Opening Night Film:
Welcome to Germany (Willkommen bei den Hartmanns)

Fri. Feb. 9, 2018 at 6:30 PM
Castro Theatre, San Francisco / Northern California Premiere
116 mins. Germany (2016). DCP. German with English subtitles.

Director: Simon Verhoeven
Starring: Senta Berger, Heiner Lauterbach, Florian David Fitz, Palina Rojinski, Elyas M’Barek, Eric Kabongo
Screenplay: Simon Verhoeven
Cinematography: Jo Heim
Editors: Denis Bachter, Stefan Essl, Tom Seil
Producers: Simon Verhoeven, Quirin Berg, Max Wiedemann, Michael Verhoeven

Recently retired teacher Angelika decides, against her skeptical husband Richard’s will, to take in a refugee. Soon afterward, the young Nigerian Diallo moves into the Hartmann home, and a whirlwind of complications ensue. These events not only disrupt the lives of Angelika and Richard’s adult children Philip and Sophie; they also put their own marriage as well as Diallo’s chances of integration to the test. Despite all the chaos, hope prevails that the family will recover its stability, confidence, and peace. A timely social comedy, “Welcome to Germany” was the highest grossing German film at the local box office in 2016 and first part of 2017 with more than 3.5 million admissions.

CENTERPIECE FILM:
The Bloom of Yesterday (Die Blumen von Gestern)

Sat. Feb. 10, 2018 at 6:30 PM
Castro Theatre, San Francisco / Special Premiere
123 mins. Germany (2016). DCP. German with English subtitles.

Director: Chris Kraus
Starring: Lars Eidinger, Adèle Haenel, Hannah Herzsprung, Jan Josef Liefers
Screenplay: Chris Kraus
Cinematography: Sonja Rom
Editor: Brigitta Tauchner
Producers: Danny Krausz, Kathrin Lemme

Totila Blumen (Lars Eidinger, “Personal Shopper“, “Clouds of Sils Maria“) is a Holocaust researcher. As such, he has no sense of fun. This applies in a general sense and specifically when his colleagues try to turn an Auschwitz conference into a corporate-sponsored media event. In the process, they trample all over the memory of the recently deceased Professor Norkus – whom Totila revered. On top of all this, Totila is lumped with an intern: a young and irritating French student named Zazie (Adèle Haenel). As she follows Totila around and has a fling with his boss, the otherwise serious and measured academic becomes a nervous wreck. But it’s no good moaning about it – certainly not to his stressed wife, who demands that he gripe less and learn to accept what his life has to offer. And so Totila ploughs on with his work, aided by the overwrought, eccentric Zazie. She, however, appears to have an agenda of her own – and it’s closely related to Totila’s background and well-guarded family secret.

CASTRO CLOSING NIGHT FILM:
Egon Schiele: Death and the Maiden (Egon Schiele: Tod und Mädchen)

Sun. Feb. 11, 2018 at 8:30 PM
Castro Theatre, San Francisco / Special Screening
110 mins. Austria, Luxembourg (2016). DCP. German with English subtitles.

Director: Dieter Berner
Starring: Noah Saavedra, Maresi Riegner, Valerie Pachner, Marie Jung
Screenplay: Hilde Berger, Dieter Berner
Cinematography: Carsten Thiele
Editor: Robert Hentschel

Producers: Franz Novotny, Alexander Glehr, Bady Minck, Alexander Dumreicher-Ivanceanu
At the beginning of the 20th century, Egon Schiele is one of the most provocative artists in Vienna. His life and work are driven by beautiful women and an era that is coming to an end. Two women will have a lasting impact on him – his sister and first muse Gerti, and 17-year-old Wally, arguably Schiele’s one true love, immortalized in his famous painting “Death and the Maiden“. Schiele’s radical paintings scandalize Viennese society while daring artists like Gustav Klimt and art agents alike are sensing the exceptional. But Egon Schiele is also prepared to go beyond his own pain and to sacrifice love and life for his art.

TICKETS
Opening Night Film, Centerpiece Film, Castro Closing Night Film – per ticket: $20.00 general; $18.00 senior / student; $17.00 Berlin & Beyond member
Castro Priority Pass (all Castro screenings Feb. 9-11 and priority entry): $250.00 general public; $200.00 Berlin & Beyond member
Prices for regular Castro screenings, Goethe-Institut screenings, and Shattuck Cinemas screenings will be announced.
Tickets are now on sale for select screenings at: tickets.berlinbeyond.com

BERLIN & BEYOND FILM FESTIVAL
Since 1996, Berlin & Beyond Film Festival has been the leading festival of contemporary German cinema in the Americas, and has presented over 500 motion pictures, along with the presence of celebrated film figures, including Fatih Akin, Moritz Bleibtreu, Daniel Brühl, Hannelore Elsner, Florian David Fitz, Bruno Ganz, Maria Schrader, Barbara Sukowa, Wim Wenders. Including seasonal programming, Berlin & Beyond receives a combined attendance of over 12,000 people annually.

Official Website: berlinbeyond.com
Social Media:
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twitter.com/berlinbeyond
instagram.com/berlinbeyond
youtube.com/berlinbeyond
#BerlinBeyond22

GOETHE-INSTITUT
The Goethe-Institut is Germany’s official cultural center comprised of 159 institutes in 98 countries. The Goethe-Institut exists to promote art and films from Germany, the study of the German language, and encourage the international cultural exchange with Germany. Having celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2017, the San Francisco branch has been promoting German culture and language since 1967. Its year-round cultural activities include art exhibitions, film screenings, and special events with local cultural institutions.

Official Website: goethe.de/sf