Berlin Film Festival: A stellar year for women and French cinema

Theatres, cinemas and concert halls remain open in Spain, despite soaring levels of Covid-19 infections. "I applaud the great efforts being made in this country to defend culture," Mexican tenor Javier Camarena told Madrid's Theatre Royal.

Here is why you should pick up a copy of The Guardian on Saturday. Here are some of the stories to look out for when you grab a copy of The Guardian on the newsstands on Saturday.⁣

Set in Lagos, Nigeria Eyimofe (This Is My Desire) follows the stories of Mofe, a factory technician, and Rosa, a hairdresser, on their quest for what they believe will be a better life on foreign shores. A passport, photos, and a visa form recurring elements. The characters’ misfortunes are part of their everyday life and they are sketching out the need to leave Nigeria at the same time. At the bottom of the socio-economic ladder, status, money, gender, skin colour, and family structures are inextricably connected. The longing for another life is but one thread in this complex mesh, a promise that floats above things at once near and far away.

Critic Lisa Nesselson joins us to discuss the importance of France's annual "Fête du Cinéma". We also talk about "Charlatan", the latest feature from Polish director Agnieszka Holland. In her fact-inspired drama, a Czech man who has devoted his life to diagnosing and healing people with plants faces the wrath of the Czech government.

It’s been more than two years in the making: the Cannes Film Festival has opened after a pandemic-prompted hiatus in 2020.

It’s a cinematic snapshot of the United States, brought to you from the breezy shores of Deauville, Normandy. The annual American Film Festival returns this year, complete with stars on the red carpet after the previous edition was scaled down due to the pandemic.

In this edition we pay tribute to Jean-Paul Belmondo, a leading figure in French film who's died aged 88. The cool rebel of the New Wave of French cinema shot to international fame in Jean-Luc Godard's revolutionary classic "Breathless". Film critic Lisa Nesselson tells us about her memories of meeting Belmondo.

We look at reactions in France to a possible alliance between the socialists and the far left in the upcoming parliamentary elections. Also, the sports pages are buzzing after Real Madrid's thrilling victory brings the team into the Champions League final. Also, Basic Instinct was released here in France almost 30 years ago to the day. We look at how the film changed cinema. Finally, is this the future - an artificial intelligence wine critic?

A special program of films by Ukrainian directors will be screened in different German cities. The curators also pay tribute to their country's filmmaking tradition.

The death of Franco-Swiss filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard earlier this month provoked an outpouring of emotion in France. He was arguably the most iconic member of the French New Wave, one of the most influential movements in film history and one that made a mark on generations of filmmakers around the world.

Film critic Lisa Nesselson tells us more about the 33rd edition of the Dinard Film Festival, in which all three prizes went to the same movie: "Emily", a new take on Emily Brontë. But first, we look at a video of leading French actresses cutting their hair in a show of solidarity with Iranian women, who have been protesting over the death in custody of Mahsa Amini.

We talk to film critic Tanul Thakur in New Delhi about the Golden Globe-winning movie "RRR". We ask him if the film's runaway success could give a boost to India's film industry internationally.