Isi ter Jung

Ekchart Schmidt examines the machinery behind the dream factory; the Hollywood myth is unmasked. How does the studio industry work? What role does marketing and the hype surrounding the stars play?

Documentary about the 2004 movie 'Der Untergang' aka. 'Downfall'

Aspiring actors and actresses talk about making it in Hollywood and how they perceive this world. Casting directors and filmmakers also share their perspectives.

Schmidt follows the 27 miles of the “street of life” to Pacific Palisades, where the boulevard ends at the ocean. While interviews with celebrities from show and film document the well-known glamorous side of Sunset Boulevard, Schmidt also witnesses the transformation in the wake of a gigantic investment boom

Film noir, which enjoyed particular success in the 1930s and 1940s, is probably the most profound genre of classic Hollywood cinema. Eckhart Schmidt tries to show the background and developments and speaks, among others, with directors such as Richard Fleischer and Robert Wise as well as with "femme fatale" actresses. Filmmakers of the following generations explain how the style and themes of noir continue to shape cinema today.

In an apocalyptic future world, a young upper class couple is visiting an exhibition of surrealistic paintings, presented by a group of young anarchists in their loft flat where they trap and torture their high society guests.

Starting out as e-mail pen pals, Daniel and Laura soon fall in love. Only problem is that she lives in Germany and he lives in Los Angeles. When they finally arrange to meet in person, they discover that there is no chemistry between them.

Documentary by Eckhart Schmidt.

Lawyer Thomas Neumann is extremely successful in his career and happily married to his wife Bettina. Nevertheless, he has a mistress on the side, who one day reveals to him that she wants him to have a child. Thomas agrees, but a sperm test reveals that he is infertile. Now he asks himself the question: who is the real father of his children? His brother Johannes, a priest, helps him to find out the truth. Thomas suspects two former friends with whom he and Bettina used to go on vacation. He invites them to his home so that he can carry out comparative studies in peace, as genetic testing didn't exist back then. One friend has gone mad, the other is blind. The two of them cause Thomas' household a great deal of confusion, especially as he has to entertain an important business partner from overseas at his home.

The young Munich sensational reporter Raoul Miller has attacked a lot of people in his cocaine report, who now take terrible revenge: they kill his girlfriend Raphaela and his parents. The drug mafia also ensures that Raoul loses his good reputation and becomes an outsider. But Raoul does not give up...

Teenager Raphaela was born blind into a wealthy, material focused family. Her father escapes reality into an affair with his secretary while her mother reacts to the difficult situation in an over protective and possessive conduct towards her blind daughter.

Female fans are flocking to pop star Nik's feet. But when he announces that he is madly in love with Sarah and wants to marry her, there is an outcry from his fans. In view of Nik's popularity rating, the record company fears a slump in sales. So they stage a "meet your star" contest in which three ladies want to do everything they can to get the superstar away from Sarah. Can Nik remain faithful...?

Documentary about Federico Fellini

Documentary by Eckhart Schmidt.

In the "Swinging Munich" of the late 1960s: The young millionaire daughter Carroll Buchheim, an American, flew from the United States to Germany to visit her brother, who is missing.

Documentary about Hollywood stars, paparazzis and professional photographers.

The crazy story of a holy love - told along Sunset Boulevard.

Six young men are disturbed by their girlfriends while looking for adventures in Munich after their discharge from the Bundeswehr.

Laura works in a café in Sunset Plaza and lives in the Saharan Motel on Sunset Boulevard. She falls in love with the young writer Raoul. While Laura is open with her feelings, Raoul cannot seem to show his feelings for her.

Documentary by Eckhart Schmidt.