Berlinale 2025: Tilda Swinton receives the Honorary Golden Bear

Tilda Swinton (64) will be awarded the Honorary Golden Bear for her life’s work at the Berlinale. The organizers announced this on Friday (December 20th). The Scottish actress will receive the award at the opening gala on February 13, 2025.

“The range of Tilda Swinton’s work is breathtaking,” Berlinale director Tricia Tuttle is quoted as saying in a statement. “She brings so much humanity, compassion, intelligence, humor and style to the cinema and expands our ideas about the world through her work. Tilda is one of our modern film idols and has long been part of the Berlinale family.”

The Honorary Golden Bear is also a very special honor for Swinton. “The Berlinale is the first film festival I ever attended. That was in 1986 with Derek Jarman’s ‘Caravaggio’, my first film ever,” said the actress. It was her “entry into the world in which I have created my life’s work so far” and she has “never forgotten what I owe her.” “It will be a privilege and a pleasure for me to once again celebrate this inspiring place next February, which always enables wonderful and stimulating encounters.”

After her film debut in 1986, Tilda Swinton appeared in every film directed by Derek Jarman, and to date she has appeared in numerous experimental and non-mainstream films. The Scot achieved great international fame in 1992 with her performance in “Orlando”.

For her role in “Michael Clayton” (2007) she received the BAFTA and the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Tilda Swinton was last seen in Wes Anderson’s (55) “Asteroid City” (2023), Joshua Oppenheimer’s (50) “The End” (2024) and Pedro Alomdóvar’s (75) “The Room Next Door” (2024).

The Honorary Golden Bear has been awarded since 1982. This year the prize went to director Martin Scorsese (82), and in 2023 to director Steven Spielberg (78).