Dhe Berlin Film Festival is particularly political this year. It all started at the opening press conference on Thursday afternoon, during which American actress Kristen Stewart, who is President of the Festival Jury this year, emphasized this aspect of the film festival in particular: “This festival in particular, in terms of its history, is confrontational and political in a positive way ‘ said Stewart, who at 32 is the youngest jury president in the history of the Berlinale.
In times of political crisis, films are a good remedy against feelings of powerlessness. “It’s a great way to help emphasize beautiful things at a time when they’re hard to hold on to,” Stewart said. “I think it’s an artist’s job to take a disgusting or bad subject, process it, and turn it into something more beautiful, helpful.”
Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani, also part of the seven-member jury, drew attention to the difficult situation in her country. “Iran, this is a dictatorship, it’s not just something philosophical or theoretical. People lack the oxygen, the air to breathe in Iran,” Farahani said.
The Berlinale was officially opened on Thursday evening with the comedy “She Came to Me” by American director Rebecca Miller. The premiere was one reason why Hollywood stars strolled down the red carpet alongside their German colleagues. Anne Hathaway and Peter Dinklage, who play the leading roles in the opening film, had come, as well as the American actress Marisa Tomei and the singer Joan Baez, about whom a documentary film will be shown as part of the Berlinale program.
You can vote for who wore the most beautiful outfit on the red carpet in our style voting.
But before the premiere of the comedy, things got political again. During the opening ceremony, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj was connected via video. On Thursday evening he made an emotional appeal to filmmakers and artists to support his country.
And politics didn’t stop at the red carpet this year either. Two activists from the Last Generation climate group stuck themselves in front of the Festival Palace on Potsdamer Platz. A young man and a young woman sat on the edge of the red carpet. There were no major disturbances. According to a statement from the group, the two activists had overcome a barrier. The group calls for a radical change in climate and keeps sticking to the streets to disrupt traffic. At the beginning of the protest, the guests were already in the hall, the red carpet was largely empty.