Two French films will take their virtual flight for the Berlinale 2021.
Albatros
by Xavier Beauvois and
Petite Maman
by Céline Sciamma are part of the main competition of the 71st edition of the festival unveiled Thursday 11 February.
In her new film, Céline Sciamma, winner in 2019 of the screenplay prize at the Cannes Film Festival for her drama
Portrait of the young girl on fire
, this time is interested in childhood with a story starring Nina Meurisse.
For its part, Xavier Beauvois' new opus,
Albatros
, tells the story of a brigade commander (Jérémie Renier) whose life turns upside down after he killed a man while trying to prevent him from committing suicide.
To read also: No "gender prize", the Berlinale will no longer distinguish between best actor and best actress
In total, fifteen feature films - including two debut films - will compete for the Golden Bear in the main competition of the film festival which is to be held online from March 1 to 5.
Other productions selected include
Ich bin dein Mensch
by Germany's Maria Schrader, who received an Emmy Award last year for her hit Netflix series
Unorthodox
.
Her new film is a romantic comedy about a woman played by Sandra Hüller (
Toni Erdmann
) in search of the perfect man.
German actor Daniel Brühl, revealed in the bittersweet comedy
Good By, Lenin
and become an international star, also competes for the Golden Bear with his directorial debut
Nebenan
which deals with gentrification in Berlin.
Romanian Radu Jude, winner in Berlin in 2015 for
Aferim
is back in competition with
Bad Luck Banging or Looney Porn
about a teacher filmed in a sextape that spreads on the Internet, deeply affecting her life
Read also: The Berlinale sells the skin of the bear
An edition marked by the Covid
The Berlinale 2021 is already shaping up to be a very special edition.
Relocated online because of the coronavirus epidemic, the festival will present works produced in whole or in part during the pandemic.
"
While only a few directly show the new world we live in, they all carry the uncertainty of the times we live in behind the surface
," festival artistic director Carlo Chatrian said during an online presentation of the selection.
“
A feeling of fear is present everywhere,
” he added.
The jury, made up this year of six previous Gold Bear winners, exceptionally has no president.
If the sanitary situation permits, the festival will organize screenings open to the public indoors and outdoors from June 9 to 20.
The 2020 edition could have taken place normally at the end of February when the Covid-19 pandemic in Europe was in its infancy.
Created in 1951, the Berlinale is with Cannes and the Venice Film Festival one of the three main film festivals in Europe.
The last French film to win the Golden Bear was
Intimacy
by Patrice Chéreau, in 2001.
