28/01/2009

The organisers of the forthcoming 59th Berlin Film Festival (February 5-15) held a press conference yesterday to announce the final additions to the enticing programme (see news and article), which abounds with major names and young talents. There was only one film missing in competition and US title My One and Only was added to the line-up.

The official selection comprises a total of 26 titles, including 17 international avant-premières and 18 European (co-)productions. Eighteen of these 26 films (including 13 European titles) will vie for the Silver and Golden Bear Awards presented by the international jury (presided by Tilda Swinton). The rest will screen out of competition.

The final titles in the Berlinale Special section were also unveiled yesterday. These include Danish director Lone Sherfig’s UK film An Education [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], starring Peter Sarsgaard and UK Shooting Star 2009, Carey Mulligan (see interview).

Finally, the event will honour the different festival participations of two great personalities: French director Claude Chabrol and German producer Günter Rohrbach, who will receive the 2009 Berlinale Camera Awards.

OFFICIAL SELECTION - FILMS IN COMPETITION:

Sweet Rush [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Andrzej Wajda (Poland)
Cheri [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Stephen Frears
film profile] by Stephen Frears (UK/Germany/France)
Ricky [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by François Ozon (France/Italy)
Storm [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alexander Fehling
interview: Hans-Christian Schmid
film profile] by Hans-Christian Schmid (Germany/Denmark/Netherlands)
Alle Anderen [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Maren Ade
film profile] by Maren Ade (Germany)
Mammoth [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Lukas Moodysson (Sweden/Germany/Denmark)
Little Soldier [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Annette K. Olesen (Denmark)
Katalin Varga by Peter Strickland (Romania/UK/Hungary)
London River by Rachid Bouchareb (Algeria/France/UK)
Rage by Sally Potter (UK/US)
In the Electric Mist [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Bertrand Tavernier
film profile] by Bertrand Tavernier (France/US)
The Milk of Sorrow by Claudia Llosa (Spain/Peru)
Gigante by Adrián Biniez (Uruguay/Germany/Argentina)
About Elly by Asghar Farhadi (Iran)
Forever Enthralled by Chen Kaige (China)
The Messenger by Oren Moverman (US)
Happy Tears by Mitchell Lichtenstein (US)
My One and Only by Richard Loncraine (US)

OUT OF COMPETITION

The International by Tom Tykwer (Germany/US) - OPENING FILM
Eden is West [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Costa-Gavras (France/Greece/Italy) - CLOSING GALA
The Dust of Time by Theo Angelopoulos (Greece/Germany/Italy/Russia)
The Reader [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Stephen Daldry (Germany/US)
Deutschland ‘09 - 13 Short Films About the State of the Nation, collective film (Germany)
The Private Lives of Pippa Lee by Rebecca Miller (US)
Pink Panther II by Harald Zwart (US)
Notorious by George Tillman Jr. (US)

The full programme is now available on the Berlinale website.

(Translated from French)