Ukrainian premieres, aerial alarm and a bear for Scorsese: how the Berlinale 2024 is going – Publications

74th Berlin International Film Festivalor Berlinale, reached its equator. It started last week with the world premiere of the film “Such little things” Irish director Tim Millants with BAFTA 2024 winner by Cillian Murphy in the main role.

The first half of the festival was not without political statements, protest actions and … educational work on the part of the Ukrainian jury – Oksana Zabuzhko.

Air alarm and “Glory to Ukraine” at the opening

On the opening day of Berlinale 2024, the evening ceremony and screening of the first film was preceded by the traditional press conference of the international jury. So this year’s Golden and Silver Bear awarding team is led by an Oscar-winning Kenyan actress and film director Lupita Nyong’o voiced her vision of work and answered the questions of international journalists.

Right during the question to the Ukrainian writer Oksana Zabuzhko and words about what “she lives in Ukraine and experiences war every day” the author’s phone sounded an air-raid alarm. “A shrill air alarm signal suddenly howled in the conference hall. Journalists and members of the jury shuddered, and Zabuzhko grabbed the mobile phone lying in front of her and muted it“, the Deutsche Welle journalist who was present at the press conference tells about it.

“SorryZabuzhko said into the microphone. – Sorry again. This is news from our world. This is a good notification that the air attack on Ukraine has ended lasted all morning“.

Journalists also asked Zabuzhko how she was on the jury with a “Putin fan”, a Spanish film director and screenwriter Albert Serra. And before that, Serra remembered his earlier words of admiration for the Russian tyrant. “Journalists and members of the jury seemed genuinely shocked to learn about Serra’s four-year-old interview and to hear his response in traditional Russian propaganda style “not everything is so clear-cut“, DW recounts the reaction of those around him.

Zabuzhko, on the other hand, did not enter into a direct conflict, noting that Serra’s answer “intrigued” her. “There is also good news. Yesterday at dinner, Albert said that he bought my new book about the war in Ukraine. So there is hope that he will shed some light on the subject“, the writer expressed hope.

At the opening ceremony of the Berlinale, Ukraine was also mentioned. German Culture Minister Claudia Roth, speaking from the stage, shouted “Glory to Ukraine!” The hall responded with a standing ovation.

“Ukrainian Day” and Ukrainian premieres

On the third day of the Berlinale 2024, a special event was held there within the film market “Ukrainian Day”. He was supposed to get acquainted with the state of affairs in the Ukrainian film industry, which has developed over two years of full-scale war, as well as to present nine Ukrainian projects that are currently in the production stage.

Among others, a full-length horror film was presented in Berlin “The Witch of Konotop” director Andriy Kolesnyk, the filming of which started at the end of 2023; a documentary about the impact of a full-scale invasion and Russian aggression on the environment of Ukraine “Divya” director Dmytro Greshkoa scandalous feature film “Bucha” director Stanislav Tiunova tribute documentary “Sentimental Journey to Planet Parajanov” directed by Taras Tomenko.

Another project of the future Ukrainian film – “Screaming Girl” director Antonio Lukic, known for his popular comedies “My Quiet Thoughts” and “Luxembourg, Luxembourg” – won the Eurimages Co-production Development Award. Now the Eurimages European Film Fund will allocate 20,000 euros for the creation of Lukich’s next work. The tape will tell about a girl who, after the start of a full-scale invasion of Russia into Ukraine, finds herself in Ireland, where she tries to realize her dream of becoming an actress.

“Great, now we have to make a good movie. Thanks, Berlinale!Lukich reacted to the victory of his project on social networks.

Two more industrial events – a presentation of projects and a panel discussion – were organized in Berlin by the National Union of Cinematographers of Ukraine together with the Ukrainian Institute. In the presentation, at which more than 40 film projects were presented.

At the film festival in Berlin, Ukraine presented not only future films – the world premieres of three new Ukrainian films took place in two programs. In the Forum program, a feature film shot in Kherson Oblast was shown Roman Bondarchuk “Editorial” and a documentary tape with intercepted conversations of the Russian occupiers “Peaceful People” Oksana Karpovich. And the Panorama Dokumente program showed a documentary film “A Little Stranger” Svetlana Lishchynska.

International publications continue to publish reviews from film critics who have already had the opportunity to see these Ukrainian films at Berlinale 2024.

“The press secretary warned us that Ukrainian director Oksana Karpovych sometimes cries during interviews“, this is how he begins his article about the film “Peaceful People” French LeMonde. Its author notes: after Karpovych’s film with shocking conversations between Russian soldiers and their relatives was shown at the Berlinale, the director does not have time to meet with all the willing media.

“The film is a strange journey through the liberated territories of Ukraine. It is an unforgettable experience, much more original than Abel Ferrara’s documentary “Turn to the Wound”… What is impressive about “Peaceful People” is the intoxicating soundtrack of conversations about war. We heard the phone calls of Russian soldiers from the Ukrainian front to their loved ones – wives, mothers, children. These calls were intercepted at the beginning of the conflict by the Ukrainian special services and posted on the network. Karpovych used this material“, the author writes.

About Lishchynska’s tape “A Little Stranger” so far, only isolated reviews from critics – the premiere took place recently, on February 20. One of the first reviews mentions “possibly the best war film ever made by a woman” “Ascent” Larisa Shepitko, born in Bakhmut. “Almost fifty years later, we have another important directorial voice from Ukraine in the form of Svitlana Lishchynska, who brings a similar complex humanity to her account of the current war, which she witnessed while in her family home in Mariupol“, – compares the author of the International Cinephile Society.

He notes that ““A Little Stranger” is not only a depiction of the situation in Ukraine, but also an intimate portrait of one family overcoming these terrible challenges“.

Loud premieres and a special award for Scorsese

On the sixth day, the legendary American director was honored at Berlinale 2024 Martin Scorsese. At a separate ceremony at the Berlinale Palast, he was presented with an honorary Golden Bear for lifetime achievement.

Award to Scorsese, who brought his documentary film to Berlin “Made in England: The Films of Powell and Pressburger”, awarded by German film director Wim Wenders. Handing over the bear, Wenders called Scorsese “the king of cinema.”

In addition to the legendary Scorsese, a South Korean film director and screenwriter showed his new work at this year’s Berlin Film Festival Hong Sang Soo. The director, who has won the main awards of the Berlinale for three years in a row (in 2020 the Silver Bear for the best direction for the film “The Woman Who Runaway”, in 2021 the Silver Bear for the best screenplay for the film “Introduction”, and in 2022 the Grand at the jury for “The Writer’s Film”), brought the tape “Needs of a traveler” with the winner of the honorary Golden Bear of the Berlinale, Isabelle Huppert.

The tape tells about a strange woman who likes to walk barefoot and lie on stones. She insists that she was born in France, so she takes two Korean students to teach her French to make money.

French film director Bruno Dumont premiered his film in Berlin “Empire”which the producers call a “Star Wars parody.”

“If Lucas decided to set the next Star Wars in a sleepy town in the north of France, he would use a local mechanic to play one of the main roles and throw in a couple of blatant sex scenes and two clumsy policemen.”– describe realization of this intention by journalists who were at the premiere.

On the sixth day of the Berlinale, the Swedish director presented his new work Johann Rank, known in Ukraine for his series “Chernobyl”. At the festival, he showed a cosmic drama “Astronaut”, in which he shot Hollywood stars Adam Sandler and Carey Mulligan, as well as the legendary Italian actress Isabella Rossellini.

The film, based on the novel Cosmonaut from Bohemia by Yaroslav Kalfarzh, tells the story of Jakub Prochazko, who drifts in space on a research mission and learns that his earthly life is falling apart. He finds an unknown creature in his spaceship and turns to it for help.

In total, 20 films are competing for the main awards of the Berlin Film Festival 2024. So there are still a few premieres left – and this year’s winners will be announced at the ceremony on February 24.