The Berlin International Film Festival, also known as the Berlinale, is set to kick off on February 15th, 2024, in Berlin, Germany. The festival will run for 10 days, showcasing hundreds of films from around the world. Here are some highlights of the upcoming event:
1. Opening Film: The festival will open with the world premiere of Small Things Like These. Directed by Tim Mielants, the Irish-Belgian production stars Cillian Murphy, Eileen Walsh, Michelle Fairley, and Emily Watson. The film deals with the topic of Ireland’s Magdalen laundries, Catholic Church-run asylums where young women were enslaved.
2. Competition Films: Twenty films will compete for the Golden and Silver Bears, the festival’s top awards. The competition lineup features diverse entries from around the world, with co-productions representing 30 different countries.
3. Jury: The international jury, responsible for selecting the winning works, will be led by Academy Award-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o. She will be joined by six co-jurors, including actor and director Brady Corbet, director Ann Hui, director Christian Petzold, director Albert Serra, actor and director Jasmine Trinca, and writer Oksana Zabuzhko.
4. African Representation: After being absent in the previous year’s festival, the African continent is represented in three films. Notably, Mauritanian-born Malian director Abderrahmane Sissako presents Black Tea, Tunisian-born filmmaker Meryam Joobeur showcases Who Do I Belong To, and French-Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop presents the documentary Dahomey.
5. International Highlights: The Berlinale will feature a diverse selection of international films. Some notable entries include the first-ever Nepalese film in the competition, Shambhala by Min Bahadur Bham, South Korean filmmaker Hong Sang-soo’s A Traveler’s Needs starring Isabelle Huppert, and Iranian directing duo Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaeeha’s My Favorite Cake.
6. European Films: Germany, France, and Italy are well-represented in the competition. Andreas Dresen’s From Hilde, with Love is based on a true story of anti-Nazi resistance, Bruno Dumont and Olivier Assayas present their latest works, and Cannes’ Camera d’Or winner Claire Burger is also in the lineup.
7. Political Focus: The Berlinale is known for its political undertones. This year, the festival aims to enable open dialogue surrounding the war in Gaza, with various events and discussions focusing on the Middle East conflict. The Tiny House Project, a meeting space dedicated to fostering dialogue, will be set up during the festival.
8. Honorary Award: Filmmaking legend Martin Scorsese will receive the Honorary Golden Bear at the festival. Scorsese is known for his iconic films such as Goodfellas and The Departed.
9. Star-Studded Red Carpet: The festival will attract numerous stars and filmmakers from around the world. Adam Sandler and Carey Mulligan will attend the world premiere of their film Spaceman, while Sebastian Stan will be featured in the competition title A Different Man. Other notable stars expected to attend include Riley Keough, Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Lena Dunham, and Amanda Seyfried.
The Berlin International Film Festival promises to be an exciting event, showcasing diverse films and fostering meaningful dialogue on pressing global issues. The closing gala, where the winners will be announced, will take place on February 24th.
