Berlinale competition: Films by Daniel Brühl, Celine Sciamma and Maria Schrader invited

Icon: enlarge

Sandra Hüller and Dan Stevens in "I am your person" by Maria Schrader

Photo: Christine Fenzl / Berlinale

Over four days - from Monday to Thursday today - the Berlinale took the time to present this year's program.

For a two-part festival, the first part of which itself only lasts five days, an abundant flow of information.

But at least the dramaturgy is correct: with an attractive competition line-up, the management duo Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian ensured a convincing final act.

The selection of 15 films that the artistic director Chatrian presented by video in the morning includes a particularly large number of films from Germany this year.

Dominik Graf is showing his Kästner film adaptation of "Fabian or The Walk to the Dogs" with Tom Schilling in the leading role.

Maria Schrader, who has just been nominated for the Golden Globe for her Netflix series “Unorthodox”, is there with her second cinema work “Ich bin dein Mensch”.

Your ensemble includes Sandra Hüller, Hans Löw and Dan Stevens.

In »next door« the star is both in front of and behind the camera: the psychological thriller is the directorial debut of Daniel Brühl, who also plays the leading role.

The script was written by Daniel Kehlmann.

Icon: enlarge

Daniel Brühl in the film he directed »next door«

Photo: Reiner Bajo / Berlinale

The concern expressed in some places that German cinema might lose its presence at the Berlinale under Chatrian, who comes from Italy, may therefore have proven to be unfounded - especially since local filmmakers are also there, for whom the festival is a new one with the invitation to the competition Platform there.

With Maria Speth and her long-term documentary observation "Herr Bachmann und seine Klasse", a director is represented who was previously only seen in the side rows of the Berlinale.

However, Alexandre Koberidze makes the biggest jump.

The German-Georgian's feature film debut was shown in 2017 in the autonomously organized series »Critique Week«, now his second feature film »What do we see when we look at the sky?« Is competing for the Golden Bear.

As previously announced, a six-person jury made up of bear winners like Gianfranco Rosi and Jasmila Zbanic will decide on the prizes.

Where are the international stars of directing?

"All films convey the uncertainty that we are currently experiencing," commented Chatrian.

The selected films are pervaded by a feeling of concern, but without losing faith in humanity.

"The films show anger about the development of our society," Chatrian continued.

However, the strong German presence also distracts from the fact that the program has few films to offer by internationally renowned directors.

Radu Jude ("I don't care if we go down in history as barbarians") is certainly the most innovative and diverse filmmaker in Romania, and the Korean Hong Sang-soo maintains an astonishing level even with an output of one or two films a year .

But neither of them is surprising programming.

After all, the fact that the French woman Celine Sciamma (“Portrait of a Young Woman in Flames”) followed Chatrian's invitation with her coming-of-age story “Petite Maman” is a scoop.

Most recently, Sciamma was shown in Cannes, where it was awarded the prize for best screenplay.

The Japanese Ryusuke Hamaguchi, now represented with "Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy", was last guest at the Cannes competition.

Icon: enlarge

Production design from "Petite Maman" by Celine Sciamma

Photo: Lilies Films / Berlinale

The fact that the two are showing their latest films in Berlin can also be a sign that the French festival is already so full of big names that the most realistic prospect would have been a place in the 2022 »Sélection officiel«.

When Cannes announces its program in the next few months, it should definitely become clearer how much the French festival has left the Berlin Film Festival behind in terms of celebrity directing.

The fact that Cannes has better, if not certain, prospects of taking place as a festival in attendance is certainly the great advantage in 2021.

Due to the pandemic, Rissenbeek and Chatrian felt compelled to split the Berlinale into two parts.

From March 1st to 5th, the European film market and an online program for the jury and press will take place as part of a so-called industry event.

At the end the winners should be announced.

The actual bear awards, however, will not take place until the summer: At the start of the summer special, which is scheduled for June 9th to 20th, there will be a gala with jury and winners.

Then the winning films and the rest of the program will be shown to the general public in Berlin cinemas, both indoor and open air.

Icon: The mirror

hpi