The Golden Bear (Courtesy of Berlin Film Festival)
The Berlin Film Festival has unveiled the International Jury for its 71st edition. All the jury members are winners of Berlin’s Golden Bear for best film.
The jury will comprise Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof, Israeli director Nadav Lapid, Romania director Adina Pintilie, Hungary director Ildikó Enyedi, Italian director Gianfranco Rosi and Bosnian director Jasmila Žbanić. There will be no jury president this year. The jury will view the competition films in a movie theater in Berlin.
Rasoulof won the Golden Bear for “There Is No Evil” in 2020; Lapid for “Synonyms” in 2019; Pintilie for “Touch Me Not” in 2018; Enyedi for “On Body and Soul” in 2017; Rosi for “Fire at Sea” in 2016; and Žbanić for “Grbavica” in 2006.
Artistic director Carlo Chatrian said: “I’m happy and honored that six filmmakers I admire a great deal have enthusiastically accepted our invitation to take part in this unique edition. They express not only different ways of making uncompromising films and creating bold stories but also they represent a part of the history of the Berlinale. In this moment in time, it is meaningful and a great sign of hope that the Golden Bear winners will be in Berlin watching films in a theater and finding a way to support their colleagues.”
As previously announced, the festival will take place in two stages this year, due to the pandemic. Its “Industry Event” will run in a virtual format from March 1-5. Additionally, the “Industry Event” will present the film selection from the festival sections to industry professionals and the accredited press. From June 9-20, the festival will hold physical screenings for the public, with the filmmakers attending, in what is billed as a “Summer Special.”
Juries will decide on the prizes from the Competition, Berlinale Shorts, Encounters and Generation sections, and announce the award-winners during the “Industry Event.” The award ceremony will take place in front of an audience at the “Summer Special” in June.
“With the Summer Special, we wish to create the longed-for festival atmosphere for the audience. Films from all Berlinale sections will be shown at around 10 venues in Berlin,” commented Berlinale executive director Mariette Rissenbeek.
Chatrian and the various festival section heads will publish their film selections from Feb. 8-11. On Feb. 8, the Retrospective and Generation lineups will be announced; followed by Berlinale Shorts, Forum and Forum Expanded on Feb. 9; Encounters, Panorama and Perspektive Deutsches Kino on Feb. 10; and Competition and Berlinale Special on Feb. 11. The selection of the Berlinale Series has already been announced.
On Feb. 11, Chatrian and Rissenbeek will hold a video presentation at 11 a.m. CET to present this year’s festival format.
Variety's Leo Barraclough contributed to this post.
https://variety.com/2021/film/global/berlin-film-festival-international-jury-1234897153/
