Blue Blood Rio de Janeiro winner to open Berlinales Panorama section

January 16, 2015 - 19:04 AMT

PanARMENIAN.Net - Brazilian production Sangue azul (Blue Blood), directed by Lirio Ferreira, will open the main program of the Panorama section of the Berlin Film Festival on Feb. 5, Variety reports.

The film, which won top prize at the Rio de Janeiro Film Festival, is the story of a circus performers attempted reconciliation with his familys past.

Panorama Special will open on February 6 with two films. First up is Mexican filmmaker Gabriel Ripsteins directorial debut, 600 Millas (600 Miles), in which a young gunrunner, en route from Texas to Mexico, finds himself stuck with a U.S. military veteran, played by Tim Roth.

The other film is German director Rosa von Praunheims latest work, Hrte (Tough Love), which tells the story of karate world champion Andreas Andy Marquardt, who also appears in the pic, and accompanies the audience on his journey from a childhood of abuse to an adulthood of violence. Ultimately he evolves into a man who cares (albeit rather gruffly) about others. The film introduces the thematic focus of abuse that runs through all three Panorama series.

Latin America makes a strong showing: Chilean director Sebastian Silva presents his film Nasty Baby, which is set in Brooklyn, and Chico Teixeira and Anna Muylaert, both from Brazil, contribute Ausencia (Absence) and Que horas ela volta? (The Second Mother) respectively. Argentina is repped by Marco Bergers Mariposa (Butterfly), and Juan Schnitmans El incendio (The Fire).

Among the U.S. additions to the lineup is Mitchell Lichtensteins Angelica, which is part wicked and whimsical sociological study, part psychodrama and part horror story. Also from the U.S. is Takeshi Fukunagas directorial debut, Out of My Hand, about a worker on a Liberian rubber plantation who wants to get away from a life overshadowed by civil war and so moves to New York.

Two European-U.S. co-productions portray the emotional worlds of young people in the U.S. In Bizarre, French director Etienne Faure places teenage Maurice in a tender and playful environment, a commune of sorts, in Brooklyn. While DFFB graduate Micah Magees debut film, Petting Zoo, sets its protagonist in Texas, where she tries to maintain her autonomy despite daily adversities.

Panorama has now completed its selection of fiction films, with 34 features from 29 countries.

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Blue Blood Rio de Janeiro winner to open Berlinales Panorama section