
Choosing what to see at the Berlinale is as difficult as securing one of the coveted tickets in time. The only trick for the latter is to be on time in the ticket queue or quick online. In terms of choosing what to see, we’ve rummaged through the program for you and highlighted our top picks. The 75th Berlinale will open under the direction of film festival director Tricia Tuttle on 13.02.2025 with a new film by Tom Tykwer, The Light. Starring Nicolette Krebitz and Lars Eidinger, The Light tells the story of the Engel family. Parents and children live side by side rather than together until the new Syrian housekeeper, Farrah, throws their everyday life off kilter. The documentary, Al Basateen, also focuses on Syria: artist Antoine Chapon lets two residents of the Basateen al-Razi district in Damascus, which was destroyed in 2015, have their say. The short film Anngeerdardardor by director Christoffer Stenbakken also tells a story of loss — in East Greenland, Kaali sets off in search of his missing sled dog. Beneath Which Rivers Flow is also about human-animal friendship between a boy and an animal. In his documentary short film, filmmaker Ali Yahya follows Ibrahim, who lives in a swampy area in southern Iraq as he tries to rescue a buffalo. Director Jan-Ole Gerster takes us to a luxury hotel in Fuerteventura in his new feature film Islands. Gerster tells the story of tennis coach Tom, played by Sam Riley, who becomes involved in a missing persons case. For the protagonist of Mickey 17 — the new science fiction blockbuster from Parasite director Bong Joon Ho — it’s not disappearance but the duplication becomes a problem. Mickey, played by Robert Pattinson, agrees to have his body cloned if he dies on a dangerous mission. This goes well until Mickey comes face to face with his clone and it is unclear which of the two will be allowed to survive.
Nineteen films (world premieres) are in the running for the coveted Golden and Silver Bears in this year’s competition. In the Irish entry, Blue Moon with Ethan Hawke, Margarete Qualley and Andrew Scott, famous songwriter Lorenz Hart plunges into a deep life crisis. Rebecca Lenkiewicz celebrates her debut with the drama Hot Milk, based on the novel of the same name by Deborah Levy. In it, Sofia travels with her mother to a Spanish coastal town and meets a seductive stranger, played by Vicky Krieps. In Frédéric Hambalek’s contribution What Marielle Knows, Marielle’s parents discover that their daughter has developed telepathic abilities, leading to uncomfortable and absurd situations. Yunan by Ameer Fakher Eldin is about the final act of life. On a remote island, Munir seeks solitude to reflect. We can look forward to seeing Hanna Schygulla and Sibel Kikelli. One of our favorite sections is the diverse Panorama, and it begins with Auto Naturno from Brazil: an actor and a politician begin a secret affair that becomes increasingly reckless. Another debut is Nele Mueller-Stöfen’s Delicious: the life of a wealthy family turns on its head when they hire a young woman as a maid on summer vacation. Chloë Sevigny shines in Amalia Ulman’s Magic Farm. On their way to meet a musician, a film crew travels to Argentina on behalf of a media agency. When they realize they have arrived in the wrong country, they decide to create a trend there. We’re particularly excited about the new film Other People’s Money by Jan Schomburg, Dustin Loose and Kaspar Munk. A global network of bankers, lawyers and super-rich investors defrauded the European state coffers of 146 billion euros. If you want to immerse yourself in the New York art scene of the 1970s, watch a conversation between photographer Peter Hujar and his girlfriend Linda Rosenkrantz, played by Ben Wishaw and Rebecca Hall, in Peter Hujar’s Day by Ira Sachs. Schwesterherz by Sarah Miro Fischer is a tribute to the close bond between Rose and her older brother Sam. When Sam is accused of rape, Rose is asked to testify against him as part of the investigation. There’s no Berlinale without Nina Hoss: in Zikaden, Isabell takes care of her aging parents and is faced with the ruins of her marriage when she meets single mother Anja. Our Best of Berlinale 2025 ends with the news that this year’s Honorary Bear goes to the breathtaking actress Tilda Swinton!
Text: Laura Storfner, Milena Kalojanov / Stills: Beneath Which Rivers Flow, Mickey 17, Was Marielle weiß
75th Berlinale (13.–23.02.2025)
Find the full Berlinale program here. You can buy tickets online from 10.02.2025 10h.
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