Berlinale Completes Competition Lineup, Adds Spike Lee’s ‘Chi-Raq’

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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