Kristen Stewart’s Intimate Rolling Stone Interview and Berlinale Buzz

Berlin (dpa) – Even before her arrival in Berlin, Hollywood star Kristen Stewart is making headlines. For her new film – a heated thriller about two women in love in the bodybuilding scene – the 33-year-old is going viral with an intimate story for Rolling Stone magazine. On the cover she can be seen half naked in front of training weights, in the interview she talks about drugs, her fiancée, children and her “Twilight” experiences. Stewart presents the film that triggered the whole thing at the Berlinale: “Love Lies Bleeding.”

Kristen Stewart with a mullet and leather vest

“It wasn’t a big deal,” said Stewart when asked about the huge response to the story. It’s crazy that there aren’t more pictures like this. In the magazine, Stewart is seen in confident poses, wearing her iconic mullet and a few very casual clothes – such as a leather vest or a T-shirt that says “Eat Me”.

In the film she plays the queer manager of a fitness studio whose quiet life is shaken up by a female bodybuilder with whom she falls in love. “We just played with the idea of ​​strength,” Stewart said. The same thing applies to the film as to the “Rolling Stone” article, said Stewart: “The person we don’t normally listen to, the person we don’t normally look at,” is the focus and is being looked at.

Stewart is one of the big stars of this year’s Berlinale, which opened on Thursday with the drama “Small Things Like These.” The first celebrities have already made their big appearance: Gael García Bernal, Rooney Mara and “Oppenheimer” star Cillian Murphy. They are also featured in competition entries.

The cast and director of “Another End” answer questions from journalists.

Early favorites: Liv Lisa Fries and an Iranian film

A few days after the start of the Berlinale, the first favorites are already being discussed. This includes Andreas Dresen’s new film “In Love, Your Hilde” about the resistance against the Nazi regime. Liv Lisa Fries (“Babylon Berlin”) impressively embodies the young resistance fighter Hilde Coppi. It is quite possible that she will receive an award for her performance. After the premiere of the two-hour drama on Saturday, Hilde Coppi’s son, Hans Coppi Jr. (81), came on stage alongside the film team, who was received by the audience with a standing ovation. He was born in prison – shortly before his mother was executed by the Nazis in 1943.

Liv Lisa Fries and Andreas Dresen

But Fries has big competition. Lily Farhadpour, who plays the lead role in the Iranian tragicomedy “Keyke mahboobe man” (“My Favorite Cake”), is also very popular: a 70-year-old widow who wants to rediscover her love life in Tehran. Her story is both impressive and touching as a picture of a society in which women are constantly oppressed. The Iranian directing duo Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha were prevented from traveling to Berlin by Iranian authorities.

Esmail Mehrabi and Lily Farhadpour with a photo of the regional duo from “Keyke mahboobe man” (“My Favorite Cake”)

After the premiere, Farhadpour was surrounded in a hallway at the Grand Hyatt Hotel – the location of all film press conferences – by a crowd of enthusiastic spectators. A man rushed up to kiss her hand and congratulate her on her “great performance.”

Satire about man with deformed face

The bizarre American satire “A Different Man” by Aaron Schimberg also caused a lot of conversation. At the center is the actor Edward (Sebastian Stan). His face is scarred and bruised from illness. Through a medical experiment he is transformed into an attractive man. What doesn’t make his life easier, but rather more complicated: his dream face gives him a nightmare. Also starring is British actor Adam Pearson, who has a rare facial deformity: he has neurofibromatosis, which is caused by mutations of certain genes. His appearance is also a topic in the film.

Lars Eidinger had reservations about the role of conductor

Another eagerly awaited premiere is also on the program: “Die” by Matthias Glasner, the second competition film by a German director. The three-hour tragedy about a broken family shines with celebrity actors: Corinna Harfouch, Lars Eidinger, Lilith Stangenberg and Ronald Zehrfeld.

Playing together in “Die”: Lilith Stangenberg, Corinna Harfouch and Lars Eidinger

Eidinger sought experienced support for his role as conductor. “I actually try to prepare as little as possible,” said the 48-year-old during the International Film Festival in Berlin. Things were different with his role as Tom in Matthias Glasner’s competition film. “I actually prepared myself,” said Eidinger. “Still, it’s something I don’t like doing at all because I always think there are too many self-absorbed experts sitting there saying: Well, it definitely doesn’t work that way.”

To prepare, Eidinger was able to rely on “a professional conductor who taught me, with whom I conducted a lot.” A Greek conductor served as his inspiration. “I watched a lot of Teodor Currentzis because I admire him a lot.” At the same time, Eidinger emphasized: “When you see the film, you don’t think of Teodor Currentzis.”

German directors with international stars

Although the “Perspective German Cinema” section no longer exists, German filmmakers are well represented with major productions outside of the competition. For example, Julia von Heinz with “Treasure” – her first international production, for which she was able to win Lena Dunham and Stephen Fry. The film was shown at a special gala – just like the horror film “Cuckoo” by the director Tilman Singer, who was born in Leipzig in 1988, with “Euphoria” star Hunter Schafer. In Panorama, “System Sprenger” director Nora Fingscheidt showed her drama “The Outrun,” which stars Saoirse Ronan (“Lady Bird”).

Selfie with fans: Saoirse Ronan on the red carpet

The opening of the Berlin Film Festival was overshadowed by political debates, especially because of the invitation and disinvitation of AfD politicians. On the red carpet of the media board party on Saturday evening, filmmakers protested against, among other things, right-wing extremism. “People always say: The Berlinale is a political festival,” said director Dresen at the weekend. “We have to be careful that it doesn’t become a festival of politics and also a bit about films.” The Berlinale has achieved this with some strong contributions and glamorous star performances.

© dpa-infocom, dpa:240218-99-37038/3

2024-02-18 18:23:04
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