57th Berlin International Film Festival
The Berlinale - not only the city's largest cultural event, but also one of the most important dates on the international film industry's calendar. With more than 20,000 film professionals from 120 countries, including 4000 journalists the Berlin International Film Festival is among the top-events of the industry. On top of that it is the world's biggest public festival which shows films of all genres, lengths and formats. Among them are many world and European premieres. Seven international stars and film experts decide who can take home the golden bear and the silver bears. The Scottish actress and Oscar winner Tilda Swinton presides over the jury this year.
At the 59th International Film Festival visitors can expect lots of exciting films in the sections Competition, Panorama, forum, Generation, Perspective German Cinema, Berlinale Shots, Retrospective and Hommage. Interesting special series and the Berlinale Talent Campus complement the programme.
This year Tom Tykwer's "The International", a high-profile action thriller starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts opens the festival. A Berlinale special series is dedicated to the End of the Cold War 20 years ago. "After Winter Comes Spring - Films Presaging the Fall of the Wall" Initiated by the German Federal Cultural Foundation and the Deutsche Kinemathek the series presents German and East-European films of the last decade before the Reunification. They presage in varied manners the upcoming, profound change.
The Retrospektive is all about the film format "70 mm". Under the title "Bigger than Life" it celebrates the stunning and powerful visuals as well as excellent sound of wide-gauge films which were emphasized from the mid 1950s in the big cinema palaces. It features amongst others "Lawrence of Arabia", "The Sound of Music" and the "West Side Story".
Food connoisseurs can indulge with all their senses in the successful film and event series "Eat, Drink, See Movies - Culinary Cinema". The films with corresponding food to enjoy deal with culinary topics. Discussion forums of film makers, food connoisseurs and food experts talk about film, food and ecology. The series opens on February 8th with the documentary "Food Inc.".
This year's Hommage is dedicated to the French, repeatedly Oscar-winning film composer Maurice Jarre. He is awarded the golden bear for his lifework as one of the most important and most popular composers. His musical influence can be enjoyed in films such as "Doctor Schiwago" or "The Tin Drum".
Children and youths will enjoy the Berlinale section Generation. More than 1000 films have been proposed for the competition - a record. The German contribution "Lippels Traum" by Lars Büchel has its world premiere at the Festival.
Just like every year the International Film Festival is accompanied by numerous receptions, parties, panels, discussion forums, workshops and art performances.
59th International Film Festival Berlin, February 5th - 15th, 2009
Contact and further Information:
Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin
Potsdamer Straße 5
10785 Berlin
Tel. +49 (0)30 259200
Fax. +49 (0)30 259 20 299
The programme is available at www.berlinale.de from January 27th, 2009.
Advance Tickets can be booked from February 2nd, 2009.
