Foziye’s husband, an employee in the regional oil company, has vanished into thin air. Although her questions remain unanswered about his whereabouts, her faith prevails that he is still alive. During her visit at the local pension centre, she still replies “married” when her marital status is requested. Her life has metamorphosed into an arduous journey, considering her financial hardship and lack of work. Her mother incriminates her inertia, whilst her daughter ince...
Meager, for the most part, is the attempt by Fatih Akin to recreate the unambitious life of Fritz Honka, a schizophrenic killer who, in the seventies of Hamburg, brutally murders and dismembers four prostitutes in his hideous attic.
Unquestionably crowned the most abominable film of 2019, Akin&...
Xaver Böhm is a Berlin based filmmaker. O Beautiful Night, a dark and poetic interpretation of one's fear of death, is his first feature film and it premiered at the Panorama section at the 69th Berlinale, February 7-17 2019.
How did you get the idea to do a film about being afraid of dying?
The fear of dying has always been very present in my life and I wanted to make an honest film, something very personal.
Also, growing up somehow takes ...
(Marighella cast and crew, © Lindsay Bellinger 2019)
By LINDSAY R. BELLINGER
Director/co-writer Wagner Moura revealed that it wasn't really his intention to make the film feel exactly as if it takes place in the 1960s, rather he preferred that it felt like it didn't feel like a specific year since this type of story is still very relevant today.
(Wagner Moura, © Lindsay Bellinger 2019)
(Wagner Moura, Seu Jorge, ...
Marie Kreuzer is an Austrian writer director and producer. Her latest film, The Ground beneath my feet (Den Boden unter den Fußen) is in official completion at the 69th Berlinale. It tells the story of Lola, a successful consultant who struggles between finding her identity, sexuality and freedom, while being divided between a comfortable lifestyle and her past and her schizophrenic sister.
What was your starting point for the script?
...
Sondre Fristad (28) is an award-winning short film director from Bærum, Norway, and is best known for Alex, Kepaza, and Quiet by the River. He has contributed on Swiss Army Man, The King's Choice, Haram, The Dextape and Operation Arctic. He has a bachelor's degree in Creative Arts Film & TV from Deakin University in Melbourne, Australia. The Writer is his first comedy feature about a young wr...
The Writer is a comedy feature about a young writer with nightmares and problems with his girlfriend. Who ends up playing the lead role in his own movie, things doesn't exactly turn out the way he want it too.
Written & Directed by Sondre Fristad. Produced by Sigurd Fristad.
Country of Production: Norway, 2018
The Film has so far been awarded at the following festivals:
Southern States Fanfilmfestival
Biloxi, ...
Alexandr Gorchilin is a breakthrough talent from Russia who surfaced in the festival world from projects by his mentor Kirill Serebrennikov.
Alexandr’s first feature film Acid, part of this year’s Berlinale Panorama section, is a coming of age drama for the reality of Russian teenagers and their struggle to embrace the changes coming in their life, adulthood, family and sexuality. It is a portrayal of Russia’s youngest generations and their heightened sense of ...
(James Mackay and Annie Symons, © Lindsay Bellinger 2019)
By LINDSAY R. BELLINGER
The Garden, Derek Jarman's visual narrative film from 1990, starring Tilda Swinton as the Madonna, returned to the Delphi Filmpalast where it had its glorious German premiere at the 41st Berlin International Film Festival. This time it was a restored copy of Jarman's film about the biblical garden where his version of the Passion of Christ blends lighter moments, even with some...
(Helsinki Mansplaining Massacre, © Jon Grönvall 2018)
By LINDSAY R. BELLINGER
Sadly, the closing day of the Weihnachtsfilmfestival 2018, came and went too quickly. The first half of the program was a tad more family friendly than a lot of the other programming this year. Muumien taikatalvi (Moomins and the Winter Wonderland) from filmmakers Ira Carpelan and Jakub Wronski featured the voices of Alicia Vikander and Stellan Skarsgård. ...
(Day 3, © Teresa Vena/Weihnachtsfilmfestival2018)
By LINDSAY R. BELLINGER
...
(Valle de Goni film team, © Teresa Vena/Weihnachtsfilmfestival2018)
By LINDSAY R. BELLINGER
Day two of the Weihnachtsfilmfestival in Berlin was filled with some surprising moments, ranging from a neo-pagan Christmas celebration to Jesus returning to Italy and even lawsuits being filed against farm animals.
Canadian filmmaker Laurie Mannessier&...
(© Teresa Vena/Weihnachtsfilmfestival2018)
By LINDSAY R. BELLINGER
Opening night of the 3rd Weihnachtfilmfestival at Kino Moviemento Berlin (Germany's oldest cinema) was quite festive. Christmas cookies and hot apple beverages spiked with vodka were in heavy rotation. Festival director André Kirchner and his festival partner Teresa Vena were quite busy keeping things running smoothly. Kirchner was proud to show off the Audience Award for Best Short Film fr...
(© Teresa Vena)
By LINDSAY R. BELLINGER
The third annual Weihnachtsfilmfestival 2018 is right around the corner, running from Friday, December 21st to Monday, the 24th at Moviemento Kino Berlin. It may be centered around Christmas but don't be fooled, it's an eclectic mix of festive and not so festive films. Festival director André Kirchner says that although his first unconventional Christmas Film Festival in 2016 started out as an ...
"Scrappy", based on the poem by Donald G. Westlake, has won another Zebrino Award at the Berlin leg of the Zebra Poetry Film Festival on December 7, 2018. "Scrappy" also won the Zebrino at the Munster-based Zebra Poetry Film Festival back on September 30, 2018. "Scrappy" was helmed and produced by Donald Westlake's daughter, Dawn, who also adapted the original poem for the screen. The film was shot on location in Pine Mountain, California, USA by Pol Carrizo Vil...
International Uranium Film Festival in Berlin 2018 honors filmmakers and personalities that reveal the history and risks of the Atomic Age.
Films from USA, UK and the Marshall Islands received awards in Berlin.
The 7th International Film Festival in Berlin ended last Sunday, October 14th in the Zeiss-Großplanetarium with filmmakers and special guests from USA, Scotland, England, Denmark, Japan, Portugal, the Marshall Islands and Germany. Six films received the...
By LINDSAY R. BELLINGER
Well, the second day of the Fantasy Filmfest came and went. It had its ups and its downs. Let's start with the good even though it was at times a tad confusing. Irish director-writer Anthony Byrne co-wrote "In Darkness" with his fiancé, the formidable actress Natalie Dormer. Technically, the film is stylish and keeps one's attention, especially in the first act although some plot points become a bit perplexing later...
DOKUARTS 11
Unformatiert
Beyond Format
CALL FOR ENTRIES!
The 11th edition of DOKUARTS will take place from October 4-21, 2018 at the Zeughauskino Berlin. Films can be submitted until June 1, 2018.
Documentaries of all lengths that have premiered after June 1, 2016 and have not been shown to the public in Berlin or broadcasted on public TV in Germany prior to DOKUARTS 2018 are eligible.
DOKUARTS screens documentaries on the arts and by artists. Information on this year&...
Eili Harboe - Norway - European Shooting Stars 2018
Interview / Editing: Martin I. Petrov
How are your first impressions from being part of a team of young actors here in
Berlin?
I did not anticipate to be part of it but I am really proud, it is a wonderful opportunity for
everyone, it’s an investment for the future.
You already happen to be part of a successful project, Joachim Trier’s Thelma. How
was your expe...
Jonas Smulders - The Netherlands - European Shooting Stars 2018
Interview / editing: Martin I. Petrov
Have you been to Berlin before, how is your experience before your country’s shooting
star?
I was here once before with a short film and once as a visitor at the festival, it is a great
experience to meet all these people. Also, I have great support from my country and the
Dutch Film institute, really feel empowered and it’s n...
Luna Wedler - Switzerland - European Shooting Stars 2018
Interview / Editing: Martin I. Petrov
Congratulations on being a shooting star. How does it feel to be representing your
country and to have this sudden extra exposure?
It is very exciting, really great to be meeting the rest nine stars, they are all beautiful
humans. I feel very connected to all of them and look forward to exciting times ahead.
You did ballet before g...
Matteo Simoni - Belgium - European Shooting Stars 2018
Interview / editing: Martin I. Petrov
What’s the greatest thing about being in Berlin as a shooting star?
It’s great to meet people with the same goals. I believe in luck and coincidence and that
always the coin will fall on the right side in the right moment. I’m really proud to be
representing Belgium and I am open to see where this journey is going to take me. I am
fort...
One of the most anticipated films of this year's festival, Don't worry, he won't get far on foot by Gus Van Sant premiered yesterday at the Berlinale Palast, part of this year's festival competition programme.
Joaquin Phoenix, who plays John Callahan, a renowned American cartoonist who was bound to a wheelchair after a car accident, became an alcoholic and later on dedicated his life to his art, published in numerous magazines, newpapers and publications. Gus Van Sant ad...
A star-studded press conference opened the 2018 Berlinale, with the full cast of Wes Anderson's Isle of Dogs in attendance for the tonight's premiere at the Berlinale Palast.
The stop motion animation takes us to near future Japan, where dogs are being extradited to a trash island away from humans, due to an infectious virus. When the mayor's nephew escapes in an attempt to find his dog Spots, the first that was sent away by his tyrannnic uncle, he sets off to a lifechanging...
