I was born in Dusseldorf in Germany , on August 14, 1945. Ever since I got to know how close my birthday is related to the most tragic week in Japanese history, I feel deeply connected to your country, and each visit reconfirms and strengthens my ties. I have been to Osaka on several occasions, and I was happy to learn that my home town of Dusseldorf is a sister city to Osaka.　There are even direct flights between the two! I can’t wait to be in Osaka again, and I’m very honoured that you show HIMMEL UBER BERLIN there as well as my latest film, END OF VIOLENCE. I can’t wait to see the new airport out on the water, I can’t wait to see all these incredible buildings of the great Tadao Ando again, above all the "Church of Light" which is my favourite contemporary building in the whole world. I can’t wait to be at this Festival of European Films, talk about films, about the necessity of cultural exchange, of solidarity between independant European and Asian filmmakers, drink Sake in the evening, show the city to my old friend Henri Alekan and feel at home again in Japan....