Update 2/13/25:
Some great gems at Berlin Film Festival. With the daily drop of new trailers still coming in hot. Including Eel (poster above), which is a deep, wild dreamscape.
Synopsis:
On an isolated island on the outskirts of Taipei, a mysterious young woman and a lost man cross paths and explore the island’s hidden stories together. A film about longing, belonging and transformation in a world where time and memory fade into the mist.
Also at Berlin’s Panorama section:
Lesbian Space Princess (Australia)
Dir: by Emma Hough Hobbs, Leela Varghese
Synopsis: A space princess is thrust out of her sheltered life and into a galactic quest to save her bounty hunter ex-girlfriend from the Straight White Maliens.
Best Trailer line- “I’m too hot to die”
Magic Farm
Cast: Chloë Sevigny, Alex Wolff (Hereditary), Simon Rex (Red Rocket)
Dir: Amalia Ulman
Synopsis: A media crew mistakenly ends up in the wrong country while trying to profile a musician. As they collaborate with locals to create a viral trend, relationships form amid an unfolding health crisis.
First look photo: Sevigny + horse
And Confidante, a man stuck under the rubble of an earthquake, can only hit redial on his phone… an erotic call center.
2/12/25
Berlin Film Festival drops trailers for a lot of its full competition lineup.
There are some really exciting films this year, including Late Shift.
If you want to feel an adrenaline rush of what it’s like to take the night shift at a hospital look no further than this film. It stars Leonie Benesch (Teacher’s Lounge). Get ready to feel your heart rate spike.
Also at Berlin there are two films named Dreams:
Dir/Wri/Prod:Editor: Michel Franco
Star: Jessica Chastain
Synopsis:
Romance blossoms between a wealthy socialite and a Mexican ballet dancer, intertwining their contrasting lives and cultures.
Why we love it: Cannes prize winner Franco pairs up with Chastain again after their cripplingly beautiful Memory (2023).
Dir: Jan Dag Haugerud (Sex)
Synopsis:
Johanne documents her intense crush on her french teacher. Her mother, grandmother end up reading these intimate writings. They're both horrified by the contents but taken by the powerful writing and story. Johanne navigates romantic ideals vs reality, exploring emotions of self-discovery, love, sexuality.
Why we love it: Haugerud, who won Berlin over with his film Sex, completes his Sex, Love, Dreams trilogy.
Other exciting titles:
What Does That Nature Say to You
Dir: Hong Sang-Soo (A Traveler's Needs), 4x Silver Bear winner
First look clip:
Continental ‘25’
Dir: Radu Jude (Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World)
But above all else, one has me captivated:
The Ice Tower (2025), which stars Marion Cotillard and director Gaspar Noé. Here’s the synopsis:
Jeanne, a 15-year-old orphan, witnesses the shoot for a film adaptation of the fairy tale The Snow Queen, and she becomes fascinated by its star, Cristina, an actress who is just as mysterious and alluring as the Queen she is playing.
Here’s Cotillard as the queen:
Berlin runs Thu, Feb 13th - Feb 23rd. Check out the full line-up here.
Plus a new trailer for Bong Joon-ho’s Robert Pattinson clone film Mickey 17.
And the best-named film at the festival Sammi, Who Can Detach His Body Parts (short film trailer):