BERLIN: Director Graham Moore scored a special gala screening at the Berlinale with his debut film The Outfit, an undoubted sign that here is a director to watch in future. Moore, who won an Oscar for his script for The Imitation Game, also wrote the screenplay for the film this time teaming up co-screenwriter Jonathan McClain.

BERLIN: Director Peter Strickland’s fifth feature film Flux Gourmet, a UK, USA, Hungary coproduction, screens in the Encounters section of the 2022 Berlinale. While the world of culinary art might sound like a frivolous setting for a film this is not the case.

BERLIN: Australian director Sophie Hyde has been awarded a Berlinale Special Gala for her film Good Luck to You Leo Grande, which arrives in Berlin after making a critical splash in Sundance. Hyde is already a Sundance regular with her previous films 52 Sundays (2014) and the comedy Animals (2019) also screening in Sundance.

BERLIN: The anti-abortion feminist drama Call Jane directed by Phyllis Nagy has scored a spot in the Berlinale main competition. The film had its USA premiere at the Sunday Film Festival earlier this year. International festival goers will remember Phyllis Nagy as the scriptwriter of the drama Carol directed by Todd Haynes and based on the Patricia Highsmith novel.

PRAGUE: Eva Zaoralová has passed away at the age of 89. She was one of the giants of European film as well as a personal friend, and many across the European film industry will be mourning this loss. She was frequently and deservedly honoured for her work as both a critic and as the artistic director of Karlovy Vary Film Festival, but most of all she was loved. She was also an honourary founding member of Film New Europe endorsing the project from the time of its start-up.

BERLIN: Spanish Alcarràs by Carla Simón was awarded the Golden Bear for Best Film by the International Jury at the 72nd Berlinale on 16 February 2022. The Romanian minority coproduction Alis by Clare Weiskopf and Nicolas van Hemelryck received the Crystal Bear for Best Film from the Youth Jury Generation 14plus.

VALLETTA: The Malta Film Commission (MFC) put on a world class show on 29 January 2022 at the Mediterranean Conference Centre in Valletta to showcase Maltese talent and the determination to build a world class local film industry in Malta.

BERLIN: A strong representation of feature, short, animated and documentary films, as well as TV series from FNE partner countries have been selected for various sections of the 72nd edition of the Berlin International Film Festival. This year the festival will start on 10 February and the winners will be announced on 16 February, with the last four days (17-20 February) with re-runs for the public.

CANNES: Todd McCarthy’s Stillwater starring Cannes favourite Matt Damon screens Out of Competition this year in Cannes. Damon is a frequent visitor to Cannes as the star of films in the official programme and this year will be his fifth time on the Cannes red carpet.

CANNES: Writer and director Sean Baker scores a slot in the main Cannes competition lineup with a film described as raw and funny.  His earlier successful films The Florida Project and Tangerine, a transgender movie, have made Red Rocket a much anticipated followup.