Two exciting premieres await you today! Which movie will be your new favorite?
INTERVIEWS:
Lloyd Wong, Unfinished
In the 1990s, Chinese-Canadian artist Lloyd Wong began a video work about his living with HIV. It remained unfinished. Thirty years after his death, filmmaker Lesley Loksi Chan discovers and edits the material.
Freshly released from prison, Pua plunges into the world of gangsters. His long-awaited reunion with his former cellmate Mi-ji falls short of his expectations. Both men will soon have to make some difficult choices.
In the 1990s, Chinese-Canadian artist Lloyd Wong began a video work about his living with HIV. It remained unfinished. Thirty years after his death, filmmaker Lesley Loksi Chan discovers and edits the material.
Freshly released from prison, Pua plunges into the world of gangsters. His long-awaited reunion with his former cellmate Mi-ji falls short of his expectations. Both men will soon have to make some difficult choices.
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH, 15:00-16:30, Martin-Gropius-Bau Kino: The Queer-Creation Talks are about exploring, analysing and connecting people, organizations and initiatives in the queer film network. In Part 3, we continue with organizations that provide training and development support for queer feature films, from documentaries to fiction films. An essential part of supporting queer projects is ensuring timely and effective development support, which has been rare in the past, but a number of training programs have pioneered this, and we look at how their models can inspire further programs that could benefit queer storytelling. More information you can find here.
Queer Your Program;Speedy Film Pitches
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH,17:00–18:00 Martin-Gropius-Bau Kino: Thirty Filmmakers whose films are ready for distribution will present their projects within two-minute pitches to programmers, distributors and sales agents. Join in to find potentially your next opening night film.
QUEER Industry Reception
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19TH,18:00–20:30 Martin-Gropius-Bau-Lichthof: The annual gathering of industry professionals from the Queer Film Industry, from filmmakers to programmers, to distributors and sales agents at Gropius Bau Lichthof.
TUESDAY, 18.02., 14:30–16:00 HAU2, Hebbel am Ufer, Hallesches Ufer 34, 10963 Berlin: Few things are more indispensable to queer storytelling than the act of listening. For it is listening that drives both coming out and coming of age stories, where characters gradually wake up to the power of their desires and to the wonders of the world around them. It takes a lot of courage to listen to our hearts while telling these stories; doing so means undertaking major risks, both personally and professionally. In this third edition of the Teddy Talents Talks, we invite four film professionals to reflect on the boundaries they have shattered just by listening courageously, and how important the act of listening has proved in their practice.
The panelists are Faridah Gbadamosi, Jun Li, Paulina Lorenz und Connor Jessup. The moderation will be done by Djamila Grandits . More information you can find here.
DIRECTORS EXCHANGE: (Re)claiming Authority over Narratives
Monday, 17th of February – 10:00-10:45 HUB75 I Marlene Dietrich Platz, 10785 Berlin Free entry without accreditation
Who has the right to tell someone else’s story and can authority and collaboration organically co-exist when it comes to fictional re-tellings, observational documentaries and exploring hard realities, how does the process between the director and those who live these realities come together to make authentic and moving works such as the three films made by our panelists: Paula Tomás Marques, Yihwen Chen, Joy Gharoro-Akpojotor. The event will be moderated by Nastaran Tajeri-Foumani. You can find more information here.
DIRECTORS EXCHANGE: Double Trouble: The Art of Co-Directing
Monday, 17th of February – 11:00-11:45 HUB75 I Marlene Dietrich Platz, 10785 Berlin Free entry without accreditation
Collaboration, the natural process of developing a story together then taking a leap and jumping in the same director’s chair, what are the benefits of having a directing partner and do they outweigh the negatives, if there are any? Let us find out with the directors of Lesbian Space Princess, Night Stage und Sirens Call. The panellists are Miri Ian Gossing, Lina Sieckmann, Marcio Reolon, Leela Varghese, Emma Hough Hobbs and Filipe Matzembacher. Ana David is the moderator. You can find more information here.
Today, six queer films will be shown for the first time at the 75th Berlinale! Soon, we also have a series of interviews for you that provide interesting background information on the making of the films.
INTERVIEWS:
Batim (Houses)
Sasha is non-binary and came to Israel from the Soviet Union as a child in the 1990s. Haunted by memories, they visit the houses they used to live in. A quiet meditation in black and white on what it means to feel at home in a house, a body, and in time.
To maximise economic productivity, the government orders the elderly to relocate to distant housing colonies. Tereza, 77, refuses – and instead embarks on a journey through the Amazon that will change her destiny forever.
Being LGBT is criminalised in Muslim-majority Malaysia. Trans man Faris and his punk band still travel the country playing gigs and protesting on the streets. A documentary portrait of courageous people, humorous friendship and the spirit of punk.
In a village on the brink of flooding, Marko’s life is turned upside down when Slaven returns for his father’s funeral and rekindles their forbidden romance. Marko must confront his family and make a difficult choice.
Sasha is non-binary and came to Israel from the Soviet Union as a child in the 1990s. Haunted by memories, they visit the houses they used to live in. A quiet meditation in black and white on what it means to feel at home in a house, a body, and in time.
Directed by: Shatara Michelle Ford USA, Taiwan, Great Britain, 2024, 128′
Three Black queer femmes in their mid-thirties take a road trip across the American Midwest in search of their friend who has seemingly disappeared off the grid.
Directed by: Lucile Hadžihalilović Germany, France, 2025, 118′
Colder than ice, her kiss pierces the heart … The 1970s. Jeanne, a young runaway, falls under the spell of Cristina, the enigmatic star of The Snow Queen, a film which is being shot in the studio where Jeanne has taken refuge.
Directed by: Amalia Ulman USA, Argentina, 2025, 93′
An American film crew working for an edgy media company travels to Argentina to cover a musician who has the potential to go viral. When they realise they have landed in the wrong country, they decide to hire local people to fabricate a trend.
Directed by: Gabriel Mascaro Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Netherlands, 2025, 86′
To maximise economic productivity, the government orders the elderly to relocate to distant housing colonies. Tereza, 77, refuses – and instead embarks on a journey through the Amazon that will change her destiny forever.
Directed by: Yihwen Chen Indonesia, Malaysia, 2025, 88′
Being LGBT is criminalised in Muslim-majority Malaysia. Trans man Faris and his punk band still travel the country playing gigs and protesting on the streets. A documentary portrait of courageous people, humorous friendship and the spirit of punk.
In a village on the brink of flooding, Marko’s life is turned upside down when Slaven returns for his father’s funeral and rekindles their forbidden romance. Marko must confront his family and make a difficult choice.
