Rooney Mara, Isabelle Huppert, Gael Garcia Bernal in 2024 Berlinale – The Hollywood Reporter

The 74th Berlin International Film Festival unveiled its full lineup Monday at its official press conference in the House of World Cultures in Berlin. Berlinale managing director Mariëtte Rissenbeek and artistic director Carlo Chatrian presented the films that will compete for this year’s Golden and Silver Bears both in the competition and encounters sections.

Mexican director Alonso Ruizpalacios, a Berlinale regular and two-time Silver Bear winner — for A Cop Movie in 2022 and Museo in 2018 — returns to Berlin competition with his English-language feature debut La Cocina. Rooney Mara and The Cop Movie alum Raúl Briones star in the drama set over the course of a single day in a bustling New York City restaurant. Briones plays an undocumented cook in a relationship with Julia (Mara), an American waitress who cannot commit to their relationship. Fifth Season is selling North American rights to La Cocina with Hanway handling international sales.

German director Andreas Dresen (Grill Point, Rabiye Kurnaz vs. George W. Bush) another Berlinale stalwart, is back in competition with his latest, From Hilde With Love. Babylon Berlin star Liv Lisa Fries headlines in the period drama about a couple who fall in love in a blissful German summer before their lives are torn apart by the Gestapo. Beta Film is selling the movie worldwide.

Other Berlin regulars returning to competition this year include Olivier Assayas with Suspended Time, Russian documentarian Victor Kossakovsky, back with Architecton, and Mati Diop, whose new documentary Dahomey will compete for this year’s Golden Bear. And the ridiculously prolific Hong Sang-soo is back with his fifth Berlinale competition film in as many years, returning to the German capital with A Traveler’s Needs, his third contribution with French acting legend Isabelle Huppert.

Other acclaimed directors in competition this year include Abderrahmane Sissako, in the official lineup with Black Tea; Austrian auteur horror directors Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala, whose The Devil’s Bath will premiere in Berlin; Bruno Dumont, whose Star Wars parody The Empire will screen in competition; and Piero Messina, whose feature Another End, starring Gael Garcia Bernal, gets its world premiere at the Berlinale. Newer Connect is handling international sales on Another End.

The Worst Person in the World breakout Renate Reinsve co-stars in Another End and also headlines Aaron Schimberg’s competition title A Different Man alongside Sebastian Stan.

Highlights of the Encounters lineup, a sidebar featuring more avant-garde and experimental films, include A Family, the directorial debut of acclaimed, and controversial, French writer Christine Angot, whose work as a screenwriter includes the script to 2022 Berlin competition entry Both Sides of the Blade from director Claire Denis; Matt and Mara by director Kazik Radwanski starring Blackberry director Matt Johnson and Deragh Campbell; and Some Rain Must Fall, the feature debut of acclaimed Chinese short film director Qiu Yang.

Last week Berlin unveiled its 2024 program for the festival’s Panorama, Generation, Forum and Forum Extended sidebars.

Rissenbeek and Chatrain began the presser with a statement on the political intentions and positioning of the festival, in particular about the ongoing war in Gaza. They said the Berlinale provides “a space for artistic expression and peaceful dialogue [as] places of encounter and exchange and contributing to international understanding…. We believe that through the power of films and open discussions, we can help foster empathy, awareness, understanding, even and especially in painful times like these. Our sympathy goes out to all the victims of the humanitarian crisis in the Middle East and elsewhere. We want everyone’s suffering to be recognized, and for our program to be open to discussing different perspectives on the complexity of the world. We are also concerned to see that anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim resentment and hate speech are spreading in Germany and around the world. As a cultural institution, we take a firm stand against all forms of discrimination and are committed to intercultural understanding.”

During this year’s Berlinale, Rissenbeek said, the festival will host panels and discussions together with the Tiny House project, a platform for discussion and debate set up by a joint team of Israeli and Palestinian activists.

Pro-Palestinian demonstrations have disrupted the Sundance Film Festival and the fierce debate over the war in Gaza rocked the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA) last year, with several directors withdrawing their movies in protest.

Chatrian noted that two directors in sidebar sections pulled their films to protest the war in Gaza, joining the protest “Strike Germany,” which is boycotting German cultural institutions because of the German government’s unequivocal support of Israel during the current conflict.

Separately, Rissenbeek referenced the festival’s own troubled history with its first director, Alfred Bauer. In 2020, reporting uncovered Bauer’s close connections with the Nazi regime and the festival commissioned an independent study with the Leibniz Institute for Contemporary History (Institut für Zeitgeschichte – IfZ) into his past. An expanded version of that study has now been published as a book.

Oppenheimer star Cillian Murphy will open the 74th Berlinale on Feb. 15 with the Irish drama Small Things Like These from director Tim Mielants. Murphy plays a man living in 1980s Ireland who discovers the shocking abuse taking place in the Magdalene laundries — asylums run by the Roman Catholic Church for “fallen women.” Matt Damon is a producer on the film through his Artists Equity company and Ben Affleck is an executive producer. FilmNation Entertainment is handling international sales on Small Things Like These.

This will be the final Berlinale for Chatrian and Rissenbeek, who are both stepping down after the 2024 festival wraps up on Feb. 25, to be replaced by Tricia Tuttle, formerly director of the BFI London Film Festival.

Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o (12 Years a Slave, Black Panther) is president of the International Jury for the 2024 Berlinale, responsible for handing out this year’s Gold and Silver Bear awards.

The full lineup for the 74th Berlinale:

COMPETITION

Small Things Like These by Tim Mielants (Opening Night Film)

Another End by Piero Messina

Architecton by Victor Kossakovsky

Black Tea by Abderrahmane Sissako

La Cocina by Alonso Ruizpalacios

Dahomey by Mati Diop

A Different Man by Aaron Schimberg

L’Empire (The Empire) by Bruno Dumont

Gloria! by Margherita Vicario

Hors du temps (Suspended Time) by Olivier Assayas

In Liebe, Eure Hilde (From Hilde With Love) by Andreas Dresen

Keyke mahboobe man (My Favourite Cake) by Behtash Sanaeeha and Maryam Moghaddam

Langue Etrangere by Claire Burger

Me el Ain (Who Do I Belong to) by Meryam Joobeur

Pepe by Nelson Carlos De Los Santos Arias

Shambhala by Min Bahadur Bham

Sterben by Matthias Glasner

Des Teufels Bad (The Devil’s Bath) by Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz

Vogter (Sons) by Gustav Moller

Yeohaengjaui pilyo (A Traveler’s Needs) by Hong Sangsoo

ENCOUNTERS

Arcadia by Yorgos Zois

Cidade; Campo by Juliana Rojas

Demba by Mamadou Dia

Direct Action by Guillaume Cailleau and Ben Russell

Dormir de olhos abertos (Sleep With Your Eyes Open) by Nele Wohlatz

The Fable by Raam Reddy

Une famille (A Family) by Christine Angot

Favoriten by Ruth Beckermann

Ivo by Eva Trobisch

Khamyazeye bozorg (The Great Yawn) by Aliyar Rasti

Kong fang jian li de nv ren (Some Rain Must Fall) by Qiu Yang

Maos no fogo (Hands in the Fire) by Margarida Gil

Matt and Mara by Kazik Radwanski

Through the Graves the Wind Is Blowing by Travis Wilkerson

Tu me abrasas (You Burn Me) by Matias Pineiro

2024 Berlinale Sidebar Lineups (Previously Announced)

Panorama

Afterwarby Birgitte StærmosePanorama Dokumente | World premiere | Documentary Form

Alle die Du bist (Every You Every Me)by Michael Fetter NathanskyGermany / Spain 2024Panorama | World premiere

All Shall Be Wellby Ray YeungHong Kong, China 2024Panorama | World premiere

Andrea lässt sich scheiden (Andrea Gets a Divorce)by Josef HaderAustria 2024Panorama | World premiere

À quand l’Afrique? (Which Way Africa?)by David-Pierre FilaRepublic of the Congo / Angola / Cameroon 2024Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Documentary Form

Baldiga – Entsichertes Herz (Baldiga – Unlocked Heart)by Markus SteinGermany 2024Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Documentary Form

Betâniaby Marcelo BottaPanorama | World premiere | Debut film

Between the Templesby Nathan SilverPanorama | International premiere

A Bit of a Strangerby Svitlana LishchynskaUkraine 2024Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Documentary Form

Crossingby Levan AkinSweden / Denmark / France / Turkey / Georgia 2024Panorama | World premiere

Cu Li Không Bao Gio Khóc (Cu Li Never Cries)by Lân Phạm NgọcVietnam / Philippines / France / Singapore / Norway 2024Panorama | World premiere | Debut film

Diaries From Lebanonby Myriam El HajjLebanon / France / Qatar / Saudi Arabia 2024Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Documentary Form

Farukby Aslı ÖzgeGermany / Turkey / France 2024Panorama | World premiere

Les gens d’à côté (My New Friends)by André TéchinéFrance 2024Panorama | World premiere

I Saw the TV Glowby Jane SchoenbrunUSA 2024Panorama | International premiere

Janet Planetby Annie BakerPanorama | International premiere | Debut film

Ještě nejsem, kým chci být (I’m Not Everything I Want to Be)by Klára TasovskáCzechia / Slovakia / Austria 2024Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Documentary Form

Jia ting jian shi (Brief History of a Family)by Lin JianjiePeople’s Republic of China / France / Denmark / Qatar 2024Panorama | European premiere | Debut film

Memorias de un cuerpo que arde (Memories of a Burning Body)by Antonella Sudasassi FurnissCosta Rica / Spain 2024Panorama | World premiere

No Other Landby Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Yuval Abraham, Rachel SzorPalestine / Norway 2024Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Documentary Form | Debut film

The Outrunby Nora FingscheidtUnited Kingdom / Germany 2024Panorama | European premiere

Les Paradis de Diane (Paradises of Diane)by Carmen Jaquier, Jan GassmannSwitzerland 2024Panorama | International premiere

Pendant ce temps sur Terre (Meanwhile on Earth)by Jérémy ClapinFrance 2024Panorama | World premiere

Sayyareye dozdide shodeye man (My Stolen Planet)by Farahnaz SharifiGermany / Iran 2024Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Documentary Form

Sexby Dag Johan HaugerudNorway 2024Panorama | World premiere

Teaches of Peachesby Philipp Fussenegger, Judy LandkammerGermany 2024Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Documentary Form

Tongo Saa (Rising Up at Night)by Nelson MakengoDemocratic Republic of the Congo / Belgium / Germany / Burkina Faso / Qatar 2024Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Documentary Form | Debut film

Verbrannte Erde (Scorched Earth)by Thomas ArslanGermany 2024Panorama | World premiere

The Visitorby Bruce LaBruceUnited Kingdom 2024Panorama | World premiere

Yo vi tres luces negras (I Saw Three Black Lights)by Santiago Lozano ÁlvarezColombia / Mexico / France / Germany 2024Panorama | World premiere | Debut film

Zeit Verbrechen 1: Dezemberby Mariko MinoguchiGermany 2024Panorama | World premiere | Series

Zeit Verbrechen 2: Der Pantherby Jan BonnyGermany 2024Panorama | World premiere | Series

Zeit Verbrechen 3: Deine Brüderby Helene HegemannGermany 2024Panorama | World premiere | Series

Zeit Verbrechen 4: Love by Proxyby Faraz ShariatGermany 2024Panorama | World premiere | Series

Generation

Comme le feu (Who by Fire)by Philippe LesageCanada / France 2024Generation 14plus | World premiere

Disco Afrika: une histoire malgache (Disco Afrika: A Malagasy Story)by Luck RazanajaonaFrance / Madagascar / Germany / Mauritius / South Africa / Qatar 2023Generation 14plus | European premiere | Debut film

Ellbogen (Elbow)by Aslı Özarslan | with Melia Kara, Doğa Gürer, Jale Arikan, Haydar Şahin, Orhan KiliçGermany / Turkey / France 2024Generation 14plus | World premiere

Fox and Hare Save the Forest (Fuchs und Hase retten den Wald)by Mascha HalberstadNetherlands / Belgium / Luxembourg 2024Generation Kplus | World premiere | Animation

Huling Palabas (Fin)by Ryan MachadoPhilippines 2023Generation 14plus | International premiere | Debut film

It’s Okay!by Kim Hye-youngSouth Korea 2023Generation Kplus | International premiere | Debut film

Last Swimby Sasha NathwaniUnited Kingdom 2024Generation 14plus | World premiere | Debut film

Maydegolby Sarvnaz AlambeigiIran / Germany / France 2024Generation 14plus | World premiere | Documentary Form

Quell’estate con Irène (My Summer with Irène)by Carlo SironiItaly / France 2024Generation 14plus | World premiere

Raíz (Through Rocks and Clouds)by Franco García BecerraPeru / Chile 2024Generation Kplus | World premiere

Reinasby Klaudia ReynickeSwitzerland / Peru / Spain 2024Generation Kplus | European premiere

Sieger Sein (Winners)by Soleen YusefGermany 2024Generation Kplus | World premiere

Los tonos mayores (The Major Tones)by Ingrid PokropekArgentina / Spain 2023Generation Kplus | International premiere | Debut film

Xiao Ban Jie (The Great Phuket)by Liu YaonanFrance / Hong Kong, China / Germany / Belgium 2024Generation 14plus | World premiere | Debut film

Young Heartsby Anthony SchattemanBelgium / Netherlands 2024Generation Kplus | World premiere | Debut film

Forum

Art Educationby Maria LassnigAustria / USA 1976Forum Special

Baroque Statuesby Maria LassnigAustria / USA 1970Forum Special

Il cassetto segreto (The Secret Drawer)by Costanza QuatriglioItaly / Switzerland 2024Forum | World premiere | Documentary Form

Chairsby Maria LassnigAustria / USA 1971Forum Special

Chroniques fidèles survenues au siècle dernier à l’hôpital psychiatrique Blida-Joinville, au temps où le Docteur Frantz Fanon était chef de la cinquième division entre 1953 et 1956 (True Chronicles of the Blida Joinville Psychiatric Hospital in the Last Century, When Dr Frantz Fanon Was Head of the Fifth Ward Between 1953 and 1956)by Abdenour ZahzahAlgeria / France 2024Forum | World premiere

Couplesby Maria LassnigAustria / USA 1972Forum Special

Deda-Shvili an rame ar aris arasodes bolomde bneli (Mother and Daughter, or the Night Is Never Complete)by Lana GogoberidzeGeorgia / France 2023Forum Special | International premiere | Documentary Form

Diese Tage in Terezín (Those Days in Terezín)by Sibylle SchönemannGermany / Czechia 1997Forum Special | Documentary Form

Doesarananeun moksori / Yomigaeru Koe (Voices of the Silenced)by Park Soo-nam, Park MaeuiJapan / South Korea 2023Forum Special | International premiere | Documentary Form

Encounterby Maria LassnigAustria / USA 1970Forum Special

Gokogu no Neko (The Cats of Gokogu Shrine)by Kazuhiro SodaJapan 2024Forum | World premiere | Documentary Form

Henry Fonda for Presidentby Alexander HorwathAustria / Germany 2024Forum | World premiere | Documentary Form

La hojarasca (The Undergrowth)by Macu MachínSpain 2024Forum | World premiere | Documentary Form | Debut film

Holy Weekby Andrei CohnRomania / Switzerland 2024Forum | World premiere

L’ homme-vertige (L’ homme-vertige: Tales of a City)by Malaury Eloi PaisleyFrance 2024Forum | World premiere | Documentary Form | Debut film

The Human Hibernationby Anna CornudellaSpain 2024Forum | World premiere | Debut film

Ihre ergebenste Fräulein (Well Ordered Nature)by Eva C. HeldmannGermany 2024Forum | World premiere | Documentary Form

Interceptedby Oksana KarpovychCanada / France / Ukraine 2024Forum | World premiere | Documentary Form

In the Belly of a Tigerby Siddartha JatlaForum | World premiere

Irisby Maria LassnigAustria / USA 1971Forum Special

Kaddu Beykat (Letter From My Village)by Safi FayeSenegal 1975Forum Special | Documentary Form

Kottukkaali (The Adamant Girl)by Vinothraj PS | with Soori Muthuchamy, Anna BenIndia 2024Forum | World premiere

Maria Lassnig Kantate (The Ballad of Maria Lassnig)by Maria Lassnig, Hubert SieleckiAustria 1992Forum Special

Marijas klusums (Maria’s Silence)by Dāvis Sīmanis | with Olga Šepicka, Artūrs Skrastiņš, Vilis Daudziņš, Ģirts Ķesteris, Inese KučinskaLatvia / Lithuania 2024Forum | World premiere

Mit einem Tiger schlafen (Sleeping With a Tiger)by Anja SalomonowitzAustria 2024Forum | World premiere

As noites ainda cheiram á pôlvora (The Nights Still Smell of Gunpowder)by Inadelso CossaMozambique / Germany / France / Portugal / Netherlands / Norway 2024Forum | World premiere | Documentary Form

Oasisby Tamara Uribe, Felipe MorgadoChile 2024Forum | World premiere | Documentary Form | Debut film | A film by MAFI Collective

Oasis of Nowby Chee Sum ChiaMalaysia / Singapore / France 2023Forum | European premiere | Debut film

Palmistryby Maria LassnigAustria / USA 1973Forum Special

Pa-myo (Exhuma)by Jang Jae-hyunSouth Korea 2024Forum | World premiere

La piel en primavera (Skin in Spring)by Yennifer Uribe AlzateColombia / Chile 2024Forum | World premiere | Debut film

Reasby Lola AriasArgentina / Germany / Switzerland 2024Forum | World premiere | Documentary Form

Redaktsiya (The Editorial Office)by Roman BondarchukUkraine / Germany / Slovakia / Czechia 2024Forum | World premiere

Reproduktion (Reproduction)by Katharina PethkeGermany 2024Forum | World premiere | Documentary Form

Republicby Jin JiangSingapore / People’s Republic of China 2023Forum | European premiere | Documentary Form

Resonance Spiralby Marinho de Pina, Filipa CésarPortugal / Guinea-Bissau / Germany 2024Forum | World premiere | Documentary Form

Selfportraitby Maria LassnigAustria / USA 1971Forum Special

Shahidby Narges KalhorGermany 2024Forum | World premiere

Shapesby Maria LassnigAustria / USA 1972Forum Special

Spuren von Bewegung vor dem Eis (Traces of Movement Before the Ice)by René FrölkeGermany 2024Forum | World premiere | Documentary Form

Techqua Ikachi, Land – mein Leben (Techqua Ikachi, Land – My Life)by Anka Schmid, James Danaqyumptewa, Agnes BarmettlerFederal Republic of Germany (historical) / Switzerland 1989Forum Special

Der unsichtbare Zoo (The Invisible Zoo)by Romuald KarmakarGermany 2024Forum | World premiere | Documentary Form

Was hast du gestern geträumt, Parajanov? (What Did You Dream Last Night, Parajanov?)by Faraz FesharakiGermany 2024Forum | World premiere | Documentary Form | Debut film

The Wrong Movieby Keren CytterUSA / Belgium 2024Forum | World premiere

Yoake no subete (All the Long Nights)by Shô MiyakeJapan 2024Forum | International premiere