The Retrospective of the 49th Berlin International Film Festival is dedicated to the director and producer Otto Preminger and the program includes a 70 mm original version of Porgy and Bess which has not been accessible to the public for years.

Homage 1999 will honor Shirley MacLaine with the Golden Bear for Lifetime Achievement. Ceremonies will take place the evening of February 18th at the Zoo-Palast Theatre together with a special Festival showing of "Being There." She previously won the Silver Berlin Bear for Best Actress in 1959 for "Ask Any Girl" and in 1971 for "Desperate Characters."