now. The artform of acting offers me the most differentiated tools to express and explore my creativity. It’s an amalgamation of literature, history, poetry, photography and dancing.
?
»
How do you set about pursuing your goals?
Carla Juri: I speak five different languagues so I have the freedom to work throughout Europe without being chained to one country’s taste or fashion at that moment. I experience very different styles of filmmaking. My language skills are a big help for me to keep moving and transforming. Of course, you also need the talent, education, the effort and luck.
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What do you love about creating a character?
Carla Juri: I try to create a believable character on many different levels. For example, how she dresses, moves or walks. It’s best to create behaviours which are, for the most part, unconscious. I love to research a lot. You gain the jewels for the part. Once you have that, you can jump to the core of a role by discovering the inner rhythm of the character. When I have that, I have the freedom to be united with it and experiment further.
? ? »
What’s the most difficult challenge you’ve ever faced as an actor?
»
Carla Juri: On every shoot, there comes a dead moment: the moment where everything is stuck, everybody is stressed, tired or ill, and all kind of things go wrong. This is the moment where you still have to activate the energy, fade out the environment and get into character. A dead moment happens on every shoot.
What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
Carla Juri: Don't judge your work. Go for the process, not the result. That means that you have to look forward. Every mistake you make is actually something good because you gain experience.
Carla Juri
Cüneyt Kaya
˚ Switzerland
As a multilingual actress, Carla has appeared in films in Switzerland, Germany, England and Italy, including the lead in Xavier Koller's SOMEONE LIKE ME and in David Wnendt's FEUCHTGEBIETE.
P a g e 5 4 Portrait - Carla Juri - Switzerland
Contact
spotlight film / Someone Like Me
Pegasus Ute Bergien Berlin, Germany phone +49 30- 2849 760 ute.bergien@pegasus-agency.de www.pegasus-agency.de
It is love at first sight between Kari and Annemarie but their love is not without complications. They come from opposite sides of the society and Annemaries father have other, more wealthy and handsome, husbands in plan for her.
Nominated by SWISS FILMS www.swissfilms.ch
Languages
Director Xavier Koller Production Company Catpics Coproductions AG World sales NonStop Sales
take a peek
German, Italian, English, French
Ca r l a Jur i w i t h di r e c t o r Xav i e r Ko l l e r a t t he set of SOM EONE LI KE M E
Pa g e 5 5
Catpics AG/Switzerland
Peter Hartwig/Majestic
Portrait - Carla Juri - Switzerland
» She has a real talent for portraying people with secrets. Her seductively romantic face hides a fascinating ability for surprising audiences by never letting them guess what her character is going to do.«
C a r l a Jur i w i t h di r e c t o r D av i d F. W ne ndt dur i ng sh oot in g FEUC HT GEBI ET E
Filmography FEUCHTGEBIETE by David F. Wnendt, Germany 2013
Someone Like Me (Eine wen iig, dr Dällebach Kari) by Xavier Koller, Switzerland 2012
Fossil by Alex Walker UK 2013
Jump by Bindu de Stoppani, UK 2011
Finsterworld by Frauke Finsterwalder, Germany 2012/13
180º by Cihan Inan, Switzerland/ Germany 2010
Peter Hartwig/Majestic
Car l a Ju ri a s An n e ma rie i n S OM E ONE L IKE ME
C a r l a Jur i a s Helen in Feuchtgebiete
P a g e 5 6 SHOOTING STARS would like to thank
main partner
co partner
third partners
event partners
main media partner
media partners
CiNeUROP A THE SITEFOR EUROPEANCINEMA
Jakub Bejnarowicz
Hei ke Mak a tsch in THE ADVE N TU R ES O F H U C K FIN N by H er m i n e H u n tg eb u r th
B i r g i t Mi n i ch m ay r, J 端r ge n Vo ge l i n M E R C Y by Matth i as G l as n e r
Fr i e dr i ch M 端cke , H a nna h Herz sp ru n g , L udw i g I I a t t he M e di e nbo a rd recep t ion 2012
Medienboard BerlinBrandenburg/Germany Since 2009, the film fund has regularly supported SHOOTING STARS at the Berlin International Film Festival. EFP is grateful for this financial support as well as for the substantial programming and networking input provided by the Medienboard, under Managing Director Kirsten Niehuus.
Gordon M端hle/UFA Cinema
Kirste n Nieh u u s , Man ag i n g D i r ector M BB, Davi d K ros s an d R en ate R ose, Man ag i n g D i r ector EFP
R o na l d Z e hr f e l d, Al e x a nder Feh lin g , A u g u st Dieh l in S H O R E S of H ope by Toke C on st an t in Heb b eln
SHOOTING STARS would like to thank the participating member organisations for their support
and specially German Films (Mariette Rissenbeek) and the German Ministry for Culture and the Media (Markus Knoche and Ulrike Schautz)
The team behind the curtain Nanke Siemon / graphik design * Jil Heiser & Lea Kern / Fernsehecke, trailer production * Andreas Dix / production manager * Organic / press agency * Markus Nass / photos * Ralf Uhler / photos * and the Hamburg-based EFP team
P a g e 5 8 SHOOTING STARS would like to thank
Film- und Medienstiftung NordrheinWestfalen / Germany Since the inception of the SHOOTING STARS initiative in 1998, Germany’s largest regional film fund, NRW, has been an enthusiastic supporter of project. Each year, NRW provides not only a financial contribution, but also presents the actors to the press and industry on stage at the Gala Reception during the Berlinale.
Ne t wo r ki ng @ NR W r e c e pt i o n S H O OT I NG S TA R S m e e t p rod u cers & f in an ciers
INFORMATION
Mo ritz Ble ib treu , Lav i n i a W i l son i n Q U ELLEN D ES LEB EN S by O s k ar R oeh l er
With an annual funding budget of 35 million euros, the Filmund Medienstiftung NRW is the largest regional funding agency in Germany. The goal of the company is the promotion of film and media culture as well as the film and media business in the state of North Rhine-Westphalia.
D av i d K ross, K ate W i n sl et i n TH E R EA D ER by S tep h en D al d r y
S HOOT I NG STARS 2012 with H an n el or e K raft (3 r d from l eft), P r i m e Mini s t e r No r t h R hi ne -We s t pha l i a , a nd Pe t ra M ue l l e r ( 4 t h f ro m r i ght ) , CE O Fi l m - un d M ed ien st if t u n g NRW
About European Film Promotion P a g e 5 9
Promotion and Marketing of European Films and Talent worldwide Founded in 1997 by ten members as a non-profit organisation, EUROPEAN FILM PROMOTION (EFP) has since grown into a leading international promotion organisation with a membership of 35 organisations representing 36 countries in Europe – from Portugal in the West to Georgia in the East. While promoting European cinema with joint initiatives under the EFP umbrella, the organization fully respects the culturally rich and unique nature of each of its member’s own cinema heritage. EFP represents the diverse interests of its members through a variety of projects which are taking place under the EFP banner, at different festivals and markets around the globe. EFP’s reliance on the national expertise and know-how of the member institutes has been at the core of the organizational goals since it’s inception, and has been essential to EFP’s ability to achieve sustainable success through a long-term approach to bringing European cinema to audiences around the world. With the support of EU‘s MEDIA Programme
EFP thus represents a true network of industry professionals whose goal is to increase the circulation and exploitation of European films in Europe and internationally. The organisation, which is highly tuned into market realities, is able to effectively adjust to rapid changes that occur within the film industry as well as to the evolving and challenging world of new technology. Over the past 16 years, EFP has pursued a two-fold strategy to support European film and talent worldwide: implementation of original approaches to promotion & networking and creation of viable methods to increase access to markets. EFP’s strategies span a broad spectrum and include artistic and business-oriented platforms which support the goal of increasing the visibility and marketability of European films globally.
EFP is supported by
The EFP Network
www.efp-online.com
Ada Condeescu Romania
Laura Birn Finland
Arta Dobroshi
Republic of Kosovo*
Mikkel Boe Følsgaard Denmark Jure HenigmaN
Slovenia
Carla Juri
Switzerland
Nermina Lukač Sweden
Luca Marinelli Italy
Saskia Rosendahl
Germany
Christa ThÉret
France
* This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo declaration of independence.