The Berlin Film Festival opened with a gathering of filmmakers, their enthusiasm for cinema undimmed by the cold weather.
At 7:30 PM local time on February 9th (early hours of February 10th Beijing Time), the 62nd Berlin International Film Festival commenced at the Potsdamer Platz Film Palace. The jury of the competition section and the cast of the opening film "Farewell My Queen" took turns to walk the red carpet. Despite the freezing winter temperatures, the passion of cinephiles remained high. As festival president Dieter Kosslick said, "It's cold outside, but the films are hot."
On what is possibly one of the coldest red carpets in the world, many dedicated actresses braved the -5°C weather in backless, low-cut, and short dresses, leaving spectators breathless. Diane Kruger, a major star of the opening film "Farewell My Queen," was kept busy by fans and media requests for photos and autographs. To reward the audience for their long wait, Kosslick personally brought Kruger back to the end of the red carpet to sign more autographs.
In contrast, male stars had it much easier, dressing warmly in suits and ties. Jake Gyllenhaal calmly completed his fan interaction on the red carpet. Additionally, the presence of old friends like Christopher Lee and Wim Wenders added luster to the Berlinale.
Although the German film festival still can't match the spectacle of Chinese festivals with numerous big-name attendees, the passion for cinema here is no less than anywhere else.
The jury of the competition section made a collective appearance. This year's opening ceremony began uniquely with host Anke Engelke and festival president Dieter Kosslick seated above, commenting humorously on the guests present. Though Kosslick's jokes in broken English and incomprehensible German didn't elicit much laughter, the German Minister of Culture Bernd Neumann and Berlin Mayor Wowereit gave speeches afterward. Following introductions by Anke Engelke, Mike Leigh, the head of the jury, appeared along with members including Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jake Gyllenhaal, and François Ozon. Mike Leigh expressed surprise upon being appointed as the head of the Berlinale jury and promised to fulfill his duties conscientiously.
Actress Huo Siyan, after making her debut at the Tokyo Film Festival last year, attended the Berlinale with her leading role in "Eat Drink Man Woman 2" and participated in the opening ceremony. When questioned by foreign media, Huo Siyan introduced herself and mentioned that this was her first time attending the Berlin Film Festival. On the red carpet, Huo Siyan wore a bright pink dress, bringing warmth to chilly Berlin. Her publicity team noted that this candy-like color perfectly aligned with the Chinese culinary strategy of captivating with color before taste.