Last week we had the opportunity to interview Annette Rupp, director of the Goethe-Institut Los Angeles about the German Currents screenings.
Annette Rupp was born in Hessen. She studied German Literature and Philosophy in Muenster and Berlin, followed by additional studies of cultural management. At the same time, she became an accomplished musician on the organ and trumpet.
Her professional career took her to the University of the Arts in Berlin, where she taught project management. From 1998 to 2005, she produced 30 Documentaries and directed audiobooks for Ventana Film- und TV Produktionsfirma. From 2005 to 2009 she worked at the headquarters of the Goethe-Insitut in Munich producing audiovisual media. She was appointed director of the Goethe-Institut Los Angeles in September 2009.
Bijan Tehrani: Please give us a background about the German Currents series and the German Currents 2010.
Annette Rupp: The Goethe-Institut Los Angeles is delighted that German Currents, the fourth annual showcase of recent German films will be presented to the audience in Los Angeles in 2010 again. In previous years screenings each focused on a film selection of one specific state of Germany. For 2010 we decided to choose films out of the best current productions of all of Germany to present the amazing spectrum of films Germany has produced in 2009 and 2010. In cooperation with our partners German Films, the American Cinematheque, Lufthansa and the Berlin & Beyond Film Festival we selected a wide array of documentaries and feature films, from sweeping epics to intimate comedies.
The opening night film, WHEN WE LEAVE and the second night will take place at the Egyptian Theatre; ANIMALS UNITED in 3D will screen at The Landmark, and a children’s matinee film VICKY THE VIKING will screen at Goethe-Institut Los Angeles; the rest of the program will take place at the American Cinematheque’s Aero Theatre in Santa Monica.
BT: How many films will be screened during German Currents? Are there any US premieres?
AR: There will be 11 films screened during the German Currents. 
OPENING NIGHT – Wednesday, October 20 – 7:30 PM EGYPTIAN, WHEN WE LEAVE (DIE FREMDE)
Thursday, October 21 – 7:00 PM THE LANDMARK (10850 West Pico / at Westwood Blvd., ANIMALS UNITED 3D ( DIE KONFERENZ DER TIERE)
Thursday, October 21 – 7:30 PM EGYPTIAN/Spielberg Theatre, ROCK HUDSON – DARK AND HANDSOME STRANGER (ROCK HUDSON – SCHÖNER FREMDER MANN)
Friday, October 22 – 7:30 PM AERO, POPE JOAN (DIE PÄPSTIN)
Saturday, October 23 @ 5:00 p.m. AERO, AUTUMN GOLD (HERBSTGOLD)
Saturday, October 23 – 7:30 PM AERO, THE ROBBER (DER RÄUBER)
Saturday, October 23 – 9:30 PM AERO, THE SILENCE (DAS LETZTE SCHWEIGEN)
Sunday, October 24 @ 10:00 a.m. at the Goethe-Institut Los Angeles, Children’s Matinee: VICKY THE VIKING (WICKIE UND DIE STARKEN MÄNNER)
Sunday, October 24 – 2:00 p.m. AERO, Surprise Film – German Oscar© Entry for “Best Foreign Language Film”
Sunday, October 24 – 5:00 p.m. AERO, THE WOMAN WITH THE 5 ELEPHANTS (DIE FRAU MIT DEN 5 ELEFANTEN)
Sunday, October 24 – 7:30 PM AERO, VINCENT WANTS TO SEA (VINCENT WILL MEER)
The U.S. premieres are:
Animals United, the first animated 3D production from Germany, Autumn Gold, life-affirming stories of five senior athletes and The Silence, that examines the ripple-effect of violence on a community.
BT: Are there any activities happening during the German Currents days?
AR: All ticket holders of the opening film on Wednesday, October 20, 2010 are invited to join us for a reception after the screening at the Egyptian Theatre on Hollywood Blvd. A Book signing with Donna Cross, Author of the novel POPE JOAN, will happen on Friday
, October 22, 2010, 6:00 p.m. at Every Picture tells a Story, 1311 Montana Ave, Santa Monica.
BT: Should we expect to meet any of the German Film directors or German stars during the German Currents days?
AR: The guest of the festival are as follows: Feo Aladag, director and writer of WHEN WE LEAVE, directors Reinhard Klooss, Holger Tappe and Thomas Schäffer, Jochen Coldewey (Nordmedia) of ANIMALS UNITED 3D, André Schäfer director of ROCK HUDSON – DARK AND HANDSOME STRANGER, author of the novel Donna Cross, POPE JOAN, Jan Tenhaven, director of AUTUMN GOLD, Benjamin Heisenberg, director of THE ROBBER, Baran Bo Odar, director of THE SILENCE, Vadim Jendreyko, director of THE WOMAN WITH THE 5 ELEPHANTS and Florian David Fitz, an actor and script-writer.
BT: Will there be a Q&A at the end of each screening?
AR: Nearly all films will have a Q&A after the screening with a person representing the film
BT: Do you think German Currents helps the filmmakers find opportunities for their films in the US market?
AR: German Films, takes care of finding distributors in the US.
BT: How and where could film Fans attend the German Currents screenings?
AR: For tickets:
Tickets to the screenings at the Egyptian and Aero Theatres can be purchased at: www.fandango.com
Tickets to the screening at The Landmark can be purchased at the door (cash) only and at the Goethe-Institut Los Angeles at the door (cash) only.
Locations:
AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE’S EGYPTIAN THEATRE, 6712 Hollywood Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90028, www.egyptiantheatre.com
AMERICAN CINEMATHEQUE’S AERO THEATRE, 1328 Montana Avenue, Santa Monica, CA 90403, www.aerotheatre.com
GOETHE-INSTITUT LOS ANGELES, 5750 Wilshire Blvd. Suite 100, Los Angeles, CA 90036, www.goethe.de/losangeles
THE LANDMARK, 10850 Pico Blvd / at Westwood Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90064. http://www.landmarktheatres.com/market/LosAngeles/TheLandmark.htm
BT: Who are the sponsors of the German Currents?
AR: The sponsors are: German Films, Lufthansa, ELMA – European Languages and Media in America, FoG – Friends of Goethe and EUROCHANNEL.