The festival was set to be officially opened later in the day with a live video appearance from Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky, the Deadline website reported.
Solidarity with Ukraine, Iran
“The Berlinale, along with all filmmakers and participants, expresses solidarity with the people of Ukraine in their fight for its independence and strongly condemns the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine,” Berlinale directors Mariëtte Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian said.
Sean Penn’s feature documentary Superpower, which depicts Zelensky and Ukraine’s defence efforts in the first days of the Russian invasion in February last year, will be screened as part of the Berlinale Specials programme, organisers said.
The 2023 Berlin Film Festival will also express solidarity with the people of Iran, who are fighting for their human rights, news outlets reported.
300 films to be screened over 11 days
Nearly 300 films will be shown across Berlinale’s various sections, including 19 diverse productions in the main competition.
Highlights include Ingeborg Bachmann - Journey Into the Desert, a new biopic by Germany’s Margarethe von Trotta, US thriller Manodrome, directed by John Trengove and starring Adrien Brody and Jesse Eisenberg, and Past Lives, the already-acclaimed debut feature by South Korean director Celine Song, the dw.com website reported.
Kulig, Skolimowski, Spielberg
Meanwhile, Poland will be represented by actress Joanna Kulig, who stars in Berlinale’s opening film, Rebecca Miller’s She Came to Me.
Polish filmmaker Jerzy Skolimowski, whose EO is vying for an Oscar for best international film, will also be present at the 2023 Berlin Film Festival, but in his other guise, as a painter.
Skolimowski’s paintings will be showcased at the nüüd.berlin Gallery and the Polish Institute.
The 2023 Berlinale will also see Steven Spielberg receive the Honorary Golden Bear for his life’s work.
A selection of his movies will be screened at the festival, including 2022’s The Fabelmans.
The 2023 Berlin Film Festival runs until February 26.
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Source: IAR, wp.pl, deadline.com, dw.com/en