For years, discussions with filmmakers directly after the screenings of their films have been a special attraction of the festival experience for many Berlinale visitors. With the establishment of the Haus der Berliner Festspiele as a new venue in 2012, the Berlinale now has the opportunity to use this space to expand discussions between filmmakers and the audience. “Some topics simply demand more attention and a broader platform than the time allotted to them usually allows,” comments Fes...

- International Competition Documentary Film | Traditions, Families, Political IssuesA total of 19 films from 15 countries have made it into this year’s International Competition Documentary Film. Productions come also from countries rather exceptional for documentary film-making, such as Myanmar or Thailand ("Buddha's Lost Children", "The Longest Day"). Just as in 2005, the selection committee for the category documentary film was made up of festival director Claas Danielsen, film-maker Matt...