Italian for Beginners(Italiensk for begyndere)

A huge box office hit, Italian for Beginners was the first Dogme 95 movie directed by a female filmmaker, who reminds us that the rigorous aesthetic principles are set not only for confrontation but also for amusement. Set in a working-class suburb, the light-hearted drama follows half a dozen characters – all ordinary people leading humdrum lives – whose paths in life crisscross at an Italian class, forming three couples through the magic of romantic comedy. Each character is associated with a job and a workplace through which they encounter the others, even as unexpected or obscured human connections are made manifest, testifying to a shared communal happiness that triumphs over individual misery.

Berlin International Film Festival: Silver Bear Jury Prize, FIPRESCI Prize, Ecumenical Jury Prize

1/2 (Sat): Seminar with Derek Lam and Bryan Chang