The American director Gus Van Sant, whose filmography includes highly-acclaimed titles such as "My Private Idaho" and "Good Will Hunting," is coming back to Berlinale next year to compete for the best film prize with his latest release "Don't Worry, He Won't Get Far on Foot," starring Joaquin Phoenix, Jonah Hill and Jack Black. 

Read more: 'Babylon Berlin' director Tom Tykwer to head Berlinale Jury in 2018

In a world premiere, the new feature by French director Benoit Jacquot entitled "Eva" and featuring leading French actress Isabelle Huppert will also enter the competition.

There are two German entries among the seven film that were announced on Monday, December 18: Thomas Stuber's drama "In the Corridors" starring German actress Sandra Hueller (photo above) and Philip Gröning's "My Brother Is Called Robert and is an Idiot." 

Films that 'deserve special attention'

In addition, the Russian-Polish-Serbian co-production "Dovlatov" directed by Alexey German Jr., "Figlia mia" Italian director Laura Bispuri and "Twarz" by Polish filmmaker Malgorzata Szumowska will also join the competition selection. 

Wes Anderson's animated film "Isle of Dogs" will open the Berlinale.

The festival also unveiled its program from the Berlinale Special section that is reserved for "extraordinary new productions that deserve special attention due to current events." The titles are Lars Kraume's "The Silent Classroom," a Cold War drama based on real events, and Isabel Coixet's Spanish, British and German co-production "The Bookshop." 

The 68th Berlinale will take place from February 15-25, 2018.

The festival's director Dieter Kosslick recently came under fire when 79 well-known German directors called for a dramatic artistic realignment of the film festival.