Film festival Berlinale, kicks off

Berlin film festival will open its doors to film fans. This year, the wonderful French actress Juliette Binoche will be jury president.

The festival line-up is as eclectic as ever, with titles from France, China and Canada all featuring, as well as a strong showing of local German films.

The Berlinale has a heritage of supporting returning directors, and 2019 is no exception; Francois Ozon, Denis Coté and Agnès Varda are just three of the filmmakers back at the festival this yea

Europe´s first major film festival of the year, the Berlinale, kicks off Thursday making a statement against entertainment industry sexism by welcoming an unprecedented line-up of female directors.

The 11-day event prides itself on being the most politically engaged of the A-list cinema showcases, presenting 400 movies from around the world, most on hard-hitting topical themes including rising extremism and economic exploitation.

But its red carpet promises a steady stream of glamour too with Christian Bale, Diane Kruger, Tilda Swinton, Catherine Deneuve, Jonah Hill, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Casey Affleck and Juliette Binoche, this year´s jury president, all awaited in the frosty German capital.

Scherfig, 59, said she was proud her film would be opening the last Berlinale under Kosslick, who is passing on the baton after 18 years.

“It´s a milestone edition so I´m really looking forward to presenting the film there,” Scherfig told film industry bible Variety.

Polish veteran Agnieszka Holland will unveil the Stalin-era thriller “Mr Jones” starring James Norton (“Happy Valley”) while France´s Agnes Varda will premiere a new autobiographical documentary out of competition.

Acclaimed French director Francois Ozon will present his controversial new drama “By the Grace of God” based on real-life cases of sex abuse allegedly committed by a French priest.

A cardinal, Philippe Barbarin, is currently on trial in Lyon on charges he covered up the assaults, allegations he denies.

Binoche, 54, will lead a six-member panel choosing the winner of the prestigious Golden and Silver Bear prizes, to be awarded at a gala ceremony on February 16.

Last year, with the #MeToo movement roiling the industry, the innovative docudrama “Touch Me Not” about sexual intimacy by Romania´s Adina Pintilie clinched top honours.

For the first time this year, seven out of the 17 contenders will be women — a more than 40-percent share that eclipses rivals such as Cannes and Venice, which have come under fire as chummy men´s clubs.

The top festivals have long faced pressure to boost their female representation as they serve as gatekeepers to international distribution, awards and box office cash.

After winning the Golden Lion top prize at the Venice film festival in September with “Roma”, Netflix will enter the Berlin race for the first time with gay marriage drama “Elisa and Marcela” by Spain´s Isabel Coixet, based on a true story.

In June, Kosslick will be succeeded by Carlo Chatrian, the current head of the Locarno film festival, and Mariette Rissenbeek, the Dutch director of German Film, which promotes homegrown movies abroad.

For his last edition Kosslick has opted to make a parting political statement, offering to buy tickets for leaders of the far-right Alternative for Germany party to a screening of “Who Will Write Our History?”, a documentary about the Warsaw Ghetto.