Who Are Europe's Hottest Young Actors?
by Birgit Schrumpf

A jury of film professionals chose the ten most-promising actors of 2013, from 27 candidates, as follows: Mikkel Boe Folsgaard (Denmark), Laura Birn (Finland), Ada Condeescu (Romania), Arta Dobroshi (the Republic of Kosovo), Jure Henigman (Slovenia), Carla Juri (Switzerland), Nermina Lukac (Sweden), Luca Marinelli (Italy), Saskia Rosendahl ( Germany) and Christa Théret (France).

The glamorous Awards Ceremony was held at the Berlinale Palast where Julie Delpy and Ethan Hawke introduced this year’s Shooting Stars. The talented young actors from ten different European countries received their individual awards for outstanding artistic achievements in feature film. The much sought-after award was donated by TESIRO, one of the main partners of this year’s Berlinale. This annual talent platform, organised by European Film Promotion (EFP), is now in its 16th year and has become an integral part of the Berlinale. The Media Programme of the European Union and its cooperation partners support it financially. 

The German Shooting Star of 2013, Saski Rosendahl, is just 19 years old. She is best-known for her outstanding performance of Lore. For her lead role in this German-UK-Australian co-production, directed by Cate Shortland, she also received the AACTA, Australia’s prestigious Academy Award for the Best Young Actress. Saskia’s newest project is a lead role in Wir sind jung. Wir sind stark, directed by Burhan Qurbani. Shooting will start from April 2013.

For the other young stars the future looks just as bright. Laura Birn, Finnish Shooting Star, has just won a Jussi Award, the most important award for Finnish cinema. She has been honoured as Best Actress for her performance in Purge.

Carla Juri from Switzerland, growing up speaking several languages, has filmed in Italy, England and Germany. Her latest film Feuchtgebiete (Wetlands, an adaptation of the raunchy novel by Charlotte Roche) will come to our cinemas in August 2013. The 27-year old actress lives in Berlin and London.

Luca Marinelli from Italy has just moved from Rome to Berlin to be nearer to his German girlfriend. He is known for his part in Die Einsamkeit der Primzahlen (The Solitude of Prime Numbers) by Saverio Costanzo (based on Paolo Giordano’s novel La solitudine dei numeri primi).

Nermina Lukac from Sweden received the Guldbagge Prize, the Swedisch Oscar, for her role in Äta sova dö by Gabriele Pichler.

Ara Dobroshi is Kosovo’s newest star and received the praise of the jury for her role in Trois Mondes (Three Worlds). For her serene performance she received the Barbara Tipple Best Actress Award in Los Angeles 2012. She already earned a nomination for the Best Actress at the European Film Awards at Cannes in 2008, where she was seen in the title role in Lorna’s Silence by the Dardenne brothers.

Danish newcomer Mikkel Boe Folsgaard won the Silver Bear for Best Actor at last year’s Berlinale for his film debut in A Royal Affair.

Ada Condeescu studied acting at Bucharest and attended many workshops around the world. She was convincing in her role as Ana in If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle by Florin Serban.

The French actress Christa Théret started her career four years ago and became known with LOL – Laughing out loud in which she features together with Sophie Marceau. In the biographical film Renoir she portrays the famous French painter’s last model and his muse.

Jure Henigman of Slovenia attracted attention with his performance in A Trip by Nejc Gazvoda for which he won the Best Actor prize at the Slovenian Film Festival. His second film, again with Gazvoda, is the love story Dual.

Many Shooting Stars of previous years have become internationally successful, e.g., David Kross, Franka Potente, Nina Hoss, Daniel Brühl, Johanna Wokalek and Daniel Craig, to name a few.