Dec 20, 2022
Berlinale Special & Berlinale Series Release First Titles

Berlinale Special

Berlinale Special captivates audiences with its variety of formats and a multifaceted programme.
The 73rd Berlinale will include a series of “special” films that elevate cinema as an art form, that reconnect the audience with very beloved characters or people and that explore the dark side of the night. The Berlinale Special Galas are the cherry on top, radiating glitter and glamour. To date, six films have been invited to the 2023 Berlinale Special.

“Showing TÁR in Berlin for a special screening was a natural choice. In a cinematic way, the acclaimed work of Todd Field and his actors has captured the special flair of this city. We are very happy that Todd Field along with Cate Blanchett, Nina Hoss and composer Hildur Guðnadóttir have accepted our proposal to share some of the secrets of their work in a public talk at Berlinale Talents. We are also delighted to be premiering a new short that expands the TÁR universe, THE FUNDRAISER, that will screen alongside their talk,” says Artistic Director Carlo Chatrian.

With a simple yet very precise line, Loriot has made generations in Germany smile about themselves. Watching his sketches today is a way to look back at a country in a very particular way.
Boris Becker is the young talent who conquered Wimbledon and, after having inflamed a country, has fallen with same grandness. With this multilayered documentary, Alex Gibney proves once more that he has mastered the art of storytelling.

Robert Schwentke’s years of research into Roman history – and an exciting collaboration with John Malkovich – has created a unique work in Seneca – On the Creation of Earthquakes, a surprising film in content and style that resonates with contemporary politics. Schwentke surrounds the great master with a new generation of talented German actors (Louis Hofmann, Alexander Fehling, Lilith Stangenberg, Tom Xander) as well as with the wonderful Geraldine Chaplin.

Berlinale Special will go into the heart of the night with a handful of films taking the genre to its peak. #Manhole is a gripping thriller in the time of social networks, and Infinity Pool the highly original new science-fiction horror film by Brandon Cronenberg, starring Alexander Skarsgård and Mia Goth.

Overview of the Berlinale Special films announced on December 20.

Berlinale Series

In 2023, Berlinale Series will once again offer an exclusive first look at new series productions from around the world. The international co-production Der Schwarm (The Swarm) – based on the eponymous bestseller by Frank Schätzing – will open on the evening of February 19. In the ZDF series Der Schwarm an international group of scientists do research on mysterious ocean phenomena that become a global threat.

Berlinale Series will present the first three episodes of the eco-thriller directed by Barbara Eder, Luke Watson and Philipp Stölzl, out of competition. The cast includes among others Leonie Benesch, who will also be one of the European Shooting Stars at the Berlinale.

The full programme will be announced in January.

Berlinale Series announced on December 20.

Press Office
December 20, 2022