Shooting Stars and Golf GTI at 2005 Berlinale

WOLFSBURG and BERLIN, Germany, February 4 -- Volkswagen is sponsoring emerging actors from across Europe at the 55th Berlin International Film Festival. "Shooting Stars 2005", a European Film Promotion (EFP) initiative, is presenting the best European film talent to the public during the Berlinale. Berlin-born Max Riemelt has been nominated as the German Shooting Star and will be representing up-and-coming acting talent together with Shooting Stars from other European countries on 12 and 13 February 2005

As Europe's largest automaker, Volkswagen is supporting the European Film Promotion initiative at the Berlin International Film Festival for the second time. "We are delighted to be continuing the successful partnership with the 'Shooting Stars' at the 2005 Berlinale. Max Riemelt, the German nomination, is a young and very talented actor. We wish him every success for his acting career and can't wait to meet the emerging actors from other European countries," said Christiane Krebs-Hartmann, Head of Public Relations at Volkswagen.

Max Riemelt, the German Shooting Star born in Berlin in 1984, is known for his appearances in several TV productions as well as the films Der Bär ist los! (Bear on the Run, 2000) and Mädchen, Mädchen!(Girls on Top, 2001). Max Riemelt plays the lead in Napola - Elite für den Führer, a film currently being screened. Riemelt plays Friedrich Reimer, the 17-year old son of a working-class family, whose boxing talent gains him a place in an elite Nazi training school. It takes the influence of a sensitive classmate to bring him to doubt the Nazi system.

The newcomers are selected by the 23 EFP member organizations, each nominating a young talent from their own country who has attracted attention through his or her outstanding presence on the screen. "Shooting Stars" has presented over 120 promising actors to the public since 1998. The initiative has a twofold aim: to integrate the best acting talent in the marketing and promotion activities of the European film industry, and to create an atmosphere stimulating a dialog between the actors and representatives of the industry. Volkswagen supports EFP with 15 red Golf GTIs to chauffeur the Shooting Stars during the Berlinale.

Volkswagen sponsors young film talent at the Berlinale through the Shooting Stars events and the Berlinale Talent Campus which facilitates a knowledge transfer between film professionals and newcomers. The Volkswagen Sound Foundation has been supporting young bands and musicians since 1997.