Instead of crowded fans on the red carpet and the barriers in front of the Berlinale Palace on Potsdamer Platz – rather a sad emptiness and a subdued mood. With the Corona edition, the 72nd International Film Festival in Berlin nevertheless consciously wants to set an example for the cultural sector.
Film festival takes place, film fair only online
After the two-part edition last year with a purely online viewing for the jury and the press in the spring and a summer edition with public presentations, the organizers did not want to go online again this year, despite the high incidence.
The festival is “first and foremost a film screening. And under these pandemic conditions, you can make it very hygienic and social distancing compliant,” said Berlinale Managing Director Mariette Rissenbeek in the BR24 interview of the week. The film fair European Film Market, on the other hand, only takes place online.
High security standards for audience and performers
According to Rissenbeek, the decision to carry it out was preceded by intensive consultations with the Berlin Senate, the health authorities and the federal government: “We said the cinemas are open here in Berlin, there are viewers who also want to see films and we would like a Finding a format for the festival where we have the health principles as the first benchmark, but then also want to give the audience the opportunity to see new films from the Berlinale program.”
For example, cinemas are only occupied by 50 percent and 2Gplus and masks apply to guests. The organizers forgo receptions, parties and other side events that lead to greater mobility in the city.
Another division of the festival impossible
The Venice Film Festival took place in summer 2020 and summer 2021. The Cannes Festival had postponed the event to July after the failure in 2020 and carried out it with rigid hygiene measures and tests.
According to Rissenbeek, there was already a certain pressure to hold the Berlinale this year: but above all because the Berlinale 2022 was almost completely planned when the Omicron variant took effect and the selected films were not given the promised support wanted to withdraw. “And the other aspect was definitely that we knew that a split is not possible again,” added Rissenbeek.
Two German productions in the competition for the bears
Mariette Rissenbeek is personally looking forward to Isabelle Huppert, who will be awarded an Honorary Golden Bear and to whom a tribute will be paid. A total of 18 films compete for the Golden and Silver Bears in the competition, including two German productions that were co-produced with Bayerischer Rundfunk.
You will look in vain for American films with a large cast of stars in 2022, as well as for parties, receptions or industry events. The general international program in the various series with films from 69 countries has been reduced by a quarter compared to previous years – a total of around 250 short and long films will be presented.
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