Presskit_COLOURS IN THE DARK - Unitel

presentsCOLOURSIN THE DARKDirectorSOPHIE HELDMANStarringBRUNO GANZ and SENTA BERGERProduced byunafilmin co-production with Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion

CASTFredAnitaKarolinePatrickYvonneMathisBruno GanzSenta BergerCarina WieseBarnaby MetschuratLeonie BeneschThomas LimpinselCREWDirectorScriptDirector of PhotograpyEditorCostumeMusicProducerCo-ProducerSophie HeldmanSophie HeldmanFelix zu KnyphausenChristine A. MaierIsabel MeierManfred SchneiderBalz BachmannTitus KreyenbergKarin KochProductionCo-ProductionTitus Kreyenberg, unafilmKarin Koch, Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion, ZürichCommissioning Editor WDRCommissioning Editor ArteCommissioning Editor SFAndrea Hanke / Anke KrauseGeorg SteinertLilian Räber2For further information:Beta Cinema Press, Dorothee Stoewahse, Tel: + 49 89 67 34 69 15, press@betafilm.com, www.betacinema.comPictures and filmclips available on ftp.betafilm.com, username: ftppress01, password: betapress

SHORT SYNOPSISAnita (Senta Berger) and Fred (Bruno Ganz) have been together for some 50 years and happilymarried for just as long. They have two grown-up children, and their granddaughter is about to finishschool. Both cannot only look back on a fulfilled life – they are still in the middle of it. Up to nowthey have not told their family that Fred is gravely ill. For the first time in all these years, Fred allowshimself to do things that affront his wife. And for the first time Anita feels left alone and she starts tocall their relationship into question. But a love like theirs does not end just like that. In fact, it shouldnever end.PRESS NOTESCOLOURS IN THE DARK tells a story of love without compromises, of small escapes andmature decisions. The director Sophie Heldman wrote the screenplay to her touching cinematicdebut with her co-author Felix zu Knyphausen, and the film was nominated for the FIRST STEPSAWARD 2010.Sophie Heldman cast her dream actors to play the married couple living their lives without makingany compromises in their love for each other: SENTA BERGER and BRUNO GANZ. Her lifeexperiences and personal approach to aging had a dynamic influence on this intimate film. The otherlead roles are played by BARNABY METSCHURAT (“L' AUBERGE ESPAGNOLE”); CARINA WIESE(“THE CLOUD”); SILVANA KRAPPATSCH (“IN BETWEEN DAYS”); and the newcomer LEONIEBENESCH (“THE WHITE RIBBON”). The film was produced by Titus Kreyenberg.COLOURS IN THE DARK is a production of unafilm and Dschoint Ventschr, in coproductionwith WDR; arte; and Schweizer Fernsehen SRG SSR. The film was funded by Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen; DFFF; BKM; Filmstiftung Zürich; Kulturförderung Kanton Zug; and Eurimages.CONTENTAnita and Fred (SENTA BERGER and BRUNO GANZ) are both in their early 70s; they have beentogether for 50 years and have been married for almost as long. They have two grown children,Patrick (BARNABY METSCHURAT) and Karoline (CARINA WIESE), and their grandchild Yvonne(LEONIE BENESCH) is studying for her final exams in school. Fred was a successful businessman andis wealthy now, and he and his wife live in a large house with an idyllic yard. They have everything.The only thing they don't have in abundance is time."I'm an old woman, and an old woman has the right to have things stay the way they are!"Fred says "good-bye" on his way to the office on what seems to be a normal, average morning. WhileAnita is shopping in the city she sees her husband off in the distance on the street. Curious, shefollows him, and she sees Fred walk into a building she has never seen before. Anita enters thebuilding and walks into a recently renovated, empty apartment. Fred is surprised to see her andobviously embarrassed in a touching way; he explains to his wife that he bought the apartment as aninvestment. Anita is absolutely stunned, and she turns on her heels and walks away without sayinganother word. She never for a second thought her husband would keep secrets from her. WhenFor further information:Beta Cinema Press, Dorothee Stoewahse, Tel: + 49 89 67 34 69 15, press@betafilm.com, www.betacinema.comPictures and filmclips available on ftp.betafilm.com, username: ftppress01, password: betapress3

The next morning Anita and Fred put on elegant, formal clothes, as if they were getting ready for acelebration: he puts on a dark suit and she dress completely in black. They close all of the curtainsbefore they leave the house. A taxi picks them up. Anita and Fred hold hands on the back seat of thetaxi …PRODUCTION NOTESSophie Heldman shot the successful short film "ICKE" during her studies at the dffb film school inBerlin. Her thesis film COLOURS IN THE DARK is based on a true story from her own background,an emotional and moving story that confronts the audience with important questions about life. Thefilm revolves around decisive weeks in the life of a married couple and ends on the theme of eternallove.The producer Titus Kreyenberg, head of unafilm in Cologne, was given the material by thecamerawoman Sophie Maintigneux, who had already shot two films for his company: "HANNAH,"directed by Erica von Moeller; and "LIEBE UND VERLANGEN," directed by Judith Kennel. "Sophieset up a meeting with the author Sophie Heldman, who was looking for a producer," recallsKreyenberg. As COLOURS IN THE DARK is based on the author's personal experiences, there wasno question in the producer's mind from the start – he wanted Sophie Heldman to direct her ownscript: "She had very close ties to the material, she wrote the script. COLOURS IN THE DARK wasto be Sophie Heldman's cinematic debut." Although it's her first film, COLOURS IN THE DARK isnot a low budget film; it was produced with an appropriate budget and a top quality, experiencedteam, in front of and behind the camera.The powerful script, the emotional story, and the newcomer director's commitment also convincedtwo of Germany's biggest stars to take on the two leads: Sophie Heldmann obtained her dream castfor the film, Senta Berger and Bruno Ganz. "When I first talked with Senta and Bruno about thecharacters, I thought to myself, 'I found my partners'," remembers Sophie Heldman. "This is veryunusual, what we're allowed to film here," remarked Bruno Ganz about his agreeing to take on therole. "COLOURS IN THE DARK is a well-rounded script, which allows space in an unusual wayto show how people communicate and deal with each other. This can be a little complicated, andperhaps also repulsive, but on the other hand there is a huge dose of tenderness."As Anita, the loving mother and grandmother, Senta Berger is the mediator between her husbandFred and their children; Fred doesn't want to burden his children with his illness and he more or lessinvoluntarily rebuffs them with his distant attitude. "I try to soften that a little," says Senta Berger."After all, you want your children to keep on believing in life and at such an early point in their livesto deal with establishing a family and setting up their lives." They shouldn't be involved in the endingAnita and Fred have chosen for themselves.The core of the film, however, is a two-character piece, according to Titus Kreyenberg. The storycenters on two protagonists and one location, lending COLOURS IN THE DARK thecharacteristics of a chamber play. "But the script is not dialogue-heavy," explains the producer. "It is avery moving film, quiet and solemn – but it's not really a film where the characters talk the entiretime." The camera stays in close on the main characters, who deal intensively with their love for eachother, their marriage, and the life they have lived so far. Kreyenberg says, "It all has to do withquestions such as, what's permanent? What lies ahead? How do we want to spend the rest of ourlives? What happens when we become ill? Will we end up as an invalid?" The film portrays thedecisive weeks in the lives of this husband and wife, and it ends with the issue of eternal love.For further information:Beta Cinema Press, Dorothee Stoewahse, Tel: + 49 89 67 34 69 15, press@betafilm.com, www.betacinema.comPictures and filmclips available on ftp.betafilm.com, username: ftppress01, password: betapress5

ecause they belonged to my parent's generation: What values do they have, what do they pass on tous? This affects me directly."Anita" and "Fred" met when they were 17 during the final days of World War Two. In the 1960sthings improved, in Germany and in their lives. They were part of the "Wirtschaftswunder"generation, the economic boom after the war, and they moved to New York, and he was asuccessful businessman. They were lucky and enjoyed their life to the fullest. That's important inorder to understand the ending – their ending and also the ending in my film. When they both turned70, they said very clearly, "We have absolutely no desire to go to a retirement home, that's not forus. We always were fortunate enough to be able to decide for ourselves. We spent our livestogether and we cannot imagine that one of us will outlive the other." Then came the diagnosis ofprostate cancer. The confrontation with death starts on the level of thoughts, emotions,conversations. And that's how "Anita" and "Fred" dealt with their relationship, because they realizedthat from that point on their days were numbered.This process of growing old, this process of saying farewell, is in my opinion just as existential asbecoming an adult. I found a connection for myself, even if an ending is different than a beginning.These two were so different from the image of elderly people you usually see in films. They made meunderstand what youth is and what age means.If my film has a message, then it would be this: Live life with awareness!SOPHIE HELDMAN – DirectorSophie Heldman was born in Hamburg in 1973 to a Mexican mother and a German father. In 1976her family moved to Switzerland, where she grew up. In 1993 she moved to New York to work as alocations manager on independent feature films. In 1996 she returned to Europe to study directing atthe German Film and Television Academy (dffb) in Berlin. In addition she took classes in directingactors at the Tisch School of Arts, NYU. During her student years she worked on a number offeature films as first and second assistant director, working with directors including Sydney Pollack,Stina Werenfels, Xavier Koller and Daniel Schmid.Sophie Heldman’s student short film “ICKE” was nominated for Best Short Film at the Film FestivalMax-Ophüls-Preis and was shown at several other Festivals.Sophie Heldman lives in Berlin. COLOURS IN THE DARK is her first feature film.BRUNO GANZ is FredBruno Ganz was born in Zurich-Seebach. After finishing his acting school he took part in a few Swissfilms. In 1962 he worked at the Jungen Theater in Göttingen and later at the Theater amGoetheplatz in Bremen. Followed by theatre projects with Peter Zadek, Kurt Hübner and PeterStein. Very quickly Bruno Ganz was at the core of the ensembles at the Schaubühne am HalleschenUfer in Berlin – together with Edith Clever, Jutta Lampe, Michael König and Werner Rehm.In 1996 he was rewarded the Iffland-Ring, der highest reward for a theatre actor. And in 2006 he wasrewarded the Federal Cross of MeritThe audience also knows Bruno Ganz through his work for the cinema. He played in films like “THEMARQUISE OF O,” by Eric Rohmer, “THE AMERICAN FRIEND” and “WINGS OF DESIRE” byWim Wenders, “NOSFERATU THE VAMPYRE” by Werner Herzog, “DIE FÄLSCHUNG” by Volker7For further information:Beta Cinema Press, Dorothee Stoewahse, Tel: + 49 89 67 34 69 15, press@betafilm.com, www.betacinema.comPictures and filmclips available on ftp.betafilm.com, username: ftppress01, password: betapress

Schlöndorff or “DOWNFALL” by Oliver Hirschbiegel (Academy Award shortlist 2005). But the sonof a Swiss father and an Italian mother was also very successful with a comedy like “BREAD ANDTULIPS”. Recently Bruno Ganz was seen in films like “DUST OF TIME”, “THE BAADER-MEINHOFCOMPLEX” and “THE READER”.FILMOGRAPHY cinema (selection)2010 THE END IS MY BEGINNING, director: Jo Baier2009 THE READER, director: Stephen Daldry2008 DUST OF TIME, director: Theo Angelopoulos2008 THE BAADER-MEINHOF COMPLEX, director: Uli Edel2007 YOUTH WITHOUT YOUTH, director: Francis Ford Coppola2006 VITUS, director: Fredi M. Murer2006 HAVE NO FEAR, director: Jeff Bleckner2004 DOWNFALL, director: Oliver Hirschbiegel2003 LUTHER, director: Eric Till2000 BREAD AND TULIPS, director: Silvio Soldini1998 ETERNITY AND A DAY, director: Theo Angelopoulos1993 FARAWAY, SO CLOSE!, director: Wim Wenders1987 WINGS OF DESIRE, director: Wim Wenders1983 IN THE WHITE CITY, director: Alain Tanner1981 DIE FÄLSCHUNG, director: Volker Schlöndorff1980 DER ERFINDER, director: Kurt Gloor1979 NOSFERATU THE VAMPYRE, director: Werner Herzog1978 MESSER IM KOPF, director: Reinhard Hauff1977 DIE LINKSHÄNDIGE FRAU, director: Peter Handtke1977 THE AMERICAN FRIEND, director: Wim Wenders1976 LUMIÈRE, director: Jeanne Moreau1976 THE WILD DUCK, director: Hans W. Geißendörfer1976 THE MARQUISE OF O., director: Eric RohmerSENTA BERGER is AnitaSenta Berger is looking back on a formidable acting career both in film and theatre. She was born inVienna and started acting when she was only fourteen. In her twenties she moved to Hollywood,where she starred next to stars like Charlton Heston, Frank Sinatra, Richard Harris, GeorgeHamilton and Kirk Doulglas. Together with her husband, Michael Verhoeven, she founded her ownproduction company, Sentana Film in Munich. She is well known to the German television audiencethrough the much acclaimed “Kir Royal” and “Unter Verdacht”.She was awarded the Golden Globe Award in 1965, to be followed by numerous national andinternational awards like the Bambi, the German Television Award, The Platin Romy, The GoldenCamera and the Bavarian Television Award.In COLOURS IN THE DARK she plays Anita, the female lead – her first major part in the cinemafor many years.For further information:Beta Cinema Press, Dorothee Stoewahse, Tel: + 49 89 67 34 69 15, press@betafilm.com, www.betacinema.comPictures and filmclips available on ftp.betafilm.com, username: ftppress01, password: betapress8

Filmography cinema/TV (selection)2009 Frau Böhm sagt nein (TV), director: Conny Walther2008 LIKE IT OR NOT, director: Ben VerbongSchlaflos (TV), director: Isabel Kleefeld2004 Die Konferenz (TV), director: Niki Stein2003 Die schnelle Gerdi und die Hauptstadt (TV), director: Michael Verhoeven1998 AM I BEAUTIFUL?, director: Doris Dörrie1989 Die schnelle Gerdi (TV) , director: Michael Verhoeven1986 Kir Royal (TV), director: Helmut Dietl1984 THE TWO LIVES OF MATTIA PASCAL, director: Mario Monicelli1976 CROSS OF IRON, director: Sam Peckinpah1973 THE SCARLET LETTER, director: Wim WendersMERRY-GO-ROUND, director: Otto Schenk1971 MORALS OF Ruth Halbfass, director: Volker Schlöndorff1968 DIABOLIQUEMENT VOTRE, director: Julien Duvivier1967 THE TRESURE OF SAN GENNARO, director: Dino Risi1966 THE QUILLER MEMORANDUM, director: Michael Anderson1965 CAST A GIANT SHADOW, director: Melville Shavelson1964 MAJOR DUNDEE, director: Sam Peckinpah1963 THE VICTORS, director: Carl Foreman1961 OPERATION CAVIAR, director: Géza von RadványiDiesmal muss es Kaviar sein, director: Géza von Radványi1960 THE GOOD SOLDIER SCHWEIK, director: Axel von AmbesserBETA CINEMA (world sales agent)Beta Cinema is the theatrical division of Beta Film. Launched in 2001, Beta Cinema has establisheditself as a "boutique operation" for independent feature films with strong potential for theatricaldistribution. Beta Cinema's philosophy is to limit its selective acquisition policy of 10 to 15 titles peryear in order to fully develop the theatrical potential of each title according to its individualcharacter. Beta Cinema’s portfolio includes outstanding productions like JOHN RABE, which wonfour German Film Awards 2009, Cannes 2008 Jury Prize-winning IL DIVO, Academy Award 2008-winning THE COUNTERFEITERS, Academy Award 2008 nominated MONGOL, Academy Award2007-winning THE LIVES OF OTHERS and the Academy Award 2005-nominated DOWNFALL.Beta Cinema will continue to pick the most promising German films as well as to offer its service andexpertise to other European producers looking for individual handling of their productions.Beta Cinema's strength lies in its focus on a carefully selected line-up and development of individualsales strategies with the perfect mix of marketing and festival platforms. Beta Cinema is the bestaddress for established and up-and-coming independent producers and directors looking forindividual international handling of their projects.For further information:Beta Cinema Press, Dorothee Stoewahse, Tel: + 49 89 67 34 69 15, press@betafilm.com, www.betacinema.comPictures and filmclips available on ftp.betafilm.com, username: ftppress01, password: betapress9