It is not only since the recent success of the theatrical hit “Black Swan,” that the dance film is once again a hot topic and proclaims to one and all: Ballet is “in” and it’s as strong as ever! No wonder that the success of ANNA, the “mother of all German ballet and dance films,” is unbroken to this day. No one has forgotten how the popular ZDF series about the adventures of the young Anna Pelzer captivated ballet “rats” back in the 1980s and led to a surge in dance-school attendance. ANNA has been available on DVD shelves in a re-issue since December 2010. As of today, ANNA has sold over 100,000 copies in Germany, thus achieving double-platinum status and winning the coveted award of the “Bundesverband Musikindustrie” (German Federal Music Industry Association) in the children’s category.

Universum Film Home Entertainment presented the trophy of the Double Platinum Kids Award to the licensee ZDF Enterprises. The license dealer and Universum Film have been collaborating together since 1993 in the framework of a master agreement which has given rise to the release of many DVD titles in the German-language territories. Among the particularly successful examples of this cooperation are cult series such as “Black Forest Clinic,” romantic film cycles such as “Rosamunde Pilcher” and series such as “The Country Doctor.” Further highlights in the “ZDF Video” portfolio of Universum Film are the DVDs to cycles and series such as “Dream Voyage Collection,” “Falkenau – The Hunter’s Home,” “Mountain Medic,” “The Heritage of the Guldenburgs,” “KDD;” the DVDs to the ZDF event movies “Krupp – A Family Between War and Peace,” “The Secret of the Whales,” “Dr. Hope” and several DVDs on historical topics and on general cultural as well as scientific programs (e.g. “The Battle Against Rome”, “Terra X”). The children’s sector features, next to the titles mentioned here, such beloved characters as Anna, Silas, Patrik Pacard and the successful format “The Famous Five.”

Dr. Alexander Coridass, President and CEO of ZDF Enterprises: “This award represents the continuation of our successful collaboration with our master-agreement partner Universum Film. This cooperation was crowned last year with the ‘Video Champion TV-National 2010’ which was awarded for ‘The Commissioner’ by G+J Entertainment Media Verlag. We are delighted to have released one of the most important highlights of TV history on DVD with Universum Film.”

Bernhard zu Castell, CEO of Universum Film, adds: “Our association with ZDF Enterprises goes back 18 years now and is very solid and successful. ZDF has strong contents and Universum Film sells them in the most market-oriented way. Mutual hits such as ANNA underscore the strength of this partnership which, however, is not limited to the children’s sector. We have also achieved outstanding results with other formats such as ‘Black Forest Clinic’ and ‘The Commissioner.’ We hope that we will be able to continue expanding this multifaceted cooperation in the future as well.”