Berlin film festival 2012: the 10 films to look out for - in pictures

Andrew Pulver

Wednesday, 08 Feb 2012

# Berlin film festival 2012

Andrew Pulver picks the top films showing at the 62nd Berlin film festival, including a head-to-head meeting of the directorial debut from Angelina Jolie and a new film from her ex-husband Billy Bob Thornton. The festival opens tomorrow night with the world premiere of Benoît Jacquot's Les Adieux à la Reine

Gallery

Still from In The Land of Blood and Honey — **In The Land of Blood and Honey**: With her directorial debut, UNHCR goodwill ambassador Angelina Jolie takes her political profile to new heights. This treatise on the Bosnian war is seen through the eyes of a Muslim artist and a Serb policeman, whose pre-war relationship takes a radically new turn when they meet again in a prison camp: she an inmate, he a guard. Photograph: Berlin film festival

Still from Jayne Mansfield's Car — **Jayne Mansfield's Car**: Billy Bob Thornton's fifth film as director, following his documentary profile of Willie Nelson, The King of Luck. Set in the late 60s, it's a complex drama revolving around a culture clash – the two families of an Alabama-born woman, from her first and second husbands, who meet up at her funeral. John Hurt, Robert Duvall, Tippi Hedren, and Thornton himself are among the strong ensemble cast. Photograph: Berlin film festival

Still from The Flowers of War — **The Flowers of War**: The much heralded Chinese blockbuster gets its first European showing, marking a new level in co-operation between Hollywood and China. Zhang "Hero" Yimou orchestrates this large-scale drama chronicling the Japanese assault on Nanjing in 1937, with its principal focus being American mortician John Miller (Christian Bale), who must find a way to protect a group of students from the Japanese invaders. Photograph: Berlin film festival

Still from Marley — **Marley**: World premiere of the much-anticipated documentary on the legendary Jamaican reggae musician, often cited as the third world's first superstar. Directed by The Last King of Scotland's Kevin Macdonald, it was made with the co-operation of Marley's family and therefore aims to be the definitive account of Marley's life. Photograph: Berlin film festival

Still from Bel Ami — **Bel Ami**: With the Twilight series now behind him, teen idol Robert Pattinson can afford to take a few risks. This is the world premiere of an unlikely new project: an adaptation of the Maupassant story about a young Parisian who seduces his way to the top of society, directed by theatre stars Declan Donnellan and Nick Ormerod. Christina Ricci, Uma Thurman and Kristin Scott Thomas join the fun. Photograph: Berlin film festival

Still from White Deer Plain — **White Deer Plain**: The strong Chinese presence at Berlin is reinforced with this adaptation of Chen Zhongshi's epic novel, set during the second world war and subsequent civil war and directed by Wang Quan'an. Two warring families in China's northwestern Shaanxi province serve as a symbol for the wider socio-political context; but Chen's book, published in 1993, earned a controversial reputation for its sex scenes, which will no doubt be a talking point also. Photograph: Berlin film festival

Still from The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate — **The Flying Swords of Dragon Gate**: In stark contrast to White Deer Plain, here's the latest from prolific action jackson Tsui Hark, probably best known for his "wuxia" martial arts hits like Once Upon a Time in China. He's back here with wuxia in 3D; Jet Li plays a chivalrous warrior attempting to track down a missing woman. Fans of airborne weaponry are sure to be satisfied. Photograph: Berlin film festival

Still from Alison Klayman's Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry — **Ai Weiwei: Never Sorry**: Documentary profile of the high-profile Chinese artist and activist, the subject of regular harassment and arrest. American film-maker Alison Klayman followed Ai for two years to make this, chronicling his clashes with authorities, artistic practice and vocal opposition to corruption. Photograph: Sundance film festival

Still from Iron Sky — **Iron Sky**: It has one of the all time great taglines: "In 1945 The Nazis Went To The Moon. In 2018 They Are Coming Back". We're already salivating over this Nazis in-space comedy from the Finnish guerilla-spoofers behind the Star Wrecks series. It's been a long time coming, but it's world premiere in Berlin should be an event and a half. Photograph: Berlin film festival

Still from The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp — **The Life and Death of Colonel Blimp**: A restored version of the Powell and Pressburger classic from 1943, with Roger Livesey as the professional soldier whose career, from dashing Boer war blade to second world war old buffer, is chronicled with characteristic brilliance. Anton Walbrook and Deborah Kerr (in three different roles) provide superb support. Photograph: Berlin film festival

Contributor

Andrew Pulver

Andrew Pulver is Film editor, guardian.co.uk

Andrew Pulver

Wednesday, 08 Feb 2012

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