23rd Teddy Awards Lineup

Here is the list of films (up-to-today) that will be competing for the Teddy Awards at the 2009 Berlinale.

Feature Films

Ai no mukidashi (Love Exposure), Sono Sion, Japan, 2008 Section: Forum (it's a 237 min film! Check trailer here. Seems it has some lesbian interest scenes!)
Forced to confess his sins by his priest father, Yu devotes himself to wrongdoing and becomes a legend of sneak photography. Then he meets Yoko, and becomes involved with a mysterious religious cult… Takahiro Nishijima, Hikari Mitsushima, and Sakura Ando make a splendid ensemble in this epic love story.
An Englishman In New York, Richard Laxton, UK, 2008 Section: Panorama (The later years of Quentin Crisp's life in NY, gay interest, starring John Hurt, Cynthia Nixon... hmm!)
Ander, Roberto Castón, Spain, 2009 Section: Panorama (gay interest)
El Niño pez (The Fish Child), Lucía Puenzo, Argentina, France and Spain, 2009 Section: Panorama (is a Puezo film that makes it must be seen for me, but better as is of total Lesbian Interest!)
A desperate love story between two young girls of extremely social backgrounds who, unable to find a place for their love in the world they live in, are pushed to commit a crime.
End Of Love, Simon Chung, China, 2009 Section: Panorama (gay interest??)
Fig Trees, John Greyson, Canada, 2009 Section: Panorama (AIDS, gay interest?)
Fucking Different Tel Aviv, many directors, Israel and Germany, 2009 Section: Panorama (all Fucking Different films are lesbian and gay interest)
Ai-Mei (Ghosted), Monika Treut, Germany and Taiwan, 2009 Section: Panorama (total lesbian interest)
A mysterious love story between Hamburg and Taipeh. The unsolved murder of her young Taiwanese lover Ai-ling (Keru) leaves the Hamburg artist Sophie Schmitt (Inga Busch) completely disoriented. She dedicates a video-installation to her and shows it in Taipei. During the opening she is approached by a mysterious journalist. Sophie is fascinated at first glance by Mei-li, the young journalist. Mei-li takes her to visit the famous Taipei night markets and tries to seduce the artist. Sophie, still mourning her lost lover, rejects Mei-li and returns immediately to Hamburg. Shortly afterwards Mei-li shows up on her doorstep, unannounced. Sophie takes her in and finally falls for her. But soon she realises that her new lover is secretly investigating Ai-ling's death. Strange happenings occur, sudden flashes of recollection come and go, and then Sophie finds out that there is no Mei-Li working for a Taiwanese newspaper and that no one by that name ever entered Germany. Who is the mysterious Taiwanese woman?
Heosuabideuleui ddang (Land of Scarecrows), Roh Gyeong-Tae, South Korea and France, 2008 Section: Forum (lesbian interest, but not for all audiences as seems very arty -which is just great for me! check review with spoilers here)
Ji-young (Kim Sun-young), an artist-of-sorts who wants to become a man. Strapping her breasts and donning a suit, she visits the Philippines and returns with Rain (Phuong Thi Bich), a naive girl who discovers too late she has married a woman.
Jangryesigeui member aka Jang-rae-sig-ui member (Members of the Funeral), Baek Seung-Bin, South Korea, 2008 Section: Forum (??)
Miao Miao, Cheng Hsiao-Tse, Hong Kong and Taiwan, 2008 Section: Generation 14 (plus) (we already know is lesbian interest)
Milk, Gus van Sant, Section: Panorama
Pedro, Nick Oceano, USA, 2008, Section: Panorama (HIV related? probably gay interest)
Rabioso Sol, Rabioso Cielo (Raging Sun, Raging Sky aka Enraged Sun, Enraged Sky), Julián Hernández, Mexico, 2008 Section: Panorama (probably gay interest)
Rage, Sally Potter, UK and USA, 2009 Section: Competition (gay interest? but it is a must be seen for me because of the director and the cast)
The film is a bitterly funny exposé of the inner lives of individuals working at a New York fashion house – as if shot by a schoolboy on his cellphone camera - over seven days in which an accident on the runway becomes a murder investigation
Resident Alien, Jonathan Nossiter, USA, 1990 Section: Panorama (gay interest documentary)
Rückenwind (Light Gradient), Jan Krüger, Germany, 2009 Section: Panorama (gay interest)
Two young men, Johann and Robin, take a trip into the countryside. The more they walk the forests of Brandenburg, the stranger their adventure becomes...
Strella (A Woman's Way), Panos H. Koutras, Greece, 2009 Section: Panorama (gay interest)
George is released from prison after 14 years of incarceration for a murder he committed in his small Greek village. He spends his first night out in a cheap downtown hotel in Athens. There he meets Strella, a young transsexual prostitute. They spend the night together and soon they fall in love. But the past is catching up with George. With Strella on his side he will have to find a new way out.
Tapage nocturne (Nocturnal Uproar), Catherine Breillat, France, 1979 Section: Panorama (??)
The Countess, Julie Delpy, France and Germany, 2009 Section: Panorama (with Anamaria Marinca! in English and ???)
The Naked Civil Servant, Jack Gold, UK, 1979 Section: Panorama (gay interest)
Wu Sheng Feng Ling (Soundless Wind Chime), Wing Kit Hung, Section: Forum (gay interest)
Ricky leaves Hong Kong for Switzerland to look for the lost soul and the past of his deceased Swiss lover, Pascal. Ricky struggles with the confusion of memories, reality and illusion.

Some Short Films

Contre Jour, Christoph Girardet, Matthias Muller, Germany, 2009 (have to write this: Caution: not recommended for epileptics!)
A Horse is Not A Metaphor, Barbara Hammer, USA, 2008 (a must be seen, there are many more Barbara Hammer films in the Forum section, where there is also an Ulrike Ottinger new movie!!!)
Gevald, Netalie Braun, Israel, 2008
Dish, Brian Harris Krinsky, USA, 2008
575 Castro Street, Jenni Olson, USA, 2008
The Island, Trevor Anderson, Canada, 2009
Tanjong Rhu (The Casaurina Cove), Junfeg Boo, Singapore, 2008
Das Ende des Schweins ist der Anfang der Wurst (The End of the Pig is The Beginning of the Sausage), John Edward Heys, Germany, 2008 (such a funny title, lol!)

To check all the shorts and documentaries go here. I’ll be reviewing the site to see if they post more movies as soon as more information about the movies is available.

If Milk is competing then we all know which film has to win the top award and unless there is another outstanding movie, this movie truly deserves the award; but we have to learn a lot more about the other movies competing...

There are six (6) films that belong to the lesbian interest genre and other that do not but are must be seen, that's amazing! Most are going to My Wish List #1.