Wed, Feb 16

TEDDY TODAY

deutsch
I've gone through a lot during this year's and also last years' Berlin Film Festivals (too late, wrong cinema, screening forgotten) - aber this one was new: yesterday, I breathlessly arrived to my first screening of the day - and realized that I was one hour early. One solid hour off! And guess what? I didn't really know what to do with my newly won time. I had to give up my plan to start writing my column because all seatings at Potsdamer Platz were taken - even the two make-up tables in one of the bathrooms at the Hyatt-Hotel (hot tip-off by Claudia from Panorama-office).
I also had to abandon the idea to do some shopping in the supermarket (which my fridge needed badly!) for I didn't want to be bothered with a plastic bag with groceries sitting between my knees during the screenings. Finally, the problem was solved in Berlinale-typical way: I lined up in a queue at a croissant booth - and the remaining time was over in a flash!

Panorama's mystery-mongering is over: George Michael has arrived in town and stays at the Madison Hotel. Today he and director Southan Morris present their documentary "GEORGE MICHAEL: A DIFFERENT STORY" at Cinema International. A turmoil by fans is expected! Of course, everyone hoped for Michael's attendance at the Panorama reception at the "Adagio" yesterday, but unfortunately he couldn't arrange it.

Photo Gallery: Panorama reception at the "Adagio"

Everyone wants to get an invitation to the Panorama reception - and then, everyone is disappointed that everyone else was invited too. In fact, I saw only very few celebrities like Jürgen Vogel - maybe they hid in the VIP section on the gallery. There must have been some for outside 10 Phaetons were waiting for the very important guests. Also there: filmmaker Jürgen Brüning, Zazie de Paris (as usual) and Gloria Viagra, who was, together with Ipek, the evening's DJ. She told me that her appearance in "GENDER X" would have looked differently if she only had known that "Gender X" would be screened at the Berlinale.

Photo Gallery: Impressions inside Panorama 2

This year, there was only fingerfood instead of a buffet, probably to save costs for the performance of German band "Mutter" at 1 in the morning.

At Berlinale Palast, you suffer some kind of arbitrary rule these days. On Friday, it was not allowed to bring bottles along, while yesterday,
 
 

Video: Rosa von Praunheim interviewed by Andrea Winter

"Männer Helden und schwule Nazis" (Heroes And Gay Nazis) by Rosa von Praunheim deals with homosexual Nazi perpetrators, while his short film "Umsonst gelebt - Walter Schwarze (A Life in Vain - Walter Schwarze)" focuses on one of the victims.

Video: A LIFE IN VAIN – WALTER SCHWARZE

Video: HEROES AND GAY NAZIS (clip 1)

In Christian Petzold's "Gespenster", Germany's third feature film in the competition section, introverted 17-year-old Nina (Julia Hummer) meets juvenile delinquent Toni (Sabine Timoteo), fells in love with her, spends a night with her und loses her the very next morning. Nina comes across a lunatic french lady who is sure that Nina is long lost her daughter, who was stolen years ago. A story about the search for identity and descent and not your ordinary lesbian lovestory, but it is worth seeing because of Nina's unusual confession of love-monologue that she gives to Toni.
Julia Hummer, who perceives herself rather as a musician than as an actress, is currently negotiating a record deal with an independent label. You can download two of her songs from her website juliahummer.com.

After "Gespenster", I watched the -rightly - praised "MY SUMMER OF LOVE" with Emily Blunt and Nathalie Press, a teenager-lovestory with everything that usually comes with it: romanticism, pathos, and tragedy. It surprisingly won the BAFTA Award for best british film and thus beat "Vera Drake" and "Harry Potter 3" among others. Nathalie Press told us that she is - in a way - nominated for an Oscar this year: the short film "Wasp", in which she plays a single mother of four, is nominated in the category "Best Short".

Finally, a message to Sebastian Dungan, producer of "Transamericana" - the rest of you can stop reading! Hey, IT'S ONLY TO SEBASTIAN, I said! Okay: Denis, member of the Siegessäule-Readers-Jury is interested in you! Very much! Just introduce yourself to him at the Teddy Award ceremony...

Today's Screenings