“Art could choose to take sides or remain neutral, which was tantamount to endorsing tyranny,” said Zelenski, whose experiences in the early days of the invasion a year ago are the subject of a Sean Penn documentary, “Superpower,” which will premiere today at the festival. The opening gala was briefly interrupted by Last Generation activists who glued to the red carpet in protest of environmental degradation.
Zelensky “is a hero of our time”, declared yesterday the American actress Anne Hathaway hours before the opening gala at a press conference after presenting the film “She Came To Me”, a romantic comedy out of competition. “Our solidarity and sympathy are with the victims and the artists who stayed behind to defend the country and who continue to film the war,” the festival’s co-directors, Mariëtte Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian, said in a statement.
The president of the Festival jury, Kristen Stewart, said that “I don’t believe that cinema is dead.” In a press conference she declared that the cinema will live forever. “Look in the rear view mirror,” Stewart said. “We have never stopped telling each other stories.” She then alluded to the drop in international box office revenue as a result of the pandemic. “How hard is it to forget that. But I also believe that we all have a vital and desperate need to create something. And yeah, I think when you start looking at the industry, it’s easy to think, ‘Oh my gosh, it’s all falling apart.’ But cinema is something vital and it will never disappear”.
Stewart first attended the Berlinale in 2010 with the independent production “Welcome to the Rileys,” alongside director Jake Scott. “I’ll be frank: I’m shaking,” she said of her role as festival president. “But it’s not a responsibility I don’t fully understand. I am ready, willing to let myself be changed by all the movies and by the people around us. I think that’s why we’re here.” She also gave an open but awkward response when asked to name some of her favorite international films. “To be honest, I’m really sorry I don’t have the best answer to your question, but those sitting next to me will help me. Sorry, I don’t have a big list of filmmakers in my pocket to answer.” Other members of the Berlinale international jury include actress Golshifteh Farahani (Iran/France), director and screenwriter Valeska Grisebach (Germany), director and screenwriter Radu Jude (Romania), casting director and producer Francine Maisler ( United States), the director and screenwriter Carla Simón (Spain), and the director and producer Johnnie To (Hong Kong, China).
Source: Ambito
I am an author and journalist who has worked in the entertainment industry for over a decade. I currently work as a news editor at a major news website, and my focus is on covering the latest trends in entertainment. I also write occasional pieces for other outlets, and have authored two books about the entertainment industry.
