At the Helmut Newton Foundation in Berlin, a new series opened titled POLAROIDS. The exhibition centers on Polaroid pictures shot by many famed photographers. The once popular instant camera were a big part of the creative process for professional picture takers.
POLAROIDS runs from until July 25, 2025.
The 75th Berlinale is coming to a close. Did the film festival make a sharp turn upward? For this Chat Cinema podcast round up discuss the cinema event under new leader head Tricia Tuttle.
For this episode of Chat Cinema we talk about the Berlinale. The 75th edition starts February 13th. Has the film gathering event turned a major corner with a new head? The Honeymoon period was pleasant. Now comes the hard part. Turning the Berlin gathering into a true “A-List” festival.
But, beneath the mixed headlines, we also found some gems that will screen over the course of ten days.
Check out the podcast with co-host Steven Yates.
Berlinale press team sent me the location of the press conference, my eyes rolled. House of the Cultures of the World. A 1957 building straddling the Spree River in the Tiergarten section of the city. The symbolism of the location is not lost. After all the controversial headlines, the festival needed to prove point of being open to all. The problem is getting to this symbol of universal openness. Indian Jones would need patience this locale is inside the city, yet in a remote place not easily reached. I needed to take the U5 to the nearest Metro Station, Bundestag, then another eight-minute walk in -2C weather. After talking to other colleagues, we decided to watch the YouTube stream then discuss the details afterward. The reactions, The Berlinale has solidified its place as a second-tier festival.
This has been a cold January in the German Capital. Tricia Tuttle came out on stage wearing a jacket. Was this for warmth or protection? As the newly installed head of the Berlinale spoke in a clear but at times flatness enthusiasm. The jacket could have been more a security blanket. As the newly creative head read from cards, her lack of fervor became clear.
The team placed a best foot forward, going down the list of films on the scheduled to show in February. Normally before a film festival the buzz is built by press leaks of works that will unspool. The only news from Berlin concerned last year’s controversial anti-semitic row, budget cuts this year, threatened boycotts and then the sudden increased funding from the Ministry of Culture. Keeping track of a tennis ball would have been easier than staying up to date on news coming from Potsdamer Platz.
If there were high expectations, a breath of fresh air for the 75th edition of the Berlinale, the audience’s reaction sucked the air out of the room. The timid, almost chilly polite applause did not need explanation. Instead of something new, the festival was merely repackaging an average grade product. The Competition Section has a Richard Linklater work in the batch among the nineteen films in the run for the Golden Bear.
On the small-scale glamour front, the Special Section will include A Complete Unknown with Timothee Chalamet for a German Premiere and Robert Pattison in Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17 will hit the Red Carpet. Other stars confirmed to attend are Jessica Chastain with more to be announced. Perhaps the pleas for more big stars to come only reached the Junk Mailbox.
The Berlinale continues to say “It is one of the big festivals” alongside Cannes and Venice in relevance It is time to stop believing the press releases. For Tricia Tuttle, the honeymoon period is over.
The Berlinale starts Feb 13th.
The new Berlinale Poster, released the last week of December shows a new modern style. The number seventy-five features prominent at the right corner. Ditching film festival Bear artwork is supposed to signal change, breaking from the past, the arrival of a new era, a reinvention of a once significant February cinema event. But, is the new Berlinale just recycling the old with more colorful packaging? It takes more than shiny artwork to re-establish confidence in a film festival that has dug itself into a celluloid hole.
After a few conversations with some professional industry colleagues about the upcoming edition, we are starting to have more questions. What happened to doing something new? It is no secret the Berlinale fell behind, lacking the grandeur of Cannes, the artistic component of Venice, the hipness of Sundance or the commercial launching heft of SXSW, the space for change, a new way opportunity,is wide open in the German Capital. Yet, festival head Tricia Tuttle is on a Honey Moon press tour using pleasant Cucumber Salad language on how the festival looks to differentiate itself from the past. However, on closer examination, what changed appears unclear to regular Berlinale goers. One category eliminated, a new one added, the same past filmmakers with the similar thematic films appear on the schedule, again.
The wait and see game has started. Hopefully, the newly installed Berlinale team has not wasted precious good will.
What happens when a course change may fail before the actual implementation? The 75th edition of the Berlinale could soon become a case study answering this question. Less than two months before the German Capital hosts filmmakers, headlines rolling out have painted an unflattering portrait of the Potsdamer Platz headquarters. Head Tricia Tuttle makes her debut February as the first female head of the international film hub. Although, reading recent Berlinale news coverage, the American may want to take cover in a dark movie theater in order to forget all the troubles.
Budget cuts, lack of screens, controversial past winners have taken a toll on the Berlinale’s reputation in the global filmmaker community. Global filmmakers may skip Berlin, weary of being labeled antisemitic because of their stance on the Middle East conflict. Instead of celebrating cinema, captions reading “a balancing tightrope”, “unwanted fears”, “revising the budget every month” are overshadowing a cinematic event trying to regain competitive footing with Cannes and Venice Festivals.
As for the movies announced so far, the schedule comes as torpid, local, lacking big draws, a zero-sum excitement level. The Competition category announcement occurs on January 21st. Perhaps then, the Berlinale can regain some it’s lost luster.
The Berlinale starts February 13th.
Again, the Berlin department store scene suddenly got smaller. Another big retailer is closing the doors. Galeria Kaufhaus in Alexanderplatz will go dark at the end of 2025. According to local papers, property owner Commerz Real wants to develop the property as a mixed use location of apartments and small shops for the Mitte. What the heck is going on? After years of struggling with bad management, falling foot traffic, Galeria Kaufhaus’ new owners hoped for a fresh start reviving the fortunes of the 145 year old chain. Those plans took a setback on Friday afternoon. Rumours circulated the six floor flagship brick and mortar locale was being considered for other uses. After heated negotiations, the owners decided not to renew the lease of the prominent retail outlet.
As a frequent shopper, I am a bit sad GK is closing. The Kaufhaus sat on a transport crossroad of bus, metro, train, tram and bike. Although it is not my idea emporium, I found it easy to pop in now and again to browse or buy a gift. The houseware section offers a nice selection. Secondly, the sweets and beauty selection always have goods on special offers. Berlin’s City East will feel a bit empty in 2026.
The Berlinale is a few months away, however the press tour has already started. New head Tricia Tuttle held a meet and greet for local press discussing the plans for making the city’s biggest cinema event more relevant. The American born said “she wanted to bring back enthusiasm to the Berlinale.” Was this a polite snub to previous heads Carlo Chatrian and Dieter Kosslick? It has been no secret Berlin has lost its luster over the years with filmmakers and other professionals. Europe’s third biggest film festival fell far behind Cannes and Venice. The American gatherings, Sundance and SXSW aim for youth over politics.
Tricia has her hands full, the first female while being fourth head in six years. A newbie in a city with many cultural and structural differences. Former East, former West attitudes make a peculiar tasting soup when combined in a pot. Chatrian got pushed out by backroom forces. The former London Film Festival head took over after many disagreements over the direction of festival. Where does the Berlinale stand in the circuit? Commercial? Politics? Mainstream? European Arthouse? Tuttle wants to attract younger audiences with a new social media plan along with cheaper tickets for students. That plan looks good on paper; however, a film festival is about films. A Deadpool or Dune sequel would get the under 30 crowd attention, not typical Berlinale Palace fare.
Festivals are not just gatherings, but places to discuss cinema. The organisation’s press room is more a sterile inoculation clinic than a conversational space. The 300 or so titles running in the different sections are not fully curated forcing attendees to ask each other for recommendations. Sadly, as Potsdamer Platz no longer functions as a central point, chit chatting is difficult. One film unrolls in Friedrichshain, then seven km to Charlottenburg for another, shoes, patients and luck will be needed. Hopefully, the Berlinale will find a new physical center. And sadly, there are still no midnight screenings.
Good Luck Ms. Tuttle. Restoring a reputation is hard work.
Will we attend the 75th Berlinale February 3rd after the 2018 banning? We will apply and see.
IFA is coming this September. The large consumer electronics and technology event celebrates its Centennial in 2024 in Berlin.
This year there will be many elephants in the room
Artificial Intelligence continues to be a big question mark. The fear and misunderstanding of the new technology continue to baffle industry and individuals.
Recently, tech giant Google lost a big anti-trust case in the United States. Will the Mountain View company have to sell Chrome browser or Android operation system?
Tech and consumer brands are getting squeezed by costs resulting in many industry layoffs.
As consumers face higher prices, many have resisted upgrades, delaying expensive purchases.
Geopolitics continue to play a larger role in technology development and innovation. With China producing more sophisticated chips, other countries could break away from Western centric devices, platforms and operating systems.
IFA 2024 starts September 4th.
Wismar makes a nice staycation away from Berlin. The former Hansa League and Swedish settlement offers quaint walks as well as nearby beaches.
