The first 14 films have been selected for the Competition and Berlinale Special section of the 67th Berlin International Film Festival. So far 10 productions and co-productions have been invited to the Competition from Belgium, Chile, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Lebanon, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Senegal, the Slovak Republic, Spain, Sweden, and the USA. In the mix are director Sally Potter’s The Party, Oren Moverman’s The Dinner and Alain Gomis’ Felicite.
As part of the official program, Berlinale Special also presents topical works by contemporary filmmakers, documentaries and extraordinary formats. To date four productions have been invited, including Raoul Peck’s The Young Karl Marx and Fernando Perez’s Last Days in Havana.
Further announcements regarding program selections will be made in the coming weeks.
Here’s a rundown of the first films of the Competition program 2017 Competition
Teströl és lélekröl (On Body and Soul)
Hungary
By Ildiko Enyedi (My 20th Century, Simon the Magician)
With Géza Morcsányi, Alexandra Borbély, Zoltán Schneider
World premiere
Ana, mon amour
Romania / Germany / France
By Călin Peter Netzer (Child‘s Pose, Maria)
With Mircea Postelnicu, Diana Cavallioti, Carmen Tănase, Adrian Titieni, Vlad Ivanov
World premiere
Beuys – Documentary
Germany
By Andres Veiel (Black Box Germany, Addicted To Acting, If not us, Who)
World premiere
Colo
Portugal / France
By Teresa Villaverde (The Major Age, The Mutants, Trance)
With João Pedro Vaz, Alice Albergaria Borges, Beatriz Batarda, Clara Jost
World premiere
The Dinner
USA
By Oren Moverman (The Messenger, Rampart)
With Richard Gere, Laura Linney, Steve Coogan, Rebecca Hall, Chloë Sevigny
World premiere
Félicité
France / Senegal / Belgium / Germany / Lebanon
By Alain Gomis (L’Afrance, Andalucia, Tey)
With Véro Tshanda Beya, Gaetan Claudia, Papi Mpaka
World premiere
The Party
United Kingdom
By Sally Potter (Orlando, Yes, Ginger & Rosa)
With Patricia Clarkson, Bruno Ganz, Cherry Jones, Emily Mortimer, Cillian Murphy, Kristin Scott Thomas, Timothy Spall
World premiere
Pokot (Spoor)
Poland / Germany / Czech Republic / Sweden / Slovak Republic
By Agnieszka Holland (Europa Europa, Bitter Harvest, In Darkness)
With Agnieszka Mandat, Wiktor Zborowski, Miroslav Krobot, Jakub Gierszał, Patricia Volny, Borys Szyc
World premiere
Toivon tuolla puolen (The Other Side of Hope)
Finland
By Aki Kaurismäki (The Match Factory Girl, I Hired A Contract Killer, Juha, Le Havre)
With Sakari Kuosmanen, Sherwan Haji
International premiere
Una Mujer Fantástica (A Fantastic Woman)
Chile / Germany / USA / Spain
By Sebastián Lelio (El Año del Tigre, Gloria)
With Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes, Luis Gnecco, Aline Küppenheim, Amparo Noguera
World premiere
Berlinale Special
Berlinale Special Gala at the Friedrichstadt-Palast
La Reina de España (The Queen of Spain)
Spain
By Fernando Trueba (The Year of Awakening, Belle Époque, The Girl of Your Dreams)
With Penélope Cruz, Antonio Resines, Chino Darín, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Neus Asensi, Ana Belén
International premiere
Le jeune Karl Marx (The Young Karl Marx)
France / Germany / Belgium
By Raoul Peck (Sometimes In April, Moloch Tropical, Fatal Assistance)
With August Diehl, Stefan Konarske, Vicky Krieps, Hannah Steele, Olivier Gourmet
World premiere
Berlinale Special at the Kino International
Últimos días en La Habana (Last Days in Havana)
Cuba / Spain
By Fernando Pérez (Life Is to Whistle, Madrigal)
With Jorge Martínez, Patricio Wood, Gabriela Ramos
European premiere
Berlinale Special at the Volksbühne
Acht Stunden sind kein Tag (Eight Hours Don’t Make a Day)
Federal Republic of Germany 1972 – TV series with 5 episodes
By Rainer Werner Fassbinder
With Hanna Schygulla, Gottfried John, Luise Ullrich, Werner Finck, Irm Hermann
World premiere of the restored version
“Heretic” and “Maria” Set As Red Carpet Premieres At AFI Fest
The American Film Institute (AFI) has announced that Heretic, the psychological thriller starring Hugh Grant, and Maria, based on the life of opera singer Maria Callas starring Angelina Jolie, will round out the Red Carpet Premieres section at this year’s AFI Fest. The Heretic Gala Screening will take place on Thursday, October 24, and the Maria Gala Screening will be held on Saturday, October 26. The complete Red Carpet Premieres section includes the world premieres of Music By John Williams, Robert Zemeckis’ Here, Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl and Clint Eastwood’s Juror #2. All Red Carpet Premieres will take place at the historic TCL Chinese Theatre. The full lineup for AFI Fest 2024 will be unveiled on October 1.
“At the heart of AFI Fest is an unwavering dedication to celebrating the best in global cinema--together,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI president and CEO. “We look forward to uniting artists and audiences once again to be inspired by the art form in a powerful sense of community.”
Heretic follows two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) who are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (portrayed by Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse. The film is directed by Scott Beck and Bryan Woods and produced by Stacey Sher, Beck, Woods, Julia Glausi and Jeanette Volturno. The film will be released nationwide by A24 on November 8.
Directed by Pablo Larraín, Maria presents a tumultuous and beautiful depiction of one of the world’s most renowned artists and reimagines the legendary soprano in her final days in Paris, as Callas (Jolie)... Read More