The Berlin International Film Festival, the first major European cinema showcase of the year, commences on Thursday with a focus on the battle for independence in Ukraine and Iran, and the most dazzling lineup since the pandemic began.
The 73rd Berlinale, usually the most politically engaged of the three big European festivals, will coincide with the anniversary of the Russian invasion’s initiation.
The event will feature nine new movies, primarily documentaries, showcasing life in wartime Ukraine, including “Superpower” by Sean Penn, a two-time Oscar winner, which he filmed in Kyiv in February last year.
Iran’s beleaguered independent filmmakers will also take centre stage with a series of premieres and panel discussions examining the country, which has been shaken by rights protests since September.
Artistic director Carlo Chatrian said the 11-day festival would “stand with those who struggle to express their ideas”. He pledged films that would “portray the world’s narrative with all its wounds as well as its heart-rending beauty”.
Spielberg, Mirren, Krieps Golshifteh Farahani, a French-Iranian actress (“Paterson”), will sit on the jury for the Golden and Silver Bear awards, headed by Hollywood star Kristen Stewart, at 32 the youngest president in the festival’s history.
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