The competition films for this year’s Berlinale have been announced. According to an official press release received this morning, there are 15 films in all, two of which are first features, which will compete for the Golden Bear and the Silver Bears. Productions from 16 countries are represented in the Competition.
In addition, there are a further 11 films in the Berlinale Special category. The selection includes films that are currently running successful campaigns for awards (French Exit and The Mauritanian), new (female) voices in the North American indie scene (Best Sellers and Language Lessons), a gripping and hard-boiled detective movie in the best Hong Kong tradition (Limbo), as well as two big and adrenaline-fueled German productions (Je suis Karl and Tides). A group of original documentaries – two of them focusing on world-renowned singers (Tina and Per Lucio) and the other two on current topics (ecological in Who We Were and political in Courage) – complete the selection of Berlinale Special.
Tina Turner, Michelle Pfeiffer and Lucas Hedges, Michael Caine and Aubrey Plaza, Jodie Foster, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tahar Rahim and Shailene Woodley, Mark Duplass and Natalie Morales are some of the stars in the films.
The 71st Berlin International Film Festival is taking place in two stages; an Industry Event from March 1–5, 2021, and then the Summer Special from June 9–20, 2021.
Here is the full line-up for both selections.
COMPETITION
Albatros (Drift Away)
France
by Xavier Beauvois
with Jérémie Renier, Marie-Julie Maille, Victor Belmondo
*World premiere
Babardeal? cu buclucsau porno balamuc (Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn)
Romania / Luxemburg / Croatia / Czech Republic
by Radu Jude
with Katia Pascariu, Claudia Ieremia, Olimpia M?lai
*World premiere
Fabian oder Der Gang vor die Hunde (Fabian – Going to the Dogs)
Germany
by Dominik Graf
with Tom Schilling, Saskia Rosendahl, Albrecht Schuch
*World premiere
Ghasideyeh gave sefid (Ballad of a White Cow)
Iran / France
by Behtash Sanaeeha, Maryam Moghaddam
with Maryam Moghaddam, Alireza Sanifar
*World premiere
Guzen to sozo (Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy)
Japan
by Ryusuke Hamaguchi
with Kotone Furukawa, Kiyohiko Shibukawa, Fusako Urabe
*World premiere
Herr Bachmann und seine Klasse (Mr Bachmann and His Class)
Germany
by Maria Speth
with Dieter Bachmann and pupils of class 6b
*World premiere / Documentary form
Ich bin dein Mensch (I’m Your Man)
Germany
by Maria Schrader
with Maren Eggert, Dan Stevens, Sandra Hüller
*World premiere
Inteurodeoksyeon (Introduction)
Republic of Korea
by Hong Sangsoo
with Shin Seokho, Park Miso, Kim Minhee
*World premiere
Memory Box
France / Lebanon / Canada / Qatar
by Joana Hadjithomas, Khalil Joreige
with Rim Turki, Manal Issa, Paloma Vauthier
*World premiere
Nebenan (Next Door)
Germany
by Daniel Brühl
with Daniel Brühl, Peter Kurth
*World premiere / Debut film
Petite Maman
France
by Céline Sciamma
with Joséphine Sanz, Gabrielle Sanz, Nina Meurisse
*World premiere
Ras vkhedavt, rodesac cas vukurebt? (What Do We See When We Look at the Sky?)
Germany / Georgia
by Alexandre Koberidze
with Ani Karseladze, Giorgi Bochorishvili, Vakhtang Fanchulidze
*World premiere
Rengeteg – mindenhol látlak (Forest – I See You Everywhere)
Hungary
by Bence Fliegauf
with Laura Podlovics, István Lénárt, Lilla Kizlinger, Zsolt Végh, László Cziffer, Juli Jakab, Ági Gubík
*World premiere
Természetes fény (Natural Light)
Hungary / Latvia / France / Germany
by Dénes Nagy
with Ferenc Szabó, Tamás Garbacz, László Bajkó
*World premiere / Debut film
Una Película de Policías (A Cop Movie)
Mexico
by Alonso Ruizpalacios
with Mónica Del Carmen, Raúl Briones
*World premiere / Documentary form
BERLINALE SPECIAL
Best Sellers
Canada / United Kingdom
by Lina Roessler
with Michael Caine, Aubrey Plaza
*World premiere / Debut film
Courage
Germany
by Aliaksei Paluyan
with Maryna Yakubovich, Pavel Haradnizky, Denis Tarasenka
*World premiere / Documentary form / Debut film
French Exit
Canada / Ireland
by Azazel Jacobs
with Michelle Pfeiffer, Lucas Hedges, Valerie Mahaffey, Imogen Poots
Je suis Karl
Germany / Czech Republic
by Christian Schwochow
with Luna Wedler, Jannis Niewöhner, Milan Peschel
*World premiere
Language Lessons
USA
by Natalie Morales
with Natalie Morales, Mark Duplass, Desean Terry
*World premiere / Debut film
Limbo
Hong Kong, China / People’s Republic of China
by Cheang Soi
with Lam Ka Tung, Liu Cya, Lee Mason, Hiroyuki Ikeuchi
*World premiere
The Mauritanian
United Kingdom
by Kevin Macdonald
with Jodie Foster, Tahar Rahim, Shailene Woodley, Benedict Cumberbatch
Per Lucio (For Lucio)
Italy
by Pietro Marcello
*World premiere / Documentary form
Tides
Germany / Switzerland
by Tim Fehlbaum
with Nora Arnezedar, Iain Glen, Sarah-Sofie Boussnina
*World premiere
Tina
USA
by Dan Lindsay, T. J. Martin
with Tina Turner, Angela Bassett, Oprah Winfrey, Katori Hall
*World premiere / Documentary form
Wer wir waren (Who We Were)
Germany
by Marc Bauder
with Alexander Gerst, Sylvia Erle, Dennis Snower, Matthieu Ricard
*World premiere / Documentary form
