There’s still a lot of uncertainty about how the pandemic is going to affect some of the 2022 film festivals, particularly the ones earlier in the year. But even though it’s unclear how the pandemic might alter the event, the Berlin Film Festival has already gone ahead and announced its first wave of titles.
We didn’t learn any of the official competition films, but the 2022 Berlin Film Festival has selected quite a few interesting choices for some of its other programs. Of note, there is a new film, “Against the Ice,” from filmmaker Peter Flinth, which stars Nikolaj Coster-Waldaul, Joe Cole, and more. Then there’s Isabelle Huppert in the new film, “About Joan,” which comes from filmmaker Laurent Larivière. Both of those films are playing as part of the Berlinale Special Gala. There’s even a new film, “Taurus,” from filmmaker Tim Sutton, which stars Colson Baker, Megan Fox, Maddie Hasson, Scoot McNairy, and Ruby Rose.
“The pandemic has created distances – not only between people but also the way we see the world,” said the Artistic Director of the Berlinale, Carlo Chatrian. “Amongst the 2022 selection are films shot during the pandemic, reflecting on how it feels to be disconnected from others. It is with this first batch of films that we want to highlight the power of cinema as a tool that connects people, places and times ahead.”
You can see the full list of first wave Berlin Film Festival selections below:
Berlinale Special Gala
Against the Ice
Iceland / USA / Denmark
by Peter Flinth
with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Joe Cole, Heida Reed, Charles Dance
World premiere
À propos de Joan (About Joan)
France / Germany / Ireland
by Laurent Larivière
with Isabelle Huppert, Lars Eidinger, Swann Arlaud
World premiere
Gangubai Kathiawadi
India
by Sanjay Leela Bhansali
with Alia Bhatt, Ajay Devgn
World premiere
Der Passfälscher (The Forger)
Germany
by Maggie Peren
with Louis Hofmann, Jonathan Berlin, Luna Wedler
World premiere
Berlinale Special
Le chêne (Heart of Oak)
France
by Laurent Charbonnier, Michel Seydoux
International premiere / documentary form
Nothing Lasts Forever
USA
by Jason Kohn
World premiere / documentary Form
1341 Framim Mehamatzlema Shel Micha Bar-Am (1341 Frames of Love and War)
Israel / United Kingdom / USA
by Ran Tal
World premiere / documentary Form
Berlin Panorama
Alle reden übers Wetter (Talking About the Weather)
Germany
by Annika Pinske
with Anne Schäfer, Anne-Kathrin Gummich, Judith Hofmann, Marcel Kohler, Max Riemelt
World premiere / Debut film
The Apartment with Two Women
Republic of Korea
by Kim Se-in
with Im Jee-ho, Yang Mal-bok
International premiere / Debut film
Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power
USA
by Nina Menkes
with Julie Dash, Charlyne Yi, Joey Soloway, Rosanna Arquette, Eliza Hittman
International premiere / Panorama Dokumente
Calcinculo (Swing Ride)
Italy / Switzerland
by Chiara Bellosi
with Gaia Di Pietro, Andrea Carpenzano
World premiere
Dreaming Walls
Belgium / France / USA / Netherlands / Sweden
by Amélie van Elmbt, Maya Duverdier
World premiere / Panorama Dokumente
Klondike
Ukraine / Turkey
by Maryna Er Gorbach
with Oxana Cherkashyna, Sergiy Shadrin, Oleg Scherbina
A Love Song
USA
by Max Walker-Silverman
with Dale Dickey, Wes Studi
International premiere / debut film
Myanmar Diaries
Netherlands / Myanmar / Norway
by The Myanmar Film Collective
World premiere / Panorama Dokumente
Nel mio nome (Into My Name)
Italy
by Nicolò Bassetti
World premiere / Panorama Dokumente
Nelly & Nadine
Sweden
by Magnus Gertten
World premiere / Panorama Dokumente
Nous, Étudiants ! (We, Students!)
Central African Republic / France / Democratic Republic of the Congo / Saudi Arabia
by Rafiki Fariala
World premiere / debut film / Panorama Dokumente
Ta farda (Until Tomorrow)
Iran / France / Qatar
by Ali Asgari
with Sadaf Asgari, Ghazal Shojaei, Babak Karimi, Amirreza Ranjbaran, Nahal Dashti, Mohammad Heidari
World premiere
Taurus
USA
by Tim Sutton
with Colson Baker, Megan Fox, Maddie Hasson, Scoot McNairy, Ruby Rose, Demetrius “Lil Meech” Flenory Jr., Lil Tjay
World premiere
Generation – Long Films
Allons enfants (Rookies)
France
by Thierry Demaizière, Alban Teurlai
World premiere / documentary form
Beba
USA / Mexico
by Rebeca Huntt
with Rebeca Huntt
European premiere / debut film / documentary form
An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl)
Ireland
by Colm Bairéad
with Catherine Clinch, Carrie Crowley, Andrew Bennett
World premiere
Comedy Queen
Sweden
by Sanna Lenken
with Sigrid Johnson, Ellen Taure, Oscar Töringe
International premiere
Kind Hearts
Belgium
by Olivia Rochette, Gerard-Jan Claes
World premiere / documentary form
Knor (Oink)
Netherlands
by Mascha Halberstad
with Hiba Ghafry, Matsen Montsma, Kees Prins
World premiere / debut film / animation
Millie Lies Low
New Zealand
by Michelle Savill
with Ana Scotney, Jillian Nguyen
International premiere / debut film
My Father’s Truck
USA / Vietnam
by Mauricio Osaki
with Trung Anh, Nhu Quynh Nguyen, Kiều Trinh Nguyễn
World premiere / debut film
Sublime
Argentina
by Mariano Biasin
with Martín Miller, Teo Inama Chiabrando, Azul Mazzeo
World premiere / debut film
Tytöt tytöt tytöt (Girl Picture)
Finland
by Alli Haapasalo
with Aamu Milonoff, Eleonoora Kauhanen, Linnea Leino
European premiere
Forum
Afterwater
Germany / Spain / Republic of Korea (South Korea) / Serbia
by Dane Komljen
with Jonasz Hapka, Signe Westberg, Boban Kaludjer
World premiere
Akyn (Poet)
Kazakhstan
by Darezhan Omirbayev
with Yerdos Kanayev, Serik Salkinbayev, Klara Kabylgazina
European premiere
La edad media (The Middle Ages)
Argentina
by Alejo Moguillansky, Luciana Acuña
with Cleo Moguillansky, Luciana Acuña, Alejo Moguillansky
World premiere
Europe
Germany / France
by Philip Scheffner
with Rhim Ibrir, Thierry Cantin, Didier Cuillierier
World premiere
Une Fleur à la bouche (A Flower in the Mouth)
France / Germany / Republic of Korea (South Korea)
by Éric Baudelaire
with Oxmo Puccino, Dali Benssalah
World premiere
Miền ký ức (Memoryland)
Vietnam / Germany
by Kim Quy Bui
with Mong Giao Vu, Thi Thu Trang Nguyen, Van Thai Nguyen
European premiere
Mis dos voces (My Two Voices)
Canada
by Lina Rodriguez
with Ana Garay Kostic, Marinela Piedrahita, Claudia Montoya
World premiere / documentary form
Nuclear Family
USA / Singapore
by Erin Wilkerson, Travis Wilkerson
with Travis Wilkerson, Erin Wilkerson, Matilda Wilkerson
European premiere / documentary form
Super Natural
Portugal
by Jorge Jácome
with Alexis Fernandes, Bárbara Matos, Celestine Ngantonga Ndzana
World premiere
The United States of America
USA
by James Benning
World premiere
Forum Expanded
O Dente do Dragão (Dragon Tooth)
Brazil
by Rafael Castanheira Parrode
World premiere
Home When You Return
USA
by Carl Elsaesser
International premiere
Jail Bird in a Peacock Chair
Germany / USA
by James Gregory Atkinson
International premiere
Sol in the Dark
France
by Mawena Yehouessi
World premiere
vs
Austria
by Lydia Nsiah
World premiere
