European cinema of the 1960s will be the theme of the 2002 Berlinale's Retrospective. In addition, a special 'Shooting Stars' film programme will be staged by pan-European promotion body European Film Promotion (EFP).

Commenting on the 60s Retrospective, which has been organised by the Filmmuseum Berlin - Deutsche Kinemathek, festival director Dieter Kosslick said "the European 60s have had a lasting influence on our current political and cultural situation. The Retrospective will highlight aesthetic ideas and cinematographic genres which have been formative for filmmakers worldwide".

Among the filmmakers likely to be featured are Michelangelo Antonioni, Jean-Luc Godard, Vera Chytilova, Lindsay Anderson, Alexander Kluge, Dusan Makavejev, Bo Widerberg, Juergen Boettcher, Jerzy Skolimoski, Carlos Saura, and Miklos Jancso.

In a new development, the retrospective will be covered by German-language public broadcaster 3sat which will air 40 European feature films from the beginning of the Berlinale throughout the rest of the year as a complementary programme.

In addition, the Berlinale's major partner Premiere World will show a representative selection of European films from the 1960s on several of the pay TV platform's channels during February 2002.

Meanwhile, Shooting Stars, a platform for introducing Europe's new acting talent, will feature a representative from each of the 18 "shooting stars".

"EFP has proven in the last four years with Shooting Stars how one can successfully present the young acting generation in Europe", Kosslick declared. "I think it is important to support innovative projects which intensify the promotion of European cinema. New forms of marketing are necessary to improve the exchange of European films within Europe and to increase the worldwide export".

Selection of 2002's line-up of "Shooting Stars" and their films has yet to be finalised as well as the question of how many of these films will be screened in the Official Competition and Panorama sections or in a separately dedicated sidebar.

Meanwhile, French screen diva Catherine Deneuve has agreed to serve as host for a gala film ball to be held on February 11 during the Berlinale. The event will include a charity auction in aid of Unicef.