EN
The official poster of the 64th Berlin International Film Festival, designed by the BOROS Agency. ©Berlinale - BOROS Agency
VISITING GERMANY – CULTURE: BERLIN – Berlinale 2014: Star-studded Opening Gala
Berlin: an exciting, cosmopolitan cultural hub that never ceases to attract artists from around the world. A diverse cultural scene, a critical public and an audience of film-lovers characterise the city.
In the middle of it all, the Berlinale: a great cultural event and one of the most important dates for the international film industry.
The Berlinale Festival profile
More than 300,000 sold tickets, almost 20,000 professional visitors from 124 countries, including around 3,700 journalists: art, glamour, parties and business are all inseparably linked at the Berlinale.
The entire world of film
The public programme of the Berlin International Film Festival shows about 400 films per year, mostly international or European premieres. Films of every genre, length and format find their place in the various sections: great international cinema in the Competition, independent and art house in Panorama, films for young audiences in Generation, new discoveries and promising talents from the German film scene in Perspektive Deutsches Kino, avant garde, experimental and unfamiliar cinematography in the Forum and Forum Expanded, and an exploration of cinematic possibilities in Berlinale Shorts.
The Berlinale Special, including Berlinale Special Gala, is showing new and extraordinary productions and honours great cinema personalities. The programme is rounded out by a Retrospective as well as an Homage, which focuses on the œuvre of a great personality of cinema, curated by the Deutsche Kinemathek – Museum für Film und Fernsehen.
Beginning in 2013, the Retrospective expanded to include presentations of Berlinale Classics. They show current restorations of film classics as well as rediscovered films.
Furthermore the Berlinale has regularly organised a programme of special presentations that open up new perspectives, provide insight into key themes, make new connections and explore realms where film intersects with other creative disciplines.
Food, pleasure and the environment – these are the topics that lie at the centre of the Culinary Cinema.
„Berlinale Goes Kiez“ is travelling from arthouse cinema to arthouse cinema within the city to present selected films from the Berlinale programme and „NATIVe – A Journey into Indigenous Cinema“ is devoted to the cinematic story-telling of Indigenous peoples worldwide.
The film industry at the Berlinale
The Berlin International Film Festival is a source of inspiration in the global film community: film programmes, workshops, panel discussions, joint projects with other social and cultural actors – the forms of cooperation and the possibilities for creative interaction are countless.
The most important meeting point is the European Film Market (EFM). Around 400 companies and more than 8,000 professionals from 95 countries build and foster contacts here, strengthen their position in the industry or negotiate film rights.
The Berlinale Co-Production Market, affiliated to the EFM, offers fertile ground for international co-productions.
Berlinale Talents brings high profile professionals attending the Berlinale to workshops and discussions with 300 promising young film talents from all over the world. Both sides benefit. The talents profit from the experience of the professionals, who in turn gain fresh ideas from taking part.
The World Cinema Fund (WCF) provides financial support to film projects in countries with weak film infrastructure thereby helping strengthen the regions’ position on the international film market.
The Berlinale Residency programme offers six directors a grant to come to Berlin for four months. Working in close contact with individually selected mentors and market experts, the directors can take a decisive step toward placing their next film project on the way to a successful theatrical release.
The close connection between the festival and market is a unique characteristic of the Berlinale and always results in exceptional synergies.
Following the Opening Gala, Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel will have its world premiere. The American cult director has brought together an array of stars in the ensemble of his new comedy, and many of them have announced their arrival: Wes Anderson, Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, Saiorse Ronan, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Léa Seydoux, Willem Dafoe, Bob Balaban, Fisher Stevens, and Jeremy Dawson will all be on hand to present the film in Berlin.
The members of the International Jury and the Best First Feature Award Jury are all expected on the Red Carpet.
Other international and national guests are also anticipated: Bradley Cooper, Denis Dercourt, John Hurt, Nazif Mujić, David O. Russell, Taika Waititi, Jasmila Žbanić, Aziz Zhambakiyev, Maren Ade, Mario Adorf, Feo Aladag, Thomas Arslan, Harry Baer, Marie Bäumer, Meret Becker, Bibiana Beglau, Iris Berben, Christian Berkel, Moritz Bleibtreu, Sebastian Blomberg, Matthias Brandt, Anna Brüggemann, Dietrich Brüggemann, Ingrid Caven, Henriette Confurius, Pepe Danquart, Maria-Victoria Dragus, Andreas Dresen, Katja Eichinger, Lars Eidinger, Hannelore Elsner, Stipe Erceg, Veronica Ferres, Florian David Fitz, Inka Friedrich, Maria Furtwängler, Florian Gallenberger, Bruno Ganz, Martina Gedeck, Jan-Ole Gerster, Matthias Glasner, Herbert Grönemeyer, Philip Gröning, Michael Gwisdek, Monika Hansen, Corinna Harfouch, Benjamin Heisenberg, Karoline Herfurth, Hannah Herzsprung, Nina Hoss, Henry Hübchen, Sandra Hüller, Hannes Jaenicke, Julia Jentsch, Vanessa Jopp, Sibel Kekilli, Friederike Kempter, Burghart Klaußner, Herbert Knaup, Sebastian Koch, Juliane Köhler, Wolfgang Kohlhaase, Hanno Kofler, Nicolette Krebitz, Joachim Król, David Kross, Maren Kroymann, Günter Lamprecht, Dani Levy, Jan Josef Liefers, Peter Lohmeyer, Anna Loos-Liefers, Florian Lukas, Heike Makatsch, Mišel Matičević, Eva Mattes, Ulrich Matthes, Elyas M'Barek, Jeanine Meerapfel, Michael Mendl, Wotan Wilke Möhring, Anna Maria Mühe, Sandra Nettelbeck, Christiane Paul, Milan Peschel, Franziska Petri, Christian Petzold, Katja Riemann, Max Riemelt, Armin Rohde, Saskia Rosendahl, Udo Samel, Clemens Schick, Frieder Schlaich, Volker Schlöndorff, Hans-Christian Schmid, Maria Schrader, Katharina Schüttler, Jessica Schwarz, Peter Simonischek, Florian Stetter, Lena Stolze, Ernst Stötzner, Jasmin Tabatabai, Aylin Tezel, Anna Thalbach, Jördis Triebel, Tom Tykwer, Idil Üner, Andres Veiel, Justus von Dohnányi, Vera von Lehndorff, Margarethe von Trotta, Nora von Waldstetten, Mark Waschke, Hans Weingartner, Ina Weisse, Franziska Weisz, Lavinia Wilson, Gustav-Peter Wöhler, Ronald Zehrfeld, Hanns Zischler as well as many others.
A number of prominent German politicians have also announced their attendance, including: Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament; Federal Foreign Minster Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Federal Minister of the Interior Thomas de Maizière; Mayor of Berlin and Senator Michael Müller as well as many others.
A number of ambassadors are expected as well.
Press Office
February 5, 2014
