Shooting Stars – EFP presents newly conceived project at the 58th International Film Festival in Berlin 2008
02.11.2007
In the wake of 10 successful years, European Film Promotion (EFP) has further developed the concept for Shootings Stars: EFP has appointed a jury comprised of prominent figures from the film industry to select the best nine from a diverse number of talented up-and-coming actors and actresses from various European countries. They will be presented as Shooting Stars to an international audience of professionals during the 58th International Film Festival in Berlin 2008. Each of the 22 EFP member countries has nominated one actor or actress. As a member of European Film Promotion, SWISS FILMS has selected the talented newcomer Joel Basman – whose career has risen rapidly – to represent Switzerland. The jury will make its decision at the beginning of December.
The international jury will be presided over by Michael Ballhaus (Germany), one of the world’s most successful cinematographers (“Goodfellas”, “The Departed”), worked for many years in the USA with film directors such as Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola. His colleagues in the jury are: actress Lucy Russell (Shooting Star UK 2002), producer Vibeke Windeløv (Denmark), personal manager Derek Power (USA) and casting director Beatrice Kruger (Italy).
The 17-year-old Joel Basman, who is currently studying at the European Film Actor School in Zurich, performed in one of the three leading roles in “Luftbusiness”, the new cinema film by Dominique de Rivaz (CAB Productions, Lausanne). Basman can also be seen in “Tausend Ozeane” (director: Luki Frieden; producer: Carac Film, Bern) and has just completed the shooting for the television film “Jimmie” (director: Tobias Ineichen; producer: C-Films, Zurich). The young talent was discovered in the casting for “Mein Name ist Eugen”. He revealed his talent in this film and in the television series “Lüthi & Blanc” and went on to provide convincing performances in other films: in the leading role in “Cannabis” (2006) and his appearance in “Breakout” (2007).
In the past ten years, the Shooting Stars event has developed into a label and become a talent exchange for acting talents from all over Europe. Former Swiss Shooting Stars include: 2007 Nils Althaus (“Breakout”); 2006 Carlos Leal (“Snow White”), 2005 Johanna Bantzer (“Strähl”), 2004 Michael Koch (“Achtung, fertig, Charlie!”), 2003 Mona Petri (given name: Fueter / “Füür oder Flamme”), 2002 Michael Finger (“Utopia Blues”), 2001 Anne-Shlomit Deonna (“Potlatch”), 2000 Martin Rapold (“Exklusiv”) and 1999 Soraya Gomaa (“Vollmond”).
Zurich, November 1, 2007