Berlinale press team sent me the location of the press conference, my eyes rolled. House of the Cultures of the World. A 1957 building straddling the Spree River in the Tiergarten section of the city. The symbolism of the location is not lost. After all the controversial headlines, the festival needed to prove point of being open to all. The problem is getting to this symbol of universal openness. Indian Jones would need patience this locale is inside the city, yet in a remote place not easily reached. I needed to take the U5 to the nearest Metro Station, Bundestag, then another eight-minute walk in -2C weather. After talking to other colleagues, we decided to watch the YouTube stream then discuss the details afterward. The reactions, The Berlinale has solidified its place as a second-tier festival.
This has been a cold January in the German Capital. Tricia Tuttle came out on stage wearing a jacket. Was this for warmth or protection? As the newly installed head of the Berlinale spoke in a clear but at times flatness enthusiasm. The jacket could have been more a security blanket. As the newly creative head read from cards, her lack of fervor became clear.
The team placed a best foot forward, going down the list of films on the scheduled to show in February. Normally before a film festival the buzz is built by press leaks of works that will unspool. The only news from Berlin concerned last year’s controversial anti-semitic row, budget cuts this year, threatened boycotts and then the sudden increased funding from the Ministry of Culture. Keeping track of a tennis ball would have been easier than staying up to date on news coming from Potsdamer Platz.
If there were high expectations, a breath of fresh air for the 75th edition of the Berlinale, the audience’s reaction sucked the air out of the room. The timid, almost chilly polite applause did not need explanation. Instead of something new, the festival was merely repackaging an average grade product. The Competition Section has a Richard Linklater work in the batch among the nineteen films in the run for the Golden Bear.
On the small-scale glamour front, the Special Section will include A Complete Unknown with Timothee Chalamet for a German Premiere and Robert Pattison in Bong Joon Ho’s Mickey 17 will hit the Red Carpet. Other stars confirmed to attend are Jessica Chastain with more to be announced. Perhaps the pleas for more big stars to come only reached the Junk Mailbox.
The Berlinale continues to say “It is one of the big festivals” alongside Cannes and Venice in relevance It is time to stop believing the press releases. For Tricia Tuttle, the honeymoon period is over.
The Berlinale starts Feb 13th.