International Film Festival Mannheim - Heidelberg
November 9 - 18 (Germany)

In The Ultimate Film Festival Guide author Adam Langer describes Mannheim "as willing to take risks on unknown or little-known films." Known for screening newcomer directors, the festival will once again celebrate the spirit of discovery, screening 78 films from 48 countries including 53 brand new feature films, 6 World Premieres, 5 International Premieres, and 9 European Premieres -- totaling more than 800 screenings.

The festival kicks off with a screening of Desire by Colleen Murphy in an international premiere, with German actress Katja Riemann, director Colleen Murphy, and producer Elizabeth Yake in attendance. Another star of German cinema, Hannelore Elsner, in Cannes with The Untouchable has also confirmed her presence for a discussion during the festival. Other highlights on the program include a screening of Pleure pas, Germaine from Belgian director Alain de Halleux, which was a hit at the Flanders Film Festival where it won two prizes; and House by British director Julian Kemp, about a run-down Bingo hall in Wales.

Apart from screening an ambitious program of quality films from newcomer directors, the International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg also aims to support films with an artistic claim. Thus, this year's "Mannheim Meetings" have been expanded to include the areas East Europe, North & West Europe, Canada & USA, Latin America and - for the first time this year - Africa.

A constantly increasing number of buyers have discovered the potential of this festival: Newcomer directors can be discovered at an early stage of their career before they are introduced to the big markets where prices for their films rise. The specialization of Mannheim-Heidelberg is its market advantage. The "New Film Market" enables buyers to view the films of the Official Program in especially reserved viewing booths - irrespective of their screening dates. So far, buyers from Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Canada, France, the Netherlands, Portugal, Italy, Denmark, Great Britain, Brazil and Turkey have registered for participation at the "New Film Market" 2000. The German Association of Independent Distributors (agverleih) with its 17 members will have a special meeting at the International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg - the festival where the association was founded last year.

Under the headline "The Art of Cinema" two directors will be honored at this year's International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg Swiss "cinema magician" Daniel Schmid and his compatriot Clemens Klopfenstein will both be attending. A delegation of representatives from the Korean Film Academy will present the past, present and future of their country's filmmaking in Mannheim-Heidelberg. Furthermore the directors - often with their producer - of the films in the main programs have confirmed their attendance to the festival and its public press conferences. In addition, the International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg expects around 1,000 accredited guests, including 50 film directors, 170 film producers, 350 journalists, 70 buyers and 360 guests from film commissions, film festival-delegates.