Berlin’s international film festival will feature three 3D movies this year, director Dieter Kosslick said, exploring the medium’s artistic potential after its recent triumph in Hollywood blockbusters.
The 61st Berlin film festival will be smaller but more daring than last year, he added, with the competition lineup featuring an animated film in 3D and five debut films.
The annual cinema showcase will also host the world premiere of Wim Wender’s 3D dance film about legendary choreographer Pina Bausch, and the European premiere of Werner Herzog’s “Cave of Forgotten Dreams,” about prehistoric paintings in France.
“There will be many new filmmakers, many female directors … and technical novelties that we hadn’t ever shown before at the Berlinale,” said Kosslick, noting that all three 3D movies would be screened on the first Sunday.
“These three movies show that you can really play around with 3D in arthouse film.”
Hollywood 3D movies such as the sci-fi juggernaut “Avatar,” “Alice in Wonderland” and “Toy Story 3” have taken box offices worldwide by storm in recent years, but have yet to gain traction among arthouse movie makers.
British actor Ralph Fiennes’ directorial debut “Coriolanus” is among the debut films premiering at the Berlinale.
The Shakespeare adaptation features Fiennes, nominated for Academy Awards for his roles in the “The English Patient” and “Schindler’s List.”
Another debut film premiering in Berlin will be “Margin Call,” a U.S. thriller with actors Kevin Spacey and Demi Moore, showing a 24-hour period at the onset of the financial crisis in an investment bank loosely modeled on Lehman brothers.
“We wanted to take on new people and not just bet on the safe horse,” said Kosslick.
The festival runs from February 10 to 20 this year, culminating with the awards ceremony taking place on February 19.
POLITICAL DEBATE
The Berlinale has become a showcase especially for the German industry in the ten years since Kosslick took over.
An unabashed fan of German films, he had led the country’s top movie subsidy board and has helped to revive German film with his cheerleading — a somewhat risky move for one of the world’s top film festivals.
Eleven of the 22 films in this year’s main selection are German movies or co-productions.
Original post here: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/02/01/us-berlin-idUSTRE71059Z20110201