Berlinale to cut number of films and categories to save money

The Berlinale, one of the largest film festivals in the world, will have to show almost a third fewer films next February and entire categories will be scrapped in a cost-saving drive.
Organizers made the announcement on Tuesday, largely blaming inflation.
"Cultural institutions and festivals - like many other areas of society - are affected by considerable cost increases while budgets remain the same," a statement said.
Mariëtte Rissenbeek, who runs the Berlin film festival alongside Carlo Chatrian, said shortfalls linked to the coronavirus pandemic had also had an impact.
"The measures published today will make savings possible immediately and in the following years," Rissenbeek told dpa.
"We can't put an exact figure on it at this point. We had already begun looking at our structures, but the current economic situation has of course pushed this even further."At the 74th edition from February 15 to 25 next year, about 200 films will be shown compared to 287 this year.
Categories for up-and-coming German filmmakers and series productions are among those that will be omitted next year.
For many years, the financing of the Berlinale was divided roughly equally between ticket sales, sponsorship and federal funding.
There have already been severe cuts from sponsors recently and while government funding will see a small increase, it is likely to be cancelled out by inflation.