As the AFM begins to wind down, attention now turns to hot titles for the Berlinale.

Some US films to screen there could include Jodie Foster’s The Beaver starring Mel Gibson; Johnny Depp-starring The Rum Diary; and Famke Janssen’s directorial debut Bringing Up Bobby.

Jose Padilha’s Elite Squad 2 is a likely shoo-in because the 2008 original film won the Golden Bear. The sequel has already been a huge box-office hit in its native Brazil.

From the UK, likely suspects could be The Eagle by Kevin Macdonald, David Mackenzie’s You Instead, and Niall MacCormick’s coming of age drama Albatross. Bel Ami starring Robert Pattinson and Uma Thurman could also potentially be ready in time for a Berlin slot.

Among documentary titles, master Frederick Wiseman is in post now on Crazy Horse, about the Parisian cabaret club.

Also, Pina, Wim Wenders’ 3D documentary about chorerographer Pina Bausch seems a sure bet for Berlin selection.

Kevin Macdonald’s user-generated, feature-length doc Life In A Day could also appear in Berlin after its Sundance world premiere.

Closer to home, Wolfgang Murnberger’s Nazi-era drama My Best Enemy, starring Moritz Bleibtreu, could also be well timed for Berlin, as could Agnieszka Holland’s Hidden, set in Poland during the Nazi occupation.

From Spain, one possible selection would be Verbo, directed by Eduardo Chapero-Jackson, about a teenage girl who enters a secret world.

The Citadel (Burnt By The Sun 3) could be ready by Berlin and it’s conceivable the festival could screen the Mikhalkov trilogy in its entirety.

Julius Onah’s The Girl Is In Trouble will be ready as ill Delphine Gleize’s La Permission De Minuit.

Israeli project Footnote from Joseph Cedar (Beaufort), is also possible for Berlin.

Turning to Asia, most big upcoming Chinese films are scheduled for release in Chinese-speaking territories in the peak box office season in December and January so they might aim for out-of-competition special screenings. The most high-profile upcoming Chinese releases include Jiang Wen’s Let The Bullets Fly, Benny Chan’s Shaolin, and Chen Kaige’s Sacrifice.

Gu Changwei is a festival favourite and has a film coming up starring Zhang Ziyi and Aaron Kwok - Life Is A Miracle - which is a romance between two AIDS sufferers.

From Korea, there is The Yellow Sea directed by Na Hong-jin, Kim Jee-woon and Yim Phil-sung’s Doomsday Book and Juhn Jaihong’s Poongsan, which is produced by Kim Ki-duk.

 

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