Following successful virtual editions of Sundance and Rotterdam, this year’s Berlinale will take place in two parts for the first time in the festival’s 71-year history. First, between 1 – 5 March, an industry-focused programme will run online; then, from 9 – 20 June, a Summer Special event will replay the main line-up in a physical setting.
A total of 15 films from 16 countries, two of which are first features, will compete for the Golden Bear and the Silver Bear prizes, reflecting the festival’s commitment to championing both emerging and established talent from across the film world. The films selected for this year’s competition are:
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Drift Away, by Xavier Beauvois
Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn, by Radu Jude
Fabian – Going to the Dogs, by Dominik Graf
Ballad of a White Cow by Behtash Sanaeeha and Maryam Moghaddam
Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, by Ryusuke Hamaguchi
Mr Bachmann and His Class, by Maria Speth
I’m Your Man, by Maria Schrader
Introduction, by Hong Sang-soo
Memory Box, by Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige
Next Door, by Daniel Brühl
Petite Maman, by Céline Sciamma
What Do We See When We Look at the Sky?, by Alexandre Koberidze
Forest – I See You Everywhere, by Bence Fliegauf
Natural Light, by Dénes Nagy
A Cop Movie, by Alonso Ruizpalacios
The festival’s Artistic Director Carlo Chatrian had this to say about the selection: “If the Competition offers a picture of the cinema as it is and as it will be, we can say that the disruption brought on by the events of 2020 has led filmmakers to make the most of this situation and create deeply personal films. This Competition is less rich in numbers but very dense in content and style.”
The 71st Berlin Film Festival runs 1 – 5 March. For more info visit berlinale.de
