The 99 Euro-Films omnibus project will open the Berlinale's new sidebar "Perspective of German Cinema" which is described by the organisers as "a voyage of discovery and adventure through the entire spectrum of German cinema from fictional and experimental films to documentaries".

99 Euro-Films, which comprises 12 short films - each made on a budget of only Euros 99 (less than $100) - was premiered at last year's Oldenburg Film Festival

With eleven titles showing over ten successive evenings from Feb 7, the sidebar features two productions each by Berlin's Egoli Tossell Film (the documentary Der Glanz Von Berlin by Antje Kruska and Judith Keil, and the coming-of-age drama Mutanten by Katalin Godros) and TTD Checkpoint Berlin Filmproduktion (the Planet B double feature) as well as Manfred Walther's 80,000 Shots which chronicles the re-development of the Potsdamer Platz between 1990 and 2001 using a time-lapse camera.

The complete line-up:

99 Euro-Films - Mark Schlichter, Sebastian Beer, Daniel Petersen, RP Kahl, Frieder Schlaich, Michael Klier, Miriam Dehne, Matthias Glasner, Peter Lohmeyer, Esther Gronenborn, Martin Walz and Nicolette Krebitz (shorts)
80,000 Shots - Manfred Walther
Absolut Warhola - Stanislaw Mucha (documentary)
Fickende Fische (Do Fish Do It') - Almut Getto
Der Glanz Von Berlin - Antje Kruska and Judith Keil (documentary)
Happiness Is A Warm Gun - Thomas Imbach
Mein Kleines Kind (My Little One) - Katja Baumgarten (documentary)
Mutanten - Katalin Godros
Planet B - The Antman - Christoph Gampl
Planet B - Detective Lovelorn - Thomas Frick
Verrueckt Nach Paris (Crazy For Paris) - Eike Besuden and Pago Balke

At the same time, a one-day event dubbed: 'Vision Day' will introduce the Berlinale Talent Campus, which is to become a new festival section at next year's event.

Beginning in 2003, a new venue - The House Of World Cultures - will provide screening facilities and lounges where, for a five day period, workshops and discussions will take place for 1,000 participants. Established film artists and trade professionals from all branches of the industry will be invited to discuss all aspects of the industry.

In co-operation with the European Film Academy and the European Film Promotion, three panels will be presented on Vision Day to introduce the concept of the Berlinale Talent Campus.

Topics and panelists:

Think before Shooting - Film, Culture and Responsibility. Derek Malcolm (moderator), Robert Altman, Catherine Breillat, Max Färberböck, Terry Gilliam, Claude Lanzmann

Never Change a Winning Team. Jonathan Olsberg (moderator), Claudie Ossard, Jakob Claussen, Thomas Wöbke, Hans Christian Schmid and François Ozon, Olivier Delbosc, Marc Missionnier

On the Way to a European Star System. Assumpta Serna (moderator), Maria Bonnevie, Franka Potente, Ludivine Sagnier, Jürgen Vogel, John Hubbard, Shaila Rubin.