Nine more films were unveiled on Wednesday to compete for the top honors of Berlin Film Festival (Berlinale), the organizers announced on Wednesday.

The films are from China, Europe, Japan and the United States, including Hong Kong-born director Johnny To's Sparrow and Happy Go Lucky from Britain's Mike Leigh as well as Caos calmo (Quiet Chaos)from Italian director Antonello Grimaldi.

The list of films competing for the Berlinale's prestigious Golden Bear also includes Florence-born Luigi Falorni's Feuerherz (Heart of Fire), which is a joint German-Italian-Austrian production and is based on the best-selling biography by Senait Mehari.

Jerusalem-born Amos Kollek's latest movie Restless has also been selected.

The Berlinale officials have also selected two films - Julia from Erick Zonca, a thriller about a woman trying to extort money and Lady Jane from Marseille - born Robert Guediguian - to represent France in the film festival's main competition.

Also representing the United States at next month's Berlinale is Elegy based on Philip Roth's The Dying Animal from Barcelona-born Isabel Coixet.

Japanese director Yoji Yamada's Kabei (Kabei - Our Mother), starring Sayuri Yoshinaga, Mitsugoro Bando, Tadanobu Asano is also in the running for a Gold Bear in Berlin.

The list of nine films announced Wednesday for the Berlinale's main competition adds to the eight movies unveiled by the Berlinale last month.

More than 20 movies normally compete for the major prizes at the Berlinale, which is one of the world's top three film festivals.
 
(Xinhua News Agency January 10, 2008)