LONDON — The Berlin Film Festival’s Panorama section has completed its lineup, which includes the world premiere of Oliver Schmitz’s “Shepherds and Butchers,” starring Steve Coogan and Andrea Riseborough.
Coogan, who starred in, co-wrote and produced the Oscar-nominated “Philomena,” plays hot-shot lawyer John Weber in “Shepherds and Butchers.” Weber faces his biggest test when he agrees to defend a prison guard who has killed seven men. What ensues is a compelling charge against the death penalty itself.
The film is produced by Anant Singh and Brian Cox for Distant Horizon and Videovision Entertainment; WestEnd Films is handling international sales.
Two other Panorama films look at the issue of the death penalty: the Brazilian documentary “Curumim” and the previously announced “I, Olga Hepnarova,” which opens the main section of Panorama.
Fiction titles added to Panorama:
Antes o tempo não acabava (Time Was Endless) – Brazil/Germany
By Sérgio Andrade, Fábio Baldo
With Anderson Tikuna, Rita Carelli, Begê Muniz, Emanuel Aragão
World premiere
Auf Einmal (All of a Sudden) – Germany/Netherlands/France
By Aslı Özge
With Sebastian Hülk, Julia Jentsch, Hanns Zischler, Sascha Alexander Gerşak
World premiere
Aquí no ha pasado nada (Much Ado About Nothing) – Chile
By Alejandro Fernández Almendras
With Agustín Silva, Paulina García, Alejandro Goic, Luis Gnecco, Daniel Alcaíno
European premiere
Jug-yeo-ju-neun Yeo-ja (The Bacchus Lady) – South Korea
By E J-yong
With Youn Yuh-jung, Chon Moo-song, Yoon Kye-sang, An A-zu, Choi Hyun-jun
World premiere
La Route d’Istanbul (Road to Istanbul) – Algeria/France/Belgium
With Rachid Bouchareb
Mit Astrid Whettnall, Pauline Burlet, Patricia Ide, Abel Jafri
World premiere
Mãe só há uma (Don’t Call me Son) – Brazil
By Anna Muylaert
With Naomi Nero, Dani Nefussi, Matheus Natchergaele, Daniel Botelho, Luciana Paes
World premiere
Nunca vas a estar solo (You’ll Never Be Alone) – Chile
By Alex Anwandter
With Sergio Hernández, Andrew Bargsted, Jaime Leiva
World premiere
San Fu Tian (Dog Days) – Hong Kong/China
By Jordan Schiele
With Huang Lu, Tian Mu Chen, Luo Lan Shan
World premiere
Shelley – Denmark/Sweden
By Ali Abbasi
With Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Cosmina Stratan, Peter Christoffersen
World premiere
Shepherds and Butchers – South Africa/U.S./Germany
By Oliver Schmitz
With Steve Coogan, Andrea Riseborough, Garion Dowds
World premiere
Documentary titles added to Panorama:
Brüder der Nacht (Brothers of the Night) – Austria
By Patric Chiha
World premiere
Curumim – Brazil
By Marcos Prado
World premiere
Europe, She Loves – Swiss/Germany
By Jan Gassmann
World premiere
Inside the Chinese Closet – Netherlands
By Sophia Luvarà
International premiere
Kiki – Sweden/U.S.
By Sara Jordenö
European premiere
Strike a Pose – Netherlands
By Ester Gould, Reijer Zwaan
World premiere
The Lovers and the Despot – United Kingdom
By Rob Cannan, Ross Adam
European premiere
Weenends – South Korea
By Lee Dong-ha
World premiere
Who’s Gonna Love Me Now? – Israel/United Kingdom
By Tomer Heymann, Barak Heymann, Alexander Bodin Saphir
World premiere
Wu Tu (My Land) – China
By Fan Jian
European premiere
Zona Norte – Germany
By Monika Treut
World premiere