Big film line up for ‘European Oscars’

5 December 2003

BERLIN – A strong field of feature films is lined up in the competition for Europe’s best film for 2003 in Saturday’s star- studded European Film Academy awards night in Berlin.

In Europe’s answer to Hollywood’s “Oscar” event, the big question in Berlin was whether the East German nostalgia film “Goodbye Lenin!” might finally be the first German film ever to be honoured as Europe’s best film since the award was first presented in 1988.

The competition is stronger this year than in previous years, with the German flick going up against “Dogville” (Denmark), “In This World” (Britain), “Swimming Pool” (France), “Dirty Pretty Things” (Britain) and “My Life Without Me” (Spain).

In the category of best director, the nominees include Wolfgang Becker (Goodbye Lenin!”), Lars von Trier (“Dogville”), Isabel Coixet (My Life Without Me”) and Michael Winterbottom (“In This World”).

The Berlin-based EFA will also be presenting lifetime achievement awards to French director Claude Chabrol and to Italian cameraman Carlo di Palma.

Among the nominations for the best non-European film are “Kill Bill” and “Finding Nemo”, both from the United States.

“Goodbye Lenin!”, a tragicomedy tapping into a wave of nostalgia about the formerly communist East Germany, has been a box office hit both in Germany and around Europe and has also won widespread critical acclaim.

DPA
Subject: German news