Next February's Berlin film festival (Berlinale) (Feb 6-17, 2002) will boast a new section highlighting German films that have particular flair or unusual and outstanding characteristics. The new section, Perspectives Of German Cinema will screen about ten contemporary films culled from the feature, documentary and experimental branches.

The new section will be open to material shown on 16mm and 35mm formats. "We want to integrate the German film scene more strongly into the Berlinale; this means, in part, creating new possibilities of presentation for the various genres and aesthetics that filmmakers in this country develop," said Berlin festival director Dieter Kosslick.

"I was always convinced that there are great talents in our country that need to be shown." Run by film journalist and film manager Alfred Holighaus, Perspectives is to be held in addition to the existing series New German Film that is organised by Heinz Badewitz and which has now been re-named German Cinema.

"We are looking for interesting themes and innovative approaches," said Holighaus, who developed the project together with Kosslick, Badewitz, Panorama director, Wieland Speck and Forum director Christoph Terhechte.

German Cinema will contain about 20 titles and, in contrast to the public series: Perspectives, "inform industry attendees on the state of current German film production."