On the occasion of the 60th International Film Festval Berlin (Berlinale), FilmFestival Cottbus - Festival of East European Cinema and the East-West Co-Production market Connecting Cottbus are going to put emphasis on East European film with a day of activities on Feb. 17th, 2010.

Focal point of the "Cottbus-Day" will be the traditional East European Brunch in the Embassy of the State of Brandenburg. The Cottbus reception also serves as a kick-off for the 20th edition of the festival which will take place Nov. 2nd-7th, 2010. At the reception, four prizes will be awarded.

Following the 19th edition of FilmFestival Cottbus 2009, the Distribution support prize for a festival film "From Cottbus to Cinema" and the Promotion Prize of the DEFA-Foundation will be awarded. Already the first prize of the 20th FilmFestival Cottbus, the Promotion Prize of the GWFF will be given to a student of film production in Eastern Europe.

The East-West co-production market Connecting Cottbus will give away the "Special Pitch Award", which enables the winner to present a project at the next Connecting Cottbus pitching in November. All winners will be present in person to receive their awards.

Their names will be announced in a Press Release on Wednesday.

After the reception there will be opportunity to meet the festival team and Connecting Cottbus in the Cottbus Lounge. The Lounge is taking place in the Collegium Hungaricum Berlin on the same day, 5.30pm-10pm. Aside from information about the upcoming festival edition and the co-production market, visitors will experience DJ Marko Valic and performance artist Theo Ligthart with his high-proof creation >das korn<.

Before the East European brunch, there will be a meeting of the sponsorship association "Friends of the German-Russian Film Academy", where the objectives for 2010 will be decided upon.