Just In
- 14 hrs ago Heeramandi Screening: Alia Bhatt, Ananya Panday, Rashmika Mandanna And Others Serve Finest Ethnic Style!
- 15 hrs ago From Alia Bhatt To Kriti Sanon, Korean Beauty Products That Bollywood Divas Swear By
- 18 hrs ago Exclusive: On World Malaria Day 2024, Dr Shares Danger Signs Parents Must Watch Out For In Child With Malaria
- 18 hrs ago Exclusive: Expert Debunks 5 Common Misconceptions About Expectant Mothers That You Need To Steer Clear From
Don't Miss
- Movies Pavi Caretaker Box Office Collection Day 1 Prediction: Dileep's Movie Expected To Open Strongly
- Sports Who Won Yesterday's IPL Match 41? SRH vs RCB, IPL 2024 on April 25: Royal Challengers Bangalore End Losing Streak
- Finance Bajaj Group Stock Declares Rs. 60/Share Dividend: Buy Ahead of Record Date On 28 June?
- News MEA Dismisses US Human Rights Report On Manipur As 'Biased And Misinformed'
- Automobiles Royal Enfield Unveils Revolutionary Rentals & Tours Service: Check Out All Details Here
- Technology Elon Musk’s X Is Launching a TV App Similar to YouTube for Watching Videos
- Education AICTE introduces career portal for 3 million students, offering fully-sponsored trip to Silicon Valley
- Travel Escape to Kalimpong, Gangtok, and Darjeeling with IRCTC's Tour Package; Check Itinerary
Berlin International Film Festival 2022 Opens With Love Letter To Cinema And Fassbinder
With their selection of films, the Berlin International Film Festival organizers hope to share a bit of the love we've been deprived of during the pandemic: "Never before have we seen and welcomed so many love stories as this year: crazy, improbable, unexpected and intoxicating love — which is, after all, what all encounters are about, deep down," said the Berlinale's artistic director Carlo Chatrian as he introduced the competition's program ahead of the festival, which runs from February 10 to 20.
'Von Kant' as a Fassbinder Self-Portrait
The opening film, Francois Ozon's "Peter von Kant," offers not only one of those love stories on-screen, but is also a love letter to cinema, and more specifically to one of its towering figures: legendary German filmmaker Rainer Werner Fassbinder.
The film is loosely based on one of Fassbinder's most famous films, "The Bitter Tears of Petra von Kant" (1972). But instead of centering on a prominent female fashion designer, the main protagonist is a male filmmaker modeled along the traits of the prolific German director, who died at the age of 37 from an overdose of cocaine and barbiturates.
"I always suspected the story was a thinly veiled self-portrait, centered around one of Fassbinder's passionate love affairs," said Francois Ozon of his decision to change the gender status of the three main characters in this story dealing with toxic homosexual relations.
The French filmmaker, who has directed films of various genres, has among others created works that are deliberately theatrical, such as "Water Drops on Burning Rocks" (2000), an approach that was also one of Fassbinder's trademarks.
Ozon however said he wanted to inject more empathy into his version of the film, and the tears of Peter von Kant (Denis Menochet) are not quite as bitter as Margit Carstensen's in the original version.
Hanna Schygulla, who gained renown for her acting work with Fassbinder and who played Petra von Kant's object of desire, Karine, in the 1972 film, also appears in Ozon's tribute — this time around as Peter's appeasing mother.
Strict Hygiene Measures Amid Omicron
Even though the new film does not match the aesthetic brilliance of the cult original, which featured Michael Ballhaus' legendary cinematography, it remains a tribute to filmmaking's enduring power. When Amir (Khalil Gharbia) — the young man who becomes von Kant's lover and muse — first reveals himself before the director's rolling camera, his charisma unfolds on the big screen in a way that definitely wouldn't work on a laptop.
A few weeks ago, the Sundance Film Festival was held online for the second consecutive year, and the decision to hold the Berlinale as an in-person event only was criticized by some observers. However, cinephiles will be thankful for the series of hygiene measures set in place that allow them to once again access to the film festival in its usual February setting.
Movie-goers must show proof of vaccination and wear a high-filtering FFP2 mask during the screenings; the theaters will only be filled at half capacity.
Even fans who gather outside along the red carpet before the premieres must follow these measures.
M. Night Shyamalan Leads the Berlinale 2022 Jury
On the morning before the opening film, the streets of the main festival area were still quiet. There seemed to be less autograph collectors than usual, but it is unclear whether it was the threat of the omicron virus that deterred them from greeting the jury or rather the fact that its members are not the biggest Hollywood stars.
The 2022 jury is helmed by Indian-American filmmaker M. Night Shyamalan, most famous for the supernatural psychological thriller "The Sixth Sense" (1999).
His co-jurors are Zimbabwean filmmaker and Booker Prize-nominated author Tsitsi Dangarembga; Brazilian film director and visual artist Karim Ainouz, Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi, who just obtained four Oscar nominations for "Drive My Car," German filmmaker Anne Zohra Berrached, who was in the Berlinale competition in 2016 with "24 Weeks" and Danish actor Connie Nielsen, whose mainstream breakthrough came with her portrayal of Princess Lucilla in Ridley Scott's "Gladiator" (2000).
Together, they will be selecting the Golden Bear, the top award of the competition, as well as the Silver Bears, recognizing achievements in different categories.
Scaled down due to the pandemic, the competitive program of the Berlinale will be completed on February 16, with the Bears awarded on that evening, but public screenings will continue until February 20 — allowing a few more film fans to access to the festival's atypical love stories.
Source: DW
- bollywood wardrobeAlia Bhatt Made Heads Turn At Berlinale 2022 With Her Style - Here's How Her White Ivory Saree Was Created
- art cultureAlia Bhatt Interview: Playing Gangubai Kathiawadi Is Like Food For The Actor In Me, Extremely Nourishing
- art cultureBerlinale 2022 Golden Bear Award Goes To Alcarras: Winners List Of The 72nd Berlin International Film Festival
- bollywood wardrobeBerlinale 2022: Alia Bhatt Ups Her Fashion Game With Two Stylish White Western Outfits
- art cultureIsabelle Huppert Wins Berlinale 2022 Golden Bear Prize: A Look At The French Actress' Journey
- art cultureBerlin International Film Festival 2022 Kicks Off As Live Event Despite Omicron
- art cultureOmicron: Berlin International Film Festival 2022 As Per Schedule With Reduced Capacity And No Parties
- art cultureOmicron: Have The 2022 Golden Globes, Grammy Awards, Oscars, Berlinale, Cannes Been Postponed?
- art cultureAward-Winning Spanish Film Director Carlos Saura Turns 90: A Look At His Journey
- art culture71st Berlin International Film Festival: 7 Things To Know About The Berlinale 2021 'Summer Special'
- art cultureIconic Band Depeche Mode Announce New Album And World Tour
- wellnessOmicron: German Capital Berlin Turns Into COVID Hotspot