Richard Linklater's new feature about a Broadway composer, a documentary about young people in war-torn Ukraine, and a homage to 1960s spy films were among the films unveiled on Tuesday as part of the 2025 Berlin Film Festival's competition line-up."This is a major A-list festival with a thriving market," said new festival director Tricia Tuttle, with guests from more than 150 countries coming to the 75th edition of the festival.The 19 films in contention for the festival's Golden Bear top prize feature several directors making their return to the German capital, including Romania's Radu Jude, with his new dark comedy "Kontinental '25," and South Korea's Hong Sang-soo with his languorous family comedy "What Does That Nature Say to You".Linklater, the U.S. director known for "Before Sunrise," makes a buzzy return to the festival after more than a decade with "Blue Moon," about composer Lorenz Hart - the other half of the famous songwriting team Rodgers and Hart. The all-star cast includes Ethan Hawke, Margaret Qualley, and Andrew Scott."Reflection in a Dead Diamond" is Belgium-based duo Helene Cattet and Bruno Forzani's maximalist spy feature, while "Dreams" stars Jessica Chastain as an heiress who falls in love with a Mexican ballet dancer. "If I Had Legs I'd Kick You" about a child's mysterious illness features Rose Byrne along with late-show TV host Conan O'Brien and rapper ASAP Rocky."Timestamp" is Kateryna Gornostai's observational documentary about life in Ukraine after Russia's 2022 invasion, marking one of the more overtly political entries this year.
