Sadly, not a whole lot of them.
Of the 36 films screening at the Berlin International Film Festival’s Panorama event, “an overview of current international fictional-feature production,” only three, or less than a tenth, are directed by women. Though the Hollywood Reporter states that “Asian cinema will take center stage” at the Panorama this year, all three women directors in the program — Sophie Fillieres, Tinatin Kajrishvili, and Elfi Mikesch — are European.
Another 18 films will play as part of the Berlinale’s Special program, which features “recent works by contemporary filmmakers, as well as film portraits of renowned personalities and extraordinary formats.” Five female filmmakers have been selected for the Special event, including three documentarians.
Scroll down for a list of the women-directed films playing at the Berlinale’s Panorama and Special selections:
Panorama fictional features
Fieber (Fever) — Luxembourg / Austria
By Elfi Mikesch
With Eva Mattes, Martin Wuttke, Carolina Cardoso, Nicole Max, Sascha Ley
WP
Patardzlebi (Brides) — Georgia / France
By Tinatin Kajrishvili
With Mari Kitia, Giorgi Maskharashvili
WP
Arrete ou je continue (If You Don’t, I Will) — France
By Sophie Fillieres
With Mathieu Amalric, Josephine de La Baume, Emmanuelle Devos
WP
Berlinale Special
The Turning — anthology film
Australia
By Marieka Walsh, Warwick Thornton, Jub Clerc, Robert Connolly, Anthony Lucas, Rhys Graham, Ashlee Page, Tony Ayres, Claire McCarthy, Stephen Page, Shaun Gladwell, Mia Wasikowska, Simon Stone, David Wenham, Jonathan auf der Heide, Justin Kurzel, Yaron Lifschitz, Ian Meadows
With Cate Blanchett, Rose Byrne, Miranda Otto, Richard Roxburgh, Hugo Weaving
International premiere
En du elsker (Someone You Love)
Denmark
By Pernille Fischer Christensen (A Family, A Soap)
With Mikael Persbrandt, Trine Dyrholm, Birgitte Hjort Sorensen, Sofus Ronnov, Eve Best
World premiere
Afternoon of a Faun: Tanaquil Le Clercq — documentary
USA
By Nancy Buirski (The Loving Story)
International premiere
The Galapagos Affair: Satan Came to Eden — documentary
USA
By Dayna Goldfine and Dan Geller (Ballets Russes)
European premiere
Watermark — documentary
Canada
By Jennifer Baichwal (Manufactured Landscapes), Edward Burtynsky
European premiere
