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Ambitious feature by Timm Kröger moves from lurid colour to stark black and white following an academic’s Alpine adventures in the metaverse

This twisted and twisty German feature takes the modish notion of the multiverse for a spin and sends it into a deep elliptical orbit. The result is strange and discomfiting, a bleak work of retro sci-fi noir, pristine as an Alpine mountain after a snowfall and just as crispy cold. Not all its gambits play out and it won’t be to everyone’s taste, but director Timm Kröger displays admirably reckless ambition with this very original yet oddly familiar work.

There’s certainly a lot of code-switching in genre terms going on, which contributes to the sense of familiarity but keeps undermining itself. A delicious, luridly coloured parody of a late 60s/early 70s talk show introduces main character Johannes (Jan Bülow) as the author of...

"I know where the woman you're looking for is." Picturehouse has revealed the official UK trailer for the mysterious film The Universal Theory, a mind-boggling sci-fi-tinged thriller set in the Swiss mountains. This first premiered at the 2023 Venice Film Festival one year ago under the original title The Theory of Everything, and it earned mostly mixed reviews (mine is here). We also posted the US trailer recently. The noir film is set in 1962. A physics congress in the Alps. An Iranian guest. A mysterious pianist. A bizarre cloud in the sky, a boom under the mountain. It's "a quantum mechanical thriller in black & white." Driven by astonishing twists and improbable coincidences, The Universal Theory unravels a captivatingly complex chronicle with brain-tickling suspense. Lead by a fantastic cast & interspersed with a dynamic soundtrack, The Theory of Everything is an intellectual sci-fi film about the contingency of our world, in which much...

In the age of the Marvel multiverse, The Universal Theory, directed by Timm Kröger, is a breath of fresh air. Perhaps because it's science fiction in the most traditional sense of the term, in the same way Frankenstein by Mary Shelley gave birth to the genre. Black and white, dramatic lighting, gorgeous cinematography, commendable score and sound editing. A German film set in the Swiss Alps. Physics. Johannes Leinert (Jan Bülow) is a young man travelling with his PhD supervisor to a congress. Dr. Strathen (Hanns Zischler) makes no secret of his disdain for Johannes thesis, a formula of some sort that explains, well, everything. Especially when things begin to get strange-- a dead man is not dead, a mysterious pianist (Olivia Ross) knows about...

[Read the whole post on screenanarchy.com...]...

The Universal Theory.Familiar names come loaded with certain sets of expectations, and so it was at last year’s Venice Film Festival, where the official competition was chock-full with the latest features from known quantities. One of the great pleasures of festivalgoing lies in the thrill of discovery, of stepping into a film unburdened by one’s mileage with a director’s previous work. In the 2023 competition, there was only one title that promised a leap into the dark.Timm Kröger was at the festival back in 2014 with his graduation film, The Council of Birds, which played in the Critics’ Week sidebar. The film wasn’t picked up for distribution, even in the director’s native Germany, and remains virtually impossible to see. Given the sheer ambition of his sophomore feature, it’s tempting to imagine that the intervening nine years had been spent readying The Universal Theory for production.

"This young man here is working on something very significant." Oscilloscope Labs has revealed an official US trailer for a film titled The Universal Theory, a mysterious sci-fi-tinged thriller set deep in the Swiss mountains. This first premiered at the 2023 Venice Film Festival one year ago under the original title The Theory of Everything, and it earned mostly mixed reviews (mine is here). The noir film is set in 1962. A physics congress in the Alps. An Iranian guest. A mysterious pianist. A bizarre cloud in the sky, a booming mystery under the mountain. It's "a quantum mechanical thriller in black & white." Driven by astonishing twists and improbable coincidences, The Universal Theory unravels a captivatingly complex chronicle with brain-tickling suspense. Cast with a fantastic ensemble and interspersed with a dynamic soundtrack, The Theory of Everything is an intellectual film about the contingency of our world, in which much is possible and hardly anything is necessary.

Exclusive: German Films, the agency that promotes German cinema globally, has unveiled the seven participants for the ninth edition of its annual Face to Face campaign, which include talents who have worked on projects ranging from television series such as Deutschland ‘89 and Kafka to feature film Turning Tables.

This year’s edition, which is dubbed Face to Face with German Films – The Filmmakers, will showcase seven filmmakers who have made a lasting impact on the German film industry with their creative and artistic work. The initiative is considered a prominent platform for showcasing German talent to the international film and television worlds.

The participants this year are: actor Jan Bülow; writer and director Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay; actor Banafshe Hourmazdi; writer-director Moritz Müller-Preißer; production designer Mona Cathleen Otterbach; writer-director Eva Trobisch; and writer-director Soleen Yusef.

They are following in the footsteps of such respected filmmakers as internationally renowned stars Sandra Hüller,...

The German festival posted its biggest ever audience in 2023.

Filmfest Hamburg came to a close on October 7 with an awards ceremony that saw the Cicae’s arthouse cinema award presented to UK filmmaker Molly Manning Walker’s directorial debut How To Have Sex which premiered in Un Certain Regard in Cannes in May

The cash prize €5,000 is provided by Hamburg’s local film fund Moin to be spent on the film’s PR campaign by its German distributor capelight pictures which will release the film in German cinemas on December 7.

The €5,000 Ndr young talent award, sponsored by local public broadcaster Ndr,...

Oscilloscope Laboratories, the distribution company set up by late Beastie Boys member Adam Yauch, has acquired U.S. rights to The Universal Theory, which recently premiered in competition at the Venice Film Festival (as the title The Theory of Everything). A theatrical release is planned for 2024.

From director Timm Kröger, the German drama is set in 1962 at a quantum mechanics conference in an isolated lodge nestled amid the towering landscapes of the Swiss Alps, and is the story of a gifted young physicist, his curmudgeonly mentor and an enigmatic jazz pianist who knows things about our wunderkind scientist that he’s never told another living soul. As the description goes, the film is “driven by astonishing twists, improbable coincidences and Hitchcockian suspense,” and “considers the metaverse theory from a refreshingly intelligent point of view.”

The main cast includes Jan Bülow, Olivia Ross, Hanns Zischler, Gottfried Breitfuss, David Bennent, Philippe Graber and Imogen Kogge.

Timm Kröger’s feature debut title is being sold by Paris-based sales outfit Charades.

Picturehouse Entertainment has taken UK and Ireland rights for Timm Kröger’s Venice competition title The Theory Of Everything from Paris-based sales outfit Charades.

German director Kröger’s black-and-white metaphysical noir is set in the Swiss Alps in the winter of 1962. It centres on a young doctor-to-be attending an international convention where he finds a mysterious pianist, a bizarre cloud formation in the sky and a dark, booming secret under the mountain, all part of the titular “theory of everything.”

The genre-hopping film is produced by Germany’s ma.

Thanks to science fiction, we all have a basic grip on the theory of the multiverse: the idea that there are innumerable parallel worlds in which the chances and choices of the past – the roads not taken, whether by ourselves or the dinosaurs – have split off into alternative stories, endlessly bifurcating into other pasts, other futures that must be peopled, most provocatively, with other versions of ourselves. It is an idea that has proved rich pickings for comic-book adventures, where peril can come from any available universe and there is always a chance of confronting a doppelganger, but German director Timm Kröger has returned to the theory – which dates back to the 1950s – to explore how mysterious, sinister and terrifyingly vast a proposal it really is. This is a theory of everything where everything – that familiar word – is infinite. Where nothing, in fact, is ever going to be “everything.”

The...

Imagine that one of Hitchcock’s villains — say, the guy missing the tip of a pinkie in “The 39 Steps,” or the shrink who runs the institute in “Spellbound” — did not simply come from a place of murderous intent but from a different place altogether, perhaps another dimension. Imagine that villain’s supranatural malfeasance backdropped by jagged mountains, captured in black-and-white so crisp it could cut, and widescreen frames so wide whole Alpine ranges fit comfortably inside them. And imagine it all unfolding to a deliberately overpowering score, like Bernard Herrman and Scott Walker conceived a baby during a sonic boom. Now you are somewhere near Timm Kröger’s superbly crafted “The Universal Theory” an overlong but enjoyable metaphysical thriller that delivers pastiche so meticulous it becomes its own source of supremely cinematic pleasure.

It is 1962, in the mountainous Grisons canton of Switzerland. The Cold War is at its coldest, its...

Have you heard of a movie about a brilliant quantum physicist who travels to a remote location so he can test a groundbreaking theory that could change the world forever? It’s shot in breathtaking black-and-white, and features Nazis and a doomed romance.

If you’re thinking of Oppenheimer, you’re wrong by a good two decades (in terms of the time setting), as well as a good hundred million dollars (in terms of budget). And yet, like a smaller, distant cousin to the Christopher Nolan blockbuster, German director Timm Kröger’s The Theory of Everything (Die Theorie Von Allem) is also an artfully made, ambitious period piece where reality sometimes bends to the laws of modern physics.

However, the similarities end there. Nolan’s movie was science-fact, remaining as close to historic events as technically possible. Kröger’s second feature is more of a genre-jumping experiment, combining Hollywood sci-fi...

Black-and-white genre hopping thriller is second feature from German director Kröger.

German director Timm Kröger’s black-and-white genre-hopping thriller The Theory of Everything has scored key territory sales ahead of its world premiere in Competition at the Venice Film Festival.

Paris-based sales outfit Charades has sold the Swiss Alps-set feature to UFO Distribution in France, La Aventura Audiovisual in Spain and Moviesinspired in Italy. Weirdwave will release the film in Greece, Pictureworks has taken rights for India and Megacom will distribute in ex-Yugoslavia. Neue Visionen will release The Theory of Everything in Germany on October 26 and Film Coopi has Swiss rights.

This looks unique. German distributor Neue Visionen Filmverleih has revealed a first look trailer for the indie film Die Theorie von Allem, which translates directly to The Theory of Everything. Yep, it's the same title as the Stephen Hawking film from 2014, and it's also about theoretical physics and scientists. But with a more mysterious, Hitchcockian twist. Set in 1962. A physics congress in the Alps. An Iranian guest. A mysterious pianist. A bizarre cloud in the sky and a booming mystery under the mountain. It's "a quantum mechanical thriller in black & white." The distributor also adds more buzz: with "Timm Kröger, everything is there that makes for great cinematic art in the best Hitchcock tradition. Cast with a fantastic ensemble and interspersed with a phenomenal soundtrack, The Theory of Everything is a brilliant film noir about the contingency of our world, in which much is possible and hardly anything is necessary.

Timm Kröger’s second film is a German-language psychological thriller.

Charades and Anonymous Content are partnering on sales for German director Timm Kröger’s The Theory of Everything ahead of its world premiere in competition in Venice, announced today.

The genre-blending black and white thriller set in the world of quantum mechanics is Kroger’s second feature. Set in the Swiss Alps, it is about a physicist attending an international convention where an Iranian scientist plans to unveil a groundbreaking new theory in quantum mechanics. Intrigued by a mysterious jazz pianist who seems to know intimate details about him, he...

Exclusive: New indie film financier Mizzel Media is launching in Cannes with what we understand to be a healthy six-figure investment in feature The Girl From Köln, the next film from Holy Spider and The Tale outfit One Two Films.

The movie, which is due to shoot later this year, will star Mala Emde (And Tomorrow The Entire World) and John Magaro (Past Lives) in the lead roles.

Bankside is handling world sales in Cannes on the project, which will tell the little-known backstory of how a maverick German teenager named Vera Brandes was instrumental in the creation of the best-selling solo piano record of all time, U.S. pianist Keith Jarrett’s 1975 Köln Concert. Ido Fluk (The Ticket) directs from his own script.

The investment is U.S. outfit Mizzel’s first to date. The New York-based company is run by producer and veteran manager Lillian Lasalle, whose clients...

I have been tracking producer Sol Bondy since 2016 when co-production The Happiest Day in the Life of Ölli Mäki won the Un Certain Regard Grand Prize and the European Film Award for Best Debut. He and Fred Burle have been developing The Girl from Köln (aka Köln 75) with writer-director Ido Fluk, the filmmaker behind 2016 Tribeca selection The Ticket since 2019. "This project has been very close to our hearts in the last few years and we're very excited with the way it's been shaped so far," said Bondy, a Variety Producer to Watch in 2018. "It's been such a joy working with Ido on this exciting story and we're thrilled to have put an amazing team together," added Burle, Brazilian born producer who was just made a partner in One Two Films, alongside co-founders Sol Bondy and Christoph Lange. Burle joined One Two in January 2017, having graduated from the German Film and Television Academy (dffb) the previous year. He has previously worked as a film critic, at The Match Factory, and as curator of the inaugural dffb film festival. One Two Films has produced and co-produced award-winning films such as Holy Spider (Read my blog about it here), Vadim Perelman's Persian Lessons (Read my blog about it here), Jennifer Fox's Sundance breakout The Tale, Isabel Coixet's The Bookshop and Juho Kuosmanen's The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Mäki.Other titles in the pipeline include Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurdsson's dark comedy Northern Comfort, which premieres in SXSW later this month, Annemarie Jacir's survival drama The Oblivion Theory, Sarah Arnold's debut feature Wild Encounters and Michiel ten Horn's romantic comedy Any Other Night. In Berlin this year it was announced that Bankside would be The Girl from Köln's international sales agent and was launching sales. Alamode Film already has German-speaking territories and is a coproducer, who have very recently secured funding through the Fff, the local fund in Bavaria. It is in early pre-production and will shoot this year in Poland and Germany. The Girl from Köln tells the little-known story of Vera Brandes, who, in 1975, at the age of 17, staged the famous Köln Concert by jazz musician Keith Jarrett, which became the top-selling jazz solo album of all time. With Polish Film Institute backing, Oscar-winning Polish producer Ewa Puszczynska (Ida, Cold War) of Extreme Emotions is co-producing along with Annegret Weitkämper-Krug of Germany's Gretchenfilm (Seneca). Oscar nominee and Emmy winner Oren Moverman (Love & Mercy, Bad Education) serves as executive producer. Moverman also produced Fluk's previous feature, The Ticket. The Tale writer-director Jennifer Fox also serves as executive producer. Stephen Kelliher and Sophie Green executive produce for Bankside. It stars Mala Emde (Skin Deep, And Tomorrow the Entire World) in the lead role, alongside John Magaro (Past Lives) as Jarrett. Magaro was also in Cannes last year with Kelly Reichardt's competition title Showing Up.Other cast attached include Alexander Scheer (Rabiye Kurnaz vs. George W. Bush), Ulrich Tukur (The Life of Others), Susanne Wolff (Sisi & I, Styx), Jördis Triebel (Dark), Jan Bülow (Lindenberg) and Marie-Lou Sellem (Tar, Exit Marrakesh). The NYU-graduate Fluk was dubbed "a talent to watch" by Variety following his feature debut Never Too Late, the first crowd-sourced Israeli film ever made. His American debut, the Tribeca competition selection, The Ticket, starred Dan Stevens and Malin Akerman. Upcoming projects include 24 Hours in June, a retelling of the final day in the life of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg who were convicted of spying on behalf of the Soviet Union, to be produced by Academy Award winner James Schamus (Brokeback Mountain) and Joe Pirro (Driveways). Fluk is repped by Amotz Zakai, Amy Schiffman, and Kegan Schell at Echo Lake Entertainment. He is also created the recently-announced HBO series Empty Mansions for Fremantle with director Joe Wright (Atonement, Darkest Hour) attached to direct the pilot. "From the moment I heard Vera's story, about how as a high school teenager she organized one of the greatest concerts in history, I knew her story had to be told," said Fluk. "We were immediately exhilarated by Vera Brandes' remarkable female empowerment story. Her strength, courage and sheer belief in herself and the music of Keith Jarrett will entertain and inspire audiences around the world," added Kelliher.

Germany’s Mala Emde and US actor John Magaro are set to star.

UK sales outfit Bankside Films has boarded worldwide sales on director Ido Fluk’s feature Köln 75, that tells the little-known story of one of the best-selling jazz records of all time, US pianist Keith Jarrett’s 1975 Köln Concert, and how one maverick German teenager was instrumental in its creation.

The film meets teenager Vera Brandes while she is still in high school and starts producing and promoting music concerts in Cologne, and risks everything to put on what will become Jarrett’s legendary show.

German star of...

Berlin-based One Two Films, in Cannes this week with Ali Abbasi’s competition title “Holy Spider,” is prepping a new feature from writer-director Ido Fluk, the filmmaker behind 2016 Tribeca selection “The Ticket.”

“Köln 75” tells the true story of Vera Brandes, who, in 1975 and at the age of 17, staged the famous Köln Concert by jazz musician Keith Jarrett, which became the top-selling jazz solo album of all time. It stars Mala Emde (“And Tomorrow the Entire World”) in the lead role, alongside John Magaro (“First Cow”) as Jarrett. Magaro is also in Cannes with Kelly Reichardt’s competition title “Showing Up.”

Oscar-winning Polish producer Ewa Puszczynska of Extreme Emotions will co-produce, with Oscar nominee and Emmy winner Oren Moverman serving as executive producer. Moverman also produced Fluk’s previous feature, “The Ticket.”

Other cast attached include Alexander Scheer (“Rabiye Kurnaz vs. George W. Bush”), Ulrich Tukur (“The Life of Others”), Susanne Wolff...

German director Timm Kröger’s mystery thriller “The Universal Theory” has started shooting at the ski resort of St. Jakob in Defereggen, Austria. The film’s first image has been released.

The cast is led by Jan Bülow, who starred in “Lindenberg! Mach dein Ding,” and Olivia Ross, a Paris-born, British actress whose credits include History’s “Knightfall,” Netflix’s “The Old Guard,” and the BBC’s “War and Peace” and “Killing Eve.”

Kröger previously directed Venice Critics Week entry “The Council of Birds.” The screenplay was written by Roderick Warich (“The Trouble with Being Born”) and Kröger.

Shot in Cinemascope, in black and white, the 1960s set story unfolds against the backdrop of the Alps. Johannes, a doctor of physics, travels with his doctoral supervisor to a scientific congress in the Alps. A series of mysterious incidents occur on site. He meets his femme fatale, Karin, a jazz pianist...

This year’s German Film Award nominees for best picture include hard-hitting social dramas, tales of romance and cultural divides, family relationships and musical icons as well as works by a growing number of filmmakers from diverse ethnic backgrounds. The German Film Academy, forced to revamp its 70th German Film Awards ceremony due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, will honor the country’s most acclaimed films during a special live TV presentation on April 24.

The German Film Awards ceremony, which in the past aired pre-recorded on Zdf, will be broadcast live for the first time on Ard’s Das Erste, due in part to its remade and shortened presentation. Doing away with its traditional gala event, the show will instead include guest filmmakers, musicians and presenters taking part via video feed from their homes.

Six films are vying for the best picture trophy, nicknamed the Lola, among them Burhan Qurbani’s “Berlin Alexanderplatz,...