High honour for Münsterland series: "Haus Kummerveldt" wins the Grimme Prize Special 2024
Story about Luise von Kummerveldt receives Germany's most important media award / Major series extra at Münsterland e.V.
The series "Haus Kummerveldt", filmed in Münsterland, will be honoured with the Grimme Prize Special 2024. This Thursday (14 March), the Grimme Institute in Marl announced this year's winners. "Haus Kummerveldt" was supported in its creation by Münsterland e.V. "Together with the entire team around producer Lotte Ruf and director Mark Lorei, we are delighted to receive the Grimme Prize Special for a series that sheds new light on our castle and fortress region in a unique way," says Klaus Ehling, CEO of Münsterland e.V. "We warmly congratulate Luise von Kummerveldt on the award and look forward to seeing what happens next."
The Marl-based Grimme Institute nominated 64 productions and individual achievements from over 750 entries. 14 Grimme Prizes and three special prizes will be awarded on 26 April at the Marl Theatre.
"Haus Kummerveldt" receives the Grimme Prize Special "for its experimental combination of history, pop and politics", according to the jury. Mark Lorei (idea/director), Charlotte Krafft (script), Cécil Joyce Röski (script), Lotte Ruf (production) and Milena Straube (performance) were honoured. First awarded in 1964, the Grimme Prize is regarded as Germany's most important media award.
"Haus Kummerveldt" is about the rebellion of the young noblewoman Luise (played by Milena Straube) against the conventions of the Wilhelmine Empire. Luise longs to be a writer like her role model Annette von Droste-Hülshoff. After the death of her father, her brother Veit (Marcel Becker-Neu) uses his power as guardian - and pursues completely different plans. "With a view to the 19th century, we were particularly interested in the contemporary references," says director Mark Lorei, explaining the idea for the fictional series. "Because there are strong continuities, particularly between social and sexist patterns in society back then and today."
So far, "Haus Kummerveldt" comprises six episodes of around 20 minutes each. Following a film tour through the region organised by Münsterland e.V. and premieres at several film festivals, the series can be viewed online in the media libraries of ARD and Arte. Hundreds of thousands of video views have been achieved since summer 2023
Further information
The Kulturbüro des Münsterland e.V. has supported "Haus Kummerveldt" from the very beginning, arranging local partners and paving the way for funding from the Regional Culture Programme NRW (RKP). "We were immediately very enthusiastic about the format and content," says Andre Sebastian, Head of the Cultural Office, recalling the initial discussions in autumn 2017. "You don't get such innovative and unusual project ideas every day. It has been very exciting to watch the project develop over the past six years. Although the story is set in the provinces, there is nothing provincial about its realisation. On the contrary: anyone who sees an episode is surprised at how contemporary and professional the filming was. And of course I'm delighted that we at the Kulturbüro were able to be part of this success story."
Producer Lotte Ruf emphasises: "Without the Münsterland, the series wouldn't exist. The pilot episodes filmed in 2019 were financed entirely by sponsors and partners from the region. We are very grateful for this incredible support. We were also welcomed with open arms at our filming locations in Münsterland." In the world of Luise von Kummerveldt, viewers with local knowledge are constantly discovering familiar places. Haus Welbergen in Ochtrup, for example, became the ancestral home of the noble family. Other filming locations included the library at Burg Hülshoff in Havixbeck, the Rüschhaus in Münster and Runde in Billerbeck, Burg Vischering in Lüdinghausen and the LWL-Museum Textilwerk in Bocholt.
The team liaised with the Münster.Land film service and Christine Konken from Münsterland e.V. to find these backdrops. "The series gives the palaces and castles region a new look that appeals to an audience outside of our tourist target groups, but doesn't exclude them," says Konken. "The feminist aspect and the topicality of 'Haus Kummerveldt' contrast perfectly with the historically set character buildings of the Münsterland, without showing them off or denouncing them. Strong women and the visualisation of female residents have thus also become more interesting for real houses."
In 2022, Lotte Ruf and Mark Lorei founded the production company Goldstoff Filme, based at Haus Itlingen in Ascheberg-Herbern. Together, they want to dedicate themselves to more historical stories in the future. Their priority is the continuation of "Haus Kummerveldt" - now fuelled by the public attention generated by the Grimme Prize award.
A detailed interview with Lotte Ruf, an overview of the filming locations in Münsterland and further background information on "Haus Kummerveldt" is available from Münsterland e.V. at go.muensterland.com/hauskummerveldt.
To find those backdrops, the team liaised with the Münster.Land film service and Christine Konken from Münsterland e.V. "The series gives the palace and castle region a new look that appeals to an audience outside of our tourist target groups, but doesn't exclude them," says Konken. "The feminist aspect and the topicality of 'Haus Kummerveldt' contrast perfectly with the historically set character buildings of the Münsterland, without showing them off or denouncing them. Strong women and the visualisation of female residents have thus also become more interesting for real houses."
In 2022, Lotte Ruf and Mark Lorei founded the production company Goldstoff Filme, based at Haus Itlingen in Ascheberg-Herbern. Together, they want to dedicate themselves to more historical stories in the future. Their priority is the continuation of "Haus Kummerveldt" - spurred on by the public attention generated by the Grimme Prize. Lotte Ruf: "We're hoping for a career boost, which will also make it much easier to finance the next season."
Now it's time to join in the excitement: The winners of the 60th Grimme Prize will be announced on 14 March.
A detailed interview with Lotte Ruf as well as further information and background information on "Haus Kummerveldt" can be found at Münsterland e.V.
