An initiative of the EU MEDIA Programme with the support of the Italian Government
Since 1992 MEDIA Salles has been promoting the European cinema and its circulation at theatrical level

MEDIA Salles at Cinema Expo International 2005,
Amsterdam (NL), 27- 30 June

 

 

 

“International Star Award”
presented to Bruno Ganz
at MEDIA Salles’ Focus on Europe at Cinema Expo International 2005

Amsterdam, 30 June 2005

Speech by Mette Schramm,
President of the Danish exhibitors’ association
and member of the MEDIA Salles’ Executive Committee


Dear Mr Ganz,

I’m here on behalf of Cinema Expo and MEDIA Salles to present you this year’s “International Star Award”.
The main reason for which you have been chosen is probably your latest performance in the German film Der Untergang (Downfall), about Hitler’s last days in Berlin. But there have been many other good reasons over the years. You played a poetic role in Der Himmel über Berlin (The Sky Above Berlin), a romantic lover in Bread and Tulips and last but not least now Adolf Hitler.
In a masterly performance, you brought to life one of the figures that has most influenced the course of history and taught us all a little more about it.

It is films like Der Untergang that makes European films so important internationally.
In my country, which is Denmark, the film was of an enormous success. It has been at the top of the box office list for sixteen weeks. It’s still number seven.
It sold 380 thousand tickets. To compare this, Star Wars has up to now sold 415 thousand tickets, and is the only other non-domestic film in the top 10 together with Der Untergang in 2005.
The success of Der Untergang was not foreseen.

When I saw the film at the Toronto Film Festival last year, I wrote in my diary: “The best film of the Festival, great acting, but probably not commercial”.

What makes people in Denmark and all over Europe go to see this film?
One of the answers is a great and breathtaking performance from the leading actor.
This goes to show that in films about people, of all the figures involved in making them what they are – producers, actors, distributors and exhibitors – the most important are the audience.

With this Award, we at Cinema Expo and the European exhibition industry would like to thank you for every great performances during the years and hopefully for many more to come.

Congratulations!