The 75th edition of the Berlinale, Europe’s first major cinema showcase, will open on February 13 with the world premiere of Tom Tykwer’s The Light about a Syrian refugee and a middle-class German family.
Awards contenders vying for the prestigious Golden and Silver Bear top prizes include Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon starring Ethan Hawke and Margaret Qualley, as well as Emma Mackey in an adaptation of Deborah Levy’s acclaimed novel Hot Milk.
The festival will also feature a selection of love stories, comedies, and offerings of hope and magic and wonder. Notable newcomers to the program include Vivian Qu’s Girls on Wire, Gabriel Mascaro’s The Blue Trail, and Ukrainian documentary Timestamp by Kateryna Gornostai.
Tilda Swinton will pick up an honorary Golden Bear for lifetime achievement during the opening ceremony.
Organisers are working to reassure film-makers that the festival is a space for open dialogue despite recent controversy surrounding a polarised debate in Germany about Israel’s military action in Gaza. The festival promises to be less niche and more crossover than previous lineups while maintaining its edginess and iconoclastic flair.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/jan/21/broadway-biopic-and-film-with-jessica-chastain-among-berlinale-highlights