cafebabel.com

Documentary 'Listening to Garzon': Spain’s most famous judge judged

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 17:00:46 -0000

‘Escuchando al Juez Garzón’ is an 87-minute documentary shot as a single interview with the high-profile human rights judge in Madrid in late 2010. Over a year later, he is going on trial for triple prosecutions on his abuses of power at his country's supreme court. International human rights activists argue that this 'Judge Dredd' case is one of Spanish science fiction

Berlin citizen power: GreenLeaks, Stuttgart 21 and water privatisation

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:08:22 -0000

One of Europe's most politicised and strictly environmentally-ruled cities is home to a green-themed Wikileaks spin-off, run by an Australian documentary maker. The mood for disclosure is also celebrated in the annual film festival, which has incorporated the city's first successful referendum into its programme

'Give food a chance': culinary cinema in Berlin

('Annie Rutherford',) — Thu, 24 Feb 2011 12:14:32 -0000

At the 61st Berlin international film festival, the 'culinary cinema' series of events drew attention to the 'relationship between film, culture, cuisine and the environment' for the fifth time. Together with menus from top chefs in the Gropius Mirror restaurant, a mixture of films about nutrition and the environment reinforce the belief of festival director Dieter Kosslick: 'Food brings people together and connects them to their surroundings'

Berlin film festival 2011 winner goes to Iran: Asghar Farhadi's Nader and Simin, a Separation

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 11:50:57 -0000

In 2009 the Iranian director scooped a Silver Bear for best director for About Elly. This year's competition entry 'Jodaeiye Nader az Simin' was a clear frontrunner for the 2011 Golden Bear award, beating twenty-one other films in competition. Review

Berlin film festival 2011: Coen brothers True Grit opener not true to Coen

('English language version of cafebabel.com',) — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 18:23:14 -0000

After the road movie O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) and the thriller No Country For Old Men (2007) the Coen brothers are back in the deserted vastness of the American landscape. The ten-times Oscar nominated film opened the 61st Berlin film festival on 10 February

Krystof Hadek: 'foreign characters played by English-speaking actors? Disappointing'

Mon, 08 Mar 2010 13:15:00 -0000

In the last month the 27-year-old Czech actor has picked up accolades at the Berlin film festival (one of the ten 'shooting stars' in Europe) and a Czech Lion for 'best actor'. We talk fame, acting genes and language in European cinema

Kinshasa Symphony: why is Mozart in Africa an alien concept?

('Annie Rutherford',) — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 13:18:39 -0000

People passionately making music is always good film fodder. This German documentary offers a contrast to the conflicts and states of mind dealt with its 2008 predecessor 'Trip to Asia', which followed the Berlin philharmonic

Florian Lukas: no more 'best mate characters' for the 'Good Bye Lenin!' star

('Lindsey Evans',) — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 11:28:25 -0000

He picked up a Deutscher Filmpreis for his role as the fake newsreader with a stick-on moustache who brought the GDR back to life after the wall had fallen in the 2003 cult hit. Seven years on, the 36-year-old is back, this time playing the sensitive lover of a German-born Turk. We grab the actor at the 2010 Berlin film festival

Israeli and Arab film pick at the Berlin film festival

('Sarah Turpin',) — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 15:07:18 -0000

On the 60th anniversary of the Berlin film festival, cinema should be just that: cinema. But this year the international film festival introduces people, landscapes and cultures who and which you'd never encounter in real life

Berlin film festival: 60 years of masterpieces

('Sarah Truesdale',) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 12:00:00 -0000

The Berlin international film festival (or Berlinale) has been fraught with political struggles. Created by the allies of west Berlin right under the noses of communist dictators, it was a way of opening a window to the 'free' world. Over the years, it has developed into an unmissable world cinema event

Metropolis: masterpiece recovered at last

('Alison Frank',) — Mon, 15 Feb 2010 11:42:15 -0000

A complete version of the masterpiece of German cinema was screened with great ceremony on 13 February at the Berlin film festival; some missing sequences of Fritz Lang’s film were found two years ago in Argentina, 83 years after the film’s original release

Dear Reader via Johannesburg and Berlin: 'We’re all just geeks really'

('Andrew Christie',) — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 12:00:00 -0000

Cherilyn MacNeil, 24, the charismatic singer and pianist of South African indie trio Dear Reader, speaks to us from the fringes of the Berlin Festival about her home country’s mix of danger and new beginnings, faith and spirituality, broken hearts and summer in Berlin

Twenty years on: why Berlin is not Germany

('Agnes Emri',) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 19:44:38 -0000

The city buzzes with cultural events to commemorate the reunification of Berlin and the European continent. But how do the protagonists of the change view each other - whether they are born after 1990, are pre-1990 migrants or modern-day visitors?

'The Wonderous World of Laundry': forgiving free market in Berlin and Warsaw

('Lydia Bigos',) — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 13:37:44 -0000

The global credit crunch has quickly established it self to be a test of European solidarity. The government in Berlin faces a particularly difficult challenge as 2009 brings them the presidential elections and the elections for European parliament. This is also the time to fulfil the promise of opening up the German labour market to the ten new EU states, including Poland. Will pre-election fever deal with the ever-increasing unemployment on both sides of the Odra River – without compromising the strong relationship between Berlin and Warsaw?

Film review Austria: The Bone Man is rootsy, rank and riotous

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 12:38:11 -0000

The world premiere of Der Knochenmann took place at the Berlin film festival on 9 February. The bittersweet crime caper, starring the unfortunate private detective Simon Brenner, provides an in-depth insight into rural Austria and its relationship with its European neighbours east of the Danube. In the Alpine republic, Brenner is something of a folk hero. Here’s why

The Yes Men fix the world: die, global capitalism

('Ole Skambraks',) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 16:28:49 -0000

Andy Bichlbaum and Mike Bonanno's modern political activism doesn't only involve fighting for their beliefs. They have shot a whole movie about it. Exclusive video interview

Interview with actor Paweł Szajda: ‘I was used to a kind of dictatorship on the set’

('Marysia Amribd',) — Fri, 13 Feb 2009 13:07:24 -0000

On 13 February, the Polish film Tatarak by director Andrzej Wajda closes the Berlin Film Festival. The 27-year-old lead actor, a sort of Polish-American David Kross, tells us why he wants to return to his European roots

Berlinale: Europe’s ten up-and-coming ’Shooting Stars’

('Ole Skambraks',) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:13:20 -0000

Every year since 1998, an international jury selects Europe’s best actors. These then embark take on a journey across the world to promote European cinema - and to get to know themselves. On 9 February, British actresses Carey Mulligan and Sarah Bogler joined nine other winners at the Berlin Film Festival

Berlinale documentary: FOOD inc - what are you eating?

('Ole Skambraks',) — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 16:03:13 -0000

Do producers deliberately hide information about the origins, ingredients or the production process? American director Robert Kenner investigates in the primary phase of the chain, right into the animal factories and agricultural fields

The Reader: Germany’s Nazi past a festival highlight

('Agnes Emri',) — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 22:00:00 -0000

Stephen Daldry's stirring film is an attempt to ethically approach taking responsibility for the Holocaust crimes which is ingeniously intertwined with the story of ill-fated love. The phenomenal Kate Winslet picked up a BAFTA on 8 February to add to her Golden Globe for her role as Hanna Schmitz

François Ozon’s Ricky: French-Spanish baby horror

('Ole Skambraks',) — Sat, 07 Feb 2009 00:15:00 -0000

Love gives you wings to fly - the French director takes the saying very literally in his new film. Well known for 8 Women, Ozon presents a very sober social realism, which fades more and more into a Peter Pan like Neverland

Cinema: cafebabel.com at Berlinale 2009

('Nabeelah Shabbir',) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 17:17:30 -0000

For the first time in its eight year history cafebabel.com is going to the movies - officially! Meet the pan-European team reporting for you at the Berlin film festival between 5 and 15 February

Live at the Berlinale: The International opens film festival

('Ole Skambraks',) — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 11:25:10 -0000

The 59th Berlinale kicked off on 5 February with the world premiere of Tom Tykwer’s feature, sporting a title could not be more appropriate for this renowned film event. Celebrated every February since 1978, the festival today attracts film professionals from 120 countries, 40, 000 journalists and even more movie-goers from all over the world. Review