Melissa Leo’s ‘Francine,’ Paul Dano-starrer ‘For Ellen’ In Berlin’s Forum

BERLIN – Francine, a drama about a recently released convict starring Oscar-winner Melissa Leo (The Fighter) will have its world premiere at the Berlin film festival’s Forum sidebar for independent and experimental cinema. The drama from directors Brian M. Cassidy and Melanie Shatzky also stars Keith Leonard and Michael Power.

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For Ellen from director So Yong Kim starring Paul Dano (There Will Be Blood) as a struggling musician fighting his wife for custody of his young daughter, will also screen in the Forum line up in its international premiere.

Other Forum highlights include the Swedish thriller Avalon from director Axel Petersen, which won the international film critics Discovery award in Toronto last year and Kid-Thing from Austin-based helmer David Zellner, which premieres in Sundance.

In total, Berlin will screen 38 films in its Forum sidebar, 26 of them world premieres. The 62nd Berlin international film festival runs Feb. 9-19.

The 2012 Forum Lineup

The Last Friday, dir. Yahya Alabdallah , Jordan / United Arab Emirates  

The Woman in the Septic Tank, dir. Marlon N. Rivera, The Philpines

Avalon, dir. Axel Petersen, Sweden  

Bagrut Lochamim (Soldier / Citizen), dir. Silvina Landsmann , Israel  

Bestiaire, dir. Denis Côté, Canada/France 

Beziehungsweisen (Negotiating Love), dir. Calle Overweg , Germany

La demora (The Wait), dir. Rodrigo Plá, Uruguay/Mexico/France  

Escuela normal (Normal School), dir. Celina Murga , Argentina  

Espoir voyage, dir. Michel K. Zongo, France/Burkina Faso  

For Ellen, dir. So Yong Kim , USA

Formentera, dir. Ann-Kristin Reyels, Germany  

Francine, dir. Brian M. Cassidy & Melanie Shatzky, USA/Canada  

friends after 3.11, dir. Iwai Shunji , Japan  

Living / Building, dir. Clemence Ancelin , France

Hemel, dir. Sacha Polak, The Netherlands/Spain  

Winter Nomads, dir. Manuel von Sturler , Switzerland

Jaures, dir. Vincent Dieutre, France

Choked, dir. Kim Joong-hyun, Republic of Korea

Our Homelan, dir. Yang Yonghi , Japan

Kid-Thing, dir. David Zellner, USA

The End of Puberty, dir. Kimura Shoko , Japan

Condition, dir. Thomas Heise, Germany

No Man's Zone, dir. Fujiwara Toshi , Japan /France

Nuclear Nation, dir. Funahashi Atsushi , Japan

Parabeton - Pier Luigi Nervi and Roman Concrete, dir. Heinz Emigholz, Germany

Modest Reception, dir. Mani Haghighi, Iran

A Night Too Young, dir. Olmo Omerzu , Czech Republic / Slovenia  

Revision, dir. Phil Scheffner, Germany

Salsuedes, dir. Mariano Luque, Argentina

Secret, dir. Przemysław Wojcieszek , Poland

Sleepless Knights, dir. Stefan Butzmühlen/Cristina Diz, Germany     

Golden Slumbers, dir. Davy Chou, France/Cambodia

Spaindir, dir. Anja Salomonowitz , Austria  

Beyond the Hill, dir. Emin Alper , Turkey / Greece

Keep Me Upright, dir. Zoé Chantre , France

Everybody in Our Family, dir. Radu Jude , Romania /The Netherlands  

What Is Love, dir. Ruth Mader, Austria

Tomorrow, dir. Andrey Gryazev , Russia