The Berlinale kicks off on February 16. After the summer edition in 2021 and the festival under special conditions last year, the anticipation is now high for a festival with exciting films and stars on the red carpet.Here is our top 11 why we are looking forward to the Berlinale 2022.
By the way, ticket sales start on February 13 at 10am.
1. Stars on the red carpet
George Clooney has not yet been announced for this year, but Helen Mirren and Cate Blanchett will surely come to introduce their films. The cast of Rebecca Miller's opening film She came to me includes Game of Thrones star Peter Dinklage and Anne Hathaway, though their coming has not yet been confirmed.
John Malkovich and Geraldine Chaplin, who are expected at the Talents, have been announced in any case.
2. The festival promises exciting films
18 films from around the world are competing to take home one of the Silver - or maybe even the Golden - Bears. In addition, there are 16 films in the second competition, the Encouters. But exciting discoveries also await you in the other sections of the festival: Films for children and young people, avant-garde and courageous works in the Forum that challenge your viewing habits, classics in the Retrospective and new series highlights.
A very special highlight is undoubtedly the new film Superpower by Sean Penn, which he shot in Ukraine at the beginning of the war and for which he was also able to interview President Selensky.
3. Steven Spielberg receives the Honorary Bear
Master director Steven Spielberg is awarded the Honorary Golden Bear. The gala will feature his latest film The Fabelmans, which has autobiographical features. In addition, the tribute will show other highlights from Spielberg's long career as director and producer, which includes some 100 films and series.
4. Kirsten Stewart is president of the Jury
The International Jury will be chaired by Hollywood star Kirsten Stewart. The actress, who has also shone in European arthouse films, is thus the youngest president of the Berlinale jury, which awards the Golden and Silver Bears. Tehran-born actress Golshifteh Farahani is also a member of the seven-member jury. Also on the jury is director and producer Johnnie To, whose films have often screened at the Forum. Incidentally, his latest production Ming On (Mad Fate) can be seen in the Berlinale Special.
5. The retrospective will be young and wild
"Young at Heart - Coming of Age at the Movies" is the title of the retrospective. Filmmakers from all over the world have selected their personal favorite films that tell the story of growing up. Classics such as Splendor in the Grass and Rebel without a Cause will be shown, as well as teen comedies from the 1980s such as Ferris Bueller's Day Off.
6. Tickets will be sold at the Berlin Tourist Infos
On February 13, the advance sale for the Berlinale starts. You can buy tickets online on the website of the Berlinale.
Tip: Tickets are also available at the Berlin Tourist Info.
7. Berlinale goes Kiez
Once again this year, Berlinale Goes Kiez is the name of the game, when not only the big festival cinemas are played, but also selected films are shown in the smaller cinemas right on the doorstep, spreading glitz and glamour.
The seven cinemas of Berlinale Goes Kiez are:
- Blauer Stern (Pankow)
- Bundesplatz Cinema (Wilmersdorf)
- fsk Kino (Kreuzberg)
- IL KINO (Neukölln)
- Kino im Zeiss-Großplanetarium (Prenzlauer Berg)
- Thalia - The art house cinema (Potsdam - Babelsberg)
- UCI Luxe Gropius Passagen (Gropiusstadt)
8. There are great series to discover
After the series at the festival have become a secret tip for exciting new discoveries in recent years, this year there will be a jury award for the first series for the first time. Individual episodes from international productions will be shown, including the long-awaited film adaptation of The Swarm, based on the bestseller by Frank Schätzing.
10. The festival is also aimed at children & teenagers
Children and young people are also an important part of the Berlinale audience, and the Generation 14plus and Kplus films are aimed at them. Meanwhile, word has also spread among adults that the Generation films are worth a look. Last year, for example, the enchanting Quit Girl was screened at the Generation, which is now hoping for an Oscar as best international film.
10. You can party at the TEDDY AWARD
This year there will be wild partying again: On February 24, the jury will present the 37th TEDDY AWARD to one of the queer Berlinale films. At the truly legendary TEDDY After Show PARTY you can celebrate on two dance floors and in the TEDDY Charity Lounge at the Volksbühne Berlin from 11pm.
11. There are many German films to watch
In the Perspektive Deutsches Kino section, the festival will showcase many appealing discoveries from German film. In addition to current productions, older works such as Jakob der Lügner and Ein Hologramm für den König will also be screened. But this year's competition features numerous German films, including Ingeborg Bachmann - Reise in die Wüste by Margarethe von Trotta and the Berlin-set film Sonne und Beton.
