Abel Ferrara is perhaps best known for his gritty New York exploitation films of the 1980s and 1990s that delved into the soulless evils of drug addiction, corruption and sexual violence.

The directors of the Berlinale film festival Carlo Chatrian and Mariette Rissenbeek present the program of the Berlinale in Berlin, Germany, Wednesday, Jan.29, 2020. The 70th International Film Festival begins on Feb.20. (Britta Pedersen/dpa via AP)BERLIN – This year's Berlin International Film Festival will have a decidedly dark focus, with many of its headline movies reflecting the inner turmoil of characters and the troubled backdrop of the chaotic world around them. The Berlin festival, which runs from Feb. 20 to March 1, has a slimmer lime-up than in previous years. While British actor Jeremy Irons will head the jury, Chatrian said the other judges won't be announced for a while yet.