(Delphi Filmpalast, Ulrich Seidl with Kelly Copper, Pavol Liska and of their film team, © Lindsay Bellinger 2019)  By LINDSAY R. BELLINGER   Berlinale 2019 Forum Section opened tonight at Delphi Filmpalast with the world premiere of the Ulrich Seidl-produced Die Kinder Der Toten (The Children of the Dead), a loose adaptation of Austrian playwright and novelist Elfriede Jelinek's 666 page novel that she penned in 1995. Filmmakers Kelly Copper, Pav...

  (Berlinale Street Food on February 6, 2019 with Lindsay Bellinger and Dieter Kosslick, © Lindsay Bellinger 2019)  By LINDSAY R. BELLINGER   Berlinale Festival Director Dieter Kosslick and Culinary Cinema head Thomas Struck officiated the start of the 69th Berlin International Film Festival when they welcomed the media and five enticing food trucks on Wednesday, February 6th, the day before filmmakers and celebs will hit the red carpet for the world premiere of Lo...

(Helsinki Mansplaining Massacre, © Jon Grönvall 2018)  By LINDSAY R. BELLINGER   Sadly, the closing day of the Weihnachtsfilmfestival 2018, came and went too quickly. The first half of the program was a tad more family friendly than a lot of the other programming this year. Muumien taikatalvi (Moomins and the Winter Wonderland) from filmmakers Ira Carpelan and Jakub Wronski featured the voices of Alicia Vikander and Stellan Skarsgård. ...

Prizes of the independent juries of the 65. Berlinale are here. Check out all the categories:  PRIZES OF THE ECUMENICAL JURY PRIZE WINNER COMPETITION 2015   El botón de nácar by Patricio Guzmán   PRIZE WINNER PANORAMA 2015    Ned Rifle by Hal Hartley   PRIZE WINNER FORUM 2015   Histoire de Judas by Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche   of the Jury 2015: Lukáš Jirsa Gustavo Andujar Gregg Brekke Piet Ha...

  Justin Kelly - I am Michael, 2015 US - Interview by Martin I. Petrov    Justin Kelly is an American writer and director, who has mainly directed music videos before entering the film industry with several short films. I am Michael is his first feature film that premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and it was part of the Berlinale Panorama. The film tells the story of a gay activist and writer, who suddenly turned to religion, developing a theory against ho...

  Justin Kelly - I am Michael, 2015 US - Interview   Justin Kelly is an American writer and director, who has mainly directed music videos before entering the film industry with several short films. I am Michael is his first feature film that premiered at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and it was part of the Berlinale Panorama. The film tells the story of a gay activist and writer, who suddenly turned to religion, developing a theory against homosexuality and is starring...

Body, dir. Malgorzata Szumowska, Poland, Berlinale 2015 - Competition  by Martin I. Petrov In a visionary, humorous wander though the life of (not that much) ordinary people in the polish capital Warsaw, Malgorzata Szumowska’s Body aims to go far under the skin and explore incentives, find answers and criticise bits of our parallel realities.  A father living with his anorexic daughter Olga, after the death of his wife, is trapped between the cruelty he has to face...

  Body, dir. Malgorzata Szumowska, Poland, Berlinale 2015 - Competition    In a visionary, humorous wander though the life of (not that much) ordinary people in the polish capital Warsaw, Malgorzata Szumowska’s Body aims to go far under the skin and explore incentives, find answers and criticise bits of our parallel realities.    A father living with his anorexic daughter Olga, after the death of his wife, is trapped between the cruelty he has to face every ...

Knight of cups, dir. Terrence Malick - Berlinale 2015 Competition  by Martin I. Petrov “No one cares about reality anymore.”  Realist or not, Terrence Malick seems to have sliced the cake in two, once again. For some, Knight of cups was worth the waiting and for others was two hours of an image flow, that - if we need to be exact - is his way of storytelling.  And let’s face it, no one goes to see a film from the American indie representative and ...

45 Years, dir. Andrew Haigh - Berlinale 2015 Competition by Martin I. Petrov English director Andrew Haigh competes for the golden bear with a story about a couple about to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary. But who said that after certain age, life cannot ring surprises?  After directing Weekend, a multi-awarded film about a gay couple in London, Andrew Haigh became one of the most promising new talents of his age, turning also into a symbol for queer cinema which was back...

Interview with Lirio Ferreira, director of Blue Blood - opening film of Berlinale Panorama 2015  by Martin I. Petrov Lirio Ferreira was born in Recife in 1965. He started directing films while studying journalism. His first feature Baile Perfumado premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 1997, followed by Árido movie (2005) and many documentaries that have won numerous prizes in Brazil and beyond. Blue blood is his third feature film, open...

Blue Blood (Sangue Azul), dir. Lirio Ferreira, 2014 Brazil - Berlinale Panorama    by Martin I. Petrov  Vibrant images, breathtaking sea horizons, a ionate macho Latino and some romance in the background - is there anything else to ask for from Brazilian cinema?  Acclaimed director Lirio Ferreira presents a story for contemporary filmgoers, keeping it at heart a traditional old-style Brazilian romanzo. Pedro, a handsome young circus performer, returns to his ho...

  Knight of cups, dir. Terrence Malick - Berlinale 2015 Competition    “No one cares about reality anymore.”  Realist or not, Terrence Malick seems to have sliced the cake in two, once again. For some, Knight of cups was worth the waiting and for others was two hours of an image flow, that - if we need to be exact - is his way of storytelling.    And let’s face it, no one goes to see a film from the American indie representative and expects...

  45 Years, dir. Andrew Haigh - Berlinale 2015 Competition   English director Andrew Haigh competes for the golden bear with a story about a couple about to celebrate their 45th wedding anniversary. But who said that after certain age, life cannot ring surprises?    After directing Weekend, a multi-awarded film about a gay couple in London, Andrew Haigh became one of the most promising new talents of his age, turning also into a symbol for queer cinema which was back t...

  Nobody wants the night (Nadie quiere la noche), dir. Isabel Coixet, Berlinale 2015 Competition - Opening Film  by Martin I. Petrov   As Plato wrote in his allegory of the cave thousands of years ago, a caveman feels secure in the darkness, but it is the excitement of the light above that defines the beauty of his human nature. Isabel Coixet comes two thousand years closer in history to depict this exact same thirst for knowledge in Nobody wants the light, opening film of ...

  Interview with Lirio Ferreira, director of Blue Blood - opening film of Berlinale Panorama 2015    Lirio Ferreira was born in Recife in 1965. He started directing films while studying journalism. His first feature Baile Perfumado premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 1997, followed by Árido movie (2005) and many documentaries that have won numerous prizes in Brazil and beyond. Blue blood is his third feature film, opening this year’s Berlinale Panorama.&nbs...

    Blue Blood (Sangue Azul), dir. Lirio Ferreira, 2014 Brazil - Berlinale Panorama    Vibrant images, breathtaking sea horizons, a ionate macho Latino and some romance in the background - is there anything else to ask for from Brazilian cinema?    Acclaimed director Lirio Ferreira presents a story for contemporary filmgoers, keeping it at heart a traditional old-style Brazilian romanzo. Pedro, a handsome young circus performer, returns to his home town ...

  Nobody wants the night (Nadie quiere la noche), dir. Isabel Coixet, Berlinale 2015 Competition - Opening Film    As Plato wrote in his allegory of the cave thousands of years ago, a caveman feels secure in the darkness, but it is the excitement of the light above that defines the beauty of his human nature. Isabel Coixet comes two thousand years closer in history to depict this exact same thirst for knowledge in Nobody wants the light, opening film of this year’s Ber...

  With the announcement that the Berlin IFF will have its man, Dieter Kosslick on board as festival director till 2019, the festival is in full preps for the 65th edition which will hit the German capital 5 -15 of February.    So far the news are thrilling…   Jury president of this year’s edition will be American director Darren Arronofsky.    Honorary Golden Bear for lifetime achievement will be awarded to German dir...

OFF PLUSCAMERA took part in the European Film Market held during the Berlin Film Festivalin February 10th – 18th.Our festival's stand was visited by a few hundredvisitors. TheEuropean Film Market is the most important industry event in Europe next toCannes. Every year the film industry companies and various institutions such asthe biggest distributors and film institutes such as Doha Film Institute orPolish Film Institute have their stands at the market. This year, for the firsttime, also Off ...

  Roman Polanski, who is under house arrest in Switzerland while awaiting word about an extredition proceeding that may bring him back to a United States prison, will be represented at the Berlinale (even though Polanski will, presumably, only be there in spirit). The controversial filmmaker's latest film THE GHOST WRITER, an adaptation of novelist Philip Roth's tome, is one of the high profile films announced that will be competing for the Golden Bear prize at the 60th edition...