60th Berlinale Opens with World Premiere from China

60th Berlinale Opens with World Premiere from China, Yoji Yamada's Latest Film to Close Festival
The 60th Berlin International Film Festival will kick off with the world premiere of the Chinese Competition film Tuan Yuan (Apart Together) in the Berlinale Palast on February 11, 2010.
Together with Minister of State for Culture Bernd Neumann, Governing Mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit and Jury President Werner Herzog, Berlinale Director Dieter Kosslick will open the festival. Anke Engelke will host the gala in this anniversary year.

Tuan Yuan (Apart Together) is the latest film by Wang Quan’an, one of the most important Chinese auteur filmmakers of the younger generation. In 2007 he also participated in the Berlinale Competition with Tuya de hun shi (Tuya’s Marriage) and won the Golden Bear.
Tuan Yuan tells the story of a great love, while depicting the tragedy of a divided country. Decades have passed since the one-time soldier Liu Yansheng, who fled from Shanghai to Taiwan in 1949 to escape Mao Tse-tung’s troops, has seen the love of his life. Their reunion rekindles old emotions. The film stars Lu Yan, Ling Feng, Xu Cai Gen and Mo Xiaoqi.

Following its world premiere in the Competition, Tuan Yuan will be shown again in the programme of Culinary Cinema on February 17, 2010.

Following the award ceremony of the 60th Berlin International Film Festival on February 20, Otouto (About Her Brother) by Yoji Yamada (Kabei) will be screened as the official closing film. This most recent work by the Japanese master director, who over the years has already been a guest of the Berlinale six times, is being presented out of competition.