Stones film to open Berlinale

Martin Scorsese's long-awaited documentary about the Rolling Stones, Shine A Light, is to open the Berlin Film Festival on February 7. The film, which takes its title from a song written by Mick Jagger in early 1970 following Brian Jones's death, spans the group's 45-year career and includes sensational footage from two 2006 New York concerts. It won't be in competition, however. Among films selected to compete for the prestigious Golden Bear are Sparrow, by the Hong Kong director Johnny To; Restless by the Jerusalem-born director Amos Kollek, and Erick Zonca's French thriller Julia, starring Tilda Swinton.

Representing the US will be Elegy from Isabel Coixet, based on Philip Roth's book The Dying Animal. It stars Penelope Cruz, Ben Kingsley and Dennis Hopper and tells the story of a cultural critic who finds his life thrown off course by a young woman student.

British director Mike Leigh will show his new film Happy Go Lucky, a dark comedy set in north London and starring Vera Drake actors Sally Hawkins and Eddie Marsan.