Three weeks away from the inauguration of the 56th Berlinale , these are the films which will be representing Italy : Crime Novel by Michele Placido, In Competition, produced by Cattleya, Warner Bros. Italia, Babe Films and Aquarius Film, is in the running for the Golden Bear, while Roberto Benigni’s The Tiger and the Snow will be presented Out of Competition. Panorama will be presenting as the opening event in Panorama Special Derecho de Familia by Daniel Burman (winner of two Silver Bears in 2004 for El abrazo partido), the Argentina/Italy/France/Spain co-production, produced for Italy by Amedeo Pagani’s Classic.
Also presented in Panorama is the Italian/Chinese production – Marco Muller for Downtown Pictures, Istituto Luce, Rai Cinema and Good Tidings – La guerra dei fiori rossi by Zhang Yuan, adapted from the book by the great dissident author Wang Shuo; featured among the Shorts in Panorama and representing Italy is Little Boy by David Pepe.
The documentaries selected in Forum are Babooska by Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel (Austria/Italy) e Inatteso by Domenico Distillo, produced by the Experimental Center of Cinematography.
Finally, the Retrospective Dream Girls- Film Stars of the Fifties dedicated to the heroines on screen in the 50’s, a diverse programme celebrating 30 actresses from all over the world, such as Anna Magnani and Sophia Loren, 45 films which include Bellissima, White Nights by Luchino Visconti, Peccato che sia una canaglia by Alessandro Blasetti and Viaggio in Italia by Roberto Rossellini.
A new entry at the 56th^a edition is the Best First Feature Award, a prize worth 25.000 Euro awarded to the best first feature presented at the festival, assigned by its own Special Jury consisting of 3 jury members, which includes Italian actress Valentina Cervi.
We would also like to mention James’ Run - The Shabu Crackdown written and directed by Alfredo Covelli, representing Italy in the Co-Production Market. Last but not least, Riccardo Scamarcio has been nominated for this year’s Shooting Stars, the International launch for rising new European film stars – which again will be presented by the European Film Promotion, to include a three day programme of events, featuring meetings with International casting agents, journalists and producers, and culminating with the Award ceremony in the Berlinale Palast. Other events taking place concurrently with the Festival include a Gala Ceremony on February 13 by Cinema for Peace, with the screening of All the Invisibile Children, directed by Mehdi Charef, Emir Kusturica, Spike Lee, Katia Lund, Jordan & Ridley Scott, Stefano Veneruso and John Woo, produced by Chiara Tilesi, MK Productions with Rai Cinema and under the patronage of the Ministry of Cultural Affairs, UNICEF and the World Food Program.
“We are particularly proud” declares Giovanni Galoppi President of di AIP-Film Italia “ that an important film such as Crime Novel by Michele Placido in Competition at the Berlin International Film Festival has found its right International exposure It is an acknowledgement which rewards all of those who believe in Italian cinema and work at establishing its identity and promotional value abroad”.