Berlin Festival Director Dieter Kosslick Denies Rumors He Will Step Down (Berlin)

4:17 AM PST 2/18/2011 by Scott Roxborough

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Dieter Kosslick | The Master of Ceremonies

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But Kosslick, who is celebrating his 10th year as boss of the fest, has been coy about whether he will extend his contract in two years' time.

BERLIN -- Dieter Kosslick, director of the Berlin International Film Festival, has denied widespread rumors that he will step down as head of Germany's number one film fest before his contract runs out in 2013.

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But Kosslick, who is celebrating his 10th year as boss of the Berlinale, has been coy about whether he will extend his contract in two years time.

In his tenure, Kosslick has greatly expanded the Berlin Fest's profile at home and abroad, not least due to the expansion of Berlin's European Film Market, a must for buyers and sellers from around the world.

But voices are growing louder that Kosslick's time may soon be up. While all agree he has given Berlin a new shine, many bemoan the lack of A-list titles in Berlin's Competition lineups. This year is no exception, with few Competition films generating any heat among either critics or international distributors.

Kosslick's current contract expires April 30, 2013, just four weeks before his 65th birthday. By then, Berlin's master of ceremonies may decide it's time to leave the stage while the audience is still applauding.