The Export-Union of German Cinema is to stage the 1st annual Festival of German Cinema in Los Angeles from Nov 3-9 presenting 16 new feature films, 15 shorts and a selection of shorts from German film students.

Films screening will include: Sebastian Schipper's Gigantic, Achim Von Borries' England, Peter Keglevic's Falling Rocks, Vanessa Joop's Forget America, Peep Danquart's Home Game, Martin Eigler's Friends, Anno Saul's Green Desert, Faith Akim's In July, Christian Petzold's The State I Am In, Joseph Vilsmaier's Marlene, Stanislaw Mucha's Back Home To The Reich With Bibi and Oskar Rohler's No Place To Go.

Film-makers and stars from Germany will attend the opening night event at the Villa Aurora (Foundation for American European Relations) in Pacific Palisades. Sidebars taking place throughout the week will include the European Film Academy's 3rd Annual International Filmtalk - "Next Generation Exchange" - presenting new film-makers and their producers whose films are part of the the programme with additional guests including Martin Blaney of Roadmovies and Tanja Ziegler of Ziegler Film.

The festival is presented and co-financed by the Export-Union with additional financing through the German Federal Film Board, the German Federal Government Minister for Cultural Affairs and the Media, and the six regional funding institutions.