The Circus Guide to the Berlinale

The brightest aspect of the otherwise dark month of February in Berlin is the legendary Berlinale Film Festival. This is regarded amongst cinema fans as one of the best film festivals in the world…indeed, some even argue that it is the best due to the amount of tickets for screenings that are made available to ordinary Joes and Josephines like you and me.

2010 is the 60^th anniversary of the festival, so as you can imagine the organisers have pulled out the stops to make sure it is one to remember. Altogether over 400 films will be showcased in Berlin between the 11^th and 21^st February, and as such there isn’t space to give you the rundown on everything. But here’s a glimpse of what to expect, as well as information on how to get tickets for you lucky souls that will be in Berlin for the duration…

The Films

The festival kicks off on the 11^th February with the world premiere of a Chinese film “Tuan Yuan” (Apart Together) which tells the story of a soldier fleeing to Taiwan in 1949, to be reunited with his true love decades later. This film is part of the competition part of the festival, in which films compete for the prestigious Golden Bear. Also in the competition are films from Martin Scorsese and Roman Polanski.

But the Berlinale is much more than just the competition. The section Perspektive deutsches Kino focuses on the world of German film, whilst Forum showcases the avant-garde and experimental, observations and political reportages, and new filmmakers at the forefront of new and unconventional cinema.

The Panorama offers a wide selection of art-house cinema from around the world, and includes films from places such as India, Brazil, the USA, Spain, Switzerland and many, many more. Added to this mix are many other sections of the festival including those devoted to short films, retrospectives, and children’s cinema. One undoubted highlight of 2010 is the screening of Fritz Lang’s Metropolis in its original form, 83 years after its world premiere.

Check out the Berlinale website for the full programme.

The Stars

Of course, even though the Berlinale is all about discovering the best in film from around the world that would not usually reach the local multiplex, there are still ample opportunities for a bit of red-carpet loitering and star-spotting as the tailored tuxedos and designer dresses shuffle by.

This year the organisers are expecting the appearances of such luminaries as Ewan McGregor (with or without motorbike), Pierce Brosnan, Leonardo DiCaprio, Gerard Depardieu, Ben Stiller amongst others.

Tickets

If you will be Berlin over the 10 days of the festival, then of course the question you want answered is: how do we get in to see the films? Well, its relatively easy. Beginning on the 8^th February, films go on sale at the ticket offices and a limited allocation through the Berlinale website.

You can only purchase films less than 3 days in advance (4 days for competition films), and on the day of the screening tickets are only available at the specific box office. The central ticket sales points are at the Arkaden on Potsdamer Platz, the Kino International on Karl-Marx-Allee, and the Urania near Nollendorfplatz.

There are different prices for special screenings and premieres, but most tickets are between €7-8. Detailed ticket information is available online at the Berlinale website.

Circus Ticket Giveaway

We love the Berlinale at The Circus, and to celebrate the festival we will be giving away 2 tickets every day for a film specially selected by a member of the Circus team…so  it will be a lucky dip in more ways than one. You will be able to find out more details about the giveaway from the reception of The Circus Hotel. We’re looking forward to a great couple of weeks of fun and film in the city, and we hope to see you here during the festival.