Upping the Anti at Berlin's Film Fests

on 22-02-2007 00:46

Published in : , Film

by Calvin Keogh

Berliners had stars in their eyes all last week when the 57th International Film Festival was in full swing. Its awards coinciding with Oscar nominations, the Berlinale is regarded on the circuit as second only to Cannes. The faux-Rockefeller tower of the Ritz was covered in stars. Neon stars hung from the trees. An army of 19,000 accredited visitors, their necks swinging with name tags and cameras, descended on the city, gathering at the Hyatt and scurrying from venue to venue to catch 375 movies, including 17 world premières.

Entertainment industry glitterati weren’t thin on the ground either. Paparazzi vied for the best angles of Cate Blanchett and Sharon Stone. The likes of Matt Damon and Ben Kingsley, Antonio Banderas and Joseph Fiennes helped keep the rent-a-limo agencies busy. Judi Dench turned up, despite her pending knee operation, deciding to spurn the Oscars instead. Half an hour late for her première but in a forgiveably stunning frock, Jennifer Lopez stole everyone’s attention by keeping to the adage that it’s better to be expected than on time.

With so much glamor on the ground it was no coincidence that Vanity Fair timed the launch of their German society weekly for the occasion. Flood-lit on a monster hanging wrapped around the conspicuous high-rise of the Charité hospital, their logo was impossible to miss from Potsdamer Platz, the hub of activities. Redevelopment of Berlin’s legendary pre-War Times Square, bombed flat and for decades abandoned, has been recently completed and key festival events relocated here so as to capitalize on its historic silver screen aura.

Ground zero of the Berlinale, the quarter is a haven for impressionable tourists and dressed-to-impress day-trippers who come for the Hollywood-friendly cineplexes, the international hotels, chain stores and franchise restaurants. Decorated with plastic neon corporation and brand logos, the orange buildings center on the Arkaden shopping mall and the nearby Berlinale Palast, an entertainment center from where the red carpet is now rolled out yearly in the direction of Mickey D’s, conveniently located as always, right across from the entrance.

All of the mayhem is, of course, as much about the movies as it is about marketing magic. 259 exhibitors from 43 countries turned out for the European Film Market, one of the top annual events for the international film industry, where more than 709 movies were up for sale. Buyers were also tempted by limited addition Original Moleskin Reporter Notebooks and classic engraved pens as well as mugs, key rings, teddies and tee-shirts. Festival merchandise, all adorned with the characteristic red bear, did a roaring trade yet again this year.

The festival candy bar, ‘Berlinale Schokolade’, surely provided inspiration for the menu prepared to accompany Tim Burton’s ‘Charlie and the Chocolate Factory’, shown as part of a new series in the events calender. ‘Culinary Kino’ features screen classics and premières focusing on comestibles, ‘Eat, Drink, See Movies’ being the message. Popcorn was left at the door as connoisseurs and movie-goers alike filed into the Spiegelzelt, a specially constructed mirror-lined tent, where they could chow down with Berlin’s star chefs, glass of wine included.

More than a glass was certain to have been knocked back by the 1,600 guests invited for the Competition Awards ceremony, where the Golden Bear was collected by Le Wang for the Chinese production ‘Tuya’s Marriage’. Of the independent juries, the Protestant and Roman Catholic Churches ecumenically seconded this choice for Best Film but FIPRESCI, the international film critics association, gave it to Czech director Jiří Menzel for ‘I Served the King of England’. The Teddy Award went to ‘Spider Lillies’, a Taiwanese tale of Lesbian love.

The entire cast of Robert De Niro’s ‘The Good Shepherd’ took home a Silver Bear for their ‘outstanding artistic contribution’ while ‘I’m a Cyborg but that’s OK’ received the Alfred Bauer prize for ‘taking the art of film in a new direction’. Saturday saw the presentation of the main awards but ADD sufferers and those with short attention spans were spared the wait. They had only until Tuesday before results of the Short Film Competition were announced. The Golden Bear went to the 10” Dutch short ‘Raak’, ‘for being a brilliant film’.

Salad Finger - Firth (Anti Anti)

The Short Film Competition is a new feature of Berlinale, introduced in recognition of the recent explosion of interest in the genre. Developments in digital technology and distribution techniques have provided a simple, direct and inexpensive means to shoot, play and publicize a film and the process of film-making has become more accessible and democratic as a result. Many artists choose to work with ‘real’ material and it is in order to enhance the standing and credibility of the medium that the category was adopted.

It’s the dawn of a new era for film shorts and, while the pioneer jury may have been out by Tuesday and the Berlinale wrapped up by Sunday, the red carpet was kept rolling all the way to the end of the alphabet at Z-Bar. The Berlin-Mitte venue plays host this weekend to the Anti Anti Fest Best. Organised by Provokator and Instigator Media Group, whose aim and mission are forever to instigate and provoke, it’s the kick-off of an international multi-media blitz, the first pit-stop on a whirlwind short span tour and a one night stand you’ll never regret.

DIY Film Festival - dir. Buff (Anti Anti)

The Anti Anti Fest Best presents the highlights of the Provokator Anti Anti Fest, held in Prague since 2004 as a showcase for international short films. From continental Europe, the UK and USA, the program features memorable gems both short and sweeter, all with subtitles in English where necessary. From ‘Tamale Lady’, a 21” San Francisco rockumentary, to the 60 second animation ‘Salad Fingers’, there are slices of life and stories of heartache, urban legends and fishy tales, dioramas, montages and a whole lot else in between.

The diversity of the selection is intended to reflect that of communities living side-by-side in urban areas and to generate meaningful dialog. Aiming to blur borders and cross boundaries of genre, medium, social norms, nationality and language, the event embraces digital video, true film, conventional and computer animation, narrative and experimentation as means without end in the field of film art. While encouraging independent artists, the Anti Anti Fest Best hopes to bring their work to a wide, receptive and appreciative audience.

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