The festival also announced the first round of films in competition and special screenings. Among the highlights are Jeff Nichols' new fantastical tale Midnight Special, starring Michael Shannon as a man protecting his possibly alien son; Michael Moore's latest documentary Where To Invade Next; Canada's own Denis Côté's Boris Without Beatrice; and Michael Grandage's Genius, starring Colin Firth, Jude Law, and Nicole Kidman, about book editor Max Perkins, who oversaw publication of books by Ernest Hemingway and F. Scott Fitzgerald.
The first nine films for the 66th Berlin International Film Festival Competition and Berlinale Special programme have been selected. Joining opening film Hail, Caesar! by Joel and Ethan Coen, which will be presented out of competition, five productions and co-productions from Canada, France, Germany, United Kingdom and the US are the newest additions to the Competition programme.
As part of the official programme, Berlinale Special will feature current works by contemporary filmmakers, documentaries and unique formats. Three productions have already been invited.
More information regarding programme selections will be announced in the coming weeks.
Competition
Boris
sans Béatrice (Boris without
Béatrice)
Canada
By Denis Côté (Vic+Flo Saw a Bear)
With James Hyndman, Simone-Elise Girard, Denis Lavant, Isolda Dychauk, Dounia Sichov
World premiere
Genius
United Kingdom / USA
By Michael Grandage
With Colin Firth, Jude Law, Nicole Kidman, Laura Linney, Guy Pearce, Dominic West
World premiere - First Feature
Jeder stirbt für sich allein (Alone in Berlin)
Germany / France / United Kingdom
By Vincent Perez (The Secret)
With Brendan Gleeson, Emma Thompson, Daniel Brühl, Mikael Persbrandt
World Premiere
Midnight Special
USA
By Jeff Nichols (Mud, Take Shelter)
With Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver, Jaedan Lieberher, Sam Shepard
World premiere
Zero Days - documentary
USA
By Alex Gibney (Taxi to the Dark Side)
World premiere
Berlinale Special
The
Music of Strangers: Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road
Ensemble
- documentary
USA
By Morgan Neville (Twenty Feet from Stardom)
European premiere
The Seasons in Quincy: Four Portraits of John Berger - documentary
United Kingdom
By Colin MacCabe, Christopher Roth, Bartek Dziadosz, Tilda Swinton
World Premiere
Where To Invade Next - documentary
USA
By
Michael Moore (Fahrenheit
9/11, Bowling
for Columbine)
European premiere