Wellington 1 October – 4 OctoberAuckland 8 October – 12 October

IN THE SHADOW OFWARBRITISH-FRENCH-GERMAN FILM DAYS

Merry Christmas Joyeux Noël

Drama | History | Music | 2005 | 116 min

Director: Christian CarionWriter: Christian Carion Cast: Diane Kruger, Benno Fürmann, Guillaume CanetLanguage: French/German/English with English subtitlesRating: M

Joyeux Noël captures a rare moment of grace from one of the worst wars in the history of mankind.On Christmas Eve 1914, as German soldiers face French and Scottish regiments from their respective trenches, a musical call-and-response turns into an impromptu cease-fire, trading chocolates and champagne, playing soccer and comparing pictures of their wives. The stories intertwine seamlessly, combining real people with invented characters and mingling real-life with fiction. The movie speaks to universal human emotions that transcend country and culture and illustrate the futility of the “war that was supposed to end all wars”.

“With a cast of Scottish, German and French actors all speaking their own language, writer-director Christian Carion has fashioned a deeply moving and uplifting piece.“ The Hollywood Reporter

WellingtonNgā Taonga Sound & Vision WED 1 OCT 6pm

AucklandAuckland War Memorial Museum SUN 12 OCT 2:30pm

Odyssey of Heroes Die Männer der Emden

Drama | History | 2012 | 144 min

Director: Berengar PfahlScreenplay: Berengar Pfahl, Axel Ricke, Martin HenningCast: Ken Duken, Felicitas Woll, Jan Henrik Stahlberg, Sebastian Blomberg, Sibel Kekilli, Oliver Korittke Language: German with English subtitlesRating: PG

The famous tale of WWI navy vessel SMS Emden and her crew is brought to life in this handsomely produced period piece. Told in flashbacks from the perspective of Lieutenant Commander Helmuth von Mücke, this amazing story begins in the German controlled port of Tsingtao in China at the outbreak of war and follows the light cruiser through enemy controlled waters around the Cocos Islands where it is sunk by the HMAS Sydney. The real adventure begins there, with von Mücke and his crew commandeering a rickety old schooner. They sail to Indonesia to attempt a daring return to Berlin, some 13,000km away. Odyssey of Heroes is a fascinating history lesson and highly entertaining drama.

WellingtonNgā Taonga Sound & Vision FRI 3 OCT 6pm

AucklandAuckland War Memorial MuseumSUN 12 OCT 11am

Oh! What a Lovely War

Musical | War | Satire | 2005 | 116 min

Director: Richard Attenborough Writers: Charles Chilton (play), Len Deighton (screenplay)Cast: Laurence Olivier, John Mills, Maggie Smith, Ralph Richardson, John Gielgud, Kenneth More, Michael Redgrave Rating: PG

Oh! What A Lovely War, directed by the late Richard Attenborough, is a masterpiece of acting and direction. A musical film, it documents the events of World War I using popular songs of the time, many of which were parodies of older popular songs. It uses metaphorical settings such as Brighton’s West Pier to criticise the manner in which the war was eventually won. The diplomatic smoke and mirrors of those in authority are set in a fantasy location inside the pierhead pavilion, far from the trenches. Despite the strong parody, the viewer is left under no illusion about the horrors of war.

WellingtonNgā Taonga Sound & Vision SAT 4 OCT 6pm

AucklandAuckland Art Gallery WED 8 OCT 6pm

Drama | Mystery | Romance | 2004 | 133 min

Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet Writers: Sébastien Japrisot (novel), Jean-Pierre Jeunet (story)Cast: Audrey Tautou, Gaspard Ulliel, Jodie Foster Language: French with English subtitlesRating: R16

In January 1917, after being convicted of self-mutilation in order to be sent home, 5 French soldiers are marched into the no man’s land between the French and German lines where they are certain to be killed. Their brutal punishment has been hushed up for more than two years when Mathilde Donnay (Amélie’s Audrey Tautou) begins a relentless quest to find out whether her fiancé, one of those 5 men officially “killed in the line of duty,” might still be alive. In his movie, Jean-Pierre Jeunet brings everything together - his joyously poetic style, the lovable Tautou, a good story worth the telling - into a film that is a series of pleasures stumbling over one another in their haste to delight us.

“When this long movie is over, all you want to do is clap and weep and watch it all over again immediately.“ New York Magazine

WellingtonNgā Taonga Sound & VisionTHU 2 OCT 6pm

AucklandAuckland University THU 9 OCT 6pmCocktail and presentation by Prof. Simon Kitson Film starts 6:45pm

ALL PHOTOS: ARD, HARDY BRACKMANN

A Very Long EngagementUn long dimanche de fiançailles

VENUES AND TICKETS

WELLINGTON

Ngā Taonga Sound & VisionTe Anakura Whitiāhua 84 Taranaki Street

AUCKLAND

Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki Corner Kitchener and Wellesley StreetsEntry to the Auditorium through the clock tower entrance

Auckland War Memorial MuseumAuditoriumThe Auckland Domain, Parnell

The University of Auckland 14a Symonds Street, room 220, Level 2, Arts 1 Bldg

All screenings are free, first-come, first-served - so you’ll need to get there early. Please be aware that some screenings might be preceded by speeches, in which case the film might start 5-15 minutes later than announced in the programme.

We reluctantly reserve the right to change the schedule by amending dates or replacing films. Any necessary changes will be advertised on the Goethe-Institut New Zealand website and Facebook page.

For more information please go to:

www.goethe.de/nz | www.alliancefr.org.nz