Dear Forum,

I will never forget the European premiere of Trembling Before G-d at the Forum in 2001. It was a delirious and exciting experience and sent the film soaring into Europe and the world with the Forum family behind it. Thank you for championing cutting-edge dreams and dreamers for so many years! Happy happy birthday.

XO Sandi DuBowski

As the ability to make, distribute, see moving images changes, as the way we think about and dream moving images changes, it is not surprising that a festival that started with the differentiator 'new' (read: not dusty, not mainstream, not easy, not commercial, not assumed, not appreciated, not expected, not seen) is at the forefront of 'new' now.

40 but not collecting dust...viva the forum, viva forum expanded!

I had the pleasure to be in 2005 in the Forum with my film "Shanehayat", and that experience had a great impression on me.

I wish you a very happy birthday!

May all of us live to live the rich and thoughtful life that the Forum had had!

Let us all live in freedom where-ever and whatever we are!

From Rana S

das forum war - ist - bleibt eine ambulanzstation für sinnliche wahrnehmung.
so viele filme haben mich in der welserstraße irritiert und angeregt. wenn möglich immer reihe 4, mitte. links neben mir schaute jenes gigantische, mir immer etwas bedrohlich erscheinende filmgesicht auf mich herab. dann, das licht ging aus und ich wanderte durch die kleine leinwand vor mir in eine andere welt, aus der die rückkehr oft gar nicht so leicht war.
in den 70ern war mir manche diskussion "danach" zu aggressiv. auch der film sollte sich in diesen jahren gesellschaftlich rehabilitieren und war und wollte doch oft nur film-kunst sein.
heute, im neuen maschinenhaus des films am potsdamer platz, genieße ich die ungeheure vielfalt der filme, ihre globalität im banalen wie im genialen, mehr denn je. variatio delectat.

es lohnt die fahrt in die (un)tiefen des arsenal!

Happy Birthday!
"Sweet Food City" was in the Forum in 2008.

When I was finishing the editing of "Les soviets plus l'électricité" in 2001, I wasn't sure there would be anyone but a few friends that would be willing to show a 3-hour hand processed 16mm film blown up from old soviet super-8 cartridges I had shot travelling by myself in Russia. I heard the people from the Arsenal and the Forum were curious and didn't mind off-the-wall cinema. So I simply projected the 16mm work print I had made and refilmed the screen to make a VHS tape that I sent their way. It was quite a shock when they replied they would be glad to show the film in the Berlinale Forum!! Now I had to produce a proper 3-hour sound print... Hopefully, now I was selected for the Forum I could find the money to do that. And they even got it subtitled in German, which in turn made it possible for me to make a English subtitled print, and after the Berlinale the film was shown in many places. Later, pretty much the same thing happened and I was back to show "Schuss!" in 2006. I simply don't know too many festivals of that scope that take that kind of risks. And has a team of such good taste and enthusiasm.

All the best,
Nicolas

The Forum idenified me as a filmmaker before I even realized it myself. By this, I am eternally humbled. You lent me a platform on which to speak cinematically to an audience - to the world. To the world - you say, "Cinema has many and varied voices - it is heterogenous, eclectic, and most importantly, Cinema is democratic - and its eccentricity is valid, and even welcome" To The Forum - I say, "May your days be prolonged in abundance before you."

Warm Greetings.

K. Aduaka

40 Jahre Internationales Forum des jungen Films – das waren auch 11 Jahre mit der Langzeitbeobachtung der "Kinder von Golzow". Unsere Teilnahme begann 1982 mit "Lebensläufe", 4 ¼ Stunden lang, und endete 2008 mit "Und wenn sie nicht gestorben sind, dann leben sie noch heute...", nochmals 5 Stunden eines Vierteilers von fast 10 Stunden. Angsttraum sich vorstellen zu müssen, das Forum hätte es nie gegeben. Wie alt hätte die Golzower Chronik dann werden können oder richtiger, wie jung wäre sie verstorben? mehr...

Long Live The Forum! Mabuhay! My heartfelt thanks to the Forum's great film-loving staff! May your tribe increase! Thank you! Salamat!

I was invited to the Forum in 2002 and in 2007. I remember vividly some discussions after the screening of one or the other of my films. I was not alone: there was some people there sharing my belief in the art of cinema. Thanks so much to the Forum and to all the great people who work there to make it one of the most important and significant cinematographic events in the world. Congratulations for 40 years of cinema!
Catherine Martin

My film HOTEL HARABATI was selected for the Berlinale Forum in 2006. I could say that the Forum changed my life! After it was shown, there was a big article in Variety by Eddie Cocrkell and i received a lot of attention. It was big. All the festivals wanted my film and it was selected for at least 30 festivals in the world. I travelled a lot, almost for 2 years. I received the Variety critics choice award.
The production of the film had been very difficult. The company which produced my film, went bankrupt and i had to finish the editing alone at La Femis (the school of cinema in Paris). The french distributors were at that time afraid to take my film because of money problems. After the Berlinale Forum, it all changed... The distributors changed their mind...
The attention that i received thanks to the Forum, also changed my feelings about my film. In the making of my film, I had felt alone; after the Berlinale,I became more confident. Christophe Tercherte was a very important link in that chain. He gave attention to the film from the beginning and made me forget all the pain i had to make this film.
My moment at the Berlinale was so intense that I have developed a script that takes place in Berlin and i hope to shoot it in the next 2 years...
I am also very happy about this 40th anniversary since in 2006, when i was at the Forum, it was my 40th anniversary, precisely the day the article in Variety was published...
Long life at the Berlinale! Warm regards.
Brice Cauvin

Long live the Forum! I always thought that the Forum was the very best festival. First because, contrary to other festivals that were born out of protest, it remained faithful to its first beliefs and principles. And so, in terms of programming it is still showing, 40 years later, the quintessence of filmmaking as an art and stays away from the sirens of the industry. In my humble opinion, nowhere else can you see such a high level of artistic quality and diversity. The Forum always had its doors wide open for truly independent filmmakers who transgress the stillborn forms of entertainment and indoctrination distilled by the capitalist class, from purely experimental films, to unconventional dramas and controversial documentaries. The Forum Expanded is quite an amazing cherry on the sundae; it goes even further into exploring other forms of the art of moving images. Of course, another great aspect of the Forum is the length and level of the debates following each screening. There should definitely be more festivals like that throughout the world… For me, showing my film in the Forum was not only a very nice experience, it was the ultimate consecration. Now I can die happy and satisfied.

Joyeux anniversaire ! I have presented my film RACHEL at the 2009 Forum, and I have seen some great films there too. Thank you again for all what you are doing , I shall for sure come back - if not with a film , certainly as a spectator!

warm wishes for another 40 years of intelligent and creative programming. Upon my entry into the wonderful world of film festivals in 1995, i was able to soak up an atmosphere and given a creative push to do my own programming and curation work inspired by attending screenings of the forum section all those years ago.. hats off!

best, Melissa Perales

The day after tomorrow, my 2009 Forum film, Citizen Juling, will finally be released to the Thai public. A grim political documentary nearly four hours long, it is a challenge and a commercial impossibility. There is no doubt in my mind that the Forum stamp of approval has contributed to its being given this chance to find its audience. In fact, the theatre insisted that our trailer and poster should display the Forum logo. Vielen Dank, Forum!

My birthday card for you would feature images of the Tiergarten's frozen ponds and friendly swans who ate bread from my hand; the Delphi Filmpalast audience at our last screening there who cheered and even whistled--only Berliners, I think, would cheer and whistle such a "commercial impossibility"; the friends we made there; the strange dark paintings in the museums; and Berlin herself, the city that so cooly wears her scars. A freezing but heart-warming and inspiring time. HAPPY BIRTHDAY, FORUM, Herzlichen Glueckwunsch!

Ing K

Congratulations to 40 years of wonderful films! I'm honored to have been a part of it.

Happy birthday! I had the pleasure of being a part of the Forum 2008 with my film "Shahida - Brides of Allah" and winning the Fipresci. Coming from the small industry in Israel, the Forum gave me a great experience, time, professional people to work with. You are doing a great job!!

Sincere congrats for 40 successful, inspiring years! The Forum is where I feel my soul purified, making me remember why I wanted to be in this industry to begin with. Thank you for the great support that you all have shown for Korean cinema!

Is the Forum really now entering its middle-aged years? I trust it will not be a fuddy-duddy but will instead be a slightly scandalous uncle.
I had a great experience there but hope the weather can be fixed somehow.
Happy birthday!

You love cinema & we love you--it was a great honor to screen in the Forum. Thanks so much for taking care of us, our film, & arranging a top secret morning screening to boot!

xo Andrew

Congratulations Berlinale, the words to describe my experience in 2009 simply do not exist. You sparked a fire that will continue to burn for eternity. As you increase in age, may you also increase in all the virtues that make you one of the world's most formidable festivals

When my films where in Forum I felt like my work meant something.
Dear friends, Happy Birthday

An amazing festival with amazing people. I felt an overwhelming support for my film when it screened this year. It was truly a mind altering experience. The Forum is a pioneer in cinema and an inspiration. Happy birthday and congratulations!

February 11 th 2008, is an unforgettable date for cinema lovers in Central America. El camino film was premiered in the Delphi Cinema in the Forum Section of the Berlin Film Festival. Thanks to that remarkable acknowledgment - the film has been exhibited in more than 30 countries and has obtained more than 15 international awards.
For the team of Astarte, participating in Forum will be etched in our minds forever!

Congratulation for the 40th birthday! and thanks for all the support !

Congratulations on this 40th birthday celebration. When I participated in Forum (2007) I remember there was danger of the event being canceled for lack of support. I am really happy it pulled through and I am happy to know it is still very much "alive and kicking". Happy Anniversary!!!!!
Ohh, and by the way, I didn't attend the event, but the staff made everything to be sure my installation worked out. Thanks so muuch!!!!

Jorge Lorenzo

Happy Birthday Forum! Vive le cinéma!

Congratulations to the Forum people and to the Forum Institution. I participated in the 39th year of it but history was already well known about it in that time.
The time I spent in Berlin with my movie "Aguas Verdes" left me a warm feeling of enthusiasm about film making.
Congratulations for the 40th year "young" event.

As a recent guest of the Forum, I was honoured to be among some brilliant filmmakers and inspired greatly to go out immediately and make another film!

I have my dream fulfilled in the Forum...

The Forum confirmed me, and brought me to another stage of my creation. The Forum has opened up a lot of windows for my films to reach it's audiences and distributors.

All my best to the Forum for yet another 60 years of achievement, to discover, and bring in more new blood and innovations to the world of cinematic art!

Best

Kit Hung

I screened Invisible City in the Forum in 2007. It still to this day remains one of my most memorable screenings. Thank you

Als einer, der das FORUM von der ersten Stunde an miterlebt hat, kann ich sagen: Das Forum ist mit seinen immer wieder überraschenden Programmen von Filmen des unabhängigen Kinos der Welt und seiner außergewöhnlichen Gesprächsrunden nach den Filmen - auch zu einem wichtigen Exportartikel von Berliner-Lebenskultur geworden.

Gerd Conradt
www.gerdconradt.de

I love the Forum!
I feel free encouraging the Forum. It's a place that makes filmmakers feel free.
I wish I could be back to the Forum someday....

Cong Feng

Warm wishes for a wonderful 40th birthday to the Forum from July 1 onwards!

The International Forum of New Cinema has built strong foundations and has come a long way since: it has lovingly nurtured cinema worldwide, very often in conditions and cultures very arid to cinema, and kept alive the flame of invention, daring, risk, beauty and poignancy. Being selected and shown at the Forum has kickstarted so many careers
you can be proud of. And also, it has nurtured the fierce love and loyalty of audiences in accepting and encouraging you to take even more risks. It is a rich, nourishing and symbiotic relationship---long live! I am very happy and proud to be closely associated with the Forum.

Every good wish, have a wonderful time and I wish you many more great years ahead!

Warm regards,

Meenakshi Shedde

Das Forum hat mich - schockartig - von der Illusion befreit, der Weg zum Kino der Zukunft führe über einen schmalen Grat. Danke.

I have been part of the Forum for 20 years and I have learnt a lot about life and cinema from the Forum. THE GREGORS FOREVER!