The Return of the Neanderthal Man

In this Euro-screwball comedy, which plays with multiple genres and narrative styles, Florian Steinbiss tells the story of a Neanderthal man who mysteriously rematerializes in modern day Germany and seeks sanctuary in the garden of Barbara van Schmerling, a 23-year-old student of Environmental Planning. To save and protect this ‘last living evidence of former humanity and naturalness´ from exploitation by a P.T. Barnum wannabe and a power-crazed media savvy anthropologist, Barbara takes him under her wing. Failing to protect him from the corrupting influences of Western Civilization, her altruistic feelings turn romantic, threatening either to compromise her ethics, or lose the only person - or primitive - she ever truly loved. Meanwhile, the Neanderthal man must choose between Barbara, the only person who loves him for what he really is, and the siren call of fame, suitcases of money, and easy access to gummy bears.

Some images resonate and remain with us. We want to see them over and again. The Return of the Neanderthal Man also called Neander-Jin, an award-winning film, has been connecting with people just like that. At its core, connections are a cave man and a self-directed, collegiate young woman of today. The film is mesmerizing, a thoughtful Beauty and the Beast, sci-fi, comedy of manners, political and social satire, that sticks with viewers young and old. Never totally serious, The Return of the Neanderthal Man has a raucous and riotous cast of characters including: precocious female college students, straight forward maintenance workers, patriot chiefs, two questionable professors, crazy doctors, hired guns, anthropologists, tabloid personnel, sensational TV, and the gamut of spoofs on satire, social criticism, silent movies, experimental film, the surreal and the absurd! In truth, viewers have a good time, they laugh, they are entertained, maybe a little bit overwhelmed by the multi level story telling and various genres and styles.

Poster

Credits

Directed and Produced by
Florian Steinbiss

Written by
Florian Steinbiss & Jeff Hixon

Director of Photography
Chris Hilden bvk

Casting
Avgusta Cherneva

Executive Producer
Jeff Hixon

Editor
Avgusta Cherneva

Additional Editor
Ronen Pestes

Music
BHP Film Orchestra
Bruce Hanifan
Heiner Reiff
Bodo Brandes
Fried Bauer
Giuseppe Iacono
Jam El Mar

Trailer Music
Ricardo Gidon

Music performed by
BHP Film Orchestra
BlechHarmoniker
Stuart Wilson Turner
Pocket Radio
featuring Jon Chardiet & Jeff Hixon
Manuel Struffolino & Band
Sarah M�hlhause

Line Producer
Michaela Doll

Production Manager
Antonia Baedt

Unit Manager
Esther Wise

1st Assistant Director
Avgusta Cherneva

2nd Assistant Director
Bastian Caspar
Maria Gans

Assistant to Florian Steinbiss
Maike Herrmann

Boom Operator
Torsten Lenk

Location Sound
Matthias Richter

Production Assistants
Eva Lauck
Björn Seib
Alina Klöden

Production Bookkeeper
Eva Lauck

Production Accountants
Andreas Krause
Eggesiecker & Partner, Cologne
Kurt Hoppstein

Legal Representation
Dr. Claus Recktenwald
Schmitz Knoth Rechtsanwälte

Production Public Relations
Televisor Troika GmbH, Cologne
Michael P. Aust
Mareike Winter

Assistant to Production Manager
Rebecca Westerschulze

Set Runner
Marco Siegmund

Location Scouting
Björn Seib
Antonia Baedt

Art Director & Production Designer
Leticia Raasch

Additional Set Design
Friedemann Sander

Set Construction
Marko Nedic & Philipp Kruse

Garden Landscaping
J�rgen Biecker

Dialogue Editor
Luiz Melo Paiva e Silva

1st Assistant Camera
Patrick Zepp

2nd Assistant Camera
Patrick Gilgenbach

Script Continuity
Markus Berera

1st Assistant Editor
Patrick Zepp

2nd Assistant Editor
Jennifer Sperling

Visual Effects
Jennifer Sperling

Pre Edit Daylies
Maria Gans
Maike Herrmann

Costume Design
Leticia Raasch
Avgusta Cherneva

Designer for Sarah M�hlhause
Stefanie Franzius

Neander-Jin Costume Provided by
Neanderthal Museum

Shamans Costume Provided by
Willi Schaefer Erkrath

Set Dresser
Alina Klöden

Special Effects Make Up Artist and Hair Stylist
F�licit� Ruiz Vera

Make Up Assistant
Christian Schrör

Special Effect Make Up Design Neander-Jin
Tom Devlin

Hairstylist of Florian Steinbiss and Jeff Hixon
Fernandes, Cologne

Still Photography and Additional Videography
Charles Hixon

SFX on set
Sven K�hn

Animal Trainer
Aurelia Hornung
Claudia Neumann

Rucolino Dog and Chickens
Ingeborg's Animals

Antique Mercedes
Willi Schaefer Erkrath

Helicopters
Action Concept GmbH

Helicopter Pilot
Marcus Steffen

Traffic Control
Cine Block GmbH

Historic Consultant
Dr. Baerbel Auffermann

Visual Production Consultant
Dr. Michael Neubauer

Produced in Association with
POINT. 360 WEST

Post Production Facilities provided by
Point. 360 WEST, Los Angeles

General Manager & Executive in Charge of Post Production
Jeff Hixon

Re-recording Mixer
Mitchell Lindskoog

Sound Design
Luiz Melo Paiva e Silva

Sound Editor
Erik Brena

ADR Recordist
Christian Zerpa

Assistant Sound Editor
Breanna Wood

Finishing Editorial Supervision
Ronen Pestes

Online Editor
William Lehr

Color Timer
Ronen Pestes

Color Consultant
Chris Hilden

Post Production Co-ordinator
Alice Stanton
VFX by EdenFX at Point.360 WEST, Los Angeles

Supervising Director of Visual Effects
Jason Hearne

Visual Effects Artist
Jeff Kaplan

Festival Report

The Return of the Neanderthal Man became a festival hit in the USA.
The Film won thirteen awards and was also officially selected by more than fifteen other festivals.

After the first award "The Best of Show" from the Indie Fest in La Jolla and a second award "Emerging Narrative Feature Filmmaker" at the Geneva Film Festival, the third award in the category "Feature Comedy" came from the Indie Gathering in Ohio.

The Return of the Neanderthal Man success story on the American Film Festival circuit was just beginning. Jon Chardiet and Rick Zieff accepted on behalf of Florian Steinbiss Award No. 4 for "Best Feature Film" in Las Vegas at the Vegas Cine Fest.

Award No. 5 makes Van Morrison fans Florian Steinbiss and Jeff Hixon happy. At the 12th prestigious Moondance International Film Festival in Boulder, Colorado they received a "Starfish" for Comedy in the category Feature Film.

Award No. 6 came from the JamFest Indie Film Festival in Hammond, Louisiana.

Award No. 7 was a special pleasure for the honourable. "Best Direction in a Feature Film" came from the Buffalo Niagara Film Festival in State of New York.

Award No. 8 came literally from sky, from a virtual Film Festival with cult character. The SkyFest in Asheville, North Carolina awarded a prize within the category feature film to The Return of the Neanderthal Man. You should watch the awards show of Ralph Roberts on the Internet.

We have been there as a tourist and secretly we all want to get there. At the "MockFest" of Hollywood in Los Angeles we got at least an "Honorable Mention", Award No. 9.

Award No. 10 "Official Best of Fest"
Award No. 11 "Honorable Mention", Los Angeles Movie Awards, L.A, California.
Award No. 12 "Excellence Award", Rincón International Film Festival Puerto Rico.
Award No. 13 Narrative Film Competition "Bronze Award", 2012 Oregon Film Awards.