Archive notice: This article was originally published on January 18, 2010. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
According to Central Film Verleih, the prize is awarded to the outstanding German film that leaves the best overall impression. The Producer Award must be used to produce a new full-length film.
Producer and screenwriter Dietmar Güntsche says: “We are very pleased about this major award for our film, particularly in view of the strong competition from German films this year. We now look forward with great pleasure to the release of DER GROSSE KATER in spring 2010.”
Two days in the life of a head of state. While the Federal President, known as “Kater”, awaits the visit of the Spanish royal couple, an intrigue is already being prepared behind his back intended to bring him down. Private interests and the struggle for political power combine into an emotional explosive device …
DER GROSSE KATER is based on Thomas Hürlimann’s successful novel of the same name. The German-Swiss co-production was staged by Wolfgang Panzer (“Broken Silence”) and devised by screenwriters Claus Hant (“Das wilde Leben”) and Dietmar Güntsche (“Das wilde Leben”, “Wo ist Fred”). It is a melodramatic political and relationship tragedy, not without wit and malice, it continues.
Bruno Ganz (“Der Untergang”, “Der Vorleser”) impresses in his role as Federal President, together with an outstanding ensemble featuring Marie Bäumer (“Die Fälscher”, “Der Schuh des Manitu”) as the wounded wife, Christiane Paul (“Die Welle”, “Im Juli”) as the career-conscious assistant, Ulrich Tukur (“Das weisse Band”, “John Rabe”) as the nasty intriguer, Justus von Dohnányi (“Das Experiment”, “Der Untergang”) as the slippery press chief, Edgar Selge (“Rossini”) as the perfidious nuncio and Martin Rapold (“Cargo”, “Snow White”) as the loyal chauffeur. A phrase from Musil’s novel «The Man Without Qualities» becomes the guiding principle in this major literary adaptation: “Man does what happens.”
DER GROSSE KATER
Cinema release: May 2010
Director: Wolfgang Panzer
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