International Jury of the 71st Berlinale (from t. l. to b. l. clockwise): Adina Pintilie, Nadav Lapid, Mohammad Rasoulof, Jasmila Žbanić, Gianfranco Rosi, Ildikó Enyedi. © Photo: see single portrait

With the 71st Berlin International Film Festival, the Berlinale is entering into new territory. The festival will take place in two stages. As already announced, the Industry Event kicks off from March 1 to 5, 2021. From June 9 to 20, the Berlinale will invite the audience to the Summer Special.

Additionally, the Industry Event will largely present the film selection from the festival sections to industry professionals and the accredited press. International juries will decide on the prizes from the Competition, Berlinale Shorts, Encounters and Generation, and announce the award-winning films during the Industry Event. The Award Ceremony will take place in front of an audience at the Summer Special in June.

International Jury

During the development of the festival format in 2021, a new concept was also agreed on with regard to the composition of the International Jury. The directors of six Golden Bear winning films will decide on the prizes in the Competition at the 71st Berlinale and will view the films on the big screen in Berlin. A jury presidency is not planned for this year.

“I’m happy and honoured that six filmmakers I admire a great deal have enthusiastically accepted our invitation to take part in this unique edition. They express not only different ways of making uncompromising films and creating bold stories but also they represent a part of the history of the Berlinale. In this moment in time, it is meaningful and a great sign of hope that the Golden Bear winners will be in Berlin watching films in a theatre and finding a way to support their colleagues“, says the Artistic Director Carlo Chatrian.

The members of the 2021 International Jury:

Mohammad Rasoulof (Iran)

Director of the Golden Bear winning-film There is No Evil, 2020

Nadav Lapid (Israel)

Director of the Golden Bear winning-film Synonyms, 2019

Adina Pintilie (Romania)

Director of the Golden Bear winning-film Touch Me Not, 2018

Ildikó Enyedi (Hungary)

Director of the Golden Bear winning-film On Body and Soul, 2017

Gianfranco Rosi (Italy)

Director of the Golden Bear winning-film Fire At Sea, 2016

Jasmila Žbanić (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Director of the Golden Bear winning-film Grbavica, 2006

Summer Special

From June 9 to 20, the festival offers with the Summer Special the Berlinale audience by virtue of numerous cinema screenings the opportunity to experience a large portion of the films in the presence of the filmmakers. The start of the Summer Special on June 9 will be celebrated with a festive opening event.

“With the Summer Special, we wish to create the longed-for festival atmosphere for the audience. Films from all Berlinale sections will be shown at around ten venues in Berlin”, commented Berlinale Executive Director Mariette Rissenbeek. "As part of the Summer Special, the Awards Ceremony for the 71st Berlinale will also take place."

Announcement of the Film Selection of the Competition and the Sections of the 71st Berlinale

From February 8 to 11, Artistic Director Carlo Chatrian and the festival sections will successively publish their selection of films (the selection of the Berlinale Series has already been announced):

February 8, 2021: Retrospective and Generation

February 9, 2021: Berlinale Shorts, Forum and Forum Expanded

February 10, 2021: Encounters, Panorama and Perspektive Deutsches Kino

February 11, 2021: Competition and Berlinale Special

For the announcement on February 11, there will also be a video presentation by the festival management at 11 am (CET) (www.berlinale.de/live, facebook.com/berlinale, youtube.com/berlinale). Mariette Rissenbeek will present this year's festival format once again. Carlo Chatrian will then present the films in the Competition and the Berlinale Special.

Press Office 
February 1, 2021

Press contact: press@berlinale.de

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