26 films at Berlinale 2009 in Competition for Golden Bear but India is out

Twenty six films will be presented in the Competition programme of the 59th Berlin International Film Festival, 18 of which will compete for the Golden and Silver Bears in the Berlinale Palast. This year too India remains unrepresented. Iranian film 'Darbareye Elly' (About Elly) by Asghar Farhadi (Fireworks Wednesday) With Golshifteh Farahani, pictured, and Taraneh Alidousti has been selected.

Of the 18 films in competition, 14 are world premieres, and there are 17 world premieres in the complete Competition programme. Eighteen countries are represented.

This year at Berlinale Special 15 films have been invited, 10 of which are world premieres.

Jury headed by actress Tilda

The International Jury, presided over by Tilda Swinton, will decide who is to take home the Golden Bear and the Silver Bears and the Alfred Bauer Prize in the Competition of the Berlinale 2009.
 
The other members of the Jury are Spanish director Isabel Coixet, director Gaston Kaboré (Burkina Faso), Swedish best-selling author Henning Mankell, director Christoph Schlingensief (Germany), director Wayne Wang (USA) and food activist and author Alice Waters (USA).
 
The following films complete the Competition and Berlinale Special:
 
Competition

Cheri UK/Germany/France
By Stephen Frears (The Queen, Dangerous Liaisons)
With Michelle Pfeiffer, Kathy Bates, Rupert Friend, Felicity Jones
World premiere
 
Darbareye Elly (About Elly) Iran
By Asghar Farhadi (Fireworks Wednesday)
With Golshifteh Farahani, Taraneh Alidousti, Mani Haghighi
World premiere
 
Deutschland ‘09 - 13 kurze Filme zur Lage der Nation Germany - Out of Competition
Compilation film by Fatih Akin, Tom Tykwer, Wolfgang Becker, Sylke Enders, Dominik Graf, Romuald Karmakar, Nicolette Krebitz, Isabelle Stever, Hans Steinbichler, Hans Weingartner, Christoph Hochhäusler, Dani Levy and Angela Schanelec
World premiere
 
Eden à l'ouest (Eden is West) France/Greece/Italy - Out of Competition
By Costa-Gavras (Missing, Amen)
With Riccardo Scamarcio, Juliane Köhler, Ulrich Tukur
International premiere
 
Gigante Uruguay/Germany/Argentina
By Adrián Biniez (Total Disponibilidad)
With Horacio Camandulle, Leonor Svarcas
World premiere
 
Happy Tears USA
By Mitchell Lichtenstein (Teeth)
With Demi Moore, Parker Posey, Rip Torn, Ellen Barkin
World premiere
 
In the Electric Mist France/USA
By Bertrand Tavernier (Laissez-Passer, La Guerre Sans Nom)
With Tommy Lee Jones, John Goodman, Peter Sarsgaard
World premiere
 
Katalin Varga Romania/UK/Hungary - debut film
By Peter Strickland
With Hilda Péter, Norbert Tankó, Tibor Pálfy, Sebastian Marina
World premiere
 
La Teta Asustada (The Milk of Sorrow) Spain/Peru
By Claudia Llosa (Madeinusa)
With Magaly Solier, Susi Sánchez, Efraín Solis
World premiere
 
Lille Soldat (Little Soldier) Denmark
By Annette K. Olesen (Minor Mishaps)
With Trine Dyrholm, Finn Nielsen, Lorna Brown
International premiere
 
Notorious USA - Out of Competition
By George Tillman Jr. (Men of Honor)
With Angela Bassett, Jamal Woolard, Derek Luke, Anthony Mackie
International premiere
 
Ricky France/Italy
By François Ozon (8 Femmes, Swimming Pool)
With Alexandra Lamy, Sergi Lopez, Mélusine Mayance, Arthur Peyret
World premiere
 
Storm (Sturm) Germany/Denmark/The Netherlands
By Hans-Christian Schmid (Requiem, Distant Lights)
With Kerry Fox, Anamaria Marinca, Stephen Dillane, Rolf Lassgård
World premiere
 
Tatarak (Sweet Rush) Poland
By Andrzej Wajda (Popiól i diament, Katyn)
With Krystyna Janda, Pawel Szajda, Jan Englert
World premiere
 
My One and Only (USA)

By Richard Loncraine
With Renée Zellweger, Kevin Bacon, Logan Lerman, Mark Rendall
World Premiere
 
Berlinale Special – Gala Screenings at the Friedrichstadtpalast
 
An Education (Great Britain)
By Lone Scherfig
With Carey Mulligan, Peter Sarsgaard, Dominic Cooper
 
It Might Get Loud (USA)
Documentary by Davis Guggenheim
With The Edge, Jimmy Page, Jack White