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Celebrating its partnership with filmmakers in Mecklenburg, Germany, The Fifth Annual Charlotte Film Festival presents “12 Paces Without a Head.”



Set in the 14th Century, the film unravels the adventurous and bloodied story of Klaus Störtebeker – a living legend of his time leading pirates in battles across the North and Baltic seas. But after being severely wounded in a grizzly fight, the rebel buccaneer is forced to choose between his embattled life at sea and the woman he loves on land.


The film is one of more than 60 feature, short and documentary films being shown Sept. 20-27th at the EpiCentre Theater and Regal Park Terrace Cinemas in Charlotte. Internationally-acclaimed director Sven Taddicken has been recognized for numerous short films, including “Counting Sheep” (Schäfchen zählen). His debut feature film, “Getting My Brother Laid” (Mein Bruder, der Vampir), also wowed audiences at the Max Ophüls Film Festival and the International Film Festival in Rotterdam.


Taddicken is expected to attend CFF’s fifth annual festival with a delegation of German filmmakers from Mecklenburg, Germany where Queen Charlotte was born and for whom the state’s largest county was named. In 1994, county leaders here made a pact with Mecklenburg-Vorpommern to celebrate culture, education and scientific experiences.



Building on that commitment, film enthusiasts in Charlotte created “The Mecklenburg Connection,” a partnership between The Charlotte Film Festival and Filmkunstfest Mecklenburg Vorpommern in the German regional capital of Schwerin. Their relationship, which began as a film exchange between the festivals, has blossomed into an annual celebration of culture and art during film festivals in both countries.