Mexican-Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong'o will chair the Berlinale jury next February, becoming the first black person to hold the prestigious position, organizers said Monday.
• Also read: “Barbie” and “Oppenheimer” lead the Golden Globe nominations
In the 74-year history of the Berlin Film Festival, there has never been a black man or woman at the head of the jury that awards the Golden and Silver Bears.
The two co-directors of the Berlinale, Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian, said they were “happy and proud” that the actress had accepted the role. In March 2014, at the age of 40, she won the Oscar for supporting actress for her performance in “12 Years a Slave.”
“Lupita Nyong'o embodies what we love about cinema: versatility and coherence,” the two co-directors said in a press release in their artistic choices.
Ms. Nyong'o was born in Mexico City to Kenyan parents and grew up in a wealthy environment in Kenya before studying film and theater in the United States.
In 2009, she wrote, produced and directed the documentary “In My Genes,” dedicated to albinos in Kenya.
At 31, she gained notoriety for her portrayal of Patsey, a martyr in Steve McQueen's “12 Years a Slave.”
Her other successes on the screen also included her in the Marvel film universe, where she played the character of Nakia in the blockbuster “Black Panther” and in various parts of the “Star Wars” saga.
The Berlinale, which takes place from February 15 to 25, 2024, is one of the three major European film festivals alongside Cannes and Venice.
In 2023, a documentary about psychiatry by Frenchman Nicolas Philibert won the Golden Bear.
The festival was due to announce the name of its future director on Tuesday, who will replace the duo of Ms Rissenbeek and Mr Chatrian.