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Film

Berlin Film Festival isn't just about awards

Still from Farewell My Queen

FRA/ESP 2011

Regie: Benoït Jacquot

Xavier Beauvois, Diane Kruger
© Carole Bethuel

In addition to the esteemed Bear awards, the Berlin International Film Festival's 'sections' offer a colorful palette of films from around the world - by the most diverse directors.

Berlinale film festival unveils award contenders

Berlinale's website

Art

Art and apple trees at documenta (13)

Person riding a bike with documenta banner in background

Every four years, Kassel is transformed into a global art capital during the documenta contemporary art fair. The event may be a little ways off, but preparations are now in high gear.

Destination Germany 2012

Audio

British artist, Ben Woodeson's work titled: "Health & Safety Violation #36 - Bite you on your ass and kiss your socks goodbye"

Painful art

One artist asks, what makes people touch something if they know it will hurt?

Listen to the report

Art

A copy of Leonardo Da Vinci's famous Mona Lisa painting is displayed at Madrid's El Prado Museum

First copy

Spanish art curators identify what they think is the earliest copy of Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa.

Digging to give the name a face

History

Crowdsourcing: writing history on the Internet

Internet users have been generating content on social networks for a long time. Now, archives and libraries are tapping into that resource to fill information gaps.

Everyday stories from WWI preserved in massive European archive

Crowdsourcing meets education at Berlin's Public School

Clowns im Karneval Köln
Gruß aus Köln

Fotolia© Heinz Waldukat #18109361

Culture calendar

From film to Carnival, find out what's on deck this month in Germany.

Visit Germany

Following in the footsteps of Bach

Bronze statue of Bach next to the St.Thomas church in Leipzig

Johann Sebastian Bach wrote musical history and continues to delight people today. We take you on a tour of locations that are, even today, strongly conected to the composer.

A safari in the Bavarian Forest

The mountainous regions of southern Germany are an idyllic place to ski in winter. But few realize that the Bavarian Forest National Park is also home to some large and intriguing animals.

Enjoy the picture-book landscapes of Chiemgau

in a winter landscape a child on a tobogan

Mountains, lakes and castles are Bavarian trademarks - and they can all be found in the area southeast of Munich. The Chiemgau covers a 50 kilometer radius around Lake Chiemsee.

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Berlinale 2012

Films roll in Berlin

Film, film, film! The German capital plays host to the Berlin International Film festival from February 9 to 19. Stars and award-winning directors from around the world will descend on Berlin for the Berlinale, as it is known in German. The event is ranked alongside similar festivals in Cannes and Venice.
Berlinale 2012

Glamour and politics

This year, over 300,000 film enthusiasts are expected to line up for screenings in cinemas throughout the city. Always a highlight are the evening gala performances at the renowned Berlinale Palast (pictured), where fans can catch a glimpse of the silver screen stars on the red carpet.
Berlinale 2012

Festival opens with splendor

Not just glitter and glamour but politics also play an important part in the festival. Alongside the Hollywood stars, the Berlinale is renowned for supporting and presenting politically and socially motivated cinema. Benoit Jacquot's "Les Adieux à la reine," or "Farewell my Queen," opens the festival. The 18th-century drama portrays court life at the beginning of the French Revolution.
Berlinale 2012

Local directors

German films will be strong contenders from this year's Golden and Silver Bears. Some of the German-speaking world's best-known directors - Christian Petzold, Matthias Glasner and Hans-Christian Schmid - will present their latest works here this year. "Home for the Weekend," Schmid's latest, tells the tale of family crisis and stars Lars Eidinger (right).
Berlinale 2012

Controversy

Eagerly awaited is Chinese director Zhang Yimou's new film, "The Flowers of War." The Chinese-American co-production features Hollywood star Christian Bale in the lead role. "The Flowers of War" portrays a dark chapter in history - the 1937 war between China and Japan. It is already being shown in China. International critics, however, have described the film as nationalistic propaganda.
Berlinale 2012

Kosslick's 12th festival

Berlin International Film Festival director, Dieter Kosslick, presents his 12th festival this year. He is often criticized for the films he chooses for the competition. Again this year, many of the industry's big names are missing from the line-up. Competition is fierce among film festivals to attract celebrities and with the Oscars in late February, many Hollywood stars are reluctant to attend.
Berlinale 2012

Jury president

British director Mike Leigh is president of the international jury, which will award the Golden Bear on February 18. Leigh is regarded as an outstanding representative of cinema committed to social causes. Many of his films utilize small, intimate and private settings to convey their messages and denounce social injustice. Mike Leigh has won top accolades at both the Cannes and Venice festivals.
Berlinale 2012

Jolie's directing debut

The main competition - with its 18 world premieres - is only one part of the festival. A total of 400 films will be presented in the various festival sections. Among these is the American actor Angelina Jolie's directing debut with "In the Land of Blood and Honey." The film is a shocking account of the war in Bosnia.
Berlinale 2012

International cinema

The Forum section features films from Asia, the Middle East, Latin America and Africa. It is often the platform for new ground-breaking political cinema. "Modest Reception" by Mani Haghighi from Iran tells the story of a wealthy couple who distribute money to people in country regions. A provocative film from a country that often hinders the work of its filmmakers.
Berlinale 2012

Society in turmoil

The Berlinale's second largest section, Panorama, presents a multifaceted international program. It opens with director Tony Gatlif's "Indignados" a work inspired by Stéphane Hessel's bestselling essay, "Time for Outrage!" The film combines documentary and staged sequences and utilizes a backdrop of European society in turmoil.
Berlinale 2012

Retrospectives

Always a Berlinale highlight is the historical retrospective section. This year it focuses on films created at the German-Russian Gorky Film Studio between the years 1922-1936. In that time, the studio created more than 600 films - often bold experiments, but works that were popular with a wider audience. One highlight this yeas is Vsevolod Pudovkin's "The End of St. Petersburg."
Berlinale 2012

Food and film

The series Culinary Cinema is an initiative of festival Director Dieter Kosslick, himself a food buff. The films shown, like "Comme un chef" (pictured), feature food as their subject. This section is very popular with the Berlinale public and getting tickets to these events is difficult.
Berlinale 2012

Meryl Streep

Each year the Berlinale honors the big stars of cinema, by presenting a special film series of their work. In 2012, Meryl Streep will be given this special honor. The American actor has just been nominated for an Oscar for her role in"Iron Lady." Streep is expected to make an appearance in Berlin, where classics like "Out of Africa" (with Robert Redford in this picture) will be shown.
Berlinale 2012

Century of film

The Berlinale cannot miss the 100th anniversary of the renowned Babelsberg film studios, which are situated just outside of Berlin. Many classic films were shot there and today, high-profile directors like Roman Polanski work there. Some of the scenes from his 2002 film "The Pianist" were shot in the Babelsberg studios.
Berlinale 2012

German newcomers

Just like Cannes features French film and Venice Italian cinema, the Berlin International film Festival also showcases German film. The section Perspective German Cinema throws the spotlight on new film talents such as director Jan Speckenbach and his "Reported Missing."
Berlinale 2012

Feast of films

The success of the 2012 Berlinale can't be measured until it closes on February 19. By then, there will have been much passionate debate about the competition films and the jury's decision.