by FFE EU News Staff

The red carpet and other things to watch out for in the 11-day Berlin Film Festival.

The Berlin Film Festival (Berlinale) has brought famous celebrities like George Clooney, Matt Damon, Christian Bale and others from all corners of the globe. The 11-day fest opened on 6 February and will culminate on 16 February.

George Clooney was in Berlin for the maiden screening of the movie he starred and directed entitled ‘The Monuments Men.’ The war film is about an Allied archiving group trying to save art and cultural pieces from being destroyed by Hitler during World War 2. The film stars Matt Damon, Bill Murray and Cate Blanchett.

Clooney, Damon and his wife Luciana at the red carpet for the premiere of ‘Monuments Men’

The much-awaited adventure of the hotel concierge Gustave H entitled ‘The Grand Budapest Hotel’ is competing in the festival. This German-British comedy-drama was written by ‘The Royal Tenenbaums’ and ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’ director Wes Anderson and stars Ralph Fiennes, Edward Norton and Bill Murray. Festival director Dieter Kosslick noted that ‘There is a lot of German history in this movie, and that goes for many of the films to be shown here, regardless of where they are from.’

‘Budapest’ cast at the Berlinale

The crime comedy-drama American Hustle has a special screening in the festival and also brought Christian Bale and Bradley Cooper to Berlin. The film is about an FBI agent who sets up a sting operation against a corrupt politician. The film was screened last year and has received 10 Academy Award nominations, seven Golden Globe nominations, winning three citations, and 10 nominations for the British Academy Film Awards.

Cast of ‘American Hustle’

About 400 films from around the world are scheduled to be screened during the festival. Berlinale will also screen the award-winning 2005 biographical film ‘Capote’ starring the late Philip Seymour Hoffman in memory of the actor.

Berlin Film Festival programme and ticket information can be found here.