Berlinale impressions

After 10 days of screenings, press conferences, photo shootings and discussions, the winners of the 2017 Berlinale will be announced tonight. So far I have only seen one of the films in competition: the Brazilian film Joaquim, which unfortunately failed to impress me. I will watch three more competition films on Berlinale Publikumstag, the Sunday devoted to the public. However, my prediction is that the Finnish film Toivon Tuolla Puolen (The Other Side of Hope, about a friendship between a Finn and a Syrian refugee) will be a strong contestant for the Golden Bear this year. I also have a feeling that the Chilean film Una Mujer Fantastica (A Fantastic Woman) will win some serious prizes. 

In the past two editions of the Berlinale I happened to pick both winners before they were announced (Taxi in 2015 and Fuocoammare in 2016) so let's see if I am right this year.

Of the films I have watched, the ones I enjoyed the most were T2 Trainspotting (though don't expect Trainspotting 2) and Call Me by Your Name by Luca Guadagnino. Viceroy's House (set in India at the end of British colonial rule and ending with the partition into India and Pakistan) and The Lost City of Z (about British explorer Percy Fawcett) were both watchable and entertaining, with good acting. 

I also attended a talk at the HAU theatre with Berlinale jury president Paul Verhoeven and jury member Maggie Gyllenhaal. The theme of the talk was Courage Against All Odds. I thoroughly enjoyed watching clips from Robocop, Basic Instinct, Elle and The Secretary and listening to Paul Verhoeven's amusing tales.

To anyone planning to attend the Berlinale, I highly recommend going to at least one talk or Q&A. Last year's Q&A with Tilda Swinton after the screening of The Seasons in Quincy: Four Portraits of John Berger was both entertaining and inspiring.

To quote my friend Francesca, who attended a premiere at the Berlinale for the first time this year: "You have to fight for everything here!" I couldn't agree more: from buying the tickets, to getting into the cinema, to finding a good seat, or posting the card for the Panorama audience award, you have to constantly battle your way through the Berlinale. But once you sit down, the lights go off, the Berlinale theme tune starts (and the coughing begins), you will most likely have a rewarding and magical experience. Just remember: be prepared and follow my tips. Until next year...

How to survive and enjoy the Berlinale

February in Berlin is by far the bleakest month of the year. It's grey, it's cold and it feels as if the winter will never end. Fortunately February is also the month of the Berlinale, the Berlin Film Festival, a major international event that brings excitement and glamour to the city of Berlin. 
Now in its 67th edition, the Berlinale is an indie film lovers' paradise, with hundreds of films from all over the world in original language (with English subtitles), projected on large screens in warm and comfortable cinemas and theatres across Berlin. The choice is huge: from obscure and odd films to indie masterpieces.
However, it can also feel rather daunting and stressful, due to the large crowds, long queues and variety of films to choose from. So if you're not a member of the press or a film professional and you want to make the most of your Berlinale experience, you too need to be prepared.

Understanding the Berlinale
First of all get yourself a programme, possibly both online from the Berlinale website and on paper. You can find the printed programmes at cinemas and theatres participating in the Berlinale and at the Potsdamer Platz Arkaden.
The programme has over 10 different sections.
The main section is the Competition. This is where you find the big names of cinema. Only the films that are part of the Competition are eligible for the big prizes: Golden Bear, Silver Bear, etc.
Just to make it more confusing, there are certain films (like T2 Trainspotting) that are shown in the competition section, but don't actually compete for the prizes.
The other sections of the Berlinale programme include 
Panorama: wide-range of art house films by renowned directors, but also debut films and new discoveries.
Forum: eclectic collection of experimental, avant-garde movies by young film-makers.  
Berlinale shorts: the name says it all.
Generation: films about young people.
Perspektive Deutsches Kino: films from promising German filmmakers.
Berlinale Special: new films by great directors and actors. Some big names here as well, but no prizes.


How do I buy tickets?
Advance sales start at 10:00 am on the Monday before the start of the Berlinale. Make a note in your diary!
Ticket sales for all screenings in Friedrichstadt-Palast, HAU, Volksbühne, Berlinale Goes Kiez and the last Sunday of the Berlinale start on the Monday.
Tickets can be purchased three days in advance. 
Tickets for repeat screenings of Competition films can be purchased four days in advance. 

If you are stuck at a desk all day, your best bet is to buy the tickets online. Make sure you have both a Berlinale and an Eventim account beforehand. Log on to the website of the Berlinale and be glued to the screen from 9:55 am. Keep your finger on the mouse and as soon as the sale starts click like a maniac! The tickets will sell out in seconds.
The other option is to brave the queues at the Potsdamer Platz Arkaden and at a few other locations.

Where can I see the celebrities?
One option is to stand by the red carpet of the Berlinale Palast. This is where the Competition films have their premieres. The opening and awards ceremonies also take place in the Berlinale Palast so the red carpet is pretty impressive!
Another option is to attend the Berlinale Special Gala at the Friedrichstadt Palast or at Zoo Palast. 
Try to gatecrash one of the many parties.
Hang around the posh hotel lobbies around Potsdamer Platz.

Where does it all happen?
The heart of the Berlinale is the area between Potsdamer Platz and the Berlinale Palast. But there are many other venues around town. I've already mentioned the  Friedrichstadt Palast and the Zoo Palast, but there's also the Kino International, the Haus der Berliner Festspiele and many more. There is also a special section of the Berlinale called Berlinale Goes Kiez; the idea is to bring the Berlinale to art-house cinemas in various Berlin neighbourhoods (or Kiez, as they are called in Berlin).    

What should I wear?
Unless you are planning to be on the red carpet, I recommend warm clothes and comfortable shoes! Berlin in February is usually cold and the pavements and streets could be covered in ice and snow. Be prepared to stand in long queues. You might even have to queue for long periods in the cold.

How do I get the best seats?
Get to the venue as early as possible and be prepared to wait.
One way to avoid queuing up in the cold is to watch two films in a row in the same location (for example at Friedrichstadt Palast). You will have to queue up for the first film but you will beat the crowds for the second screening.