Spike Lee’s “Chi-Raq” will screen out of competition at the 2016 Berlinale (its international premiere), the festival announced Wednesday—one day after the filmmaker made headlines with an open letter criticizing the Academy’s “Lilly White” Oscar nominees. Other out-of-competition titles added to the Berlinale’s lineup include films by Dominik Moll, Lee Tamahori, and Benoît Delépine and Gustave Kervern (“Saint Amour,” starring Gérard Depardieu).
READ: “Spike Lee’s Open Letter Promising to Boycott the Oscars: ‘We Can’t Act?! WTF?!'”
The festival also rounded out its list of films in competition, with new additions from Germany, China, Tunisia, and Mexico. A total of 18 films will be in the running for the Golden and Silver Bears, to be handed out February 20 at the Berlinale Palast, including previously announced films from Lav Diaz, Thomas Vinterberg, Mia Hansen-Løve, Jeff Nichols, Michael Grandage, and Alex Gibney. The 66th edition of the Berlin International Film Festival runs from February 11-21. Read the list of newly announced titles below.
READ MORE: “Berlinale Adds 9 Titles to Competition Slate, Including Films by Lav Diaz, Thomas Vinterberg, Mia Hansen-Løve”
“24 Wochen” (24 Weeks)
Germany
By Anne Zohra Berrached (“Two Mothers”)
With Julia Jentsch, Bjarne Mädel, Johanna Gastdorf, Emilia
Pieske
World premiere
“Chang Jiang Tu” (Crosscurrent)
People’s Republic of China
By Yang Chao (“Passages”)
With Qin Hao, Xin Zhi Lei
World premiere
“Chi-Raq”
USA
By Spike Lee (Malcom X, Do the Right Thing)
With Nick Cannon, Wesley Snipes, Teyonah Parris, Jennifer
Hudson, Angela Bassett, John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson
International premiere – Out of competition
“Des nouvelles de la planète Mars” (News from planet Mars)
France / Belgium
By Dominik Moll (“Lemming,” “With a Friend Like Harry…”)
With François Damiens, Vincent Macaigne, Veerle Baetens,
Jeanne Guittet, Tom Rivoire
World premiere – Out of competition
“Inhebbek Hedi” (Hedi)
Tunisia / Belgium / France
By Mohamed Ben Attia
With Majd Mastoura, Rym Ben Messaoud, Sabah Bouzouita, Hakim
Boumessoudi, Omnia Ben Ghali
World premiere – First feature
“Mahana” (The Patriarch)
New Zealand
By Lee Tamahori (“The Devil’s Double,” “Die Another Day,” “Once
Were Warriors”)
With Temuera Morrison, Akuhata Keefe, Nancy Brunning, Jim
Moriarty, Regan Taylor, Maria Walker
World premiere – Out of competition
“Saint Amour”
France / Belgium
By Benoît Delépine, Gustave Kervern (“Mammuth,” “Le grand soir”)
With Gérard Depardieu, Benoît Poelvoorde, Vincent Lacoste,
Céline Sallette
World premiere – Out of competition
“Soy Nero”
Germany / France / Mexico
By Rafi Pitts (“The Hunter,” “It’s Winter”)
With Johnny Ortiz, Rory Cochrane, Aml Ameen, Darell
Britt-Gibson, Michael Harney
World premiere
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