If Sundance signals the annual launch of American indie cinema's new product line, the 63-year-old Berlin Film Festival (February 7–17) offers the year's first major look at what the rest of the world has to offer. In addition to the 19-film official competition—this year presided over by jury president Wong Kar-wai—there are two even larger "parallel" sections (the Panorama and Forum), an expansive sidebar of movies for family audiences (dubbed "Generation"), and a program devoted to "culinary cinema," Berlinale director Dieter Kosslick being as much a foodie as he is a cinephile. The opening night... More >>>