With the generous support of German Films and The Federal Government Commissioner for Culture & the Media (BKM), the Goethe-Institut in San Francisco will be hosting “Berlin and Beyond” for the 14th time from January 15-21, 2009 at the Castro Theatre.

The week-long event will show the most successful films of the past year in the presence of numerous directors, actors and film experts. Berlin and Beyond 2009 kicks off with Doris Doerrie’s CHERRY BLOSSOMS - HANAMI (KIRSCHBLUETEN - HANAMI), and ends with MELODIES OF SPRING (MAERZMELODIE) by Martin Walz.

Wim Wenders is this year’s recipient of the Award for Lifetime Achievement in Directing. Part of the special tribute is the US premiere of his latest film PALERMO SHOOTING with Wenders in attendance, as well as screenings of KINGS OF THE ROAD (IM LAUF DER ZEIT, 1976), and the documentary about him ONE WHO SET FORTH (VON EINEM DER AUSZOG, Marcel Wehn, 2007).

Micha Lewinsky will be awarded the 2009 MK Best First Feature Award for THE FRIEND (DER FREUND), a touching portrait of loss and personal growth from Switzerland. Contenders for this prize include other accomplished debuts: A HERO’S WELCOME (NACHT VOR AUGEN), NOVEMBER CHILD (NOVEMBERKIND), DAYS IN BETWEEN (DIE BESUCHERIN), COME IN AND BURN OUT (SELBSTGESPRAECHE), and THE ICE BOMB (DIE EISBOMBE).

For the 12th time Kinofest Luenen will present its Audience Award: EVET, I DO! (EVET, ICH WILL!)

Other films include: 12 WINTERS (12 WINTER, Thomas Stiller), BIRD’S NEST (Christoph Schaub, Michael Schindhelm), CLOUD 9 (WOLKE 9, Andreas Dresen), FINNISH TANGO (FINNISCHER TANGO, Buket Alakus), FOOTBALL UNDER COVER (David Assmann, Ayat Najafi), I. IMMENDORFF (ICH. IMMENDORFF, Nicola Graef), THE INVENTION OF CURRIED SAUSAGE (DIE ENTDECKUNG DER CURRYWURST, Ulla Wagner), JERICHOW (Christian Petzold), LA PALOMA – LONGING WORLDWIDE (LA PALOMA – SEHNSUCHT WELTWEIT, Sigrid Faltin), REVANCHE (Goetz Spielmann), SILLY’S SWEET SUMMER (BLOEDE MUETZE, Johannes Schmid) and THE WAVE (DIE WELLE, Dennis Gansel).

Aficionados of short films will have a chance to see the finest from German film schools: DIE BEGEGNUNG by Susan Schimk, BENDE SIRA by Ismet Erguen, BIG PLANS (GROSSE PLAENE) by Irmgard Walthert, CHINESE WHISPER (STILLE POST) by Oliver Rauch, DOG FOOD (HUNDEFUTTER) by Till Kleinert, ILLUSION by Burkan Qurbani, FELIX by Andreas Utta, THE GIRL WITH THE YELLOW STOCKING (DAS MAEDCHEN MIT DEN GELBEN STRUEMPFEN) by Grzegorz Muskala, ON THE LINE (AUF DER STRECKE) by Reto Caffi, SAMSA – HOMMAGE AN KAFKA by Rene Lange, SOMMERSONNTAG by Sigi Kamml.

And the film classic, the original English version of THE BLUE ANGEL (DER BLAUE ENGEL, Josef von Sternberg), illuminates a chapter of early sound film history further explored in the special presentation HOLLYWOOD SPEAKS GERMAN.