Private and socio-political spheres meet in this year’s selection
Among the 39 titles in the main programme and the six special screenings (not including the Shibuya Minoru retrospective) in the 41st Forum at the 61st Berlin Film Festival, Asia has a strong presence but 24 are European (co-)productions.
Thematically, the selection puts the emphasis on family, human relationships and identity. These themes are often approached from a personal angle, and looking at their social and political implications.
Besides the three titles representing Europe in the special screenings – namely German film Dreileben from three expert helmers Christian Petzold, Dominik Graf and Christoph Hochhäusler, Heinz Emigholz’s Eine Serie von Gedanken and the documentary Heaven and Earth, made 30 years ago by Austria’s Michael Pilz – German-speaking countries are well represented in the Forum, as are France and Belgium, mainly through co-productions, and Eastern Europe, in particular the Czech Republic. The United Kingdom, Southern Europe and Scandinavia have been almost or completely left out this year. The selection does, however, include an Albanian title, which is rare, for the country still has only a fledgling film industry.
European films in the main programme:
Looking for Simon by Jan Krüger (Germany/France)
Amnesty by Bujar Alimani (Albania/Greece/France)
The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye by Marie Losier (France/United States)
Brownian Movement by Nanouk Leopold (Netherlands/Germany/Belgium)
Day Is Done by Thomas Imbach (Switzerland)
The House by Zuzana Liová (Slovakia/Czech Republic)
E-Love by Anne Villaceque (France)
An Angel in Doel by Tom Fassaert (Netherlands/Belgium)
Follow Me by Johannes Hammel (Austria)
Made in Poland [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Przemysław Wojcieszek (Poland)
Free Hands [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Brigitte Sy (France)
Matchmaking Mayor by Erika Hníková (Czech Republic)
Eighty Letters by Václav Kadrnka (Czech Republic)
The Terrorists by Thunska Pansittivorakul (Germany/Thailand)
State of Violence by Khalo Matabane (France/South Africa)
Submarine [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Richard Ayoade (United Kingdom)
Swans by Hugo Vieira da Silva (Germany/Portugal)
Territoire Perdu by Pierre-Yves Vandeweerd (France/Belgium)
Kabul Dream Factory by Sebastian Heidinger (Germany/Afghanistan)
Under Control by Volker Sattel (Germany)
Viva Riva! by Djo Tunda Wa Munga (Congo/France/Belgium)
(Translated from French)
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