Majority of Berlinale’s Generation Lineup Directed By Women

EXCLUSIVE: Natalie Morales makes her feature directing debut with Language Lessons which will have its world premiere in the Specials section of the Berlin Film Festival next week. Written by Morales and Mark Duplass, the darkly comic drama is an exploration of platonic love. Duplass is also an exec producer along with his brother Jay Duplass. Check out an exclusive clip from the movie above.

Nick Vivarelli International CorrespondentDue to the pandemic, Berlin Film Festival artistic director Carlo Chatrian and his programming team this year were forced to “think of the selection in different terms,” he says, when the fest adopted its two-step formula — an industry and press-focused event March 1-5 and a Summer Special open to the public June 9-20 — and what they “had to offer” to the film industry changed.

EXCLUSIVE: AGC Studios is fully financing Panopticon, an Andres Baiz-directed thriller that will star Shailene Woodley, Anthony Mackie and Jacob Latimore. Scott Free and AGC are producing, and the script will be sent to buyers overnight for virtual Berlin, with AGC International and CAA Media Finance launching worldwide sales. Pic will shoot in New Mexico this summer.

Naman Ramachandran Director Christian Schwochow and writer Thomas Wendrich’s “Je Suis Karl,” due to premiere at the Berlin Film Festival’s Berlinale Special strand in June, is a chillingly timely film.On Aug. 29, 2020, dozens of assailants from the far right attacked the Reichstag building, the home of German parliament in Berlin, the burning of which in 1933 heralded the rise of Hitler’s Nazi rule.

Focus Features has picked up the worldwide rights toThe Sparks Brothers, the documentary debut from director Edgar Wright. The doc, which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival, chronicles the decades-long career and influence of the cult pop duo Sparks, and features archival footage as well as interviews with fans that include Beck, Flea, Neil Gaiman and Mike Meyers.

EXCLUSIVE: The Greatest Showman director Michael Gracey is set to direct Better Man, a fantastical coming of age story about the unlikely rise of celebrated singer/songwriter Robbie Williams. The package is going out shortly to the Berlin buying crowd, for a film that Gracey wrote along with first-time screenwriters Oliver Cole and Simon Gleeson.

Leo Barraclough International Features EditorLeading arthouse sales and production house The Match Factory and Italian film director Pietro Marcello have teamed up for the third time following the company’s acquisition of his documentary “Per Lucio,” which world premieres in the Berlinale Special Gala section of the Berlin Film Festival.They previously worked together on fantasy drama “Lost and Beautiful,” which played in competition at Locarno in 2015, and period drama “Martin Eden,” which

Latido Films in the run-up to its world premiere at this years’ Berlinale Generation 14Plus.The Madrid-based sales company has also shared with Variety in exclusivity a first two-minute trailer. The pickup is believed to have been made in a competitive bidding situation with other sales agents circling a title which questions the weaknesses of what Baillif describes as a retrograde juvenile system.He should know.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentFilms Boutique has acquired Marc Bauder’s cinematic documentary “Who We Were,” which is set to world premiere in the “Berlinale Special” section of the Berlin Film Festival.“Who We Were” observes the current state of the world and postulates about the future through intense encounters with six intellectuals and scientists, including the astronaut Alexander Gerst, the deep sea researcher Sylvia Earle, the molecular biologist and buddhist monk Mathieu

John Hopewell Chief International CorrespondentWim Wenders’ Berlin-based Road Movies has boarded “This Is Music,” a series whose episode directors – New German Cinema leading light Wenders, singer-songwriter David Byrne, “Skam” creator Julie Andem and “Louder Than Bombs” director Joachim Trier – make the title the highest profile project at this year’s Berlinale Co-Pro Series.Norwegian public broadcaster NRK is backing the development of the series, which has also received support from the

Elsa Keslassy International Correspondent“All Eyes Off Me,” Hadas Ben Aroya’s drama which will world premiere at the Berlin Film Festival, has been acquired by Brussels-based company Best Friend Forever for international sales. Set to bow in the Panorama section, “All Eyes Off Me” takes place in contemporary Tel Aviv and weaves three stories portraying Tel Aviv’s youth.

The Berlin Film Festival on Thursday unveiled the titles that will compete in the 2021 Berlinale as well as the high-profile features screening out of competition in Berlin's Berlinale Specials section.

New films by Celine Sciamma, Hong Sangsoo, Xavier Beauvois, Radu Jude, and the directorial debut of German actor Daniel Brühl were unveiled as part of the 15 competition titles at the 2021 Berlin Film Festival today. READ MORE: The 100 Most Anticipated Films Of 2021 The festival’s 71st edition will take place in two stages.

Naman Ramachandran Actor Daniel Bruhl’s directorial debut and new titles from Radu Jude and Hong Sangsoo are among the 15 competition titles in the Berlin Film Festival, all of which were revealed Thursday.Five of the titles are from female filmmakers (some of whom are co-directors on titles), on par with last year’s competition, when six of the 18 competition titles were helmed by women.The 2021 edition is, understandably, very different from previous editions.

Leo Barraclough Senior International CorrespondentThe Match Factory is taking a strong slate to the European Film Market, including two world premieres: Anne Zohra Berrached’s “Copilot,” which is in the Berlin Film Festival’s Panorama section, and Christian Schwochow’s “Je Suis Karl,” which is in Berlinale Special.

This week of Berlin International Film Festival announcements comes to a close with the main course – the Competition and Special Screenings programs. You can watch the presser live here from circa 11AM Berlin time, it’s half in German and half in English.

Leo Barraclough Senior International CorrespondentARRI Media Intl. has signed a deal with Faktura Film to handle the international sales for the Marxist vampire comedy “Bloodsuckers.” The film has been selected to world premiere in the Berlin Film Festival’s Encounters section, which aims to “foster aesthetically and structurally daring works from independent, innovative filmmakers.” Variety has been given exclusive access to the trailer.ARRI Media Intl.

The Berlin Film Festival has unveiled the titles that will screen in its Forum section this year, which focuses on cutting-edge and experimental cinema.

Elsa Keslassy International CorrespondentThe Berlin Film Festival has unveiled the lineup of 20 shorts from 17 countries which will compete for the Golden and Silver Bear awards for short films. The festival said the films “daringly confront the present and rewrite the past,” while imagining “a new tomorrow” in many different ways.

Day 2 of this week’s Berlinale announcements see the selections for its Forum, Forum Expanded and Shorts programs revealed.