Kristen Stewart: "I was shocked when they offered me to be the head of the jury in Berlin"
On the first day of the Berlinale, the jury headed by Hollywood actress Kristen Stewart was presented to the press
For the next eleven days, Berlin will be the film center of the world. The 73rd edition of the Berlinale, which will be officially opened tonight, will attract filmmakers and journalists from many countries. Before the start of the festival, a traditional press conference was held in the morning with members of the jury, who will decide who will receive the Golden Bear for the best film this year.
The head of the jury is the American actress and director Kristen Stewart. Other members of the jury are: Iranian actress Golshifteh Farahani, German actress Valeska Grisebach, Romanian director Radu Jude, American producer Francine Maisler, Spanish director Carla Simón and Chinese director Johnnie To.
"To be honest, I'm shaking a little. I feel the weight of the task that is set before us. I can't wait to see how this jury will behave, how we will be at the end of the festival", said Kristen Stewart at the very beginning.
Criteria for the Golden Bear
"This is a shock for me as well. I didn't think I would be invited to lead such a jury," said Kristen Stewart.
At the beginning, journalists were most interested in what criteria the jury would use when deciding who would receive the Golden Bear.
"It seems to me that today's films are not at the same quality level as those we remember. I hope it's just a short-term drop. I hope we will see that increase in quality here," said Chinese director Johnnie To.
"Of course, the decision about what is the best film is completely subjective. It is important that we are open, that we are not enslaved by our prejudices. I don't know about others, but I would like us to choose a film that stands out from the others," Stewart explained how she will choose the best film.
Soon the conversation turned to the topic - what is actually a film and what it represents to the world today.
"The film represents the whole society. If a government wants to destroy its society, it will strike at film first. Because film is so relatable to people. All over the world, if you want to fight for freedom, you have to fight for film," explained Johnnie To.
Art is important as air
"In a country like Iran, which is a dictatorship, art is not only a philosophical question, but also a question of freedom. Art is as important as air. I am happy that I am here, that I can continue to fight for freedom in film and in Iran", Golshifteh Farahani explained the connection between Berlin and politics.
"As long as humanity exists, we will want to gather and tell each other stories," Farahani emphasized.
The 73rd edition of the Berlinale will open tonight with the world premiere of Rebecca Miller's film She Came To Me. It is a romantic comedy about a composer (Peter Dinklage) with creative block, who finds inspiration for a new work after a brief relationship with a river tugboat captain (Marisa Tomei). The whole team came to promote the film in Berlin, also there will be Anne Hathaway, who will surely attract the most attention on the red carpet.
The Berlin Film Festival runs until February 26.
This article was provided by KINO FILM.HR
