by Eugene Hernandez/indieWIRE

Naturally, catching a moment with Berlinale chief Dieter Kosslick can be a real challenge during the ten days of the annual festival here in Germany. For the typically cheery, usually joking fest head things got off to a sad start this year with news of the death of his friend, French producer Humbert Balsan of Unifrance and Cinematheque Francaise, on the first day of this year's Berlinale. By mid-fest, Kosslick was a bit cheerier, sitting down with indieWIRE and a couple of other reporters for a brief chat.

European and German Cinema

The state of European cinema, specifically the health of the German film industry, is a common topic for Kosslick, a booster of Euro and German cinema for years.

"In different countries, the cinema is coming back and the national cinema is coming back -- I think there is a good future for the European film industry," Kosslick said. Of late, Germany has in particular seen success overseas with such films as "Goodbye Lenin!" and "Nowhere in Africa." Continuing, Kosslick added, "I am very confident that Germany is not the only country which (is having) success within the film industry."

[Berlinale chief Dieter Kosslick at the Festival's homebase in the Grand Hyatt earlier this week. Photo by Eugene Hernandez/indieWIRE]

Asked about the state of the German film business and the role the festival plays in providing a new portrait of Germany, Kosslick said, "We have new generations here who make audience driven films that tell people what life is today in Germany...to transport a new image of the Germans."

Germany in Competition

"We had a big choice of German movies this year," Kosslick said, referring to the Berlinale's main competition. "We have chosen three complete different movies." Listing the films he added, "'One Day in Europe' is just a funny comedy about stereotypes, which I always like." The Hannes Stoehr film, which screened on the Berlinale's first weekend, was a hit with audiences here. Its episodes look at football fever in a trio of European cities, offering perspectives of a number of different people.

Chatting further about the German competition entries, Kosslick highlighted the importance of Mark Rothemund's "Sophie Scholl - die Letzen" (Sophie Scholl - The Final Days." Without her, he said, "Germany would not be the Germany we have now -- without these people who have been against the Nazis, especially these young people, I couldn’t believe that we (could be) the democracy that we are today."

Finally, Kosslick focused on Christian Petzold's "Gespenster" (Ghosts), calling it a well-constructed, personal film, made with the precision of a Hitchcock movie. "Ghosts" is the story of a woman trying to find her child who was kidnapped 15 years ago. In the film she meets a young woman, played by Julia Hummer, who just may be the lost daughter. Kosslick added that actor-driven film boasts a standout performance by Hummer, an actress he says could be a very big star in Europe or worldwide."

Kosslick relishes the fact that with a diverse presentation of German films in the main competition, and in the Perspektive Deutsches Kino sidebar, the Berlinale is challenging people's stereotypes of Germans and, relating an old quip about locals, the idea that a joke book about German humor is only one page long.

The New Berlinale

With the move of the European Film Market in 2006 to its new home at Martin-Gropius-Bau, which will allow the section to grow substantially, Kosslick said, "Next year is the last year to reinvent the Berlin Film Festival." Over the past few years since taking the helm at the Berlinale, Kosslick has achieved a series of his own goals.

The bustling Talent Campus was a top priority. "The Talent campus is an incredible thing (and) now it is a completely independent thing," Kosslick said, adding that is financed separately as a stand-alone operation. Smiling he added with modesty, "I think this was a pretty good idea."

Echoing this year's Campus motto of "Shoot Goals! Shoot Movies!" Kosslick reflected on his own goals for the festival, noting that since he arrived in Berlin he is especially proud of adding a new co-production market, the world cinema fund, and a 14-plus screening section. "And we have a strong German section," Kosslick added, reiterating that the last step is to expand the European Film Market next year.

"So basically, you can see the new Berlinale," he said, with his trademark wry smile, "And then I get some rest and concentrate on some films."