Berlin movie fest to beam in Ukrainian President Zelensky for opener with actor Sean Penn

By AFP

BERLIN: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will be a part of Hollywood actor Sean Penn by video hyperlink on Thursday on the opening of the Berlinale, Europe’s first main movie competition of the 12 months, because it spotlights the struggle for freedom in Ukraine and Iran.

The 73rd annual occasion, historically probably the most politically minded of the three massive European cinema showcases, will mark the Russian invasion’s first anniversary in addition to anti-regime protests in Iran with new function movies and documentaries.

US actor Kristen Stewart (“Spencer”), head of the jury for the Golden and Silver Bear high prizes, advised reporters it was “an enormous opportunity to have a hand in highlighting beautiful things” within the face of world turmoil.

“It’s the job of an artist to take a disgusting and ugly thing and sort of transmute it and put it through your body and pump out something more beautiful…in response to the world that’s falling apart around us,” she mentioned.

Artistic director Carlo Chatrian mentioned the competition stood with “the suffering population, the millions who left Ukraine and the artists (who) have remained defending the country and continue filming the war,” including that it was a “special honour” to welcome Zelensky digitally.

Penn will seem on stage on the opening gala within the German capital and introduce Zelensky who will converse by way of video stream, organisers mentioned.

The two-time Oscar winner, who was filming in Kyiv at first of the Russian onslaught, will on Friday premiere “Superpower”, monitoring Zelensky’s transformation from comic to president to conflict hero.

“Zelensky was two completely different creatures from one day to the next,” Penn advised leisure business journal Variety this week in regards to the influence of the invasion. “He was a spirit in waiting.”

Beyond film screenings, the Berlinale plans panel discussions with embattled administrators and red-carpet protests in a present of “solidarity” with the folks of Iran and Ukraine.

Animation again in power
The Berlinale has barred filmmakers, corporations and reporters with direct ties to the Russian or Iranian governments from participating within the occasion, together with its sprawling European Film Market, a key film rights alternate for the business.

Hollywood actors Peter Dinklage, Anne Hathaway and Marisa Tomei will later Thursday current romantic comedy “She Came to Me”, the primary of almost 300 new films from all over the world to display throughout the 11-day occasion.

Nineteen movies will vie for the primary awards, together with British-US co-production “Manodrome” that includes Jesse Eisenberg and Adrien Brody in a thriller about an Uber driver who’s lured right into a cult whereas he’s anticipating his first baby.

Two Asian animated photos can even be a part of the operating, “Art College 1994” by China’s Liu Jian and Makoto Shinkai’s “Suzume”, the primary Japanese anime to compete on the Berlinale since Hayao Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away” clinched the Golden Bear in 2002.

READ HERE | Ukraine administrators convey horrors of Russian invasion to Sundance movie competition

Gold for Spielberg
Three-time Academy Award winner Steven Spielberg is to gather an honorary Golden Bear for his life’s work, spotlighted in a retrospective.

British actor Helen Mirren will unveil the keenly awaited “Golda” through which she stars as Israel’s solely feminine prime minister, Golda Meir.

And Vicky Krieps, the acclaimed Luxembourg-born actor from “Phantom Thread” and “Corsage”, will current her flip as famend Austrian author Ingeborg Bachmann in a biopic by veteran German director Margarethe von Trotta.

One-third of the movies in competitors are by ladies, who make up 40 p.c of all administrators represented on the competition.

“Love to Love You”, a documentary about disco queen Donna Summer, who outlined an period on the dance ground and helped encourage Beyonce’s newest album “Renaissance”, could have its world premiere.

The movie was co-directed by Summer’s daughter, Brooklyn Sudano, and options never-before-seen residence movies.

The Berlinale ranks with Cannes and Venice amongst Europe’s high movie festivals. It will hand out the highest prizes on February 25 earlier than wrapping up the following day with screenings of well-liked films from this 12 months’s choice.

ALSO READ | Golden Globe-winning ‘Naatu Naatu’ track from ‘RRR’ has a Ukrainian connection

BERLIN: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky will be a part of Hollywood actor Sean Penn by video hyperlink on Thursday on the opening of the Berlinale, Europe’s first main movie competition of the 12 months, because it spotlights the struggle for freedom in Ukraine and Iran.

The 73rd annual occasion, historically probably the most politically minded of the three massive European cinema showcases, will mark the Russian invasion’s first anniversary in addition to anti-regime protests in Iran with new function movies and documentaries.

US actor Kristen Stewart (“Spencer”), head of the jury for the Golden and Silver Bear high prizes, advised reporters it was “an enormous opportunity to have a hand in highlighting beautiful things” within the face of world turmoil.

“It’s the job of an artist to take a disgusting and ugly thing and sort of transmute it and put it through your body and pump out something more beautiful…in response to the world that’s falling apart around us,” she mentioned.

Artistic director Carlo Chatrian mentioned the competition stood with “the suffering population, the millions who left Ukraine and the artists (who) have remained defending the country and continue filming the war,” including that it was a “special honour” to welcome Zelensky digitally.

Penn will seem on stage on the opening gala within the German capital and introduce Zelensky who will converse by way of video stream, organisers mentioned.

The two-time Oscar winner, who was filming in Kyiv at first of the Russian onslaught, will on Friday premiere “Superpower”, monitoring Zelensky’s transformation from comic to president to conflict hero.

“Zelensky was two completely different creatures from one day to the next,” Penn advised leisure business journal Variety this week in regards to the influence of the invasion. “He was a spirit in waiting.”

Beyond film screenings, the Berlinale plans panel discussions with embattled administrators and red-carpet protests in a present of “solidarity” with the folks of Iran and Ukraine.

Animation again in power
The Berlinale has barred filmmakers, corporations and reporters with direct ties to the Russian or Iranian governments from participating within the occasion, together with its sprawling European Film Market, a key film rights alternate for the business.

Hollywood actors Peter Dinklage, Anne Hathaway and Marisa Tomei will later Thursday current romantic comedy “She Came to Me”, the primary of almost 300 new films from all over the world to display throughout the 11-day occasion.

Nineteen movies will vie for the primary awards, together with British-US co-production “Manodrome” that includes Jesse Eisenberg and Adrien Brody in a thriller about an Uber driver who’s lured right into a cult whereas he’s anticipating his first baby.

Two Asian animated photos can even be a part of the operating, “Art College 1994” by China’s Liu Jian and Makoto Shinkai’s “Suzume”, the primary Japanese anime to compete on the Berlinale since Hayao Miyazaki’s “Spirited Away” clinched the Golden Bear in 2002.

READ HERE | Ukraine administrators convey horrors of Russian invasion to Sundance movie competition

Gold for Spielberg
Three-time Academy Award winner Steven Spielberg is to gather an honorary Golden Bear for his life’s work, spotlighted in a retrospective.

British actor Helen Mirren will unveil the keenly awaited “Golda” through which she stars as Israel’s solely feminine prime minister, Golda Meir.

And Vicky Krieps, the acclaimed Luxembourg-born actor from “Phantom Thread” and “Corsage”, will current her flip as famend Austrian author Ingeborg Bachmann in a biopic by veteran German director Margarethe von Trotta.

One-third of the movies in competitors are by ladies, who make up 40 p.c of all administrators represented on the competition.

“Love to Love You”, a documentary about disco queen Donna Summer, who outlined an period on the dance ground and helped encourage Beyonce’s newest album “Renaissance”, could have its world premiere.

The movie was co-directed by Summer’s daughter, Brooklyn Sudano, and options never-before-seen residence movies.

The Berlinale ranks with Cannes and Venice amongst Europe’s high movie festivals. It will hand out the highest prizes on February 25 earlier than wrapping up the following day with screenings of well-liked films from this 12 months’s choice.

ALSO READ | Golden Globe-winning ‘Naatu Naatu’ track from ‘RRR’ has a Ukrainian connection