The international marketplace is a lot like Cannes transferred to an environment that is cold and not on the French Riviera (which perhaps proves less distracting!) European film councils and sales agents from WIDE MANAGEMENT, who are repping our upcoming documentary STATES OF MIND in Europe, to FORTISSIMO FILMS, are represented in booths at the historic Martin-Gropius-Bau, the most important exhibition hall in the city.

At the UniFrance reception last night, I met Mika Karismaki, the great Finnish filmmaker and brother of Aki Kaurismaki, the most famous auteur in Finland. Mika and Aki own a bar in Helsinki that I frequent when I visit the city, a Mexican-theme bar called Corona (which they pronounce with the accent on the first syllable). All I could think of to say aside from, I love your work was, I’ve been to your bar! I also saw some old friends like Leo Seosanto, who programs for Cannes Critics Week, and Matteo Lovadina, a senior sales rep for Wide Management.

Tomorrow, I am off to see the Bosnian film SNOW, a hit at Cannes Critics Week starring Zana Marjanovic, an actress I was lucky enough to befriend at the DaKino festival in Bucharest. Other films that have been buzzed about I will try to see include Francois Ozon’s “Ricky,” Catherine Breillait’s latest, “Bluebeard”, Chen Kaige’s “forever enthralled,” Theo Angelopoulos’ “The Dust of Time,” and Mitchell Lichtenstein (who made waves at Sundance two years ago with the vagina dentata film, “Teeth”) Lukas Moodyson’s ‘Mammoth” and George Tilmman Jr.’s “Notorious,” the Notorious B.IG. biopic.

As for documentaries, they are notoriously NOT what the Berlinale is know for, but Davis Guggenheim’s “It Might Get Loud,” which already played Toronto and Sundance, will be here.

The opening night film has been widely touted as a disappointment, with Mark Rabinowitz weighing in at The Rabbi Report: “After sixteen years of festival going, you’d think I’d understand about opening night films. In short, they suck. For every Four Weddings and a Funeral, there are about 400 Enemy at the Gates and for every Good Night and Good Luck, there are a few dozen stinkers like this year’s Berlinale opener, The International, directed by Tom Tykwer (Run Lola Run).”

There has been much hubbub about dual Golden Globe Winner and Oscar nominee Kate Winslet’s presence here to promote Stephen Daldry’s The READER, but the festival is so large and spread out, I doubt I will see any of the glitter and glamour that the press is so fond of focusing on.

But now I am off to a Canadian film party!