THE VERHOEVENS
A film by Felix Moeller
Germany/France 2003, 75 min./60 min.
Synopsis
The documentary – being richly illustrated with film clips but also critical and enquiring – is a journey through 70 years of filmmaking and history in Germany and portrays – with stages in Berlin, Munich and New York – three generations of an astonishing family of actors and directors: the Verhoevens. Paul Verhoeven (not to be confused with the Dutch-American film director of the same name) was a major stage director in the 1930s, but became famous primarily as a film director during the Third Reich and in post-war Germany. His son Michael, a medical doctor, was supposed to follow in his father’s foot steps, however he focused more on political subject matters. His film “The Nasty Girl” won the New York Critics’ Award and The Golden Globe and was nominated for an Academy Award. Michael Verhoeven’s wife, Senta Berger, is one of the most popular actresses in Germany. At the time when Michael was an ambitious young filmmaker, she was already a screen star in Hollywood movies with Charlton Heston and Kirk Douglas. Today it is their sons, Simon und Luca Verhoeven, who, as director and actor respectively, carry on the family tradition – albeit not without their own personal emphases as they struggle to step beyond the family’s long shadow to establish themselves in their own right.
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Crew
Written and directed by Felix Moeller
Director of Photography: Ludolph Weyer, BVK
Sound: Markus Stoffel
Editing: Gisela Zick
Original Score: Marco Hertenstein
Narrator: Suzanne von Borsody
Producer: François Duplat
Co-producer: Amelie Latscha
A NEF Filmproduktion and Bel Air Media (Paris) Production in Co-production with BR/Arte
Protagonists
Michael Verhoeven, Senta Berger, Mario Adorf, Stella Maria Adorf, Simon Verhoeven, Luca Verhoeven, Volker Schlöndorff
First TV Run
11th July 2003, Arte
DVD Release
12th February 2004
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Festivals
Berlin & Beyond, San Francisco 2006
Goethe Institute Boston (Tribute to Michael Verhoeven) 2006
Taormina Filmfestival 2004
Munich Filmfestival 2003
Dok In Between, Leipzig 2003
Press
„Excellent documentary. Opulently illustrated.“
Münchner Abendzeitung
„An affectionate panorama.“
Der Spiegel
„Entertaining, contemplative, harmonious.“
Westdeutsche Allgemeine
„Enjoyable documentary. Well done.“
Variety
„Très bon documentaire.“
Le Monde
„Instructive rencontre avec une incroyable famille.“
20 Minutes
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