The 2011 Berlin film festival opened on Thursday with Oscars darling “True Grit” kicking off the 10-day cinema showcase, where hundreds of movies vie for the attention of the world’s media and industry buyers.
Despite of the glitz of the opening ceremony, the Berlin film festival “Berlinale” was overshadowed by the absence of one of its jury members, Iranian director Jafar Panahi, who is jailed in Iran. Festival director Dieter Kosslick pointed out, that this gave the festival a political note. The Berlinale jury is headed by internationally renowned Actress and director Isabella Rossellini, who declared her delight about being in Berlin. The opening film “True Grit” is one of the favorites at this year s Oscars. The 61st Berlin festival boasts its trademark mix of familiar faces and up-coming film makers, and, as usual, real world concerns are never far from the surface – Dunya News
