Every year since 1952, over 300,000 filmmakers and cinephiles flock to Germany for Berlin’s International Film Festival a/k/a Berlinale. The festival emerged in the midst of a Cold War at its de facto ground zero - West Berlin.
American Officer Oscar Martay started the festival while stationed in West Berlin after World War II. The first movie shown at Berlinale was Hitchcock’s Rebecca starring Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine. The first “Golden Bear” recipient was Disney’s Cinderella. It also won the “Big Bronze Plate” - the audience choice prize. Years later, Berlinale added the “Silver Bear,” which goes out to the festival’s best director.
This year, Kristen Stewart leads the jury panel at Berlinale. Opening day, she told the press, “In full transparency, I’m kind of shaking. It’s not a weight that I don’t fully understand and feel … not buckling under, but I’m bolstered by a really beautiful, talented jury.”
Despite the optimism, Berlinale hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows. The state of the industry was front and center. During a panel, Stewart agreed with Romanian director Radu Jude’s definition of cinema: “The industry of money and stupidity.” She reiterated that “there’s big truth in [Jude’s statement]. Maybe a place like the Berlinale makes a bit less money for a film. I think it’s great to see films that are not made with a lot of money, and with a bit less stupidity than Isidore Isou said it 70 years ago. How we make films, who consumes it, how much it costs - we’re headed toward oblivion on that level … [the state of the industry is] stupid and embarrassing.”
A quick glance at the box-office numbers this week supports Stewart’s comments. Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania, the third solo outing for Ant-Man and 31st Marvel movie, made over 120 million this weekend, whereas Infinity Pool - a wholly new and unique film - made a measly 2.7 million its opening weekend.
Stewart showed the silver lining when she described her goal for the festival: “I can’t wait to see who we all are at the end of this experience … I’m ready to be changed by all the films and changed by the people around us. I think that’s why we’re here.”
And rest assured - if the Berlinale lineup is an indicator of the state of the film industry, we’re in good shape. Hundreds of films debut at Berlinale, and there were more than a few standouts this year.
First, Sean Penn’s documentary Superpower opened at Berlinale. Superpower documents Penn’s visit to Ukraine during the Russian invasion. Initially conceived as a biographical film about President Zelenskyy, Superpower turned into a documentary depicting a brutal attack by Russia. Once again, Berlinale is taking place in a time of war.
Update a few hours after publishing: The reviews are not good. The criticism is mostly geared toward Penn’s grandstanding and his superficial take on the war. War docs always have critics. I’ll watch it and let you guys know. I’m sure this will end up streaming somewhere soon.
Next, Willem Dafoe’s Inside sounds like an exciting film. He plays an art thief who gets stuck at the scene of one of his crimes. It’s already being called a Tour de Force and one of DaFoe’s most grueling roles, so be sure to keep your eyes peeled for this one.
The rom-com She Came to Me benefits from an all-star cast with Peter Dinklage and Marisa Tomei. Hopefully, this film will shake up the rom-com genre. If you read my review of Your Place or Mine, it is a genre that could use a shake-up.
Blackberry looks like the most fun film debuting at Berlinale. Sure to be a crowd pleaser, Blackberry tells the story of the rise and fall of the world’s first “smartphone.” The buzz in Berlin suggests that Glenn Howerton steals the show in what is already being called a Canadian comedy classic.
Some Berlinale visitors are saying the most entertaining part of the festival was not during a movie. Apparently, Ruben Ostland performed 40 minutes of standup for a crowd and killed it. Hopefully, his Netflix special will debut at the 2024 Berlinale Festival.