This year’s Berlin International Film Festival will host a tribute program to German filmmaker Ulrike Ottinger. She will attend the festival to receive the prize on February 22, prior to the world premiere of her documentary Paris Calligrammes, which is playing in the Berlinale Special strand. One of Germany’s most important filmmakers since the 1970s, Ottinger’s work spans 25 features, docs and shorts. She has previously received honorary recognition at the Cinémathèque Française in Paris and the Museum of Modern Art in New York. In total, 12 of her films have screened at the Berlinale before. “With the Berlinale Camera, we celebrate artists whose work has always maintained a close relationship between the subjects which comprise cinema and the act of ‘filmmaking’ itself. In light of this, Ulrike Ottinger is the ideal recipient of an award that bears the word ‘camera’. As a painter, a photographer, an all-round artist, she has always regarded cinema as a form of art which is created and crafted by meeting other people, objects, books, stories, places, sets in which reality makes itself felt. Her latest film Paris Calligrammes is a beautiful autobiography and a captivating journey through time,” jointly commented Berlin’s Executive Director Mariette Rissenbeek and Artistic Director Carlo Chatrian on the award.
Research published today by UK firm MarketFinance has revealed that, while the country has a bourgeoning creative industry, many of its companies are waiting longer than ever to receive payment for invoices. In 2019, payment delays doubled to an average of more than 27 days, up significantly from the previous year. However, the number of invoices paid late declined 43% on 2018. The average value of invoice paid late was $34,300 (£26,435). MarketFinance examined 5,000 invoices from the sector in the study. “This is a thriving sector in the UK economy which is being undermined by late payment practices. Landing a big project for companies in this sector can, often, be a breakthrough moment. Being hindered by long payment terms and, worse still late payments, can really derail these young businesses,” stated the company’s External Relations Director Bilal Mahmood.
The line-up has been unveiled for this year’s Cartoon Movie, the annual showcase of upcoming animation features. Running March 3-5 in the French city of Bordeaux, the event will feature 66 animated films at varying stages, from concept to completed pictures that are ready to release this year. Projects selected in 2020 include They Shot The Piano Player, the new feature from the directors of the acclaimed Chico & Rita, which is set to feature Jeff Goldblum in its voice cast. Roughly 900 delegates are expected to attend.