OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE
North American Premiere of Girl You Know it’s True
with Fab Morvan in Person
at the 28th Berlin & Beyond Film Festival
Media Contact: Steve Indig PR, steve@steveindigpr.com
(San Francisco, April 12, 2024) The 28th Berlin & Beyond Film Festival, presented by the Goethe-Institut San Francisco, will host the North American Premiere of Girl You Know it’s True, directed by Simon Verhoeven, with Fab Morvan – singer, songwriter, producer, and former member of the duo Milli Vanilli – in person. The event will be on Friday, April 19, 2024 at 8:15 PM at the Roxie Theater in San Francisco’s Mission District.
The 28th Berlin & Beyond Film Festival, the leading festival of contemporary German cinema in the Americas, will run April 18-20 at Roxie Theater in San Francisco, April 21-22 at Rialto Cinemas Elmwood in Berkeley and April 23-25 with virtual programming at BerlinBeyond.com.
FAB MORVAN
Fab Morvan was born in 1966 in Paris, France. His true story is inspirational and empowering. It is a tribute to his own indomitable spirit in the face of one of the most controversial and talked-about events in modern pop music history. He continuously strives to reinvent himself, without bitterness. In Luke Korem’s documentary, Milli Vanilli (presented by Paramount+ and MTV), music makes for a remarkable, uplifting saga, told through his own hard-earned experiences and wisdom. A long time coming, it was an opportunity for Morvan to tell his story.
Morvan first met his future partner Rob Pilatus in Munich at a local club. They started a rock and soul band together, and named it Milli Vanilli. The two penniless kids jumped at the chance to sign a contract with German producer Frank Farian. Within months they created a captivating stage show that would elevate them to be seen by millions on the world stage. Selling more than 7 million copies of their debut album “Girl You Know It’s True” in the US alone, the duo went on to MTV stardom. They became one of the biggest musical acts of the ’90s, with worldwide sales of more than 30 million singles and 10 million albums.
Along the way, the two were involved in a notorious lip-synching scandal that led them to publicly return their Grammy for Best New Artist. When VH1’s Behind the Music premiered in 1997, its first episode put a spotlight on the tale, which turned out to be one of the series’ highest-rated segments.
Girl You Know It’s True, the highly anticipated narrative feature film, was released in December 2023 in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Both the documentary and the feature film bring “the story” up to date and set the stage for a promising future. “I believe in the healing power of music… Music is life.” says Morvan. “New music is being added to a new page in this current chapter of my life, stay tuned as it is only the beginning.”
THE FILM
Girl You Know It’s True
North American Premiere
Directed by Simon Verhoeven
Starring Tijan Nije, Elan Ben Ali, Matthias Schweighöfer, Bella Dayne
The highly anticipated Milli Vanilli story comes to the big screen: Dancers Pilatus and Morvan rise to fame in the late 1980’s, becoming stars with No.1 hits and winning a Grammy. The duo never sang a word in their songs. As the truth surfaces, it becomes one of the biggest scandals in music history. (124 min. Germany / 2023. In English, German, and some French with English subtitles)
Girl You Know It’s True is a Wiedemann & Berg Film Production co-produced by Seven Pictures Film, Mediawan, and Sentana Film Produktion. Voltage Pictures is the world sales agency.
SHOWTIME
Friday, April 19, 2024: Roxie Theater, San Francisco
8:15 PM
Limited tickets are on sale at BerlinBeyond.com
BERLIN & BEYOND AT 28
Since 1996, the Berlin & Beyond Film Festival has been a leading light of contemporary German cinema in the Americas, and has presented over 500 motion pictures, along with the presence of celebrated film and cultural figures, including Fatih Akin, Moritz Bleibtreu, Daniel Brühl, Lars Eidinger, Hannelore Elsner, Florian David Fitz, Bruno Ganz, Werner Herzog, Frederick Lau, Maria Schrader, Dan Stevens, Barbara Sukowa, and Wim Wenders.
The 28th Berlin & Beyond Film Festival 2024 is presented by the Goethe-Institut San Francisco. Premiere Sponsors: San Francisco Grants for the Arts, Excelsior German Center, and the Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany in San Francisco. Signature Sponsors: the Consulate General of Switzerland in San Francisco, DW, Mercedes-Benz Research & Development North America, and The Orchard Hotels. Patron Sponsors: German International School of Silicon Valley and the Consulate General of Luxembourg in San Francisco.
Official Website: berlinbeyond.com
Social Media: @berlinbeyond #BerlinBeyond2024
THE GOETHE-INSTITUT
The Goethe-Institut is the cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany with a global presence. We facilitate international cultural exchange, promote access to the German language and support the unimpeded development of culture and science. The Goethe-Institut is present in San Francisco since 1967 and has lately focused on the cultural perspective on technology, as well as film and educational youth programs. Other important activities include events and discussions on migration, memory culture, diversity, and social justice in Germany and the US.
Official Website: goethe.de/sf
Social Media: @sfgoethe
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