The 69th Cannes official selection is unveiled: There’s an Austrian touch on the German competition entry Toni Erdmann by Maren Ade which is co-produced by Vienna based coop99 filmproduction. Peter Simonischek plays the male lead in the story
of a father who unexpectedly barges into his daughter's profesional life.
TONI ERDMANN
Winfried doesn’t see much of his working daughter Ines. The suddenly student-less music teacher decides to surprise her
with a visit after the death of his old dog. It’s an awkward move because serious career woman Ines is working on an
important project as a corporate strategist in Bucharest. The geographical change doesn’t help the two to see more eye
to eye. Practical joker Winfried loves to annoy his daughter with corny pranks. What’s worse are his little jabs at her
routine lifestyle of long meetings, hotel bars and performance reports. Father and daughter reach an impasse, and Winfried
agrees to return home to Germany. Enter flashy "Toni Erdmann": Winfried’s smooth-talking alter ego. Disguised in a tacky
suit, weird wig and even weirder fake teeth, Toni barges into Ines’ professional life, claiming to be her CEO’s
life coach. As Toni, Winfried is bolder and doesn’t hold back, but Ines meets the challenge. The harder they push, the
closer they become. In all the madness, Ines begins to understand that her eccentric father might deserve some place in her
life after all.
directed by Maren Ade
produced by Komplizen Film (D), coop99 filmproduktion
International sales: The Match Factory
with: Sandra Hüller, Peter Simonischek
