Berlin in action!
Around 400 films will show this year as part of the Berlinale's public programme, the vast majority of which are world or European premieres. Films of every genre, length and format.
The Berlinale is divided into different sections, each with its own unique profile: big international movies in the Competition, independent and art-house productions in Panorama, movies for a young audience in the Generation and its Kplus and 14plus programmes, the most exciting German cinema pr...
..."The COO of the Paris-based Filmfestivals Entertainment Group, Bruno Chatelin, insists the mixture of small independent films and mainstream industry at the Berlinale is actually good for business on both sides. "The industry thrives on things that major media are interested in," he said. "At the same time, there is the film focus where the media is just looking for the next gem. It's not war exactly, but it's a fight for distribution. And sometimes the small need the big."
Mr. Kosslick, me...
Wednesday, February 7----Berlin has always been hospitable to American indies, with the sidebar sections Panorama and Forum generally showcasing most of the newest works from filmmakers working "off-Hollywood". However, this year, the Berlinale Competition boasts two highly anticipated bigger budget American independent films, which are in the running with their Hollywood bretheren for the Golden Bear (the Berlinale's top honor).
Gregory Nava, a veteran indie filmmaker whose 1983 film EL NORTE...
Tuesday, February 6----With the ballots for the Academy Awards in the mail, speculation is growing about what has become an impossible to predict Best Picture race. While BABEL was considered the frontrunner, especially following its Golden Globe win last month, there is now industry speculation that BABEL and Martin Scorsese's THE DEPARTED may split the "serious film" vote. So, what exactly does that mean? Well, one scenario points to an upset win by the indie smash LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE (that'...
Filmfestivals correspondant Claus Mueller sat down last year with Dieter Kosslick head of the Berlin festival for an open discussion on the festival changes.
Claus Mueller What is the most important change compared to last year (2005)?
Dieter Kosslick The most important change of course is that we finished out five year plan, including the change of the market, that is the move to the Martin Gropius Bau. That was a big move, and there is another little change, that we give the awards at the en...
Monday, February 5----While the Berlin Film Festival, which opens on Thursday evening, is certainly an international affair, it has traditionally been one of the important showcases for new European cinema. With a French film opening the prestigious Berlinale Competition section (LA VIE EN ROSE by Olivier Dahan) and top-flight French and UK films included this year (see earlier stories), the rest of Europe gets equal billing as the Festival presents mainly world premieres from some of Europe's ...
With Berlin's international film festival starting next Friday, its director seems worried about well-funded competitors on the festival circuit. Experts say that he needn't lose too much sleep over it. DDA's Chris Paton, Filmfestivals.com Bruno Chatelin, Thorsten Schaumann, the head of Bavaria Films express their views. But is there a controversy?
Read full article onDeutsche Welle website
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Friday, February 2----Two British films receiving their international premieres are prominently featured in the Competition Section of the Berlin Film Festival, which opens this coming Thursday.
NOTES ON A SCANDAL, features two tasty (and Oscar-nominated) performances by Dame Judi Dench and Cate Blanchett as, respectively, a sexually repressed olderschool teacher who blackmails a younger teacher who is having a secret affair with a young male student. The psycho-sexual thriller with lesbian o...
Thursday, February 1----With a musical biopic of legendary French chanteuse Edith Piaf opening the 57th edition of the Berlin Film Festival next week, the love affair of the Berlinale with French cinema is also evident in the prominent showcasing of two French film masters in the Competition Section.
Veteran director Jacques Rivette will present the world premiere of NE TOUCHEZ PAS LA HACHE (Don’t Touch The Ax), an adaptation of a Balzac novella about a beautiful duchess who wards off the ...
Thursday, February 1-----The 57th Berlin International Film Festival opens with a musical treat….the world premiere of LA VIE EN ROSE, a sumptuous film from French director Olivier Dahan that chronicles the colorful and passionate life of French chanteuse Edith Piaf. The film and its stars will receive the full red carpet treatment at the Berlinale Palast on the evening of February 8th.
Known as “the little sparrow”, Piaf has become a singer for the ages, a full-throated songbird who n...
The Malta International Film Festival will announce its own film market during Berlin Festival.
The 1st Malta International Film Market (MIFM) is organized by the AECEO (Association pour l'Echange Culturel entre l'Europe et l'Orient; a cultural association based in Paris, France) with the collaboration of AraMage Artistic Production, AJR Events and with the support of Maltese Ministry of tourism and culture and Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) and Media Desk Malta in partnership with fest21.com.
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Tom Tykwer and Kees Kasander explore virtual worlds
These days, no other stories do as well in the cinemas as stories set in fantastical worlds or that take audiences on a journey into the past. Elaborate adventure-fantasy films like The Lord of the Rings and Eragon and opulent historical epic dramas like Perfume: The Story of a Murderer and Kingdom of Heaven are among the biggest box-office winners. A similar development can be observed in the gaming world. Here, online role-playing games are...
The hottest young European actors and actresses have been announced by European Film Promotion as SHOOTING STARS 2007. 25 up-and-coming actors have been chosen by EFP member organizations across Europe, and will go on to take part in a series of events at the Berlin International Film Festival (10th - 12th February) designed to encourage the international film industry, media and public to acknowledge the incredible screen talent that lies within Europe.
In very special anniversary celebration...
The Queer Film Award ceremony on February 16, at Hangar2 at the airport
Berlin-Tempelhof
On Friday, February 16 at 10.00 p.m. the gay-lesbian-transgender film prize is given out for the 21st time. The TEDDY is celebrating its “bear’sday” with a glamorous festivity.
Under the motto “TEDDY takes off” the Award ceremony is taking place in the glamorous ambience of the Hangar2 at the airport Berlin-Tempelhof.
In the cockpit we find Wieland Speck, TEDDY co-founder and head of the Panorama s...
Sharing loss may make you feel less lonely,like a warm embrace
Through eyes of different ages Julia 33 - a radio presenter- creates a website www.holdme.gr and invites people to share stories of loss
Julia had a strange upbringing.
As a kid and mainly as a teenager she was exposed to several adventures trying to explore herself. A kid of divorced parents she often felt rejected and looked out for love. Her father died when she was 16. She looked out everywhere in almost everybody that coul...
Further supporting its ongoing campaign to promote European films, Europa Cinemas will return once again to this years Berlin Film Festival, awarding its Label prize to the best European film in the Panorama section (February 8-18).
This marks the third year that the Europa Cinemas Label will be awarded at Berlin, and complements the Labels awarded at the Directors’ Fortnight in Cannes, the Venice Days section of the Mostra del Cinema, and Karlovy Vary.
A jury of four Europa Cinemas exhibi...
Chatelin Bruno 
