Organizers of Germany's Berlinale film festival on Tuesday unveiled the films that will compete for the event's top prize, the Golden Bear.

Eighteen pictures in all are up for the award at Germany's most prestigious cinema festival, which runs from February 9 to 19.

Guests expected to attend the 62nd Berlinale include Angelina Jolie and German-Irish movie star Michael Fassbender.

The event opens with a screening of the French Revolution drama, "Farewell My Queen," with German-born star Diane Kruger as Marie Antoinette.

Among the other movies in the running is "White Deer Plain," which depicts the changes faced in recent generations by families in rural China.

The international production "Captive," by Filipino director Brillante Mendoza, is also hotly tipped. The drama focuses on the ordeal of a French aid worker kidnapped by a group of extremist Islamist militants.

Movies also in contention include US Vietnam War-era film "Jayne Mansfield's Car" and the British drama "Bel Ami." Judging will be led by British director Mike Leigh.

Focus on change and upheaval

As part of the festival's emphasis on social debate, a documentary about the dissident Chinese artist Ai Weiwei will also be screened. Documentaries and discussion on the Arab Spring are planned, as well as short films about the aftermath of Japan's Fukushima nuclear disaster.

"There are a lot of films in this festival about changes happening in the world," said festival director Dieter Kosslick. "We are showing the films in order to create a bigger picture about upheaval and awakening... It was natural to link these films with our other activities."

Last year's winner of the Golden Bear, "A Separation," is nominated in the best foreign language film category at this year's Oscars.

Author: Richard Connor (AFP, dpa, Reuters)
Editor: Andrew Bowen