Almost 200 UK actresses have signed an open letter demanding an end to the culture of sexual abuse exposed by the Harvey Weinstein scandal. The plea came ahead of the BAFTA British film awards in London.
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Emma Watson, Saoirse Ronan (pictured), Emma Thompson and Kate Winslet were among the nearly 200 stars who called Sunday for an international movement to eradicate sexual misconduct.
In an open letter addressed "Dear Sisters" and published in the Observer newspaper, the actors said 2018 had to be "the year that time was up on sexual harassment and abuse."
Watson, of "Harry Potter" fame, has given 1 million pounds (€1.13 million; $1.4 million) to kickstart the fund, while Keira Knightley and Tom Hiddleston each donated 10,000 pounds.
Activist and actor Emma Watson has given a million pounds to the equality and justice fund for abuse victimsImage: AFP/Getty Images
The letter, published ahead of London's British Academy Film Awards (the BAFTAs), urged women to "use our power as communicators and connectors to shift the way society sees and treats us."
"This movement is intersectional, with conversations across race, class, community, ability and work environment, to talk about the imbalance of power."
In a repeat of the protest staged at last month's Golden Globes, many stars chose to wear black to the BAFTAs on Sunday night to show their support for the #MeToo and "Time's Up" anti-sexual harassment movement.
A number of actresses also brought feminist activists as guests to raise awareness about the work they do.
Kristin Scott Thomas, a supporting actress nominee for "Darkest Hour," praised the campaign for shedding light on misconduct in the entertainment industry, but stressed that a harder task would be "moving it from conversation to action."
The usual glamor on opening night was perhaps more sedate in the wake of #MeToo and #BlackCarpetBerlinale, but the film world's big names were greeted by a packed public and press as they hit the red carpet.
Image: Reuters/C. Mang
Anna Brüggemann is "Nobody's Doll"
Having launched the #NobodysDoll campaign that questions why women traditionally wear revealing, low-cut dresses and high heels on the red carpet, German actress Anna Brüggemann arrived amid the Berlinale glamor wearing a black sweater — presumably in solidarity with victims of sexual abuse — and flat sneakers, alongside her director brother Dietrich Brüggemann, who decided to show some flesh.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/J. Carstensen
The Berlinale jury reports for duty
Berlinale jury members Adele Romanski (l-r), Ryuichi Sakamoto, Stephanie Zacharek, Tom Tykwer, his wife Marie Steinbach, Festival director Dieter Kosslick, Cecile de France und Jose Maria (Chema) Prado arrive at the screening of Wes Anderson's latest film, one of 19 taking part in the competition that the jury will adjudicate on in nine days.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/R. Hirschberger
"Isle of Dogs" stars and creator make a scene
Director Wes Anderson, now 48, is in Berlin to again open the festival (his "Grand Budapest Hotel" opened the 2014 Berlinale), and was flanked by Tilda Swinton and Greta Gerwig (left), who both provided voices for "Isle of Dogs." Gerwig is being tipped to win a best directing Oscar this year for "Lady Bird."
Image: picture alliance/dpa/B.Pedersen
Greta Gerwig takes the plaudits
While now finding success as a director, Gerwig the actor starred alongside Ben Stiller in the hit 2010 comedy "Greenberg" — which was nominated for a Golden Bear in Berlin. In 2012, Gerwig appeared in Woody Allen's film "To Rome With Love," but she has publicly distanced herself from the director as his adoptive daughter, Dylan Farrow, has continued to accuse him of sexual molestation.
Image: Reuters/C. Mang
Free Deniz
The Berlinale is a well-trodden forum for political debate, as is the festival red carpet. One guest to the "Isle of Dogs" screening is seen wearing a "Free Deniz" sticker that refers to the campaign to release imprisoned German journalist, Deniz Yücel, who was arrested in Turkey on February 14, 2017 under "espioniage" charges.
Image: Reuters/F. Bensch
Jeff Goldblum braves the Berlin cold
When Wes Anderson was asked about how he pulled together such a
star-studded cast for "Isle of Dogs," with Jeff Goldblum and Scarlett Johansson providing voice talent, he noted that with "an animated movie you can't really say you're not available. We can say: 'Ok well we can do it anytime - we can do it at your house, we can do it any hour of day and it's just no excuse' and so that helped."
Image: Reuters/A. Schmidt
Bill Murray: Not just a voice
Bill Murray has appeared in every Wes Anderson film since his second feature, "Rushmore" (1998). Before arriving on the red carpet, he was asked what it was like to be "just a voice" in "Isle of Dogs." The legendary actor replied with typical wit that "being a voice in this group is like being in the 'We are the World' video."
Image: Reuters/A. Schmidt
Sandra Hüller steps out
Famed for her role as "Toni Erdmann" in the 2016 Oscar-winning film of the same name, Sandra Hüller has become a darling of both the German and international film world. Her work has pleased critics, as well, who nominated her twice for best actress at the European Film Award; with "Toni Erdmann," she brought home the coveted statuette.
Image: picture alliance/dpa/B. Pedersen
Helen Mirren: The Queen returns
After taking her last Berlinale bow in 2015 when her film "Women in Gold" was screening, Oscar winner Helen Mirren is back in Berlin as part of a 20-year partnership between the film festival and L'Oréal Paris.
Image: Reuters/A. Schmidt
The Berlinale begins
A committed crowd gathers in the winter freeze outside the Berlinale Palast to catch a glimpse of their favorite stars as they pose on the red carpet upon arrival for the opening screening of the 68th Berlin International Film Festival.
