Berlinale 2022: What Will Premiere?

The Berlin Film Festival is only a few months away, which means it’s that time of the year again when I start speculating about the lineup. Since the festival confirmed this past week that it would return to being in-person in 2022, we could expect bigger names to show up this coming edition.

I already reported in July that Claire Denis’ “Fire” was locked for competition, but what else will appear? Don’t be shocked to see Andrew Dominik’s “Blonde” finally being screened at the Berlinale, after much controversy. It’s been many months coming for Dominik’s film, especially since he’s now made peace with Netflix and will get the final cut that he so richly deserves on this film. Expect a possible Sundance bow as well.

Speaking of Sundance, every year a few movies intertwine between the American film festival and the Berlinale. We’ve already spoken of Dominik, but we could also see Robert Eggers’ Viking epic “The Northman” make the trek to both festivals. The film has been test-screened multiple times this year, with reshoots having also been conducted for VFX purposes.

Venice said no to Alain Guiraudie’s “Viens Je T'emmène,” but something tells me that the Berlinale will likely accept it for competition when its lineup is officially revealed in early January. The film is said to be in the same eccentric vein as his 2014 breakthrough “Stranger By The Lake.”

Continuing on with the French filmmakers; Robert Guédiguian’s “Mali Twist” and Quentin Dupieux “Incredible, But True” were both ready to premiere this year but have been conspicuously absent from the Euro film festival circuit. A Berlinale showing is expected for one or both of these titles.

One could also expect new films from yearly participants Hong Sang-soo, and Lav Diaz to appear in competition. I’ve also been hearing about a new film from Ryusuke Hamaguchi, but the Japanese filmmaker might want to wait it out until Cannes.

Based on domestic release dates, these titles could also be very much in the mix for a competition slot.

”Simone, le voyage du siècle” dir. Olivier Dahan
”Mrs. Harris Goes to Paris” dir. Anthony Fabian
”Le petite bande” dir. Pierre Salvadori
”A propos de Joan” dir. Laurent Lariviere
”Caravaggio's Shadow” dir. Michele Placido

German titles? The marquee one that comes to mind are Angela Schanalec’s “Music,” — the writer-director is coming off winning the Silver Bear in 2019 for her film “I Was at Home, But.” Helena Wittmann’s “Human Flowers of Flesh” is also a likely possibility. Then there’s Michael Grandage’s “My Policeman” and 2017 festival darling Carla Simon returning with ”Alcarras,” her follow up to her breakout hit “Summer 1993.”

Finally, the mystery keeps persisting when it comes to the status of Christian Petzold’s “The Red Sky.” Has it been shot yet? The project was announced almost a year ago by the director himself at a New York Film Festival Q&A. Six of Petzold’s last eight movies have world premiered at the Berlinale.

That’s 19 potential films for Berlin . There will surely be many more to speculate about in the coming months.