The Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick, Federal Minister for Culture and CDU member Bernd Neumann, SPD mayor of Berlin Klaus Wowereit and the president of the jury Constantin Costa-Gavras were present to open the festival.
There are 26 films in the competition, 15 of which are world premieres. Films competing this year include Oscar-nominated There will be Blood, with Daniel Day-Lewis, Elegy, with Penelope Cruz, Ben Kingsley and Dennis Hopper, Julia with Tilda Swinton and Garden of the Night with John Malkovich.
In total, there are 384 films from 59 countries at this year’s Berlinale. The festival will run until February 17th.