Shooting Stars: A Constellation of New Acting Talent

Shooting Stars On Berlinale Red Carpet

Tuesday, February 13-----On Monday, there was a constellation of Shooting Stars in the skies over the Berlin Film Festival. The stars in question are not of the celestial kind, but represent twenty-five of the hottest actors and actresses of European cinema. This initiative of the European Film Promotion, the pan-European organization of almost thirty European national film promotion boards, celebrates its tenth year of presenting Europe's newest acting talents, with several special events during the Berlin Film Festival.

2007 'Yesterday, at the annual Shooting Stars Press Lunch, over 150 members of the international media were introduced to the twenty-five "shooting stars". In honor of the tenth anniversary of the initiative, former Shooting Stars from the past ten years were also present to update the media on their recent activity. Following questions from famed German actor Kai Wiesinger, the young talents posed for photographs and conducted interviews with journalists from print, TV and radio from across Europe and beyond. On Sunday evening, Shooting Stars past and present gathered together for an intimate late-night party celebrating EFP’s tenth birthday, in cooperation with the talent agencies ‘Players’ and ‘Die Agenten`. On Monday evening, the festivities came to an exciting climax as the Shooting Stars 2007 were introduced to the EU Cultural Ministers on the main festival stage of the Berlinale Palast, hosted by Oscar nominees Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett (NOTES ON A SCANDAL).

The on-stage presentation segue-wayed into the highly anticipated annual Gala Reception at the swanky Hotel Adlon, in full view of the iconic Brandenburg Gate on Berlin's most famous thoroughfare, Unter der Linden. Important figures from the German and European film industry mingled with Festival hotshots, visiting filmmakers and a host of international guests in what is arguably the Festival's most lively party. The SHOOTING STARS initiative began in 1998, when EFP first presented young, up-and-coming actors at the Berlin International Film Festival. Over the past decade, many of the actors introduced have become Europe's finest actors and actresses, sought-after names in world cinema. 2007 marks the tenth year in which European Film Promotion will present Shooting Stars at the Berlin International Film Festival, having welcomed a total of 194 young actors on this prestigious world stage over the years.

Shooting Star Award

In a related event, Studio Hamburg International Production, one of the main sponsors of the event, presented the Studio Hamburg Shooting Stars Award to the actors. The event is also sponsored by Volkswagen. For profiles of the twenty-five actors and actresses included in the 2007 Shooting Stars program, visit the Shooting Stars Profiles: http://neu.efpo.de/shooting.2007.134.11880.htm.

To view a trailer of the films screening at the Berlin Film Festival that include that this year's Shooting Star talents, log on to the Shooting Stars Video Trailer: http://www.efp-online.com/html/real_shst2007_trailer.html

Sandy Mandelberger, Berlin Online Dailies Editor