German Film @ Canada - Goethe-Institut

An ongoing series of mini profiles on the blog German Film @ Canada on the movers and shakers that make the Berlinale one of the most important events in the international film calendar: the filmmakers, programmers, curators, industry promoters and fans, from rookies to veterans. This year, two female Toronto filmmakers-programmers are attending the Berlinale with a European Film Market badge as guests of the Goethe-Institut and a joint Berlinale-Goethe initiative to strengthen festival and industry access for BIPOC/LGBTQIA+/women-led organizations, organizations working towards the empowerment, advancement and growth for marginalized film and media sectors, and towards the greater inclusion, empowerment and advancement of marginalized film professionals in the mainstream industry.

Name & role: Mariam Zaidi, ED Breakthroughs Film Festival, a not for profit organization established in 2011 in Toronto, dedicated to supporting emerging filmmakers who identify as women or non-binary. She is also Associate Programmer for Canadian films at the Hot Docs Canadian International Documentary Festival.

This is my 1st Berlinale. Continue reading "#BerlinalePeople: Mariam Zaidi, Breakthroughs..." »

An ongoing series of mini profiles on the blog German Film @ Canada on the movers and shakers that make the Berlinale one of the most important events in the international film calendar: the filmmakers, programmers, curators, industry promoters and fans, from rookies to veterans. This year, two female Toronto filmmakers-programmers are attending the Berlinale with a European Film Market badge as guests of the Goethe-Institut and a joint Berlinale-Goethe initiative to strengthen festival and industry access for BIPOC/LGBTQIA+/women-led organizations, organizations working towards the empowerment, advancement and growth for marginalized film and media sectors, and towards the greater inclusion, empowerment and advancement of marginalized film professionals in the mainstream industry.

Name & role: Rolla Tahir, Artistic Director Toronto Arab Film & Toronto Arab Film Festival; filmmaker

This is my 1st Berlinale.

Why is Berlinale (market) access important for your work?
You'd be hard pressed to find an emerging filmmaker that has no ties to Berlinale. I've been in and around the film festival circuit for over a decade now, in various capacities, but I've been confined to the local circuit for the most part. Canada, no doubt, has a robust and thriving film festival scene, however, when it comes to Arab cinema, Berlinale, is unmatched in programming and opportunities available through its market. As the artistic director and co-founder of the Toronto Arab Film Festival, I speak to many filmmakers, emerging and established, and I'm always intrigued as to which opportunities they had access to, and the majority of them have participated either in Talents, the Market or simply had their films screened in Berlin, which then propels their careers forward. When programming for the festival, my first research stop is the Berlinale programme. Continue reading "#BerlinalePeople: Rolla Tahir, Toronto Arab Film" »

I remember sitting in the TIFF 2014 world premiere of Christian Petzold’s Phoenix, willing myself to let go. If you cannot suspend your disbelief and let Petzold take you by the hand, you will struggle to dive into his stories, which is true too for Petzold’s new Berlinale Competition contender Undine (and to a certain degree last year’s Transit, a relationship precursor to his latest). If you surrender to his curious storytelling, you are in for an intimately romantic and quietly humorous treat with Undine (trailer). Continue reading "Berlinale 2020: UNDINE #review" »

I remember sitting in the TIFF 2014 world premiere of Christian Petzold’s Phoenix, willing myself to let go. If you cannot suspend your disbelief and let Petzold take you by the hand, you will struggle to dive into his stories, which is true too for Petzold’s new Berlinale Competition contender Undine (and to a certain degree last year’s Transit, a relationship precursor to his latest). If you surrender to his curious storytelling, you are in for an intimately romantic and quietly humorous treat with Undine (trailer). Continue reading "Berlinale 2020: UNDINE #review" »

"Strippers displace Berlinale!“ a lurid tabloid headline revealed before Christmas. And yes, of course, I clicked through. Magic Mike the Musical man-spreading it at Berlinale Palast --home to a vast number of industry screenings and the competition's red carpet-- was just one of the calamities on the horizon for the new Berlinale team at the end of 2019. Newly installed co-directors AD Carlo Chatrian, formerly of Locarno, and ED Mariette Rissenbeek, formerly of German Films (my job entrance interview with her), had a good number of curveballs thrown their way –many of them craftily solved by now-- but also threw a couple of early wrenches themselves. Statements like "We are no glamour machine“ and "We are not Berlin Fashion Week“ led to a reprimand by the festival’s main financier, Culture Minister Monika Grütters, who made it quite clear that she expects fireworks as well as "programmatic and atmospheric changes“. If the school principal approach doesn’t bear fruit, Helen "The Queen“ Mirren will save the red carpet when accepting this year‘s honorary Golden Bear, alongside Jeremy Irons giving most likely not boring remarks as jury president. The Berlinale is known for being "political", perhaps featuring two of Britain's best actors is a love letter to the Brexiting nation.

Weeks before the 70th Berlinale (re)starts, things are looking up. Continue reading "#Berlinale2020: Year 70 or Year 1?" »

Wondering who the new TIFF Co-Head is? We chatted with Joana Vicente in January, just after she started at TIFF and was packing for the Berlinale.

Part of an ongoing series of mini profiles on the blog German Film @ Canada on the movers and shakers that make the Berlinale one of the most important events in the international film calendar: the filmmakers, programmers, curators, industry promoters and fans, from rookies to veterans.

Name & role: Joana Vicente, Executive Director and Co-Head of TIFF as of late 2018. Producer of Oscar-nomitated CAPERNAUM. Formerly Executive Director of New York’s IFP - Independent Filmmaker Project (whose founder Sandra Schulberg is honoured with a Berlinale Camera Award this year).

This is my 6th Berlinale.

"I’ve always looked to TIFF as a prominent international platform for world cinema, with an impact that is both local and global,” you recently said about your new home. Where do you position the Berlinale on the international festival and industry circuit? Continue reading "Berlinale People: Joana Vicente, TIFF" »

Part of an ongoing series of mini profiles on the blog German Film @ Canada on the movers and shakers that make the Berlinale one of the most important events in the international film calendar: the filmmakers, programmers, curators, industry promoters and fans, from rookies to veterans.

Name & role: Logan Ouellette, Canadian expat in Berlin. Tech startup guy. Film aficionado.

This is my 5th Berlinale.

Most lasting Berlinale memory to date:
Continue reading "Berlinale People: Logan Ouellette (Berlin/Ottawa)" »

Part of an ongoing series of mini profiles on the blog German Film @ Canada on the movers and shakers that make the Berlinale one of the most important events in the international film calendar: the filmmakers, programmers, curators, industry promoters and fans, from rookies to veterans.

Name & role: Mario Pfeifer, producer/director/artist; Berlin Biennale 2018; in preparation for a survey exhibition at The Power Plant in Toronto for summer 2019.

This is my 15th Berlinale. Continue reading "Berlinale People: Mario Pfeifer, artist" »

✔ Wang done. Think of Wang Quan’an’s slow-quirky competition title as Fargo in the steppe, or Zacharias Kunuk in Mongolia. The Chinese director has a promising track record, winning the Berlinale top honour, the Golden Bear in 2007 for "Tuya's Marriage” and a Silver Bear three years later for "Tuan Yuan.” “Öndög” (dinosaur egg, we learn) has the most amazing love scene --involving a camel, a wolf and a rifle-- and more feisty feminism than any New York indie. As the herder heroine replies to her suitor: “If I need a man I’ll let you know, but not today." Continue reading "#BerlinaleBingo 2019: Day 2" »

Part of an ongoing series of mini profiles on the blog German Film @ Canada on the movers and shakers that make the Berlinale one of the most important events in the international film calendar: the filmmakers, programmers, curators, industry promoters and fans, from rookies to veterans.

Name & role: Helene Hegemann, author (Axolotl Roadkill, Jage Zwei Tiger, Bungalow), script writer (TORPEDO), filmmaker (AXOLOTL OVERKILL), actor (DEUTSCHLAND 09). On her way to the Berlinale Gala opening...

This is my 9th Berlinale.

You spent the summer 2017 in residence in Toronto, courtesy of TIFF and Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg. What traces has that left in your life & work (other than your dream of living off-the-grid in the Canadian wilderness)?
Continue reading "Berlinale People: Helene Hegemann, author" »