Berlin International Film Festival

In our first attempt at international coverage we've signed up Dutch writer Thessa Mooij to blog for us from the Berlin International Film Festival. She'll be sharing some thoughts over the next few days, and here's her first post:

Under the aegis of festival director Dieter Kosslick, the Berlin International Film Festival has embraced urgent global issues (antiterrorism, tolerance and football) as well as first-time filmmakers, who are generously included in the competition alongside well-known veterans.

This year's competition includes David Mackenzie's Asylum, the follow-up for his debut Young Adam and the US/UK coproduction Heights, a debut feature by Chris Terrio.

Some 500 young filmmakers from 90 countries, including dozens of UK screenwriters, are participating in the Talent Campus - where they can hear Stephen Frears talk about development, test-drive their pitches in a Global Speed Matching session and have their work analysed in a Script Clinic.

You can find out more about Thessa on her blog