Day 1.

It’s Sunday morning in Berlin. I’ve found the press foyer in Berlinale Palast – a behemoth of a cinema where most of the morning press screenings take place – and with that comes much-needed WiFi. Flying in to Berlin Schonefeld from Stansted was a painless procedure, but getting from Schonefeld to Potsdamer Platz in the evening, after work, not speaking much (if any) German, proved somewhat challenging. The lesson I am trying to impart here is to plan your routes to film festivals better than I did last night. I ran out of credit, and, but for the very kind assistance of an American on the train (Bonnie, I owe you a drink), would probably still be looking for the right train in to the centre of this wonderful city. Grumble about myself over, what are my initial thoughts of Berlinale?

My first pit-stop in Berlin was in a bar within Cinemax (one of the many cinemas congregating around Potsdamer Platz) called “Mom’s Favourite”. Here I met Tony, the Cambridge Film Festival director, and two of his mates. Three litres of beer later, and I realise I am sat talking to Andy and Mark, of Manchester’s Cornerhouse and Bristol’s Watershed. These guys are uber friendly (there, I’m using the lingo), and before you know it the conversation has moved from the Malt and Music Festival on the Isle of Arran, to MAN OF ARAN – the archive film soundtracked by British Sea Power. You know you’re at a table of film buffs when the conversation can move from whisky festival to oblique film reference and everyone at the table “gets it”.

I’ve yet to see a film; Terrence Malick’s KNIGHT OF CUPS is first on my list at midday today, but I am just about to go and conduct an interview with Jannik Splidsboel, the director of a lovely, moving documentary entitled MISFITS. In this sense, it feels like you can arrive at Berlinale three days into the proceedings, as I have done, and really dive into the action straight away. On a typical Sunday in Cambridge I would probably be heading into the Arts Picturehouse to watch a repertory film or a Members’ free preview. This Sunday morning I am up earlier than my body clock tells me I should be, but with good reason. There’s a whole day’s activities ahead of me!

I feel there’ll be more to write about tomorrow when I have a full twenty-fours hours under my belt, but for now, this is me, checking in as Take One’s representative at Berlinale.

httpvh://youtu.be/bC-3rnv_b3o