German Films is organising the 6th Festival of German Cinema in Rome from April 7-11, 2005. The audiences in Rome will get to see six new feature films, a documentary and a selection of short films.

The festival will be opened by the winner of the Silver Bear for Best Direction and the Best Lead Actress SOPHIE SCHOLL - THE FINAL DAYS (SOPHIE SCHOLL - DIE LETZTEN TAGE). Director Marc Rothemund will be there in person to introduce the film to the local audience. Following the screening, German Films will host a reception in the German Academy Villa Massimo.

Other feature films in the programme: GO FOR ZUCKER! - AN UNORTHODOX COMEDY (ALLES AUF ZUCKER!) by Dani Levy, A PASS FROM THE BACK (AUS DER TIEFE DES RAUMES) by Gil Mehmert, EDELWEISS PIRATES (EDELWEISSPIRATEN) by Niko von Glasow, KEBAB CONNECTION by Anno Saul and SUMMER STORM (SOMMERSTURM) by Marco Kreuzpaintner. The directors Niko von Glasow and Anno Saul and the producers Manuela Stehr (GO FOR ZUCKER!) and Johannes Schmid (A PASS FROM THE BACK) will travel to Rome.

The documentary TOUCH THE SOUND will be presented by sound designer Christoph von Schönburg.

Apart from the short film programme NEXT GENERATION 2004, another two shorts will also be shown: DIE STRAFE GOTTES by Louis Zoller and WEICHEI by Bernd Lange. The film ONE WAY TICKET (HIMMELFAHRT) by Ulrike Grote is to receive an award from the Italian broadcaster RAI-SAT as the best short from the NEXT GENERATION lineup. Ulrike Grote and producer Ilona Schultz will come to Rome for the award ceremony. Rome's film academy is inviting the two short filmmakers to a workshop with Italian film students.

In cooperation with the Goethe Institut, two screenings of GO FOR ZUCKER! and KEBAB CONNECTION will be organised for pupils of the German School.

The event's partners are: BKM, German Federal Film Board (FFA), FFF Bayern, Filmförderung Hamburg, Filmstiftung NRW, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, MFG Baden-Württemberg, Mitteldeutsche Medienförderung, nordmedia, AG Dok, AG Kurzfilm, German Embassy Rome, German Academy Villa Massimo and Goethe Institut Rome.

The festival is under the patronage of the City of Rome and is supported by: MINI Rome, Technicolor, Istituto Luce, RAI SAT Cinemaworld, Centro Sperimentale di cinematografica, Radio Città Futura, Lady Film and Kodak.

The long established company of Technicolor is a partner of the festival for the first time this year. Technicolor is also a reliable partner for many German production companies and distributors with its range of film lab services.