Successful start to 2015 for MMC Movies.
This spring, shooting is underway for three co-productions by the Cologne-based film production company: THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK (AT), ZAZY (AT) and the Norwegian-Swedish-Danish-German production THE LION GIRL.
In addition, MMC Movies is in charge of the Cologne shoot of PETTERSSON AND FINDUS II - THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER.
The two managing directors of MMC Movies Cologne, Bastie Griese and Philip Borbély, are pleased about the start of a promising film year 2015: "It is a nice confirmation that our strategy to expand the co-production area of MMC Movies is showing first successes. In addition to the existing projects, we are pleased to be able to announce further top-class co-productions soon, for which we will also be responsible as executive producer."
On January 26, shooting began at MMC Studios Cologne under the direction of Hans Steinbichler for THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK (AT) with Lea van Acken, Martina Gedeck, Ulrich Noethen, Stella Kunkat and many others. Filming at MMC Studios lasted 28 shooting days and was realized in 2 different studios.
THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK (AT) is a production of Zeitsprung Pictures and Spektrum Pictures in co-production with Universal Pictures International and MMC Movies Cologne. The production is supported by the Anne Frank Fonds Basel (AFF), the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, Medienboard Berlin Brandenburg, Film Fernseh Fonds Bayern, MFG Baden Württemberg, the FFA and the DFFF. Shooting of the studio part at MMC was completed on March 6 before the team moved on to Amsterdam, among other locations.
The second week of March sees the first take of the filming of ZAZY (AT). Writer and director M.X. Oberg directs the erotic thriller about a young couple who want to move up into better society through blackmail. Shooting will take place at the MMC Studios at the Coloneum, among other locations. ZAZY (AT) is a production of gilles mann filmproduktion and MMC Movies Cologne with the participation of WDR and RBB.
In Norway, filming began at the end of February on the Norwegian-Swedish-Danish-German production THE LION GIRL based on the bestselling novel of the same name by Erik Fosnes Hansen. The poignant story of Eva, a girl born in the Norwegian countryside in 1912 and covered with blonde hair all over her body, will be filmed with Rolf Lassgård.
From June 2015, production will take place at MMC Studios Cologne, where large parts of the film will be shot. Here, the MMC Art Department is responsible for the construction of the studio sets and, in addition, for the on-location construction for further filming in NRW. DAS LÖWENMÄDCHEN is a production of Gifted Films West (Germany) and Filmkameratene (Norway), in co-production with Tre Vänner (Sweden), Zentropa (Denmark), MMC Movies Cologne and The Post Republic (Germany).
In addition to the co-production activities, MMC Movies with its Production Services supervises the Cologne shooting of PETTERSSON AND FINDUS II - THE BEST CHRISTMAS EVER. The children's and family film by Tradewind Pictures and Senator Film Munich in co-production with ZDF is based on the world-famous children's books PETTERSSON BEKOMMT WEIHNACHTSBESUCH and MORGEN, FINDUS, WIRD'S WAS GEBEN by Swedish author Sven Nordqvist.
Filming for the Christmas adventure started at the beginning of February under the direction of Ali Samadi Ahadi in Erfurt. Starting in March, filming will continue at MMC Studios in Cologne, where large parts of the very successful predecessor PETTERSSON UND FINDUS - KLEINER QUÄLGEIST, GROSSE FREUNDSCHAFT were shot.
MMC Movies continues to work on exciting projects and also promotes them through its own investments. This also applies to their joint venture MMC ZODIAC, founded in 2013 with the Swiss production company Zodiac Pictures. "We thus want to develop into a leading co-production company in NRW," the two managing directors are convinced.
About MMC Movies Köln GmbH:
MMC Movies Köln is a sister company and the film production arm of MMC Studios Köln, which operates one of Europe's largest studio facilities in Cologne-Ossendorf. MMC Movies co-produces national and international feature film productions for cinema and TV. Productions shot at MMC Studios include the five-time Oscar-nominated hit film DIE FABELHAFTE WELT DER AMÉLIE and CHÉRI - EINE KOMÖDIE DER EITELKEITEN, as well as German feature films such as 7 ZWERGE - MÄNNER ALLEIN IM WALD - one of the most successful German-language films ever with almost 7 million moviegoers - and HILDE and DIE ABENTEUER DES HUCK FINN.
Photo: From left to right: Bastie Griese (MMC Movies), Paul Steinschulte (Universal Pictures International), Hans Steinbichler (director), Michael Souvignier (Zeitsprung Pictures), Walid Nakschbandi (Spektrum Pictures) and Philip Borbély (MMC Movies & MMC Studios) on the set of THE DIARY OF ANNE FRANK (AT) at MMC Studio 42 in Cologne. © Wolfgang Ennenbach
