Entertainment

Good German, Good Shepherd to vie for Golden Bear in Berlin

The Good Shepherd and The Good German are among the first slate of films that will compete at the upcoming Berlin International Film Festival.

The Good Shepherd and The Good German are among the first slate of films that will compete at the upcoming Berlin International Film Festival.

Festival director Dieter Kosslick announced on Thursday an initial six films in competition for the event's top trophy, the Golden Bear. The remaining films will be announced later in the month, with the festival set to run from Feb. 8 to 18.

Robert De Niro's The Good Shepherd, a spy thriller outlining the origins of the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, and Steven Soderbergh's The Good German, about a U.S. journalist tied up in a murder conspiracy in Berlin after the Second World War, have both already debuted in North American theatres.

Marianne Faithfull stars in another film vying for the top prize. In the Belgian-German-British co-production Irina Palm, the singer and actress portrays a widow whose poverty forces her into working at a sex club.

Organizers also chose Goodbye Bafana, the latest film from Oscar-winning Danish director Bille August, for competition. The film is based on the true story of James Gregory, the white South African prison guard whose life is transformed by the prisoner in his charge for more than 20 years — Nelson Mandela.

Director Chistian Petzold's Yella is a German entry, telling the tale of a young woman from a former Eastern German province trying to escape a wretched marriage.

Completing the list announced Thursday is South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook's new film I Am A Cyborg But That's OK, a love story set in a psychiatric hospital and starring Korean pop superstar Rain.

"We are delighted to be able to present a number of new works by renowned directors and interesting young filmmakers again," Kosslick said in a statement.

"Many of the productions selected for this year's competition link modern historical processes to personal, intimate and extremely emotional stories."

Along with Cannes, Venice and Toronto, Berlin's annual event is considered one of the world's premiere film festivals.

At this year's 57th edition, festival organizers will also pay homage to U.S. director Arthur Penn, who will receive an honorary Golden Bear trophy for lifetime achievement.

The festival program will also a program screening 10 of Penn's films, including Bonnie and Clyde, The Miracle Worker and The Chase.