• ifs alumni with »The Kiss of the Grasshopper« and others in the Forum section
• ifs alumnus Duc-Thi Bui is nominated for the German Screenplay Award  
• ifs students present projects at ENCOURAGE Film Talents

At the 75th Berlinale (13 to 23 February), numerous graduates of the ifs Internationale Filmschule Köln will be represented with their projects in the various sections.

In the Forum section, »The Kiss of the Grasshopper« by ifs graduates Elmar Imanov (director, screenplay) and Eva Blondiau (producer, Colour of May) will celebrate its world premiere. Other ifs alumni involved include Lino Rettinger (production manager), Jascha Viehl (sound design) and Holger Buff (dialogue editor). In the drama, Bernard, a meticulous writer with a sheep for a flatmate, is confronted in a magical-realistic world with his father's fatal diagnosis and a human-sized grasshopper that forces him to redefine himself and his world. The hybrid film »Sirens Call« (dir: M. I. Gossing, L. Sieckmann) also celebrates its premiere in the series with the participation of ifs alumni Christoph Bargfrede (Editing) and Nils Herrmann (Foley Artist). Both films were supported by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW.

The documentary film »Ich will alles. Hildegard Knef« (director: L. Schmid) is screening in the Panorama section and has been nominated for the Berlinale Documentary Film Award. ifs Professor Hajo Schomerus is responsible for the image design. ifs alumni Yana Höhnerbach (editing), Holger Buff (sound design) and Jascha Viehl (sound mixer) also contributed to the film. The section also features the conspiracy thriller »Hysteria« (dir: M. A. Büyükatalay), in which ifs alumnus Jan Pfitzner (DI Digital Intermediate Supervisor) and ifs students Ray Bremer (2nd Assistant Director) and Caio Salles Ackermann (Set Runner) were involved. Both films are competing for the Panorama Audience Award and were supported by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW.

The neo-noir thriller »Islands« (D: J. O. Gerster) celebrates its world premiere in the Berlinale Special section. The drama was produced by ifs graduate Maximilian Leo (augenscheinfilm), with alumna Cora Pratz responsible for the production design. The lavalabs team was responsible for the visual effects, including ifs alumni Christian Heynert and Justus Maus as compositing artists. Visual effects supervisor was ifs-Prof. Rolf Mütze. The music film »Köln 75« (director: I. Fluk) can also be seen in the same section, in which numerous ifs alumni played their part, particularly in the art department, including Jutta Freyer (production design). ifs student Fine Gumpert was involved as lighting assistant. Both films were supported by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW.

The Up Next: Germany showcase at the Berlinale presents selected series projects from Germany. For »Euphorie« (funded by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW), the German adaptation of the internationally successful series »Euphoria«, ifs graduate André Szardenings co-directed, with alumna Antonia Marleen Klein responsible for editing. ifs alumnus Fabian Wallenfels was a writer in the Writers' Room for the dramedy series »Parallel Me«.

ifs graduate and screenwriter Duc-Thi Bui has been nominated for the German Screenplay Award together with Duc Ngo Ngoc. In their lively and humorous screenplay »Ha-Neu / Berlin«, a carpooling opportunity quickly develops into a friendship between Viet, who has entered the country illegally, and law student Nam, which inadvertently leads to a moral dilemma. The German Screenplay Award for the best unfilmed screenplay will be presented on 14 February as part of the German Screenplay Association's reception at the Berlinale. It is the most important and most highly endowed national award for outstanding achievements in the field of screenwriting.

The ifs is a cooperation partner of the ‘ENCOURAGE Film Talents’ initiative, which invites up-and-coming filmmakers and the film industry to a get-together on 18 February with pitchings and panels, flanked by screenings on 17 and 19 February. ifs students Marie Bagh and Helena Reiche will pitch their documentary feature film project »Schöner als Zuhause« on 18 February. ifs student Robert Deçani will present his short film »Ben's Birthday« on 19 February.

ifs Managing Director Nadja Radojevic will be a guest on the panel ‘20 Years WIFT Germany – Rewind and Fast Forward’ organised by Women in Film and Television Germany on 15 February at 10 am. At this year's Screenwriters‘ Lounge of the German Screenplay Association (DDV) on 15 February, ifs alumna and author Zoe Magdalena (»Hungry«) will be represented on the panel “Atypical, angry and different: neurodivergence and psychological states of emergency in current German film and television”. Graduates of the ifs will once again have the opportunity to exchange ideas at the traditional alumni get-together on 17 February. The European Showrunner Programme of the ifs is also inviting alumni and showrunners to intensive discussions at a ‘European Showrunner Network’ event.