The fourth PerspektiveDeutsches Kino section of the Berlinale has revealed its first five films to beselected.

"The breadth of themesand characters in these films covers everything from social hardships under thecurrent wave of reforms to the tenderness of heartfelt moments. What's beingdealt with is always authentic - no matter whether it involves financialworries or emotional outbursts", section head Alfred Holighaus said of thetrend evident in the five films selected for the series so far.

Two of the feature filmsconcentrate on the relationship between a father and a son, although theydevelop in totally different directions. Whereas in Netto, atragicomical film made by Robert Thalheim while studying at the HFF Potsdam,the roles between the parent and child are temporarily swapped, in DasLaecheln Der Tiefseefische (Do Fish Smile') by Till Endemann, a familysorts itself out as a result of the conflict between generations.

Blackout, a 30-minute movie by Maximilian Erlenwein, astudent at the dffb, is the story of guitarist Tom Schulze - the Dr. Jekyll andMr. Hyde of Berlin's night scene. When the sensitive musician is intoxicated heturns into a brutal thug who ruins relationships and lives - including his own.

Two documentary filmsventure a particularly intense look at young people's circumstances andattitude toward life in this country. Teresa Renn's Janine F. examines acase which caused a stir in Berlin two years ago. In talks with friends andfamily, who veer between guilt and ignorance, the film investigates the suicidecommitted by the artist Janine F.

Bettina Braun's Was LebstDu' (What's Your Life Like') tells in a very personal manner about theworld of four Muslim friends of different nationalities who live in Cologne.

Meanwhile, the opening filmof the 35th International Forum of New Cinema has been selected: The Germanproduction Lost And Found unites stories by young directing talents fromsix Central and Eastern European countries.

The internationalcontributions to this compilation of short films were produced in Estonia,Bulgaria, Romania, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Hungary, and Serbia-Montenegro andpost-produced in Germany.

The countries were chosen asproject partners on the basis of their rich film culture.

The four short films, onedocumentary, and one animated film reflect a new cinematic self-understandingon the part of the young generation of filmmakers from Central and EasternEurope.

The directors include fiveparticipants from the Berlinale Talent Campus 2004, as well as a winner of theGolden Bear (Stefan Arsenijevic for the short film (A)Torzija, 2003).

Lost And Found was produced by the Cologne production company ICONFILM. Initiator is the Berlin association "relations", which, as aninitiative project of the German Federal Cultural Foundation, fosters art andculture projects in Central and Eastern Europe.