Coronau, Nazis and meager Israeli presence: The Berlin 2020 Festival is underway

The 70th edition of the Berlin Festival is underway under the heavy shadow of scandals and complications, and with a minimal Israeli presence. Still, the crowd is crazy about the tickets, and Johnny Depp and Sigourney Weaver will be wary of the red carpet

Coronau, Nazis and meager Israeli presence: The Berlin 2020 Festival is underway

Today, the seventh edition of the Berlin Festival will be launched on Thursday, and this will happen in exceptional circumstances: the festival starts later this year than usual, and as a result, after the Oscars and no less important - in weather that is not frozen and snowy. It is undergoing massive renovations taking place in Potsdam Square, the heart of the festival since the unification of Germany and also distinguished by the shade of corona panic and the shadow of some scandals. The most serious of them: A few weeks ago, German media published an inquiry about Alfred Bauer, the first director of the event, who revealed that he acted enthusiastically in the Third Reich service during World War II.

Following the investigation, the festival was quick to announce the cancellation of the prestigious award for Bauer, which is distributed annually. Just before opening, it was decided to distribute the decoration anyway, but simply call it "The Silver Lion," and set up a special committee to look into the controversial filmmaker's past. It's hard not to wonder why all this is happening just now, and not decades ago, as there have always been question marks about the work of someone who has just been officially kicked out of the closet as a Nazi.

Another Nazi, Albert Schaffer, is at the center of one of the only Israeli films to be screened at the festival, and is also out of a competitive frame. This is Vanessa Lapa's "Speer Goes to Hollywood," produced by Yes Doco, which describes how his hero, somewhat like Bauer, tried to use the film industry to whitewash his crimes.

Another Israeli film to be shown at the festival, and this time after it has already been screened in Docaviv, is a "mirror" by Raanan Alexandrovich, produced by Liran Assamur and with support. HOT 8. In the short films, Omar Sternberg's "Listener" from Sam Spiegel School will be featured. In short, a rather blue-and-white presence, precisely a year after Israeli cinema reached its peak at the festival, with the golden bear of "synonyms."

Great achievement: Israeli movie "Synonyms" won the Golden Bear Award

Rolling the red carpet (Photo: Imagebank)

Berlin 2020 Festival (Photo: GettyImages)

The opening film for the festival will be "My Salinger's Year" starring Sigourney Weaver, two weeks after submitting with Gal Gadot at the Oscars, and the groundbreaking Margaret Cavalli. By implication, he deals with women whose job it was to address the fan and fan letters he would have received from the "Catcher in the Rye."

Other notable films to be screened as early as the first weekend are "Minamata" featuring legendary press photographer Eugene Smith, played by Johnny Depp, who will be presenting the red carpet for the screening; "Forward," the new hit from Pixar's studio; And "First Cow," Kelly Reichhardt's new film, one based on "Wendy and Lucy" and "Some Women," her status as one of the most interesting filmmakers working today.

The opening night of the festival will be "My Year of the Salinger" starring Sigourney Weaver, two weeks after submitting with Gal Gadot at the Oscars, and the groundbreaking Margaret Cavalli. By implication, he deals with women whose job it was to address the fan and fan letters he would have received from the "Catcher in the Rye."

Other notable films to be screened as early as the first weekend are "Minamata" featuring legendary press photographer Eugene Smith, played by Johnny Depp, who will be presenting the red carpet for the screening; "Forward," the new hit from Pixar's studio; And "First Cow," Kelly Reichhardt's new film, one based on "Wendy and Lucy" and "Some Women," her status as one of the most interesting filmmakers working today.

One can only hope that the films will be better than the atmosphere in which the festival kicks off. However, in spite of all the mess around him, one thing does not change: as usual, all tickets for all screenings soon run out. The official website even collapsed a few minutes after the sale opened, and those who preferred the old method and went out to purchase them physically, stocked sleeping bags to put their hands on the coveted places.

Sigourney Weaver in "My Salinger Year" (Photo: PR)

My Salinger Year (Photo: GettyImages)

One can only hope that the films will be better than the atmosphere in which the festival kicks off. However, in spite of all the mess around him, one thing does not change: as usual, all tickets for all screenings soon run out. The official website even collapsed a few minutes after the sale opened, and those who preferred the old method and went out to purchase them physically, stocked sleeping bags to put their hands on the coveted places.