The Panorama section will open with the Philippine film Burlesk King by Mel Chionglo on 9 February at the CinemaxX at Potsdamer Platz. Director Chionglo examines the influence of sex tourism on the people of a culture which does not repress sexuality. The "Panorama Special" will open its doors on 10 February with a Spanish (Daniel Calparsoro's Salto al vacio) and an Indian (Bhopal Express by Mahesh Mathai) film. "Panorama Documents" also opens on 10 February with the film Grass by Ron Mann (Canada). With a total of 39 features, 13 documentaries and 22 short films, the Panorama section offers a close look at films which may hit movie screens next season. Major film producing countries such as Germany, France, Spain and the USA are strongly represented.

Kinderfilmfest is presenting 12 feature and 11 short films and will open on 10 February with Ella Lemhagen's Tsatsiki, Morsan och Polisen at the Zoo-Palast. Other films screening in the Children's Film Festival include Pettson & Findus - Katten och Gubbens År (Sweden) by Albert Hanan Kaminski, Man van Staal (Belgium) by Vincent Bal, Rang-E-Khoda (Iran) by Majid Majidi, Mr. Rice's Secret (Canada) by Nicholas Kendall, Zukkoke Sanningumi-Kaito X Monogatari (Japan) by Tsutomu Kashima and Manolito Gafotas (Spain) by Miguel Albaladejo.

Artificial Beings, Manic Machines and Controlled Bodies is the theme of the historical retrospective conceived and conducted by the Deutsche Kinemathek (German Cinematheque) to celebrate Berlinale 2000. The romanticism of monsters and the melancholy of the artificial will be examined - rare silent films will be screened alongside more contemporary productions. The Retrospective will present films from Germany and the US, Britain, France and Italy, the Soviet Union, Russia and Japan. It's goal is to link early film history with examples of the latest cinematic technology, the retrospective mingled with a perspective of the future. "From the Golem to the Terminator, from Machine-Maria to Alraune, from Homunculus to R2D2, the films traverse media worlds and offer close encounters of the third kind, Brave New World, artificial intelligence, genetic engineering and politics."

European diversity is the focus of the 30th International Forum of Young Cinema, a sideline feature during the Berlinale. The tour of films includes Finland's Markku Lehmuskallio and Anastasia Lapsui's ethnographic feature film Seitsemän Laulua Tunralta (Seven Songs from the Tundra), Dutch filmmaker Johan van der Keuken considers his response to getting cancer in De grote vakantie (The Long Holiday), the story of Chechnya in The Making of a New Empire by Jos de Putter, the Croatian satire Marsal (Marshal Tito's Spirit) by Vinko Bresan, the three hour-long Greek film I earini synaxis ton agrofylakon (The Four Seasons of the Law) by Dimos Avdeliodis, Italy is represented by Alessandro Piva's Lacapagira (Theheadisspinning), the Austrian film Heimkehr der Jäger (Return of the Hunters) by Michael Kreihsl skirts the edges of insanity, Switzerland presents a new film by Clemens Klopfenstein, a daring cross-cut montage entitled WerAngstWolf (WhoAfraidWolf). Eastern Europe brings one entry from each of Poland, Bulgaria and Russia this year, France is present with Claire Denis' Beau Travail (Good Work) and Claire Devers' La Voleuse de Saint Lubin (The Thief of Saint Lubin)...