Two German, Wim Wenders and Edgar Reitz, receive Master of Cinema-Award of the International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg Mannheim-Heidelberg (IFMH), October 2004 –
Two Old Masters of German cinema shall be honoured Master of Cinema at this year’s 53rd International Filmfestival Mannheim-Heidelberg. Edgar Reitz, one of the masterminds of New German Cinema, co-author of the “Oberhausener Manifest” and fantastic storyteller, presents his most important and also longest film, the trilogy “Heimat“, „Die zweite Heimat“ and „Heimat 3“, that the festival will show entirely in its 30 parts (over 3000 minutes!). This saga, a „history told in stories“ draws a story arc from 1918 to the turn of the century and has „sanitised the word Heimat („Homeland“) from its fatal smell of blood and soil“ (Neue Zürcher Zeitung). The third part of Reitz’ roundabout 50 hours long opus magnus will be released on German television in December, in a shortened version though. The festival will show the complete trilogy, that Reitz worked on for 25 years, in full length. Among his other famous works are: „Stunde Null“, „Die Reise nach Wien“, „Mahlzeiten“. Edgar Reitz receives the Master of Cinema-Award on 21 November in Mannheim.

Wim Wenders is one of the young wild directors of German cinema of the 70s and later became one of the most influential and renowned cinema authors of the 80s and 90s.
As a hommage the festival shows – only for the third time in Germany – a film that is maybe the most important to Wenders himself: “Until the End of the World”. The 5 hour long „ultimate Road Movie“ about the loss of perception and sight is only available in this one copy and will not be shown in the shortened version of three hours but in full five hour length. „It was Wenders’ most complex project and now has to be ranked among one of his best films“ (Rainer Gansera).Wenders will interrupt the post-production of his newest film „Don’t Come Knockin’“ to come to Mannheim on 24 November and to receive the award. Among Wenders’ best known works are „Paris, Texas“, „The Million Dollar Hotel“, „Wings of Desire“.
Reitz and Wenders will receive the Master of Cinema-Award for their lifetime achievement during a gala respectively.
In previous years the award has been granted to Theo Angelopoulos, Otar Iosseliani, Zhang Yimou, Raoul Ruiza