Europe's news in English

COPY LINK

FILM

Spanish director to open Berlin film festival

Spanish director Isabel Coixet's new movie set in Greenland in 1908 starring French actress Juliette Binoche will open the 65th Berlin film festival next month, organisers said Friday.

Published: 9 January 2015 15:29 CET

Spanish director to open Berlin film festival

Director Isabel Coixet (centre) poses for photographs with Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi (r) and French actress Juliette Binoche (l) on the set of "Nobody wants the Night". Photo: DPA

The world premiere of "Nobody Wants the Night" on February 5 will kick off the 11-day festival known as the Berlinale.

"The adventure film focuses on courageous women and ambitious men who put anything at stake for love and glory," festival organisers said.

As well as the Oscar-winning Binoche, the cast includes Japanese actress Rinko Kikuchi, who was nominated for an Academy Award for her role as a mute, deaf teenager in Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu's 2006 hit "Babel", and Irish actor Gabriel Byrne.

"I'm very pleased that 'Nobody Wants the Night' will open the 2015 Berlinale," festival director Dieter Kosslick said about the film that will also be a contender in the festival's international competition.

"Isabel Coixet has created an impressive and perceptive portrait of two women in extreme circumstances."

Coixet has been a regular face at the Berlinale in recent years, with six films shown in past festivals. She was also a jury member in 2009.

In 2013, her movie "Ayer No Termina Nunca" (Yesterday Never Ends), set in Spain in 2017 about the impact of Europe's financial crisis, also held its world premiere at the Berlin festival.

New movies by Terrence Malick, Kenneth Branagh and Peter Greenaway are also set to screen during the February 5-15 festival, the year's first major European cinema showcase.

US director and screenwriter Darren Aronofsky will serve as president of the jury handing out the Golden and Silver Bear prizes.

SEE ALSO: Malick's "Knight of Cups" to premiere at Berlinale

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.

Become a Member to leave a comment.

Cinema in France

Photo: Loic Venance/AFP

The cinema group Lost in Frenchlation runs regular screenings of French films in the capital, with English subtitles to help non-native speakers follow the action. The club kicks off every screening with drinks at the cinema’s bar one hour before the movie, so it’s also a fun way to meet people if you’re new to Paris.

These are the events they have coming up in November.

Friday, November 5th

Boîte Noire – What happened on board the Dubai-Paris flight before it crashed in the Alps? In this thriller Matthieu, a young and talented black box analyst played by Pierre Niney (star of Yves Saint-Laurent among other movies) is determined to solve the reason behind this deadly crash, no matter the costs.

The screening will take place at the Club de l’étoile cinema at 8pm. But you can arrive early for drinks at the bar from 7pm.

Tickets are €10 full price, €8 for students and all other concessions, and can be reserved here.

Sunday, November 14th

Tralala – In the mood for music? This new delightful French musical brings you into the life of Tralala (played by Mathieu Amalric), a 48 years old, homeless and worn-out street singer, who one day gets mistaken for someone else. Tralala sees an opportunity to get a better life by taking on a new personality. He now has a brother, nephews, ex-girlfriends, and maybe even a daughter. But where is the lie? Where is the truth? And who is he, deep down?

The night will start with drinks from 6pm followed by the screening at 7pm at the Luminor Hôtel de Ville cinema. There is also a two-hour cinema-themed walk where you’ll be taken on a “musicals movie tour” in the heart of Paris, which begins at 4pm.

Tickets cost €10, or €8 for students and concessions, and can be found here. Tickets for the walking tour cost €20 and must be reserved online here.

Thursday, November 18th

Illusions Perdues – Based on the great novel series by Honoré de Balzac between 1837 and 1843, this historical drama captures the writer Lucien’s life and dilemmas who dreams about a great career of writing and moves to the city to get a job at a newspaper. As a young poet entering the field of journalism, he is constantly challenged by his desire to write dramatic and eye-catching stories for the press. But are they all true?

The evening will kick off with drinks at L’Entrepôt cinema bar at 7pm, followed by the movie screening at 8pm. Tickets are available online here, and cost €8.50 full price; €7 for students and all other concessions.

Sunday, November 21st

Eiffel – Having just finished working on the Statue of Liberty, Gustave Eiffel (played by Romain Duris) is tasked with creating a spectacular monument for the 1889 Universal Exposition in Paris. It’s ultimately his love story with Adrienne Bourgès (Emma Mackey) that will inspire him to come up with the idea for the Eiffel Tower.

After a first screening last month, Lost in Frenchlation is organising a new one at the Luminor Hôtel de Ville cinema, with pre-screening drinks at the cinema bar.

Tickets cost €10, or €8 for students and concessions, and can be found here.

Thursday, November 25th

Les Héroïques – Michel is a former junkie and overgrown child who only dreams of motorbikes and of hanging out with his 17-year-old son Léo and his friends. But at 50 years old, he now has to handle the baby he just had with his ex, and try not to make the same mistakes he has done in the past.

The film will be followed by a Q&A with the director Maxime Roy who will discuss his very first feature.

Tickets cost €10, or €8 for students and concessions, and can be found here.

Full details of Lost in Frenchlation’s events can be found on their website or Facebook page. In France, a health pass is required in order to go to the cinema.

Url copied to clipboard!