With the opening of the 55th Berlinale, the international film festival here in Berlin, people will start buzzing about those cute little bears. 21 filmmakers are hoping to take home the coveted golden bear statute from Berlin, starting with filmmaker Régis Wargnier. Tonight the French director will present the world premiere of his new movie "Man to Man". The film's lead, Joseph Fiennes is expected to appear in Berlin today for the kickoff, he stars in the movie with Kristin Scott Thomas, Hugh Bonneville, and Flora Montgomery. The movie is one of sixteen films competing in Berlin this year.

Described as a "historical adventure epic," the movie is the story of a group of anthropologists who have embarked on a research trip to Africa in the 1870s, searching for the 'missing link' between humans and apes. Wargnier made his debut with the 1992 film, "Indochine."

Rounding out the official in competition section this year here in Berlin are 20 other features: "Anklaget" (Accused), directed Jacob Thuesen (Denmark); "Asylum", directed by David Mackenzie (U.S., Ireland); "De battre mon coeur s'est arête" (The Beat That My Heart Skipped), directed by Jacques Audiard (France); "Gespenster" (Ghosts), directed by Christian Petzold (Germany); "In Good Company", directed by Paul Weitz (U.S.); "Kakushi ken-oni no tsume" (The Hidden Blade), directed by Yoji Yamada (Japan); "Kong que" (Peacock), directed by u Changwei (China); "Le promeneur du bhamp de mars" (The Walker of the Champ de Mars), directed by Robert Guediguian (France); "Les mots bleu" (Words in Blue), directed by Alain Corneau (France); "Les temps qui changent" (Changing Times), directed by Andre Techine (France); "The Life Aquatic", directed by Wes Anderson (U.S.); "One Day in Europe" directed by Hannes Stoehr (Germany, Spain); "Paradise Now" directed by Hany Abu-Assad (Netherlands, Germany, France); "Provincia Meccanica", directed by Stefano Mordini (Italy); "Solnze" (The Sun), directed by Aleksandr Sokurov (Russian Federation, Italy, France); "Sometimes in April", directed by Raoul Peck (U.S.); "Sophie Scholl", directed by Marc Rothemund (Germany); "Tian bian yi duo yun" (The Wayward Cloud), directed by Tsai Ming-Liang (Taiwan, China, France); "Thumbsucker", directed by Mike Mills (USA); and "U-Carmen eKhayelitsha" (Carmen in Khayelitsha), directed by Mark Dornford-May (South Africa).

Cinematographer Lájos Koltai’s directorial debut "Fateless", from Hungary, was added to the official Berlinale Competition roster this week, after Chris Terrio's "Heights" an out of competition entry, was inexplicably dropped from the festival. Terrio's movie premiered last month at Sundance.

Hollywood director Roland Emmerich is leading the international jury here in Berlin, he is joined by actors Ingeborga Dapkunaite from Lithuania, Bai Ling from China and Franke Potente from Germany, along with Fortissimo chief Wouter Barendrecht, Italian designer Nino Cerruti, and Ukranian writer and cinematographer Andrei Kurkov. Among the prizes that will be presented by the group are the coveted Golden Bear for best film, the Jury Grand Prix (Silver Bear), a Best Director prize (Silver Bear), best actor and actress Silver Bears, and special Silver Bears for artistic contribution and film music. Also to be awarded again is the Blue Angel Prize in honor of Marlene Dietrich, celebrating the best European Film, and Alfred Bauer Prize, named for the Berlinale's founder, for "a work of particular innovation."

Honorary Golden Bears will be awarded during this year's festival to Korean filmmaker Im Kwon-Taek and the Spanish actor, director, and screenwriter Fernando Fernán Gómez, recognizing their lifetime achievements.

Yesterday, Berlinale organizers announced a special surprise screening. Bernd Böhlich's "Mutterseelenallei" has been added to the festival, screening tomorrow night. Star Katrin Sass will receive a Berlinale Camera prize for her contribution to German Cinema, at the screening. The film is described as the story of a woman dealing with the realization that her son is a murdererer. The Berlinale Camera, first presented in 1986, will also be presented this year to Shochiku Studios, Japan’s leading studio, German film personality Helene Schwarz and Irish actor Daniel Day-Lewis, all for their contributions to the world of cinema.