Fiennes, Wenders movies set for Berlin film fest

Ralph Fiennes's directorial debut and new movies from Wim Wenders and Miranda July are among the titles joining the Berlin International Film Festival's official program.

Organizers announced on Wednesday an initial batch of titles that will compete for the Berlinale's top prize, the Golden Bear, as well as several titles that will screen outside of competition.

British actor Fiennes marks his first foray into directing with the Shakespearean tragedy Coriolanus, the tale of a banished, prideful Roman general who seeks revenge against the city that exiled him.

Fiennes will also star in the film which will screen out-of-competition in Berlin alongside Vanessa Redgrave, Gerard Butler, Brian Cox and James Nesbitt.

German director Wenders is also set to premiere his latest work out-of-competition for the Berlin festival: Pina, a 3D dance film and tribute to German dancer and choreographer Pina Bausch, who died days after being diagnosed with cancer in 2009.

American filmmakers July and Victoria Mahoney will see their latest projects compete for the Golden Bear.

July will screen her relationship drama The Future, in which she also stars and wrote the screenplay for, while Mahoney will offer her feature film debut Yelling to the Sky, an urban coming-of-age tale starring Zoe Kravitz, Gabourey Sidibe and Tim Blake Nelson.

Also competing will be:

• Wer wenn nicht wir (If not us, who?), directed by Andres Veiel (Germany).
• Bizim Buyuk Caresizligimiz (Our Grand Despair), directed by Seyfi Teoma (Turkey/Germany/Netherlands).
• Lipstikka, directed by Jonathan Sagall (Israel/U.K.).

Organizers had previously announced that True Grit, a remake of the classic western by Joel and Ethan Coen, would open the festival and that Isabella Rossellini would preside over the 2011 competition jury.

The 61st Berlin International Film Festival runs Feb. 10-20, 2011.