With hardly one more film to be screened for the Press in the Competition Section of Berlinale 2012, we do not see any neck to neck competition for the various awards. The Danish period film A Royal Affair from Nikolaj Arcel should be one film in the reckoning for awards.

A Royal Affair deals with a piece of Denmark’s history, a revolution of sorts that took place in the 18th Century before the French Revolution started with the storming of Bastille. Oppression by the royalty, poverty and disease among the commoners and an intellectual movement like the Enlightenment is the right concoction for revolutions. The film narrates the story from the time of marriage of Caroline Mathilde to Christian VII to the time she was banished to live in Germany. The temperamental and pleasure seeking King was manipulated by his courtiers causing great suffering to the people. Dr. Struensee attending to the sick and poor and writing banned articles under the penname of Anonymous manages to get close to the King and also the intellectually inclined Queen. Goaded by the Queen, he manipulates the King to usher in several social reforms and also sires a baby with the Queen. Ultimately, all the disgruntled courtiers get together, led by the dowager Queen, to kill Dr. Struensee, exile the queen and rob the power from the King. What unfolds is the court drama of intrigue, treachery, lechery and butchery.

Nikolaj has been a great storyteller from his debut feature Kings Game. The wide-angle camera that captures the vast expanse of the countryside also gets intimate in the court and in the bedroom. The director is supported by a wonderful team of performers led by Mads Mikkelson and charming Alicia Vikander to deliver a captivating film.

The Hungarian film Just The Wind is based on the murders and violence committed on the Gypsy community during 2008 and 2009. Mari lives with her invalid father and two children in a shack in the woods outside the city. Their living conditions are modest, like their other Romani neighbors. Recently, more than ever, they must exist stealthily: five entire families in the area have already been murdered, gunned down in their own homes. The Romani community struggles to continue their simple daily routine amid the anxiety of the suspected racially motivated crimes. Mari juggles her two jobs. Teenager Anna tries to concentrate on her schoolwork and sketches. But young Rio is preoccupied with other things. He is getting ready for the killers to come to his door steps one day. They do come. Did he escape?

The film’s universal theme is the plight of the silent poor minority in which the Police take sides in perpetrating the crime. The children are not able to pursue their studies and the families are destroyed.