LOVE IN THOUGHTS (WAS NUETZT DIE LIEBE IN GEDANKEN) opens the 9th Festival of German Cinema in Paris (6 - 12 October 2004)

On October 6, 2004, the 9th Festival of German Cinema will be opened in Paris by German Films and its partners in the presence of director Achim von Borries and the main actors August Diehl and Jana Pallaske. A total of eight new feature films, a retrospective, a TV film, two documentaries and two silent films as well as the short film programme of NEXT GENERATION 2004 will be presented in the Cinéma L'Arlequin. The programme of German films will be complemented by an ARTE film season in honor of German film actresses.

Apart from the opening film, the main programme will feature the following films: AGNES AND HIS BROTHERS (AGNES UND SEINE BRUEDER) by Oskar Roehler, EN GARDE by Ayse Polat, KROKO by Sylke Enders, NIGHTSONGS (DIE NACHT SINGT IHRE LIEDER) by Romuald Karmakar, SCHULTZE GETS THE BLUES by Michael Schorr, STRATOSPHERE GIRL by M.X. Oberg, the documentaries THE CENTER (DIE MITTE) by Stanislaw Mucha and FLAMMEND HERZ by Andrea Schuler and Oliver Ruts, the TV film ZWEI TAGE HOFFNUNG by Peter Keglevic and the children's film BLINDFLYERS (DIE BLINDGAENGER) by Bernd Sahling. In addition, there will be screenings of the silent films ICH MOECHTE KEIN MANN SEIN and DIE BERGKATZE by Ernst Lubitsch with accompaniment by the Aljoscha Zimmermann ensemble and a presentation of German Films' programme of short films NEXT GENERATION 2004.

Along with the actors August Diehl and Jana Pallaske, the directors Achim von Borries, Oskar Roehler, Ayse Polat, Sylke Enders, Romuald Karmakar, Michael Schorr, M.X. Oberg, Andrea Schuler, Oliver Ruts, Peter Keglevic, Bernd Sahling and Johannes Weiland will be in Paris to introduce their films to the French audiences in person.

The main programme will be complemented by the retrospective "Berlin, Good bye le mur!" which will open with the cult film SUN ALLEY (SONNENALLEE) in the presence of Leander Haussmann. Moreover, BERLIN UM DIE ECKE, BERLIN CHAMISSOPLATZ, DIE ALLSEITIG REDUZIERTE PERSOENLICHKEIT, WINGS OF DESIRE (DER HIMMEL UEBER BERLIN), THE WALL (DIE MAUER), SOLO SUNNY and a programme of Marshall Plan films can be seen.

Meanwhile, the season "Les actrices allemandes à l´honneur" will see ARTE presenting seven films in honor of leading German actresses, including DOWNHILL CITY with Franka Potente, NO PLACE TO GO (DIE UNBERUEHRBARE) with Hannelore Elsner and HIERANKL with Barbara Sukowa.

The event's partners are: BKM, the German Federal Film Board (FFA), FilmFernsehFonds Bayern, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, FilmFoerderung Hamburg, Filmstiftung NRW, Filmfoerderung Baden-Wuerttemberg, Mitteldeutsche Medienfoerderung, Nordmedia. Die Mediengesellschaft Niedersachsen/Bremen mbH, AG Kurzfilm, AG Dokumentarfilm and the Goethe-Institut in Paris. The Festival is sponsored by Transit Film, Friedrich-Wilhelm-Murnau Stiftung, ARTE, Kodak, Lorenz Snack-World, TV5, Libération, Pierre Cardin, Inrockuptibles and Zurban.

Further information as well screening times can be found on the festival's website at www.festivalcineallemand.com