Berlin International Film Festival kicks off tonight

Berlin International Film Festival kicks off tonight

BEIJING, Feb. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- The 62nd Berlin International Film Festival will kick off Thursday night with the world premiere of French director Benoit Jacquot's film "Les Adieux a la Reine."

The film stars German actress Diane Kruger as Marie Antoinette during the first days of the French Revolution as mobs threaten to storm Versailles.

Kruger along with the director and all members of the International Jury will be attending the opening-night gala.

Festival director Dieter Kosslick says putting together a film festival jury is difficult but this year's includes some impressive names.

He said, "the problem is when you asked them too early, then later they drop out because they get a job. If you ask them too late, then they have a job already. This is the problem to make a jury. But this year we are very lucky, we have Asghar Farhadi, our Golden Bear winner who is nominated now for an Oscar, a Golden Globe, for a BAFTA. We have the president Mike Leigh, I mean this is somebody who we really like in Berlin."

Chinese director Wang Quan'an's drama film "White Deer Plain" is the only Chinese movie competing for a Golden Bear award at the festival.

The public program of the Berlin International Film Festival shows about 400 films, mostly European and international premieres.

More than 19,000 industry professionals and 4,000 journalists from all over the world are expected to attend the festival which wraps up in ten days.

(Source: CRIENGLISH.com)

pictures: Chinese actress Huo Siyan poses for photographers as she arrives for the premiere of the film Farewell my Queen during the opening ceremony of the 62nd Berlinale film festival in Berlin, capital of Germany, on Feb. 9, 2012. The 62nd Berlinale film festival kicked off here on Thursday. (Xinhua/Ma Ning)