Dieter Kosslick began as the new Executive Director of the Internationale Filmfestspiele Berlin (the Berlinale) on May 1, 2001. He has been involved in film funding since 1983 and had been Executive Director of the Filmstiftung North Rhine-Westphalia since 1992. For the 53rd Berlinale, he chose “Towards Tolerance” as the motto to express not only the need to “be tolerant” but also to describe how “…we are working together towards the goal of doing something for others.” He thought many non-English speakers would find the motto hard to pronounce so he includes dictionary phonetic references in his forward for the Berlinale film catalogue. He also apparently considered that the motto would be difficult to understand so he includes a list of synonyms. This explanation, however, does not help in understanding why the Berlinale opened with Chicago, an entertaining musical about two murderous women set in 1920’s America.

Perhaps the International Jury seriously considered “Towards Tolerance” when it chose In This World as the winner of the Golden Bear (Goldener Berliner Bär) for Best Film. In this terrific documentary-style drama, director Michael Winterbottom (Great Britain) follows the journey of two Afghani cousins who risk their lives trying illegally to get to England. The idea for the film came about during election time in England. Immigration was a hot political issue with parties which wanted to make conditions as horrible as possible for refugees and then send them back. He was particularly struck by the deaths of 58 Chinese immigrants who died while being smuggled in a sealed container truck. He wondered why they were so hostile to people who made such incredible efforts to come to England. With this film, he hopes that people will think more about the experiences refugees have before they arrive and so become more sympathetic, or in essence, more tolerant, of refugees.

To develop the story, writer Tony Grisoni and associate producer Fiona Neilson read through hundreds of first-hand accounts from people who had been smuggled. Then they sneaked into a refugee camp in Sangatte, France. Back in London, they talked with Afghani men who had been smuggled into England. Finally, they decided to go to Pakistan, where their tale would begin. Enayatullah and Jamal Udin Torabi, the two lead characters of the film, were both found in Peshawar. Trying to make a living in Pakistan, Enayatullah sold TV’s and radios in a market and Jamal, who guessed that he was about 14 years old, was in language school. Just four months after the tragedy of 9-11, Winterbottom and his small crew, after undertaking “Hostile Territories Training” required by their insurance company, began filming a typical overland smuggling route – from Pakistan over the border with Iran, across to Tehran, into the Kurdish mountain region, through Turkey and Istanbul, into Italy then across Europe to Sangatte, then on to England.

Shot with a small digital video camera, the film captures the fear of the unknown experienced by the boys and other refugees. The script was improvised using a bare outline. Neither Enayatullah nor Jamal had ever been outside of Pakistan so their honest reactions to their new circumstances and their developing relationship give the film its documentary sense. At the press conference, Winterbottom said he did not want his film to be a “ticket out” for Enayatullah and Jamal and in fact, both returned to Pakistan. But in this instance, art did indeed imitate life as Jamal found his way back to London on his own. Winterbottom seemed to have mixed feelings about whether life in London as a dishwasher is any better than living among family and friends in Pakistan. He hopes that his film will help fight the hostile attitude in his country towards immigrants from outside Europe. “I’d love all of my films to change the world.” Perhaps the recognition of In This World will be a start.

In Rezervni Deli (Spare Parts) by director Kamjan Kozole (Slovenia), this film examines the motives of the smugglers rather than on the refugees. Is it just the money? Ludvik (Peter Musevski) lives in a Slovenian industrial town on the border with Croatia. A widower, he transports illegal immigrants each night in the back of his truck to Italy. The immigrants come from the former Soviet Union, Pakistan, Afghanistan and other countries. They have little money but many dreams. Ludvik is assigned a young new partner, Rudi (Aljoša Kovacic). Ludvik tests Rudi’s reliability. He and his associates offer to pay a young Macedonian woman for sex so that she can buy antibiotics for her deathly ill boyfriend. The other smugglers take advantage of her vulnerability, but behind closed doors Rudi just gives her the money. Afterwards, Ludvik allows Rudi to make a run on his own. Rudi is anxious to meet a girl so he leaves his truckload of immigrants too close to border patrols. As the immigrants run off through the woods, television news shows almost everyone is captured. The young Macedonian woman, shunned by her boyfriend after he realized what she had done, decides to find freedom in her own tragic way. Ludvik, like Rudi, has mixed feelings. Ludvik condones rape but then lets a family come along without paying full fare. He tells Rudi that at least they give these people a chance, whereas in Italy, many are killed for their “spare parts” – their organs are then sold. Maybe in their own limited ways, Ludvik and Rudi believe they are doing something good for others.

The Berlinale screened films on various aspects of immigration, but the theme “Towards Tolerance” arose in other kinds of films as well with subjects like alternative lifestyles, intensely personal problems, political convictions, and morals. For instance, The Event is a moving film directed by Thom Fitzgerald (US/Canada) about gay men dying of AIDS. A young prosecutor in Manhattan, Nick (Parker Posey), becomes suspicious when a series of suicides are followed by swift cremations. She begins her investigation into the death of Matt (Don McKellar) which takes her into the gay community of upmarket Chelsea. Matt was HIV positive when he died and although it looked liked suicide, she is not convinced AIDS is a motive for suicide. And, she is vehemently opposed to euthanasia which she sees as criminal. Olympia Dukakis is heart-breaking as Lila, Matt’s compassionate, understanding mother. Sarah Polley is Matt’s loving younger sister Dana while Matt’s older sister Gaby (Joanna Adler) is angry at Matt’s death and helps Nick in her investigation. Nick learns of a party, billed as “The Event”, held the night Matt died and through her confrontations with Matt’s family and friends, she begins to question her own intolerance of euthanasia with respect to her own father who died alone after a long, terrible illness.

When relationships go very wrong, some people just walk away. Others may fight to resolve serious issues and remain together, having learned to tolerate some differences. Two films, Alexandra’s Project and Der Alte Affe Angst, explore extraordinary acts that severely impact one of the most complex relationships – that which develops between a man and a woman.

Alexandra’s Project, from director Rolf de Heer (Netherlands/Australia) begins with the morning of an ordinary family of four. It is Steve’s (Gary Sweet) birthday and he leaves for his middle-management job. His wife Alexandra (Helen Buday) tells their two small children that today is special so they don’t have to go to school, but she seems on edge as they decorate for Steve’s birthday. Steve gets promoted and calls Alexandra several times, but she doesn’t answer. He returns home looking forward to celebrating his success and his birthday, but is surprised to find no one home. He finally finds a video with “Play Me” written on it. As he watches the video, he is pleased to see Alexandra and the children wishing him a happy birthday. He becomes excited watching his wife doing a strip dance. That is, until he sees a gun. He jumps up for the phone, but it is disconnected. He tries the front door and finds that he is locked inside. His mobile phone battery has been replaced by a bullet. Imprisoned in his own home, Steve sits back down to continue watching the tape. As his wife begins to talk about problems in their relationship, he fast-forwards. But then he receives quite another shock.

Without giving away too much, many women at the press conference for Alexandra’s Project expressed disbelief that a woman in Alexandra’s position would take such drastic measures in response to such marital problems. Many were concerned about the children. Told entirely from Alexandra’s perspective, it was interesting that the script was written, produced and directed by a man, Rolf de Heer. At the press conference, Helen Buday said she did not add anything to her part since it was so well written. How much abuse should a woman tolerate from her husband? What does he deserve in return? Described as a psycho thriller about the sexual politics of marriage, this film showcases a lack of tolerance defined by Kosslick as “consideration, patience, leniency, generosity….respect.”

Der Alte Affe Angst (Angst) by director Oskar Roehler (Germany) looks at love. Marie (Marie Bäumer) is a dedicated doctor in charge of a children’s clinic. She lives with Robert (André Hennicke) in a sparsely furnished high rise apartment. They had fun together at first, but now Robert seems puzzled by Marie’s organized life. Then Robert learns that his father is terminally ill. Sexual difficulties between the pair worsen and they try counselling. Even though Marie tries to be supportive, Robert starts to fall apart. When his father dies, Robert throws himself into work and begins having rough sex with a prostitute. Marie surprises Robert at their apartment and realizes that he has been having sex elsewhere. She forces him to take her to see the prostitute, a woman Marie recognizes from her clinic who is HIV positive. Unable to cope, Marie checks into a hotel room, draws a bath and then slits her wrists. Robert eventually finds her. Both have suffered severely and recovery will require mutual understanding.

Political convictions brought together a group of activist women who lived in a commune on Ritterstraße (Knight Street) in the famous Kreuzberg area of Berlin in the 1980’s. Their battle against mainstream economy, and in particular against the International Monetary Fund (IMF) world economic summit held in Berlin is dramatized in Die Ritterinnen (Gallant Girls) directed by Barbara Teufel (Germany). Teufel looks back at her anarchist days with a fictional story but she includes documentary footage of protests and the present lives of her sister “Female Knights”. Free thinking, another aspect of Kosslick’s idea of tolerance, and commune life are explored with some women wanting to keep men from their premises. Sexual proclivities are blurred. They have problems finding money. But their commitment to organizing women for protesting the IMF conference is strong and brings about a successful street protest. Then the Berlin Wall falls and everything changes.

The Female Knights proactively pursued their own way. But sometimes, people become who they are by happenstance. Such is the case of Maiquel (Murilo Benício) in O Homem Do Ano (Man of the Year) directed by José Henrique Fonseca (Brazil). Maiquel bets on a football game that if his team loses, he’ll dye his hair blond. He loses so his girlfriend Cledir (Cláudia Abreu) dyes his hair and they go out to a bar. Local criminal Suel makes fun of Maiquel’s hair and they fight. Maiquel kills Suel. Maiquel plans to disappear but to his surprise, everyone showers him with gifts and hails him as a hero, even the local police. Then a bad toothache sends him to dentist Dr. Carvalho (Jorge Dória), but Maiquel cannot afford the treatment. Dr. Carvalho suggests a trade: free treatment if Maiquel kills the guy who raped his daughter. Is such a killing morally justifiable? Seeing no other way out of his pain, Maiquel accepts the deal. Still wanting to be a family man, Maiquel continues to work in a pet store and marries pregnant Cledir, despite Suel’s girlfriend’s demands that he take care of her in every way. When local businessmen, in collusion with police, form their own “security” business and press Maiquel into being their contract killer, he gets caught up in the killing and accidentally kills his wife. Can he ever have a normal family life? Was he just doing something good on behalf of others? This film and so many others at the 53rd Berlinale really stretch the ideas and boundaries of tolerance. (Mary Wienke)