Volkswagen is Main Partner of the 55th Berlin International Film Festival

WOLFSBURG/BERLIN, Germany, January 19 -- Volkswagen continues its partnership with the Berlin International Film Festival. "Well-known as a high-calibre international film festival, the Berlinale gives us a variety of opportunities to become involved content-wise as well as offering an excellent platform for the presentation of our products," said Dirk Grosse-Leege, Head of Group Communications at Volkswagen. "From this perspective, we are convinced that our partnership, which was launched in 2003, will prove successful for years to come." The 55th Berlin International Film Festival begins on 10 February 2005 with the opening ceremony in the Berlinale Palast and ends on 19 February 2005 with the closing ceremony and presentation of the Golden Bear award for the best film in the competition.

Volkswagen is again placing an extensive fleet of 75 vehicles at the disposal of the Berlin International Film Festival for its entire duration. Phaeton limousines will drive film stars up to the red carpet at the opening and closing ceremonies as well as gala premieres. The fleet for the Teddy Awards and Shooting Stars 2005 comprises Golf Plus and Golf GTI. Touareg and Caravelle vehicles will be available at events such as the International Forum of New Cinema and the Berlinale Talent Campus which focus on presenting the work of young film makers.

Over 540 participants from 90 countries will be attending the Berlinale Talent Campus and profiting from the knowledge of numerous experts from the film industry. As in 2004, Volkswagen is again contributing to the Talent Campus this year. The "Volkswagen Score Competition" enables young film composers and sound designers to set to music a scene from the German blockbuster "Good Bye Lenin", from Thomas Struck's film "Hearts" and a Volkswagen commercial in cooperation with the Film Orchestra Babelsberg at a professional sound studio. The mentor of the "Volkswagen Score Competition" is film composer Antonio Pinto ("City Of God"). Content-wise, the Career Development Department of Volkswagen Coaching GmbH will be contributing a workshop on "Successful Teams - How To Overcome Conflicts". A highlight will be the appearance of Peter Schreyer (Head Advanced Design Volkswagen AG) who, together with production designer Dante Ferretti ("Gangs Of New York") and directors Ridley Scott ("Alien", "Blade Runner", "Gladiator", etc.) and his daughter Jordan Scott, will be discussing how future trends are created at the series of lectures dedicated to "Designing Your Future!".

"Shooting Stars 2005" introduces young European acting talent. For the 8th year, European Film Promotion, a network of European promotion and export organizations, will be presenting a group of the most interesting European acting talents during the Berlin International Film Festival. In a series of events, 21 young actors will be introduced to the public, the film industry and the media. 20-year old Max Riemelt ("Napola") from Berlin has been nominated for Germany.

Further commitments round off this year's partnership between Volkswagen and the Berlinale. Volkswagen will be providing vehicles for the "Teddy Awards", the Berlinale film awards for gay/lesbian and trans identity films, to be presented on 18 February in the Columbiahalle, as well as the Jetix TV station, the main sponsor of the Festival of Children's Films. Together with the Berlinale, Volkswagen will be inviting guests to the Volkswagen Golden Bear Lounge during the festival, among them producers, directors, representatives from the German film industry and international delegations. "We are thrilled to be able to continue our successful public-private partnership with Volkswagen in 2005. Backed by the excellent cooperation of the last two years, the Berlinale is delighted that this partnership will continue to open up new perspectives and new approaches to cultural sponsoring," said Festival Director Dieter Kosslick.