“Crulic — The Path to Beyond” is among the pics slated for the festival.
Germany's 21st Filmfestival Cottbus, the leading showcase for Eastern European film, has unveiled the lineup for its Nov. 1-6 edition.
Ten features, including one international and nine German premieres, will compete for a cash prize worth €20,000 ($27,500) at the event, held in Cottbus, which was in the Communist part of the country until German reunification in 1990.
The competition includes helmer Anca Damian's unusual Romanian-Polish co-production "Crulic -- The Path to Beyond," which uses animation to tell the gruesome and tragic true story of a young Romanian imprisoned in Poland.
It's up against "My Dad Baryshnikov," directed by Dmitry Povo Povolotsky, Russia; "Identity Card," directed by Ondrej Trojan, Czech Republic-Slovakia; "My Name Is Ki," directed by Leszek Dawid, Poland; "Sunny Days," directed by Nariman Turebayev, Kazakhstan; "Salt White," directed by Keti Machavariani, Georgia; "Gromozeka," directed by Vladimir Kott, Russia; "Twilight Portrait," directed by Angelina Nikonova, Russia; "Lynch," directed by Krzysztof Lukaszewicz, Poland; and "The Enemy," directed by Dejan Zecevic, Serbia and Montenegro.
Founded in 1991 by East German cineastes concerned over the onslaught of U.S.-influenced culture after the fall of the Berlin Wall, Cottbus has become a major East-West industry meeting point. A vibrant two-day industry event, Connecting Cottbus, provides a venue for project pitching and dealmaking between producers from across Europe's old divides.
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