French Exit

May 2019

On May 4th the real-time documentary “24h Europe – The Next Generation” will celebrate its TV premiere in Germany and France, Belgium and Finland (on, among other channels, ARTE, RTBF and YLE), from Saturday, 6 am to Sunday, 6 am – and will then be shown for one year online on the ARTE– and RBB-platform.
Under the direction of Britt Beyer and Vassili Silovic, Matthias Luthardt was among the 45 directors from all over Europe portraying one of the protagonists in their everyday life. Additionally, in close collaboration with Zero One Film, Basis Berlin and Concept AV, he directed most of the voice recordings for the German version. A journey through a versatile and vital Europe, showing that it´s definitely worth attending the next European elections on May 26th!

November 2018

Find of the month:
The 19-minutes documentary “Abgefahren!” / “Straight ahead!” (Germany 2001) about blind people driving cars – written, directed, edited and produced by Matthias Luthardt.

September 2018

Find of the month:
The documentary WE NEED HOBBIES (54 Min., Germany 2004, written and directed by Matthias Luthardt) about hobby amateur filmmakers and their own programs for the local Public TV.
“This filmmaker found a fascinating story on his own doorstep. He also takes a compassionate approach to his subjects, he is full of respect for these everyday people in the suburbs. It is a well told story, funny, compassionate, and it is about TV. People making their own TV programs is really what documentary making is all about – telling their own stories.“ (Eric Gandini)
Nominated for the Silver Wolf Award at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam 2004. Click here to watch the film (with English subtitles).

June 2018

Where is Europa going?
Matthias Luthardt is one of 45 European filmmakers involved in the 24h-TV-documentary 24h Europe, produced by zero one 24 and Idéale Audience, in coproduction with Arte. TV-premiere in may 2019.

May 2018

Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg is supporting the script development of our German-French miniseries “Baby alone” (produced by Akzente Film, in coproduction with French Exit), written by Judith Angerbauer and Matthias Luthardt.
We are delighted!

April 2018

Now on youtube: our music video JE TE QUITTE!

Vocals: Odine Johne
Piano: Torsten Knoll
Lyrics: based on a poem by Ludovic Bablon, Odine Johne
Director and Editor: Matthias Luthardt
DoP and VFX: Alexander Sellschopp
Sound Design: Nick Buckton
Original Sound: Jean-Baptiste Moussarie
Actors: Maxwell Thomas Currie, Odine Johne, Torsten Knoll, Mathew Muldoon

February 2018

On the occasion of the Berlin Film Festival ARTE will broadcast, from Februar 17th on, the documentary series CineKino about European cinema. The episodes will be accessible online for three more weeks after the broadcast. More information here:

CineKino GERMANY
CineKino FRANCE
CineKino GREAT BRITAIN
CineKino CZECH REPUBLIC AND SLOVAKIA
CineKino BELGIUM
CineKino ITALY

September 2017

The documentary DIE GROSSE EVOLUTION / The Great Evolution (directed and produced by Matthias Luthardt, 2016) is now available as Video on Demand on Vimeo – follow this link!

June 2017

On Whit Monday, June 6th, the BR (Bavarian broadcasting) will show the documentary “24h Bavaria” “24h Bayern”, a real-time-documentary shot on June 6th in 2016, with 100 small crews. After “24h Jerusalem” and “24h Berlin”, I was again part of this adventure. My protagonist is Christian Pongartz, a drug squad officer working and living on the German-Czech-border.

March 2017

CINEKINO on Arte (German and French version):
Wednesday, 15.3.
21:45-22:10 CineKino Frankreich (directed by Laurent Heynemann)
22:10-22:40 CineKino Belgien (directed by Matthias Luthardt)
Wednesday, 22.3.
21:45-22:10 CineKino Deutschland (directed by Matthias Luthardt)
22:10-22:40 CineKino Italien (directed by Laurent Heynemann)
…and online available on Arte+7!