The Berlinale 2011 begins in one month. January is basically hibernation time in Berlin - I've noticed that our present guests here at Minilofts have borrowed some DVDs and are cosying up in their apartments. (But in a way it's also a great month to visit Berlin - no lines at the Pergamon Museum or the Reichstag, long, relaxed dinners in warm candle-lit restaurants, Metropolis accompanied by a live orchestra... and the parties are more wild cause once everyone gets there, they stay.) But I digress. January is also a month of anticipation, waiting for the Berlin Film Festival (and Transmediale music and art festival). It's a highlight of the year, a massive event with almost 20,000 film people and 4,000 journalists, and 300,000 tickets for the lucky public.
Over 400 films are shown in several categories, here explained by the Berlinale website (the full program will up at the beginning of February): "big international movies in the Competition, independent and art-house productions in Panorama, movies specially for a young audience in the Generation section, the most exciting German cinema productions in Perspektive Deutsches Kino, an in-depth look at films from “distant” countries and experimental forms in the Forum, as well as an investigation of diverse cinematic possibilities in the Berlinale Shorts. The programme is rounded off by a thematic Retrospective and a Homage, which focuses on the lifework of a great cinema personality." And all films are shown with English subtitles. I'm excited for Miranda July's new film, The Future. The Berlinale is a two-week shot of glamour and excitement in the cold dark days of winter.
Berlinale
At theaters all over the city, festival hub at Potsdamer Platz
Feb 10-20, 2011
