Kicking off the 59^th Berlin Film Festival tomorrow night, Tom Tykwer's The International, starring Clive Owen and Naomi Watts sets the tone for the truly international, top-class programme the festival has come to be known for. The first of the year's major European film festivals, the Berlinale brings together 400 films from 120 countries, eighteen of which are choosen to compete for the festival's top Golden Bear prize.

Following last year’s somewhat surprise winner Elite Squad, hailed for its 'rank misogyny' and 'genuine fascist sensibility' amongst other things, predicting this year’s prize would take some talent. That said, the 2009 pickings present a handful of cut-above-the-rest features, which, even if they fail to nab the Bear, will no doubt be gaining big buzz in the upcoming months.

The first of the favorites comes courtesy of French director François Ozon, who wowed judges at the 2007 festival with his drama Angel. Ricky follows the story of a trailer-trash family whose bleak existence is given new meaning when a baby is born. Fellow Frenchman Bertrand Tavernier also opts for the U.S-set drama with "In The Electric Mist," starring Tommy Lee Jones and John Goodman. Demi Moore makes her big-screen comes back with Happy Tears., whilst The Messenger boasts perhaps the biggest all-star cast, including the likes of Woody Harrelson and Samantha Morton ..

The UK touts its own fair-share of hopefuls, led by Stephen Frears latest Cheri, a 1920s romantic comedy starring Michelle Pfeiffer, whilst the lesser-known Peter Strickland makes his directorial debut with Katalin Varga. Yet, the best of the British looks to be that of Rage, with Judi Dench joining a ‘dragged-out’ Judie Law and appearances from Steve Buscemi, Eddie Izzard and John Leguizamo, the judges will do well to find a more worthy winner.

Charlotte Balnave