Festivals - Munich and the competition with Berlin
It's an endless competition. Munich or Berlin - which city is the cooler cultural metropolis? For years, the federal capital had the lead, poor but sexy. And Munich? For many, a stuffy million-dollar village. But the perception seems to be changing.
"Munich challenges Berlin, its long-term cultural rival," wrote the "New York Times" recently. If one goes by the crowds in Munich this summer, there might be something to this claim. On Fridays, two cultural highlights get started: the Munich Film Festival and the Opera Festival.
The Film Festival expects not only many German film and television celebrities but also Kate Winslet, Jessica Lange, Isabelle Huppert, or Viggo Mortensen. The Bavarian State Opera attracts with classical stars like Diana Damrau, Nina Stemme, Klaus Florian Vogt, or Jonas Kaufmann. And recently, AC/DC, Metallica, and Ed Sheeran performed in Munich. Popstar Adele gives twelve concerts in August. Balm for the self-confident "Mia san mia," which recently suffered from the title-less season of FC Bayern.
"New York Times" praises tradition and innovation
"Munich is the place to be!" is supposed to have said the US director Roger Corman once, who was a guest at the Film Festival in 2011. Indeed, the city offers more than just Oktoberfest. There is much that people from all over the world love: the beer gardens, the English Garden with real nude sunbathers, art museums, opera, and concerts, or the surfer wave at the Eisbach. "Munich is developing into a younger, more relaxed center that brings tradition and innovation in an unusual way into harmony," praised the "New York Times."
In the ears of Bavaria's Minister-President Markus Söder (CSU), music could be the theme of culture for him for years, but not always an enjoyable one. For example, the matter of the Concert House for the renowned Bavarian Broadcasting Symphony Orchestra: The prestige object does not fit in and is supposed to significantly scale back its plans now, years after the initial planning, to avoid bursting the budget.
And in the film industry, the Prussians overtook the Bavarians after the fall of the Wall. Hollywood flooded Berlin, while film premieres with world stars became rare in Munich. Above all, younger actresses and actors moved to the Spree. And that, even though Munich was celebrated as the capital of film in the old Federal Republic - and celebrated itself, with names like Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Edgar Reitz, Bernd Eichinger, Uschi Glas, Hannelore Elsner, Senta Berger, or Helmut Dietl. Icons like Mick Jagger, Michael Jackson, or Freddie Mercury also looked in.
Söder doesn't want to settle for second place
The stuff of legends. And a motivation, also for Söder, who has dreamed for years of giving the Munich Film Festival more recognition, is that the Free State is not only a partner of the city and the top organization of the film industry (SPIO), but also one of its shareholders. "It's hard to bear that Berlin is number one," quoted the Berlin "Tagesspiegel" the Landeschef back in 2018. "We shouldn't settle for second place indefinitely." Munich is more exciting and prettier.
In fact, this year's festival in Munich promises much. While the Berlinale was overshadowed by a scandal in tragic February about the war in Gaza, which involved genocide allegations and antisemitism, Munich boasts of summer feeling and ambitious cinema, ranging from light-hearted entertainment to serious matters.
Winslet's captivating biopic "The Photographer" about war photographer Lee Miller, starring Kate Winslet, makes its European premiere. Jessica Lange ("Tootsie") presents her film "The Great Lillian Hall" at its international premiere.
The new festival head, Christoph Göner, and artistic director Julia Weigl, place great emphasis on independent cinema from the USA. They traveled to New York and Los Angeles. "Personal contact on site is crucial," they say. And they are pleased about the growing attention. "The offers that come to us are getting more numerous every year."
Munich will hardly be able to keep up with Berlin in terms of budget, but that doesn't have to be a disadvantage. Munich primarily wants to be a festival for the audience. Stars answer patiently to the questions of the audience members and spectators here after the film, and often tell amusing anecdotes from their lives. And at the very least, at a cocktail party on one of the many parties or a cool beer in the beer garden after the cinema visit, a relaxed contentment sets in, and Berlin fades into the distant background.
- The Munich Film Festival, a cultural highlight in the city, expect not only German celebrities but also international ones like Kate Winslet, Jessica Lange, Isabelle Huppert, and Viggo Mortensen.
- The Bavarian State Opera in Munich attracts classical stars such as Diana Damrau, Nina Stemme, Klaus Florian Vogt, and Jonas Kaufmann.
- Popstar Adele will give twelve concerts in August in Munich, providing a balance for the self-confident "Mia san mia," which recently suffered from a title-less season of FC Bayern.
- In 2011, the US director Roger Corman praised Munich, saying, "Munich is the place to be!"
- The "New York Times" recently praised Munich for its ability to balance tradition and innovation, saying it is developing into a younger, more relaxed cultural center.
- Markus Söder, Bavaria's Minister-President, has long dreamed of giving the Munich Film Festival more recognition, as the Free State is a partner of the city and a shareholder in the film industry.
- Söder sees Berlin as a cultural rival and has stated that Munich should not settle for second place indefinitely.
- The Berlinale was overshadowed by a scandal involving allegations of genocide and antisemitism in February, while the Munich Film Festival boasts a summer feeling and ambitious cinema ranging from light-hearted entertainment to serious matters.
- Jessica Lange's film "The Great Lillian Hall" is set to have its international premiere at the Munich Film Festival.
- The Munich Film Festival places great emphasis on independent cinema from the USA, with the new festival head and artistic director traveling to New York and Los Angeles for personal contact.
- Unlike Berlin, Munich primarily wants to be a festival for the audience, with stars often answering questions patiently and telling amusing anecdotes after the films, creating a relaxed and content feeling among spectators.
