As of: February 15, 2024, 2:05 p.m
Comments
Press
Split
The red carpet is rolled out in front of the Berlinale Palast.
© Jens Kalaene/dpa
Fans stand at barriers for the Oscar-nominated “Oppenheimer” star and the jury gives initial information.
At the start of the Berlinale there is heated discussion about politics.
Berlin - The appearance of Oscar favorite Cillian Murphy (“Oppenheimer”) is eagerly awaited in Berlin.
Hours before the press conference for the film festival's opening film, fans are lined up at barriers hunting for autographs.
There is a group of friends who came especially from Hesse and Thuringia for Murphy.
“He’s just likeable,” says one of them.
Murphy is the star of the novel adaptation “Small Things Like These,” this year’s opening film at the Berlinale.
The 47-year-old was supposed to present the film with producer Matt Damon, among others, on Thursday evening in Berlin.
“Oppenheimer” star in the opening film
The drama is about a historic scandal involving church institutions in Ireland.
In the film, director Tim Mielants tells a story against the backdrop of the so-called Magdalen laundries in Ireland.
Thousands of pregnant young women were exploited in these church institutions between the 1820s and 1996.
As a rule, they were also forced to give their newborn children up for adoption to homes and monasteries.
The drama follows the inner struggle of a coal dealer portrayed by Murphy in a small Irish town in the 1980s: Should he adapt and remain silent - or rebel against injustice?
The Irish actor also stars Eileen Walsh, Michelle Fairley and Emily Watson.
AfD and the Ukraine war: Political debates in focus
Another focus at the Berlinale is always on political debates - especially this year.
One reason: the invitation and disinvitation of five AfD politicians to the opening of the International Film Festival.
The film festival disinvited her after international criticism.
Director Christian Petzold commented on this on Thursday.
“I think it’s no problem to have five people from the AfD in the audience,” said the 63-year-old, who is part of the Berlinale jury.
“We are not cowards.
If we can’t stand the fact that five people from the AfD are sitting in the audience, we will lose our fight.”
A Putin-friendly director on the jury?
The jury president, Oscar winner Lupita Nyong'o, emphasized: “In the 48 hours that I have been here, one of the things that is mentioned again and again is how political the Berlinale is.” Also the war in the Ukraine is an issue.
There were discussions on Thursday about some statements by the Spanish director and jury member Albert Serra that were criticized as pro-Putin.
This is explosive not least because the Ukrainian author and Putin critic Oksana Sabuschko is also on the jury.
My news
New investigations in the Rebecca Reusch case: Now her mother is speaking out
Missing Rebecca Reusch: Many puzzles - and always a suspicious reading
1 hour ago
“That little bit of household”: Johanna von Koczian is a dead read
5 theories surrounding Rebecca's disappearance: Numerous "sightings" and a mysterious man in the forest
Rebecca Reusch has been missing for exactly four years: police are looking for these items
2 hours ago
Petzold: Berlinale can endure five AfD politiciansread
A journalist asked Serra about a 2018 interview in which he allegedly expressed his admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Serra was asked if he had changed his opinion of Putin since the war.
He qualified previous statements and explained, among other things: "The political question of which leadership (I) prefer has changed, because it is war and everyone is mad at Russia." This is a very complex question.
Author Sabushko said: “There is good news: last night we had dinner together and he bought my recently published book about this war.
So I’m hoping he’ll educate himself a little bit.”
Another special feature of the Berlinale: it has been considered the world's largest public festival for decades.
Many film fans take vacation and travel to Berlin specifically to experience a cinema marathon and bathe in glamour.
These include stars like Kristen Stewart, Carey Mulligan and Adam Sandler - and their often extravagant outfits.
Nyong'o already set a first highlight: with an original headdress made of shells.
dpa