Berlin, June 10, (dpa/GNA) – After months of uncertainty whether it could take place during the coronavirus pandemic, the Berlinale film festival finally opened to the greater public on Wednesday.
Artistic director Carlo Chatrian told broadcaster 3sat ahead of the ceremony: “It is a pleasure.”
Now it was time for for the audience and the people behind the films, he said.
The Berlinale film festival is one of the world’s major film festivals, along with Cannes and Venice.
This year, it was split into two separate events due to the pandemic: a digital industry meeting in March, and films for the public that are to be shown from Wednesday until June 20.
The opening film is “The Mauritanian” with US actor Jodie Foster, telling the story of a long-time inmate at Guantanamo.
The film brought together great actors and a relevant story, Chatrian said. The main character underwent a tragic journey but did not lose his humanity.
Chatrian said it was difficult to say whether the pandemic would have a lasting impact on the film industry.
Due to the coronavirus, cinemas had to close for months on end and film shootings were complicated in many places.
GNA