The Berlin International Film Festival, also known as the Berlinale, is taking place in the German capital for the 73rd time. Like its counterparts from Venice and Cannes, it will bring together filmmakers from all over the world in various categories from February 16th to 26th. The competition is about the Golden and Silver Bears. Numerous world premieres are on the horizon, but this year the greatest star power will appear outside of the competition.
19 films are represented in the competition, five of which are German or co-produced by Germany. Six works are by female directors, including: “Someday we will tell each other everything” by Emily Atef (49), “Past Lives” by Celine Song and “Ingeborg Bachmann – Reise in die Wüste” by Margarethe von Trotta (80). The eponymous Austrian writer is embodied in the latter film by Vicky Krieps (39).
In John Trengove’s (44) thriller “Manodrome”, which celebrates its world premiere at the Berlinale, Jesse Eisenberg (39), Adrien Brody (49) and Odessa Young (25) are in the lead roles and can be seen in Berlin from February 16th. With the Chinese film “Art College 1994” and the Japanese entry “Suzume”, two animated films are also up for the Golden Bear award.
With no prospect of one of the bears, but with plenty of stars in their luggage, twelve films outside the competition are represented. There is a home game for the strip “Sonne und Beton”, the film adaptation of the book of the same name by comedian Felix Lobrecht (34).
Dame Helen Mirren (77) and Liev Schreiber (55) should be in Berlin thanks to the biography “Golda”. The film, in which Mirren plays the title character, is about Israeli Prime Minister Golda Meir. Schreiber plays the German-American politician Henry Kissinger (99).
Brandon Cronenberg (43), son of “Mister Body Horror” David Cronenberg (79), is showing his third directorial work entitled “Infinity Pool” in Berlin. In addition to shocking visuals, the science fiction horror film also stars Alexander Skarsgård (46).
In Robert Schwentke’s (55) film “Seneca” none other than John Malkovich (69) slips into the role of the Roman philosopher of the same name. “She Came to Me” by Rebecca Miller (60) brought together Peter Dinklage (53), Anne Hathaway (40) and Marisa Tomei (58) in front of the camera – the comedy about a composer with writer’s block (Dinklage) acts as the opening film of the Berlinale.
“Tár” is also one of the works that is nominated in the category “Best Picture” at the Oscars in March. Also present: Cate Blanchett (53), who can also hope for a golden boy as best actress for her role, and Nina Hoss (47). And then there is the film “Superpower” – Sean Penn’s (62) documentary about the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine
The Berlinale also has a famous name to offer in the person of this year’s jury president: “Twilight” star Kristen Stewart (32) heads the seven-strong international jury, which also includes the German filmmaker Valeska Grisebach (55).
In the meantime, one prizewinner has already been determined: director Steven Spielberg, who has already had 22 Oscar nominations and three triumphs at the Academy Awards in his unprecedented career, will be awarded the Honorary Golden Bear for his life’s work. In the course of this, his current film “The Fablemans” will also be shown in Berlin, which will start in Germany on March 9th.
