Exclusive: Germany’s prominent far-right political party Afd (Alternative for Germany) is not impressed by the country’s International Oscar entry this year, And Tomorrow The Entire World.
The film, which follows a 20-year-old who joins Antifa to oppose a rising neo-Nazi movement but clashes with her friends over whether violence could ever be a legitimate political answer to fascism, has become a high-profile battle ground in a culture war that has been bubbling in the country for the last few years as the Afd has gained influence.
The party is now the third-largest in the Bundestag after winning 12.6% of the national vote in the 2017 election, and has significant power at a regional level in Germany. That rise to prominence has, however, seen it continually face accusations of racism and xenophobia.
Afd’s desire to influence the country’s arts has been of concern for local filmmakers for some time.
The film, which follows a 20-year-old who joins Antifa to oppose a rising neo-Nazi movement but clashes with her friends over whether violence could ever be a legitimate political answer to fascism, has become a high-profile battle ground in a culture war that has been bubbling in the country for the last few years as the Afd has gained influence.
The party is now the third-largest in the Bundestag after winning 12.6% of the national vote in the 2017 election, and has significant power at a regional level in Germany. That rise to prominence has, however, seen it continually face accusations of racism and xenophobia.
Afd’s desire to influence the country’s arts has been of concern for local filmmakers for some time.
- 12/23/2020
- by Tom Grater
- Deadline Film + TV
The German regional funder HessenFilm und Medien has fired its managing director, Hans Joachim Mendig, following an industry backlash over a meeting he had with a leader of the far-right political party Alternative for Germany (AfD).
Mendig met with Joerg Meuthen, AfD leader and member of the European Parliament, and PR consultant Moritz Hunzinger in a Frankfurt restaurant in July. Meuthen posted a photo of the meeting on Instagram, writing: “Very lively and constructive political exchange of ideas today in Frankfurt” with Hunzinger and Mendig.
It wasn’t until the magazine Journal Frankfurt published an article about the meeting earlier this month that industry outrage and demands for Mendig’s resignation erupted. In addition to the party’s anti-immigrant views, one of AfD’s leaders, Marc Jongen, has been extremely critical of German film funding and has called for the entire system to be “ideologically cleansed” and reevaluated.
Mendig maintained...
Mendig met with Joerg Meuthen, AfD leader and member of the European Parliament, and PR consultant Moritz Hunzinger in a Frankfurt restaurant in July. Meuthen posted a photo of the meeting on Instagram, writing: “Very lively and constructive political exchange of ideas today in Frankfurt” with Hunzinger and Mendig.
It wasn’t until the magazine Journal Frankfurt published an article about the meeting earlier this month that industry outrage and demands for Mendig’s resignation erupted. In addition to the party’s anti-immigrant views, one of AfD’s leaders, Marc Jongen, has been extremely critical of German film funding and has called for the entire system to be “ideologically cleansed” and reevaluated.
Mendig maintained...
- 9/25/2019
- by Ed Meza
- Variety Film + TV
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.