When Berlin calls for its film festivals, the national and international stars of the scene don’t go slack. There was no lack of glamor on the red carpet this year either. But one thing was clear right from the start: the 2023 Berlinale will be particularly political.
Because even before things really got started, the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyj spoke via video link. In his own emotional way, he appealed to filmmakers to support his country. He is sure of one big supporter anyway: Sean Penn. The documentary “Superpower” about Selenskyj celebrated its world premiere in Berlin.
Political Berlinale
And Kristen Stewart, who at 32 is the youngest jury president in the history of the Berlinale, also emphasized the political value of the festival at the opening press conference. She said: “This festival in particular, in terms of its history, is confrontational and political in a positive way.” In times of political crisis, films are a good remedy against feelings of powerlessness.
The film festival opened on Thursday evening with “She Came to Me”, a comedy by American director Rebecca Miller. The leading actors Anne Hathaway and Peter Dinklage provided the first Hollywood flair. But top-class US actors such as Adrien Brody, Jesse Eisenberg and Matt Damon also made an appearance in the capital and lined up alongside the many German stars – some of whom flew in from Hollywood themselves.