18/12/2015 - The new films by John Michael McDonagh and Bouli Lanners are among the selected flicks

Twelve titles have arrived as pathfinders in the line-up of the Panorama section of the 66th Berlin Film Festival (11-21 February 2016), in the fiction category, accompanied by two documentaries, both of which are European-American co-productions. 

Among the 12 films, seven are European, in addition to one co-production. France is well represented (by one production and several co-productions), as is the United Kingdom, with films that flirt with different genres, and leading the way is a regular in the Panorama section, John Michael McDonagh, who has already been acclaimed twice at the gathering: for The Guard [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: John Michael McDonagh
film profile] and Calvary [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
interview: John Michael McDonagh
film profile]. This time, he is swapping the Irish accent of his favourite actor Brendan Gleeson for the American one of Michael Peña and Swedish-born Alexander Skarsgård (son of Stellan, well known for his roles in a number of cult US series) as he offers us War on Everyone [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile], a cop film with added biting satire. Among the French co-productions, we must mention the new film by Belgian director Bouli Lanners, The First, The Last [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Bouli Lanners
film profile], starring the director himself, Albert Dupontel and Michael Lonsdale.

The other European movies in this section will be Paris 05:59 [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by French directors Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau, I, Olga Hepnarová [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
interview: Tomáš Weinreb, Petr Kazda
film profile] by Czech filmmakers Tomáš Weinreb and Petr Kazda, On the Other Side [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tihana Lazovic
interview: Zrinko Ogresta
film profile] by Croatia’s Zrinko Ogresta, and the British titles The Ones Below [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by David Farr and Remainder [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Omer Fast. It should also be noted that the section will host the first Ghanaian fiction ever to be presented at Berlin. 

For the time being, the organisers are describing the films as diverse and astonishing, and list denial and male sensitivity among the themes covered – the latter is a very apt motif, as the festival is celebrating the 30^th edition of the Teddy Award this year.

Panorama (first films selected)

Paris 05:59 [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau (France)
The First, The Last [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Bouli Lanners
film profile] - Bouli Lanners (France/Belgium)
I, Olga Hepnarová [+see also:
film review
trailer
making of
interview: Tomáš Weinreb, Petr Kazda
film profile] - Tomáš Weinreb and Petr Kazda (Czech Republic/Poland/Slovakia/France)
On the Other Side [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tihana Lazovic
interview: Zrinko Ogresta
film profile] - Zrinko Ogresta (Croatia/Serbia)
War on Everyone [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - John Michael McDonagh (UK)
The Ones Below [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - David Farr (UK)
Remainder [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Omer Fast (UK/Germany)
Junction 48 [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Udi Aloni (Israel/Germany/USA)
Sand Storm [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Elite Zexer (Israel, France)
Starve Your Dog - Hicham Lasri (Morocco)
Nakom - Kelly Daniela Norris (Ghana/USA)
Maggie's Plan - Rebecca Miller (USA)

Panorama Documentaries (first films selected)

Don't Blink - Robert Frank [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Laura Israel (USA/France)
Hotel Dallas [+see also:
trailer
film profile] - Livia Ungur and Sherng-Lee Huang (USA/Romania)

(Translated from French)