There are 24 world premieres and 12 international premieres among the 39 titles in the main programme.

A statement from the Berlinale recognised the ‘large number of films which revolve around family, relationships and identity’ in this year’s Forum programme.

World premieres include Marco Berger’s student-teacher drama Absent (Austente) [pictured] from Argentina; Marie Losier’s The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye from the US and France; Silver Bullets/Art History, a new project from Hannah Takes The Stairs director Joe Swanberg; and a special screening of meditative American filmmaker James Benning’s Twenty Cigarettes.

Other selections include Nanouk Leopold’s Brownian Movement; Richard Ayoade’s UK coming-of-age comedy/drama Submarine; Aditya Assarat’s Hi-So, about a Thai man who returns home from abroad with his American girlfriend; and French director Anne Villaceque’s E-Love.

The Forum, which focuses on experimental and political films from young and up-and-coming directors and cinematographers, will also include nine special screenings and eight features from Japanese director Shibuya Minoru.

Berlinale Forum 2011, Main Programme

Amnes dir Bujar Alimani (Albania/Greece/France) [world premiere]

Looking for Simon (Auf der Suche) dir Jan Krüger (Germany/France) [world premiere]

Absent (Ausente) dir Marco Berger (Argentina) [world premiere]

The Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye dir Marie Losier (US/France) [world premiere]

Brownian Movement dir Nanouk Leopold (The Netherlands/Germany/Belgium) [European premiere]

Cheonggyecheon Medley: A Dream of Iron dir Kelvin Kyung Kun Park (Republic of Korea) [international premiere]

Day Is Done dir Thomas Imbach, (Switzerland) [world premiere]

The House (Dom) dir Zuzana Liová (Slowak Republic/Czech Republic) [world premiere]

E-Love dir Anne Villaceque (France) [international premiere]

An Angel in Doel (De Engel van Doel) dir Tom Fassaert (The Netherlands/Belgium) [world premiere]

Familiar Ground (En Terrains Connus) dir Stéphane Lafleur (Canada) [world premiere]

FIT dir Hirosue Hiromasa, (Japan) [international premiere]

 Follow Me (Folge Mir) dir Johannes Hammel (Austria) [international premiere]

Ways of the Sea (Halaw) dir Sheron Dayoc (The Philippines) [European premiere]

Heaven’s Story dir Zeze Takahisa (Japan) [international premiere]

Hi-So dir Aditya Assarat (Thailand) [European premiere]

Self Referential Traverse: Zeitgeist and Engagement (Jagadangchak: shidaejeongshin kwa hyeonshilchamyeo) dir Kim Sun (Republic of Korea) [world premiere]

Household X (Kazoku X) dir Yoshida Kōki (Japan) [international premiere]

Late Autumn (Man Chu) dir Kim Tae-Yong (Republic of Korea/Hongkong, China/US) [European premiere]

Made in Poland dir Przemysław Wojcieszek (Poland) [international premiere]

Free Hands (Les Mains Libres) dir Brigitte Sy (France) [international premiere]

The Young Butler (El Mocito) dir Marcela Said, Jean de Certeau (Chile) [world premiere]

Nesvatbov (Matchmaking Mayor) dir Erika Hníková (Czech Republic) [international premiere]

Idleness (Ocio) dir Alejandro Lingenti, Juan Villegas (Argentina) [international premiere]

Eighty Letters (Osmdesát dopisů), dir Václav Kadrnka (Czech Republic) [world premiere]

The Residents (Os Residents), dir Tiago Mata Machado (Brasil) [international premiere]

The Kite (Patang), dir Prashant Bhargava (India/US) [world premiere]

The Terrorists (Poor Kor Karn Rai) dir Thunska Pansittivorakul (Germany/Thailand) [world premiere]

Good Morning to the World!! (Sekai Good Morning!!) dir Hirohara Satoru (Japan) [European premiere]

Silver Bullets/Art History dir Joe Swanberg (US) [world premiere]

State of Violencedir Khalo Matabane (Republic of South Africa/France) [European premiere]

Submarine dir Richard Ayoade (UK) [European premiere]

Swans dir Hugo Vieira da Silva (Germany/Portugal) [world premiere]

Take Shelter dir Jeff Nichols (US) [international premiere]

Territoire Perdu dir Pierre-Yves Vandeweerd (France/Belgium) [world premiere]

Kabul Dream Factory (Traumfabrik Kabul)dir Sebastian Heidinger (Germany/Afghanistan) [world premiere]

Under Control (Unter Kontrolle) dir Volker Sattel (Germany) [world premiere]

Utopians dir Zbigniew Bzymek (US) [world premiere]

Viva Riva! dir Djo Tunda Wa Munga (Democratic Republic of Congo/France/Belgium) [European premiere]

Special Screenings

Dreileben [world premiere]

Etwas Nesseres Als den Tod dir Christian Petzold (Germany)

Komm Mir Nicht ANach dir Dominik Graf (Germany)

Eine Minute Dunkel dir Christoph Hochhäusler (Germany)

Eine Serie von Gedanken dir Heinz Emigholz (Germany) [world premiere]

Himmel Und Erde dir Michael Pilz (Austria) 1979-82 (revival screening)

Sleepless Nights Stories dir Jonas Mekas (US) [world premiere]

The Stool Pigeon dir Dante Lam, Hongkong (China) [European premiere]

Twenty Cigarettes dir James Benning (US) [world premiere]

Shibuya Minoru

Doctor’s Day Off (Honjitsu kyushin) 1952

Modern People (Gendaijin) 1952

Righteousness (Seigi-Ha) 1957

The Days of Evil Women (Akujo No Kisetsu) 1958

The Shrikes (Mozu) 1961

A Good Man, a Good Day (Kojin Kojitsu) 1961

Drunkard’s Paradise (Yopparai Tengoku) 1962

The Radish and the Carrot (Daikon To Ninjin) 1964

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