The anticipation for the film festival is increasing. The 41st edition begins at the end of June, the first under the direction of new director Christoph Gröner, and two Oscar winners have now been confirmed as guests of honor. In addition to Hollywood star Jessica Lange, her colleague Kate Winslet is also expected on the Isar. According to the organizers, the 48-year-old Englishwoman, like the 75-year-old American, will be honored with the Cine Merit Award for their achievements in film art.
Winslet, known from “Titanic” and “The Reader” as well as most recently “Mare of Easttown” and “The Regime,” is traveling for another reason: She will be celebrating the European premiere of the film “The Photographer,” which she produced, in Munich. In the biopic (original title: “Lee”) about the war photographer Lee Miller (1907-1977) she plays the main role, alongside Marion Cotillard, Alexander Skarsgård and Andrea Riseborough. Directed by Ellen Kuras (“Don’t Forget Me!”).
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In “The Regime” Kate Winslet rules as an autocrat over an unnamed country in the heart of Europe. The series wants to say something about power and dictatorship – but what?
“We are very pleased that Kate Winslet is celebrating the European premiere with us in Munich. ‘The Photographer’ is a wonderfully intense character portrait. It is important to us that this Munich Film Festival, with its many films and voices, sends a clear signal for democracy, diversity and cohesion,” say Christoph Gröner, the festival director, and Julia Weigl, the artistic co-director.
Just a few days ago it was announced that Jessica Lange would be gracing the film festival. The two-time Oscar winner (“Tootsie”, “Operation Blue Sky”) does not have a new film with her, but will show a selection from her oeuvre in Munich that is particularly close to her heart. In addition, photographic works that Lange took during the lockdown in New York City will be presented for the first time. The works will be on display in the German Theater Museum for more than two months.
Lange, born in Minnesota in 1949, has enjoyed great success since the late 1970s and has received many awards, including Golden Globes, Emmy and Tony Awards. She became known through films such as “King Kong” and “When the Postman Rings Twice”. She was most recently seen alongside Liam Neeson and Diane Kruger in the film “Marlowe” and in the Broadway play “Mother Play”.
“Jessica Lange is a wonderful fit for us. She has been constantly reinventing herself as an actress for many decades. And with the planned photo exhibition we can show another facet of her artistic work for the first time in Germany,” say Gröner and Weigl.
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The cinema festival on the Isar has given itself a new look. You want to be fresh and dynamic. Whether the waves of enthusiasm also spill over to the audience remains to be seen in the summer.
With Kate Winselt and Jessica Lange, two world stars have already been confirmed for the new edition. Last year the guests of honor were Barbara Sukowa and Jessica Hausner. 58,000 visitors were counted in 2023.