The Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) is one of the most important such festival in Europe alongside the ones organized in Cannes and Venice. The Berlinale’s 66th edition will start in less than a week, on February 11, and will end on February 21.

The Romanian cinema’s record at Berlinale includes two Golden Bear trophies for Child’s Pose (Pozitia Copilului) directed by Calin Peter Netzer (2013) and A Good Day at the Beach (O Zi Buna de Plaja) short film directed by Bogdan Mustata (2010). Moreover, Radu Jude’s Aferim! (2015) and Florin Serban’s If I Want to Whistle, I Whistle (Eu Cand Vreau sa Fluier, Fluier) also won the Silver Bear at the festival.

Romania will also be represented at the 2016 edition of Berlinale with several films and actors.

Adrian Sitaru’s Illegitimate (Ilegitim) will have its world premiere at the festival. The film was selected in the Forum section of the event, which will show a total of 44 films in its main program, 34 of which are world premieres.

Hotel Dallas, a feature film directed by Romanian Livia Ungur and American Sherng-Lee Huang, will also have its world premiere at the 2016 edition of Berlinale. The movie, which combines fiction and documentary, will be screened in the festival’s Panorama Dokumente section.

Another film selected in the Panorama section is Shelley, directed by Ali Abbasi and starring Romanian actress Cosmina Stratan, reports Ziarul de Duminica. The film is a Denmark/Sweden production and will also have its world premiere at Berlinale. Cosmina Stratan was among the 10 actors who received Shooting Stars 2014 trophies during the 2014 Berlin Film Festival. She also got the Best Actress award, together with Cristina Flutur, at Cannes in 2012, for her role in Beyond the Hills by Cristian Mungiu.

Romania is also present in the Generation 14plus section. Roxana Stroe’s short film A Night in Tokoriki (O Noapte in Tokoriki) was included in this section. The film stars Romanian actors Cristian Priboi, Cristian Bota, and Iulia Ciochina. Romanian actress Iulia Ciochina was also included in the Berlinale Talents, and so did director and screenwriter Ruxandra Ghitescu.

Soy Nero, a feature film directed by Rafi Pitts, has been selected to compete for the Golden Bear at this year’s edition of the festival. The screenplay was written by Rafi Pitts and Romanian Razvan Radulescu.

Moreover, several Romanian films will also be screened at the European Film Market (EFM), namely Aliyah DaDa, Back Home (Acasa la Tata), Cinema, mon amour, Eastern Business (Afacerea de Est), The Miracle of Tekir (Miracolul din Tekir), One Floor Below (Un Etaj Mai Jos), Self-Portrait of a Dutiful Daughter (Autoportretul Unei Fete Cuminti), and The World is Mine (Lumea e a Mea).

This year’s edition of Berlinale has a total budget of EUR 23 million.

Irina Popescu, irina.popescu@romania-insider.com