www.x-filme.de


X Filme are not just any old films, they are exactly the opposite.

When producer Stefan Arndt, and directors Wolfgang Becker, Dani Levy and Tom Tykwer got together in 1994 in order to found a mutual production company, the thought behind it was that in pooling their resources, they could be stronger, and could create a platform for diversity ideas, with the aim of producing challenging (audience) films. They modelled themselves on "United Artists", which was created in 1919 by Charles Chaplin, Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks and D.W. Griffith, who were then working as producers and directors.

The first results of this co-operation paved the way for their ongoing success. Films such as STILLE NACHT, LIFE IS ALL YOU GET, WINTERSLEEPERS, THE GIRAFFE and RUN LOLA RUN are, as the American industry paper "Variety" wrote: smart movies people want to see." These films have been awarded numerous prizes (see X Filme database) and have scored considerable success in cinemas and foreign sales, which proves the merit in the idea of producing German films which are both challenging and accessible.

Since then, the company has been dedicated to further developing this concept. In 1998, X Filme produced its first debut by an up and coming director, Sebastian Schipper (GIGANTICS), which was awarded the German Film Prize in silver. Over the years, further directors have come on board. In 1999 the DffB graduate, Hendrik Handloegten made PAUL IS DEAD, which among other things won a Grimme Prize. Then, in 2000 Connie Walther joined them with her successful Punk love story NEVER MIND THE WALL, Michael Klier with HEIDI M. (awarded a German film prize for the best lead actress Katrin Saß) and Horst Sczerba with HEART (2001).

Following his world wide success with RUN LOLA RUN, Tom Tykwer shot his next film in his home town of Wuppertal: THE PRINCESS AND THE WARRIOR with Franka Potente and Benno Fürmann in the leading roles, was released in 2001 and was a success. In 2001, Tom Tykwer made HEAVEN, a film based on a script by Krzysztof Kieslowski and Krzysztof Piesewicz, in co-production with the American mini studio MIRAMAX. HEAVEN opened the 52nd Berlin International Film Festival on 6 February 2002. It is so far the biggest X Filme production, and a big step towards the international market.

In 2001, Dani Levy made a family drama, which probes modern relationships, called I’M THE FATHER. With Maria Schrader and Sebastian Blomberg in the lead roles, I'M THE FATHER takes a daringly intimate look behind the scenes of a young family which is on the point of cracking under the daily pressure to succeed and create time. The film was released in 2002.

GOOD BYE, LENIN! (release 2002) is the name of the new comedy by Wolfgang Becker. On the 40th anniversary of the GDR, Frau Kerner (played by Katrin Saß), an SED party faithful falls into a coma, from which she doesn't awake until after the fall of the Wall. Doctors fear that the massive change in the path of history might damage her fragile state of health. So right in the middle of their GDR high-rise block complex, her son Alex (played by Daniel Brühl) recreates an old GDR set… The script, by Bernd Lichtenberg and Wolfgang Becker was awarded the German Film Prize in 2002.

There are further exciting projects in development at the moment, some of which can be read about on this homepage.

Internally too, there has been much development at X Filme since 1994. Maria Köpf, who started in 1995 as line producer, and now works as a producer, was deeply involved in building the company up and was made co-managing director in 1999. Manuela Stehr, a former authorised signatory of the North-Rhine Westphalia film foundation joined the team in 2000. In the same year X Filme entered into a partnership with Senator Film AG, which became a further company associate.

X Verleih distribution company was founded in the same year, and continues the concept of X Filme production. X Filme are made from the same mould – from conception to production, to cinematic evaluation and video and DVD release. X Verleih is not restricted to the distribution of X films, but also has a whole stream of interesting German and international productions on its books (incl. AMORES PERROS, BLACKBOX BRD, THE WHITE SOUND).

X Filme and X Verleih are currently made up of more than 30 people, who continually work in friendly dispute towards creating a label for good films. A label which doesn't represent one individual film but which creates a reliable and recognisable name (particularly for normal audiences) from all its films.