The 60th Berlin Film Festival kicks off this Thursday the 11th of February and has a selection of exceptional films in competition, presided over by Head of the Jury, controversial German director Werner Herzog.
From the US, director Noah Baumbach (The Squid and the Whale) returns with Greenberg, which see Ben Stiller as a struggling New Yorker trying to find his place in life. And Rob Epstien’s Howl, with James Franco stepping into the shoes of Allen Ginsberg, during his 1957 obscenity trial, which got it’s first play at Sundance last month. Not to mention Martin Scorsese’s much-anticipated psychological thriller Shutter Island.
From the continent, Mammuth, starring Gerard Depidu, Submarino, the latest from Festen director Thomas Vinterberg, after a three year absence, while the home country has numerous entries. Roman Polanski will make a return to the cinematic spotlight after the 2005 Oliver, with The Ghost Writer. His adaptation of Richard Harris’ novel, which sees Peirece Brosnan and Ewan McGregor star. The 2007 Golden Bear winner Quanan Wang, will open the festival with Tuan yuan (Apart Together) on Thursday night.
The Brits are repreented this year by Michael Winterbottom. With his star laden cast thriller The Killer Inside of Me. Which finds Casey Affleck, Kate Hudson, Bill Pullman and Jessica Alba feature in a Texan thriller which sees a deputy sheriff slowly unmasked as a psychotic killer. A darling of the festival since 1995 – when he was nominated for The Golden Bear for Butterfly Kiss – it will be interesting to see how Winterbottom’s latest goes down with the Berlin crowd.
The festival runs until the 21st February and we’ll be bringing you daily updates from Berlin throughout.
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