Germany and Tom Cruise: No More 'Valkyrie' Ban

Bryan Singer's upcoming WWII film Valkyrie, about a German officer (played by Tom Cruise) who attempts to assassinate Hitler, looks like its going to get the greenlight to shoot at historical sites in Germany, according to Variety. The trade quotes Dirk Kuehnau, head of the Bundesanstalt fuer Immobilienaufgaben (BIMA), which is in charge of government buildings, as saying that the main hurdle for filming was the fact that one historical location important to the story is now a memorial and active military building. He says that Cruise's Scientology, which the German government doesn't view as a religion, but a dangerous cult with totalitarian aims, wasn't the issue. "In this country we have constitutionally guaranteed rights," Kuehnau said. "Articles four and five of the constitution protect freedom of faith and creed and freedom of expression. I don't think those rights would be denied a film actor." Variety also gets to the bottom of earlier press reports which said that Defense Minister banned the film from shooting at certain sites (apparently, the Ministry doesn't doesn't have the right to grant or reject film permits). Per Variety:

Recent reports of government opposition to the film were triggered by Antje Blumenthal, a member of the Bundestag and cult expert for the conservative CDU/CSU party, who said she had been assured by Defense Minister Franz Josef Jung that the film would not be allowed to shoot at the site, due to the alleged danger posed by Scientology.

GreenCine's David Hudson also gives context to the story in an informed essay here.