BERLIN: The awards of the 74th edition of the Berlin International Film Festival (15 – 25 February 2024), were announced on 24 February 2024. The Golden Bear for Best Film went to Dahomey directed by Mati Diop.

WARSAW: After the recent Polish elections, Polish filmmakers are hoping to see Polish film open up once again to greater participation in international and pan-European organisations. FNE speaks to Joanna Szymanska, one of the leading figures in Polish film, who is working at pan-European level to see greater inclusion and cultural diversity in filmmaking.

TALLINN: The Italian production Misericordia directed by Emma Dante was awarded the Grand Prix for Best Film in the main competition of the 27th Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF), which was held 3 – 19 November 2023.

TALLINN: Industry@Tallinn & Baltic Event wrapped on 17 November 2023 with eight awards for projects in various stages of scriptwriting, development or postproduction, and an additional two awards recognising promising producers.

VENICE: FNE TV looks at how Venice Film Festival celebrated its 80th birthday. We sum up the festival and talk to some of the participants.

VENICE: Poor Things (UK) directed by Yorgos Lanthimos was awarded the top prize in the main competition of the 80th Venice Film Festival, which took place from 30 August to 9 September 2023. The Special Jury Prize went to Green Border / Zielona granica (Poland, Czech Republic, France, Belgium) directed by Agnieszka Holland, which also picked up a number of collateral awards.

VENICE: FNE spoke to Ivan Ostrochovský and Pavol Pekarčík the directors of the Slovak/Czech/Ukrainian coproduction Photophobia, which screened in the Venice Days section of the festival winning the Europe Cinemas Label Award.

FNE asked Pascal Diot how the Venice Production Bridge has evolved since it started eight years ago.

CANNES: Jeanne du Barry, the out of competition opening film of Cannes Film Festival directed by Maïwenn, is likely to be overshadowed by the return to the embrace of major production by Johnny Depp. It could hardly be called a comeback as Depp never really left the limelight although he did lose out on some of his Hollywood contracts as his acrimonious and globally publicised court case with ex-partner Amber Heard was probably more watched than any of his fictional screen appearances.

CANNNES: Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki’s Fallen Leaves, the fourth part of working-class trilogy Shadows in Paradise, Ariel, and The Match Factory, screens in competition in Cannes although one could ask how there could be four films in a trilogy.