The bear jury introduces itself: Controversial films are strong films

One thing is certain after the brief press conference with the jury led by Kristen Stewart: Radu Jude will be the class clown among the seven bear jurors. The Romanian director, who won the gold bear in the first Corona Festival year of 2021 with his sarcastic Covid farce “Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn”, delivers self-ironic jokes about his own film country (“Romanian films? Almost as bad a swear word as , Bulgarian Films’!”) and only remarks succinctly on the question of the worthiness of a competition entry that it will probably be won by the jury majority.

Kristen Stewart sits in the Hyatt conference room in the middle of the septet, sympathetically unglamorous, almost without make-up. The 32-year-old American actress, who was last seen as Lady Di in “Spencer”, scans the room full of journalists with a keen eye. Speaks fast, reacts fast, gestures passionately. She was shocked when the call came from the festival, she admits, and was a little nervous about the burden of the office. And gosh, yeah, pff, sorry – she can’t give her film preferences for the best in a hurry.

But then she doesn’t advocate supposedly “typical” female insecurity, but makes clear statements. Festivals are not only there to celebrate the film, but to provide surprises. As a jury, you want to be open to new things. Such films, which entail discussions, obviously have qualities. In other words, it is unlikely that the jury will ultimately choose a lukewarm compromise candidate. Kristen Stewart at least prefers productions that spark controversy.

Golshifteh Farahani is also part of the illustrious Bären jury. The Iranian actress has been living in exile in France since 2009. In her homeland, she took part in “About Elly”, directed by later Oscar winner Asghar Farhadi. When asked about the protest movement in Iran, the 39-year-old first said that the world was particularly upset these days in view of the war in Ukraine, the unrest in Iran and the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria.

It is all the more important to celebrate cinema and freedom, especially in the city where the Wall came down – precisely because the world seems to be on the verge of collapse. She frankly calls Iran a dictatorship. The artists are particularly at risk there, because “freedom is the oxygen for art,” says Farahani.

Whether during the lockdowns or under the conditions of war and bondage: Despite all the crises, people will not stop telling stories, says Kristen Stewart. The cinema is one of the best places for this, that dark cave we longed for in lockdown, as Berlin filmmaker Valeska Grisebach calls it. All seven agree on this, including Baskin Carla Simón, who won the Golden Bear in 2022 for “Alcarràs”.

Last but not least, Grisebach appeals to politicians to take care of the cinema as a place worth preserving. US producer Francine Maisler speaks of the camaraderie of film lovers, and Hong Kong director Johnnie To emphasizes that film is the art form closest to the audience. Whoever fights for cinema also fights for freedom, says To, whose Cantonese answers are translated into English. And the amount of the budget is secondary in the end, it comes down to vision and passion. Also a good motto for a festival jury.

To home page