Germany has decided to put ‘Labyrinth of Lies’ as its official submission for this year’s Academy Awards. The decision was made by a team appointed by German Films. It has 9 members in the team. Dagmar Hirtz announced the decision in Munich today.
The film was screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 2014 Toronto International Film Festival. The film, ‘Labyrinth of Lies’, among the eight other films shortlisted by Germany to be their submission for the Academy Awards. The jury described the film as a “precisely researched” drama that is both “gripping and touching.” The Jury says, “Alexander Fehling convinces with his intensive performance as a public prosecutor searching for truth and justice in the film.”
The film is distributed in the U.S. by Sony Pictures Classics, centers on a young and idealistic public prosecutor, Johann Radmann, who takes an interest in the case of Charles Schulz, a former Auschwitz extermination camp commander, and is now teaching at a school in Berlin. Radmann is determined to bring Schulz to justice, but he finds his efforts frustrated because many former Nazis serve in the government, and they look out for each other.
At 2014’s Les Arcs European Cinema Festival, the film won the Prix du Public (audience award) and received a Special Mention from the Jury.
Director Giulio Ricciarelli and his team are all set for Oscars now. It is director’s debut film, which has already been successful internationally, both at box offices and festivals. Ricciarelli said: “I have had so many excellent experiences with this film abroad already; as in Germany, viewers are touched and moved, and often begin to think about their own history. Such an international response to this theme was very important to us.”
The film is produced by Uli Putz, Jakob Claussen (Putz Filmprouktion) and Sabine Lamby (naked eye filmproduction) and globally released by Sony Pictures Classics. Beta cinema sold the film to 118 countries and Sony is planning a U.S. release on Sept. 30.
“People are amazed that they are discovering a true story they had no knowledge of beforehand, “said SPC co-chairman Michael Barker. “This is an import movie about justice and memory and it is one of those rare movies that is so well made, has a vital message and is entertaining at the same time”.
The Oscar awards are going to be commencing on February. Let’s see how the film does.
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