Forest - I See You Everywhere directed by Bence Fliegauf and starring Laura Podlovics, István Lénárt, Lilla Kizlinger, Zsolt Végh, László Cziffer, Juli Jakab and Ági Gubík, invites us to the maze of everyday lives and relationships, where the other is the biggest secret one could unfold.
Natural Light is a coproduction between Hungary, Latvia, France and Germany, and it stars Ferenc Szabó, Tamás Garbacz, László Bajkó and Gyula Franczia.
Based on a novel by Pál Závada, the debut feature by Dénes Nagy is set during WWII in the occupied Soviet Union, where a simple Hungarian farmer who serves as a sub-lieutenant in a special unit has to take command after his commander is killed.
Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn, a coproduction between Romania, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic and Croatia, “is not an attempt to make a film 'about' something, but merely 'around' something”, as Radu Jude told FNE. That 'something' is an amateur porno clip that a young secondary-school teacher posts on the internet, an event that turns her life upside down.
The main characters are played by Katia Pascariu, Claudia Ieremia, Olimpia Mălai, Nicodim Ungureanu, Alexandru Potocean and Andi Vasluianu.
What Do We See When We Look at the Sky? aka Wind Has Blown, A Woman Had a Thought about Her Silk Scarf by Alexandre Koberidze is the story of Lisa and Giorgi, who fall in love at first sight during a random encounter in the streets of Kutaisi. The film is “a romantic tragicomedy with documentary and magical cinematic elements”, said the director.
The main characters are played by Ani Karseladze, Giorgi Bochorishvili and Vakhtang Fanchulidze.
The Czech minority coproduction Je suis Karl by German director Christian Schwochow focuses on a young man who, after surviving a terrorist attack, becomes part of a European youth movement that aims for nothing less than seizing power.
The film stars Luna Wedler, Jannis Niewöhner and Milan Peschel. The Match Factory is handling the sales.
FILMS FROM FNE PARTNER COUNTRIES SELECTED FOR BERLINALE'S COMPETITION:
Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn / Babardeală cu bucluc sau porno balamuc (Romania, Luxembourg, Croatia, Czech Republic)
Directed by Radu Jude
Produced by microFILM (RO)
Coproduced by Paul Thiltges Distributions (LU), endorfilm (CZ) and Kinorama (HR)
Supported by the Romanian Film Centre (CNC), Cinéworld - Film Fund Luxembourg, the Czech Film Fund and the Croatian Audiovisual Centre (HAVC)
What Do We See When We Look at the Sky? / Ras vkhedavt, rodesac cas vukurebt? (Germany, Georgia)
Directed by Alexandre Koberidze
Produced by DFFB (DE)
Coproduced by Sakdoc (GE)
Supported by MBB and RBB, the Georgian National Film Center
Forest - I See You Everywhere / Rengeteg - mindenhol látlak (Hungary)
Directed by Bence Fliegauf
Produced by Inforg-M&M Film
Supported by the National Film Institute – Hungary
Natural Light / Természetes fény (Hungary, Belgium, Latvia, France, Germany)
Directed by Dénes Nagy
Produced by Campfilm (HU)
Coproduced by Novak Prod (BE), Mistrus Media (LV), Lilith Films (FR), Propeller Film (DE), Proton Cinema (HU)
Supported by the National Film Institute – Hungary, the National Film Centre of Latvia, Eurimages, Aides aux Cinémas du Monde, Creative Europe MEDIA, Torino Film Lab
FILMS FROM FNE PARTNER COUNTRIES SELECTED FOR BERLINALE SPECIAL:
Je suis Karl (Germany, Czech Republic)
Directed by Christian Schwochow
Produced by Pandora Film Production
Coproduced by Negativ Film Productions, Westdeutscher Rundfunk ARD Degeto, Rundfunk Berlin-Brandenburg, ARTE
Supported by Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, DFFF, Filmförderungsanstalt, BKM, Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg, the Czech Film Fund
