Europe’s 2012 Shooting Stars Announced

6:24 AM PST 12/8/2011 by Scott Roxborough

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Bill Skarsgard, son of Stellan and brother of Alexander, was named a Shooting Star for 2012.

Sweden’s Bill Skarsgard, Germany’s Anne Maria Muhe and Brit actor Riz Ahmed among the Berlin Festival showcase of up-and-coming Euro actors.

COLOGNE, Germany – Swedish actor Bill Skarsgard (Simon and the Oaks), Britain’s Riz Ahmed (Four Lions) and Anna Maria Muhe (Love in Thoughts) of Germany are among the young European talents picked for the Berlin Film Festival’s 2012 Shooting Stars showcase.

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The other up-and-coming talents taking part in the 2012 Shooting Stars include Romanian actress Ana Ularu (Lost and Found), France’s Adele Haenel (The Devils) and Polish actor Jakub Gierszal (Suicide Room).

Many of the 2012 Shooting Stars are well established in their home territories. Bill Skarsgard’s thespian family includes father, and Thor star, Stellan Skarsgard and older brother Alexander Skarsgard of True Blood fame. Anne Maria Muhe’s parents were The Lives of Others star Ulrich Muhe and well-known German TV actress Jenny Grollmann. The Irish Shooting Star, actress Antonia Campbell-Hughes, appeared in Jane Campion’s Bright Star and on BBC comedy series Lead Balloon. Italian actress Isabella Ragonese has appeared in a dozen features, including Paolo Virzi’s 2008 comedy Ahead and the 2010 drama One Life, Maybe Two from director Alessandro Aronadio.

Two of next year's Shooting Stars, however, are virtual newcomers. Icelandic soccer player turned actor Hilmar Gudkonsson had a bit part in Clint Eastwood’s Flags of Our Fathers but his first major role was in Turin Film Festival winner Either Way this year. And 18-year-old Swiss actor Max Hubacher had his first film role last year as the lead in Mike Schaerer’s cancer drama Stationspiraten. His follow-up was Markus Imboden’s Swiss box office hit Foster Boy this year.

The Shooting Stars is run by European Film Promotion and takes place between Feb.11-13, during the 2012 Berlin Film Festival (Feb. 9 -19). Some of the future stars first showcased at the event include Daniel Craig, Carey Mulligan and Daniel Bruhl.