Greetings from the Festival director
I myself have long felt a close connection to the Filmfest and have fond memories of past editions of the festival. The photo you see here was taken at the old Munich airport in 1992. That year, the Filmfest paid homage to noted Hollywood director Stanley Donen. Audrey Hepburn had starred in three of Donen’s films and was living, no, not in the United States, but on Lake Geneva. As a member of the Filmfest hospitality staff at the time, I was assigned to meet her at the airport and attend to her during her stay. What luck!
Ms. Hepburn was a friendly and elegant woman, and extremely dedicated. This unexpected but inspiring proximity to big names in film, be they promising talent, long-established masterful directors, or notable German or international actors and actresses, can come about quite suddenly, and it has always been the hallmark of the Filmfest. This was and is a festival for the public! A festival that exudes a particular warmth, not only because it is held in summer, but because people get to know each other here at the screenings, in the foyers of our festival cinemas, at our festival center (which is now at the Amerikahaus), in the pubs and beer gardens, at the parties.
Eberhard Hauff founded the Filmfest as a festival for the general public. His successor, Andreas Ströhl, continued this practice, as do my team and I today. Of course, a few things have changed over the years. The Filmfest was, after some delays and political wrangling, founded in 1983 primarily as a platform for German film, but by its second year it was already being referred to as a “European Film Festival”. From that time onward, the Filmfest became more and more international. Its structure was continually optimized and its budget increased until the start of the pandemic. The festival has always kept up with the times, socially, politically, and technologically.
Diana Iljine and Hollywood Legend Audrey Hepburn
I recall that reels of film were still being transported from one cinema to another back when, as a student, I was working at the Filmfest in advance ticket sales, at the VIP lounge, and later in hospitality. The Filmfest immediately and forever had me under its spell. Even later, when I got my first regular jobs acquiring films, I had it written into my contracts that I would have the exact week off when the festival was held — in order to see lots of films, to meet people, to enjoy this festival to the fullest. I love film. I love cinema!
Although my career took me away from Munich for a while, to Hamburg and Cologne, I returned — and in 2011, about twenty years after I’d met Audrey Hepburn at the old airport as a member of the hospitality staff, I became the director of FILMFEST MÜNCHEN. It’s a dream come true, a marvelous challenge, and a huge responsibility to which I’ve been devoting all of my passion and enthusiasm with the help of with my wonderful team.
I’m proud of my team and of what we’ve achieved in recent years. Now that the pandemic has subsided, we’ll once again be bringing you a strong lineup of German and international highlights. Between now and the start of the festival, a number of events will be turning the spotlight on various phases of our history. After all, to understand the present, you have to understand the past.
And then, starting on June 23, let us celebrate the Filmfest in its current form — with exciting films that examine the issues and crises we face today, but that are also entertaining and aesthetic; with people we’ll meet for the first time or with those we’ve known for years. Either way, join us in celebrating 40 years of FILMFEST MÜNCHEN!