(Berlin) You should never trust appearances. Everyone looked happy on the red carpet at the Berlinale Palast on Thursday evening at the opening of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival. The members of the competition jury were all beaming. Its president, actress Lupita Nyong'o, took advantage of the mild weather to take off her coat and pose for photographers in a white dress with a low back.
Published yesterday at 6:53 p.m.
Those responsible for the Berlinale and the guests and dignitaries also seemed to have fun in front of the cameras and the hundreds of spectators. On the way to the screening of the opening film “Small Things Like These” with Cillian Murphy and Emily Watson, I happened to meet filmmakers Fatih Akin and Abel Ferrara and actress Vicky Krieps.
I saw Wim Wenders in the distance. I saw demonstrators holding anti-racist signs denouncing the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. However, I did not see the five representatives of this party who were disinvited by the festival management last week after the controversy that their possible presence at the opening ceremony had caused. Rhinestones are, by definition, deceptive. What is being swept under the red carpet in Berlin these days is not rosy.
“The Berlinale offers a lot of space for dialogue between people and for art,” said festival co-director Mariëtte Rissenbeek during the opening ceremony. “But she has no room for hate. Hate is not on our guest list. »
PHOTO ANNEGRET HILSE, Portal
The co-director of the festival, Mariëtte Rissenbeek
Previously, the judges of the official competition did not agree. “I don’t think it’s a problem to have five people from the AfD in the audience. We are not cowards. If we can't get five people from the AfD into the room, we'll lose our fight,” explained German filmmaker Christian Petzold (Barbara) during a particularly tense jury press conference.
“Imagine these five fascists watching the films shown at the Berlinale. Maybe this could help them broaden their horizons a little,” added Italian actress Jasmine Trinca, who is a member of the jury and cast of the Netflix series “Supersex” with porn actor Rocco Siffredi, which premieres at the Berlinale.
Imagine two jurors disavowing a decision by the festival management inviting them to sit on the first day…
Lupita Nyong'o, born in Mexico to Kenyan parents and the first black person to chair the Berlinale competition jury, would also have felt comfortable if she found herself at the opening ceremony in the company of elected officials who supported the deportation of two million migrants and Germans of foreign origin?
“I’m a foreigner here,” the diplomat’s daughter and Yale graduate answered cautiously. I don't know the ins and outs of politics. I'm glad I don't have to answer this question. And I'm glad I don't have to be in that position. »
Christian Petzold, Silver Bear at the Berlinale last year for Afire, was ultimately annoyed by the journalists' insistent questions on this topic. “I think all these questions make them stronger than they really are. Hundreds of thousands of people are demonstrating against these five representatives and they are much more important than this kind of discussion. »
PHOTO FABRIZIO BENSCH, Portal
Jury member Christian Petzold
The Berlinale is considered the most political of the major film festivals. The political questions didn't stop at Christian Petzold's annoyance either. In particular, there was talk of the letter of support that the filmmaker, like Lupita Nyong'o, signed in December for a ceasefire in Gaza.
Germany has steadfastly stood by Israel since the cruel Hamas massacre on October 7th. Since then, several artists have called on German cultural institutions, particularly the Berlinale, to step up their resistance to the war. If that is the case?
“I don’t want to answer this question here because it doesn’t actually belong in this press conference,” said Christian Petzold dryly. I am for peace. I am in favor of the discussion, the conversation that we will have as a jury. »
On the opening evening, German Culture Minister Claudia Roth expressed her sympathy for the Israeli and Palestinian victims and hoped for a political and peaceful solution to the conflict, without explicitly mentioning a ceasefire. She also condemned Vladimir Putin's shameless lies and reiterated her support for the Ukrainian resistance.
“Difficult conversations”
At the jury's press conference on Thursday morning, the tension increased even further when a Ukrainian journalist mentioned an interview in 2022 by another juror of the competition, the Catalan filmmaker Albert Serra (Pacifiction), to a Spanish media representative in which he expressed his fascination with The topic expressed Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin and suggested that he would like to become a Russian secret agent.
“The political issue you are referring to has changed because there is war and everyone is angry [contre la Russie] ” Serra replied, without clearing up any misunderstanding. “Saying a person is good or not doesn’t change anything,” he added. Saying Trump is good doesn't change anything. These are just statements. I find realpolitik much more interesting. »
Serra, as provocative in his art as in his statements, should know that dark humor does not go down well in interviews or press conferences (he need only consult Lars von Trier on the subject). Especially since one of her colleagues on the jury is the Ukrainian writer, poet and activist Oksana Zabuzhko, who was “fascinated” by Serra’s answer before dismissing him.
“The good news,” she said, “is that we were sitting at dinner last night and Albert told me that he had bought my latest book about the war in Spanish.” I hope that this is an opportunity for him to to find out more about this topic. “And wham. Hello atmosphere…
PHOTO MARKUS SCHREIBER, ASSOCIATED PRESS
Lupita Nyong'o on the red carpet
It wasn't just love in the air, as Martine St-Clair sings, contrary to what we see at the consensual jury press conferences that festivals have accustomed us to in the past. With all these strong minds, there is a risk that the tone will rise during deliberations. “We've already had difficult conversations,” confirmed Lupita Nyong'o, Best Supporting Actress Oscar winner for Steve McQueen's “Twelve Years a Slave” in 2014. “It will undoubtedly be spicy!” the Black Panther star added added.
“Are there no longer any political questions? » concluded Christian Petzold with a smile as the moderator announced the end of this memorable press conference.
Political interference
Politics will be shown in a variety of ways at the Berlinale this year. Last September it was announced that Berlinale co-directors Carlo Chatrian and Mariëtte Rissenbeek would be replaced next year by American Tricia Tuttle, who was director of the London Film Festival for five years.
Under his two-person leadership, the Berlinale has struggled since 2019 to attract Hollywood's big stars and the stars who accompany them – or refused to do so. What is expected of Tricia Tuttle? Some saw Denis Villeneuve's highly anticipated film Dune 2 being introduced at the Berlin Film Festival, where the Quebec filmmaker won the Panorama Section Critics' Prize for Maelström in 2001. The Berlinale is in full swing.
The Berlin Film Festival is no longer on Hollywood's radar, as are its main competitors Venice, Cannes and Toronto. It is a popular demonstration, open to the public, but clearly in left field. Will the new American leadership change anything?
Significant budget cuts are not unrelated to the departure of co-directors. Mariëtte Rissenbeek has decided to retire. The outgoing director Carlo Chatrian, in turn, indicated that Minister Claudia Roth was now calling for a veto on the Berlinale's film selection. Several renowned filmmakers, including Martin Scorsese and Claire Denis, have publicly denounced what amounts to political interference to no avail.
“In the new structure as presented, it is very clear that the conditions for me to continue as artistic director are no longer present,” Chatrian, a former director of the Locarno Festival, said in a statement. The annual contract was not renewed.
On Thursday evening, Claudia Roth and Carlo Chatrian stood together on the red carpet. We suspect they won't be invited to the same party again anytime soon…