Berlin in action!
Around 400 films will show this year as part of the Berlinale's public programme, the vast majority of which are world or European premieres. Films of every genre, length and format.

The Berlinale is divided into different sections, each with its own unique profile: big international movies in the Competition, independent and art-house productions in Panorama, movies for a young audience in the Generation and its Kplus and 14plus programmes, the most exciting German cinema productions in Perspektive Deutsches Kino, and an in-depth look at films from "distant" countries and experimental forms in the International Forum of New Cinema. The programme is rounded off by a thematic Retrospective and a Homage, which focuses on the lifework of a great cinema personality. Both of these sections, which are curated by the Berlin Film Museum, aim to place contemporary cinema within a historical context.

The Berlin International Film Festival sees itself as a showcase for what is happening in cinema, but also as an actor and propagator on the international film circuit. Whether through panels, film series, workshops or moderated pitching - the Berlinale offers countless forms of co-operation and creative interaction.
The festival is kicking off tonight with la Môme homage to Edith Piaf with a surprising Marion Cotillard in the lead role.

Bruno Chatelin