Distinguished cultural journalist and festival juror Hellmuth Karasek thinks there is no difference between being a jury member and being a film critic. "Both of them are making judgments about art," he told Moving Pictures.

As co-publisher of Berlin's daily Der Tagespiegel, Karasek has many years of experience as a movie critic. "Film is the only art form besides music that has an international language," he said. "The most important factor in judging a film is: could this story be better told in another medium? If it can tell me more than a novel, for example, then it is a good movie."

Festivals, he believes, are key to "raising the consciousness of the public, because films can bring people together in glamorous surroundings".

One of the most important changes he 's seen in the Berlinale happened this year: "For the first time in its history, a German chancellor participated in the opening ceremony."

Karasek said he was proud to be invited on to the jury - and doubly pleased "because I'd be able to see all the films without difficulty".

Does he have any advice for film-makers? "If you love film-making, trust yourself. And others will find out if this trust is justified." Owen Levy