The Berlin International Film Festival has announced its full slate for the upcoming 2021 edition. The Berlinale delayed its usual February edition, with the pandemic forcing organizers to go digital for 2021’s edition. The 71st Berlin International Film Festival is set to take place with the “Industry Event” from March 1 to 5, which will include the European Film Market (EFM), the Berlinale Co-Production Market, the Berlinale Talents, and the World Cinema Fund in online forms.
Today’s announcement was particularly highlighted, at least for me, by the inclusion of Xavier Beauvois’ “Albatross,” Hong Sangsoo’s “Introduction,” Radu Jude’s “Bad Luck Banging or Looney Porn,” Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s ‘Wheel of Fortune” and Céline Sciamma’s “Petite Maman.”
The films being presented at the digital event will be shown at both indoor and outdoor cinemas from June 9 to 20, 2021 as part of the festival’s newly announced “Summer Special.” Red-carpet screenings and gala events are planned for the event.
The full Competition lineup:
Albatros (dir. Xavier Beauvois)
Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn (dir. Radu Jude)
Ballad of a White Cow (dir. Behtash Saneeha & Maryam Moghaddam)
A Cop Movie (dir. Alonso Ruizpalacios)
Fabian - Going to the Dogs (dir. Dominik Graf)
Forest - I See You Everywhere (dir. Bence Fliegauf)
I'm Your Man (dir. Maria Schrader)
Introduction (dir. Hong Sang-soo)
Memory Box (dir. Joana Hadjithomas)
Mr Bachmann and His Class (dir. Maria Speth)
Natural Light (dir. Dénes Nagy)
Next Door (dir. Daniel Brühl)
Petite Maman (dir. Céline Sciamma)
What Do We See When We Look at the Sky? (dir. Alexandre Koberidze)
Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (dir. Ryusuke Hamaguchi)
Apparently, Sciamma’s “Petite Maman” was Berlin-bound since October [via Deadline]
DEADLINE: I was intrigued to see this new Celine Sciamma film selected. It only started shooting in November. What can you tell us about it?
CHATRIAN: It was not just made during the pandemic: it was made possible by the pandemic, because she had some time to make a personal story. It’s a smaller film, though not in ambition, with a gentle touch and magical realism. I don’t want to say anything about the story because it has a twist. But again [like her 2011 film Tomboy, which premiered in Berlin] it is a film that gives a voice to children, she really wanted to play the film at the Berlinale for the kids, which we hope to do in the summer.
DEADLINE: Is it finished?
CHATRIAN: Yes. They came to Berlin and discussed it with us in October. They managed to keep to their schedule and it will be ready.
DEADLINE: Sciamma, of course, had a big splash in Cannes with Portrait of a Lady on Fire and she has debuted the majority of her films at that festival. How did you lure her away from the Croisette?
CHATRIAN: A big part of our job is to track films down. But to be honest, with this one they reached out to us. That is also the beauty of doing this job. I think because of her presence in Berlin with Tomboy [where it won the Teddy Jury Award], this film resonated.
Paul Greengrass’ "The Uprising," starring Andrew Garfield, opened to $3.2M from 2,068 theaters this weekend. Yikes. The budget hasn’t been disclosed, but is said to be in the $20-$30M range.