Berlinale reveals first 5 films in competition

The Berlin International Film Festival revealed on Friday the first films competing for its awards next February.

Among the selected movies, announced by the organization in a statement, is the BritishAmerican “Genius” directed by Briton Michael Grandage and starring Colin Firth, Jude Law and Nicole Kidman, along with Laura Linney, Guy Pearce and Dominic West.

The film will have its world premiere in Berlin, as with the German, French and British coproduction “Jeder stirbt fur sich allein” or “Alone in Berlin”, directed by Swiss Vincent Perez, with Daniel Bruhl, Brendan Gleeson, Emma Thompson and Mikael Persbrandt in the cast.

Also competing will be the Canadian “Boris sans Beatrice” or “Boris without Beatrice”, directed by filmmaker Denis Cote and performed by James Hyndman, SimoneElise Girard, Denis Lavant, Isolde Dychauk and Dounia Sichov.

Meanwhile, American director Jeff Nichols will present his “Midnight Special” with Michael Shannon, Joel Edgerton, Kirsten Dunst, Adam Driver and Sam Shepard.

The U.S. documentary “Zero Days”, directed by Alex Gibney, is also competing.

The Berlinale will open on Feb. 11, 2016 and the awards will be announced on Feb. 20, to officially close the next day.