It’s been just over one year when we started our Zombie Room blog with Timo. One of our first missions was to make a diary of our visit in the Berlin film festival 2009. Later on it has became a ZR tradition to do a diary from all the festivals we go to. And now we are back in Berlin a bit older and (hopefully) a bit wiser to give you look at the festival from a film makers (and definitely from a movie nerds) perspective.
We arrived on thursday and here’s a recap on what has been going on since then. First night we immediately went to our favorite sushi restaurant here in Berlin called Pan Asia. Once again the food was amazing, but the high point of the evening was the fact that we got to meet director Renny Harlin. I can’t even begin to tell you how much Harlin has influenced and inspired my own movie career when I was just a kid dreaming about the movie biz. So I was exited to meet him to say the least.
Harlin has had some bad luck with his epic tale of Mannerheim, which is unfortunately still on hold. For the time being he is working on a movie called Georgia, starring Val Kilmer and Andy Garcia. It’s a drama centered around the war between Russia and Georgia, and focused on an American journalist, his cameraman, and a Georgian native who become caught in the crossfire. The movie should come out later this year. There is no trailer yet, but here’s the poster below. We will be following both productions closely so stay tuned for more.
On friday I got my accreditation for the festival and spend the day in the European Film Market or EFM situated in Martin-Gropius-Bau. It’s not my favorite place in the world but it was nice to see some familiar faces at the market. I will give you a more extensive report of the market this year, but that’s coming a bit later.
In the evening we suddenly decided to go to see HIM who was playing in Berlin. After the gig we were invited back stage to meet the band, which was pretty cool. Here’s a couple of pictures from the gig and from backstage. That’s me by the way in the last photo with Mr. Valo.
After the gig we continued on to the Finnish house party organized by the Finnish Film Foundation and other Finnish film organizations. The party was held in a private apartment somewhere in Berlin and it was completely packed with people as usual. Unfortunately I don’t have any pics from there, but trust me when I say it was pretty full. But a nice party anyway and I want to say thanks to the organizers.
Before I wrap things up for now, the Zombies would like to congratulate the grand old Berlin Film Festival on behalf of it’s 60th anniversary. The Zombies will rase a glass tonight for the next 60!
Also check out last year’s Berlin diary:
And so the story begins…
Berlin Diary #2 – Getting drunk, getting laid
Berlin Diary # 3 – Ninjas, sushi and one huge monster
Berlin Diary # 4 – Payback is a bitch of a whore
Berlin Diary # 5 – Best from the north
Berlin Diary # 6 – There are nazis on the moon
Berlin Diary #7: Wrapping up Berlinale
Catch you later.
