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Mix!'n'Max!

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FILM FESTIVAL MAX! is delving into the past as it plans for the future. For the fifth consecutive year, Max! will showcase the hottest films from three German-speaking countries - Germany, Austria and Switzerland. It is the only film festival in Asia that exclusively screens movies from the three nations.

This year marks the first time Max! has raided the vaults of the Hong Kong Film Archives and together they will present a retrospective of German director Werner Herzog. 'We noticed that Hong Kong audiences love watching old classic films,' says Jurgen Keil, director of Goethe-Institut Hong Kong, organiser of Max! 'Films by famous masters such as Fritz Lang always attract full houses here.'

Herzog's works encompass an array of ideologies. His debut, Signs Of Life, was honoured with a Silver Bear at the 1968 Berlin Film Festival. 'Herzog is so respected because his films bring out issues and visual images that have been undermined by civilised society,' says Law Wai-ming, curator of the retrospective. 'His devotion to the art is a good example for film-makers all over the world.' The retrospective highlights 10 of Herzog's works, which includes features and documentaries.

Overall, Max! has selected 31 films for screening this year, opening with an alfresco double-header at Saturday night's gala party to be held in the gardens and amphitheatre of the Hong Kong Academy for Performing Arts in Wan Chai.

Sandra Nettelbeck's Bella Martha gets the gala underway. It is a warm tale about a self-centred chef (Martina Gedeck) and the journey of self-discovery she embarks on with her niece. It wowed critics at festivals throughout Europe and Gedeck won the best actress award at this year's German Film Awards.

The second feature is Grill Point, directed by Andreas Dresen. The quirky film, which depicts how two couples deal with infidelity, won the Silver Bear grand jury prize at this year's Berlin Film Festival.

'Max! is unique,' says Keil. 'The films we show are the latest and are by film-makers who are practically unknown in Hong Kong. We want to show the more independent side of German-language cinema.'

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