An overview of official selection
Nine of the twenty-six features (including the ones presented out of competition) which will be in the official selection for the upcoming Berlin Film Festival 2006 (Feb 9-19) have already been selected. Amongst these mainly non-European titles which include a debut film and six world premieres, there are two German productions in competition.
The Elementary Particles (o.t. Elementarteilchen), adapted from Michel Houellebecq's eponymous novel and directed by Oskar Roehler (the author of No Place to Go and Agnes and her Brothers), depicts the existential despair of two brothers who, despite their differences, have in common their loneliness and sexual obsessions. This film interpreted by a nice set of actors (including Moritz Bleibtreu, Christian Ulmen, Martina Gedeck, Franka Potente, and Nina Hoss) was produced by Bernd Eichinger and Constantin in collaboration with MOOVIE.
As far as Hans-Christian Schmid (Distant Lights) is concerned, he will present Requiem [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Hans-Christian Schmid
interview: Hans-Christian Schmid
interview: Sandra Hueller
film profile] (also a world premiere), first movie he produces himself through his company 23/5 Filmproduktion. This psychological drama, which will be released by X Verleih on the 2d of March 2006, describes the way a young catholic girl of the 70s (played by Sandra Hüller) who leaves the countryside to study in the city is first mesmerised and then overwhelmed by her new-found freedom. This mystic exorcism story taking place in West Germany also stars Burghart Klaußner, Imogen Kogge, and Walter Schmidinger.
The above-mentioned debut film is Grbavica, by the Bosnian director Jasmila Banic. This co-production involving Austria, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Germany and Croatia deals with the fate of a girl who was raped at the end of the war in the Balkans.
Amongst the features we already know will compete, there is also a British-Canadian film (Snow Cake by Marc Evans), an Australian production (Candy by Neil Armfield) and Invisible Waves, by the Thai filmmaker Ratanaruang Pen-ek.
Out of competition, the Berlinale will screen two American movies (The New World by Terrence Malick and Syriana by Stephen Gaghan), as well as Wuji – The Promise, a $35M martial arts adventure by Chen Kaige which is said to be the most expensive Chinese film ever made.
The rest of the selection will be completed by mid-January.
(Translated from French)
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