First international presentation of the Ukrainian Cinema Foundation at the 58th Berlin International Film FestivalFor the first time the Ukrainian Cinema Foundation gives an overview of the country´s filmic works at the European Film Market. The presentation will be held under the chairmanship of Mrs. Kateryna Yushchenko, Ukraine's First Lady and Head of the Supervisory Council of the International Charitable Fund "Ukraine-3000". Mrs. Kateryna Yushchenko also plans to attend the Ber...
With the world premiere of the Rolling Stones concert film, Shine a Light by Oscar-winner Martin Scorsese, the 58th Berlin International Film Festival will open tomorrow, February 7, 2008. Director Martin Scorsese, and Stones Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts and Ron Wood are all coming to Berlin to attend this big event. Berlinale Director Dieter Kosslick will open the Festival together with Minister of State and Commissioner for Cultural and Media Affairs Bernd Neumann, Governing Mayo...
Since 1986, the Berlin International Film Festival has presented the Berlinale Camera to film personalities or institutions to which it feels particularly indebted and wishes to express its thanks with this award. Austrian actor Karlheinz Böhm will be honoured with the Berlinale Camera at the 58th Berlin International Film Festival for his achievements in German film and his humanitarian engagement as founder of the organization "Menschen für Menschen". Berlin actor, radio play and v...
The Berlinale Talent Campus, which will take place from 09 – 14 February 2008 at the “Hebbel am Ufer” in Berlin-Kreuzberg, is a summit of the most talented up-and-coming filmmakers from all over the world. Over 350 of them are invited to Berlin each year to reflect on their ideas about film in lectures and panel discussions, and to work on their projects in specialized hands-on workshops as the Garage Studio, the Script & Doc Station, the Talent Project Market, the Talent Press, the...
Sandrine Bonnaire, Bernd Eichinger and Stephen Frears on BiopicsThey show the life stories of historical or contemporary personalities and have recently grown more and more successful: Biopics. Why are they so popular? Is it perhaps because audiences prefer the real, complex characters featured in Biopics to the more simple, fictional ones created for feature films? Is it because they enable audiences to establish an emotional bond with the story and its characters – or is it simply the larger...
The Berlinale has been even more committed to supporting the next generation of film makers since 2006, when it introduced the Best First Feature Award. This year again, a dedicated, three-person international jury will decide on the best debut film. The award is endowed with 50,000 Euros, donated by the GWFF (Gesellschaft zur Wahrnehmung von Film- und Fernsehrecht), a society dedicated to safeguarding film and television rights. In 2008 the director and producer of the winning film will be awar...
1000 Journals is invited to the Berlin International Film Festival, and our screening dates are finally confirmed. The festival posted a press release in both German and English versions. We are in the section Berlinale Special, and screening on Sunday, February 10, at 11:30 AM Filmpalast, Kurfürstendamm 225 with a second screening on Tuesday, February 12, at 5:30 PM Cubix ...
“This is the biggest change to movies since the invention of the full-length feature film. Those that understand this transformation can be winners and those who don’t will fall behind,” says Don Tapscott, one of the leading authorities on digital economy, in describing the film industry’s current situation in view of the rapid advances in the media. Tapscott – professor at the University of Toronto, CEO of the business innovation company New Paradigm and bestselling author (Wikinomics...
The Greek-French director Costa-Gavras will be the President of the International Jury of the Berlinale 2008.The Greek-born director, now living in France, is one of the most renowned representatives of dedicated, political film. His works have received many awards; his film Z is widely considered one of the classics of political cinema. Costa-Gavras is also President of the French Cinemathèque.“I am very pleased that we have been able to win over such a great director as Costa-Gavras as Jury...
The short film section has entered its second year under a new name, Berlinale Shorts, for the 58th Berlin International Film Festival. The festival made a statement last year by introducing a dedicated short film section and in doing so reaffirmed the significance of the genre for film production in general. “The short film is a reflection of how society is changing. It is radical and without constrictions,” remarks festival Director, Dieter Kosslick.From 2008, all short films in the Berlin...
Dieter Kosslick continues to imprint his signature on the Berlinale. He has transformed the Berlin Festival into the largest audience oriented international film festival. Through the European Film Market and the main competition, the Berlinale has met commercial interests while satisfying cinematic ones through the Panorama, Forum and other Berlinale components. Unlike Cannes and Venice, the Berlinale features the Talent Campus, permits large testing of new productions and presents a balanced...
Saturday, February 17------In a surprise twist, a Chinese film has won the Berlinale Golden Bear, the Berlin Film Festival's highest honor. TUYA'S MARRIAGE by Chinese director Wang Quan'an won the Festival's top prize, which was announced with other awards at the Festival's closing ceremony this evening. The film, the story of a woman living in rural northwestern Mongolia and facing pressure to abandon her life as a shepherd, did not figure on most critics' predictio...
The Berlin International Film Festival has long reflected the character of its bohemian host city. Think avant-garde filmmaking in the Forum section; gay-themed pictures in Panorama; and the political polemic popular among competition directors, including this time, the Holocaust film, The Counterfeiters.This year’s festival (February 8th-18th, 2007), however, went one step further, taking fest-goers back in time to a bygone era of cinema and the city’s golden age. The opening film La Vie En...
The Farewell Ceremony and bestowal of the Volkswagen Score Competition final award on Thursday marked the successful close of the Berlinale Talent Campus #5. 362 young filmmakers from all over the world were welcomed to the three buildings that make up the “Hebbel am Ufer” theatres for six intensive days. Panel discussions with renowned film and media experts, excursions, screenings and workshops - with over 80 different events the fifth Campus could offer an array of interpretations of this...
The eight members of this international jury – organisers of queer and other film festivals – view films within the framework of all programs of the Berlinale which have queer context. Three films are nominated for each category and one receives a TEDDY for best feature film, best documentary/essay film and usually the best short film,each with a cash award of € 3,000.Members of the Jury:Charlie Boudreau – Canada (image+nation Montréal International LGBT Film Festival)Frédéric Arends ...
the Dutch short live action film CONTACT directed by Hanro Smitsman was awarded with the Golden Bear at the 57th Berlin International Film Festival. The members of the international short film jury awarded CONTACT the prize ‘for being a brilliant film on its approach to the subjects of love, anger and desperation. But you mustn’t forget to mention the humour of the film. We honour the ability of the director to show in a compact manner three angles of the same story.’Previously The Netherl...
Berlin in action!
Around 400 films will show this year as part of the Berlinale's public programme, the vast majority of which are world or European premieres. Films of every genre, length and format.
The Berlinale is divided into different sections, each with its own unique profile: big international movies in the Competition, independent and art-house productions in Panorama, movies for a young audience in the Generation and its Kplus and 14plus programmes, the most exciting German cinema pr...
Filmfestivals correspondant Claus Mueller sat down last year with Dieter Kosslick head of the Berlin festival for an open discussion on the festival changes.
Claus Mueller What is the most important change compared to last year (2005)?
Dieter Kosslick The most important change of course is that we finished out five year plan, including the change of the market, that is the move to the Martin Gropius Bau. That was a big move, and there is another little change, that we give the awards at the en...
With Berlin's international film festival starting next Friday, its director seems worried about well-funded competitors on the festival circuit. Experts say that he needn't lose too much sleep over it. DDA's Chris Paton, Filmfestivals.com Bruno Chatelin, Thorsten Schaumann, the head of Bavaria Films express their views. But is there a controversy?
Read full article onDeutsche Welle website
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The Malta International Film Festival will announce its own film market during Berlin Festival.
The 1st Malta International Film Market (MIFM) is organized by the AECEO (Association pour l'Echange Culturel entre l'Europe et l'Orient; a cultural association based in Paris, France) with the collaboration of AraMage Artistic Production, AJR Events and with the support of Maltese Ministry of tourism and culture and Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) and Media Desk Malta in partnership with fest21.com.
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Cinema has always been political and it has always been glamorous. That it can be both at the same time is indeed new. Politics has once again found its way into cinema: over the red carpet. The Campus panel “Whose side is it anyway? Privacy and Politics in Cinema” will explore the political dimensions of filmmaking. What does one need in order to present audiences with a political statement that is both emotionally and cinematically convincing? At what point does a personal story suddenly t...
Tom Tykwer and Kees Kasander explore virtual worlds
These days, no other stories do as well in the cinemas as stories set in fantastical worlds or that take audiences on a journey into the past. Elaborate adventure-fantasy films like The Lord of the Rings and Eragon and opulent historical epic dramas like Perfume: The Story of a Murderer and Kingdom of Heaven are among the biggest box-office winners. A similar development can be observed in the gaming world. Here, online role-playing games are...
The hottest young European actors and actresses have been announced by European Film Promotion as SHOOTING STARS 2007. 25 up-and-coming actors have been chosen by EFP member organizations across Europe, and will go on to take part in a series of events at the Berlin International Film Festival (10th - 12th February) designed to encourage the international film industry, media and public to acknowledge the incredible screen talent that lies within Europe.
In very special anniversary celebration...
