Well-known British film and theater actor Jeremy Irons has been chosen as jury president for the 70th Berlin Film Festival, one of the most important film festivals in the world.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/B. Smith
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Jeremy Irons, 71, is no stranger to the red carpet at the Berlinale, as the prestigious festival is known in Germany. In 2011, Irons was one of its guests as the celebrated lead actor in Margin Call, which ran in international competition that year.
In 2013 Iron was back at the film festival as the star of Night Train to Lisbon. The film was shown out of competition — a category of the Berlin competition section that has been eliminated by the festival's new artistic director, Carlo Chatrian.
Irons with Sarah Spale-Buehlmann in 'Night Train to Lisbon'Image: picture-alliance/dpa/NTTL production/C-Films AG/S. Emerson
Celebrities at the 70th edition
"With his distinctive style Jeremy Irons has embodied some iconic characters that have accompanied me throughout my journey in cinema, making me aware of the complexity of human beings," said Chatrian in a press release on Thursday. "His talent and the choices he has taken both as an artist and as a citizen make me feel proud to welcome him as president of the Jury for the 70th edition of the Berlinale."
"It is with feelings of great pleasure and not inconsiderable honor that I take on the role of president of the International Jury for the Berlinale 2020, a festival that I have admired for so long and that I have always enjoyed attending," said the Oscar-winning British actor.
Meet the jury of the 70th Berlinale
As head of the jury of the 70th Berlin International Film Festival, actor Jeremy Irons will present the prestigious Golden Bear award. But he is not alone: Six film industry pros help him make the choice.
Jeremy Irons
English actor Jeremy Irons, born in 1948 on the Isle of Wight, leads this year's jury. Irons won an Oscar for best actor for his portrayal of an accused attempted murderer in the 1991 film "Reversal of Fortune." Not only does he cut an excellent figure in front of TV cameras, he's also appeared in numerous theater productions. He will announce who takes home the Berlin Film Festival's top awards.
Image: Antonella&Montesi
Annemarie Jacir
Irons will be joined on the jury by six other film industry professionals. Together, they will watch the 18 films in the competition and dole out the prizes at the end of the festival. Director, author and producer Annemarie Jacir hails from Palestine. She's familiar with the film festival scene, since many of her movies have been screened at the likes of Cannes, Locarno and Berlin.
Image: Ammar Abd Rabbo
Berenice Bejo
Aside from Jeremy Irons, the best-known jury member is probably Argentinian-born actress Berenice Bejo. She moved to France with her parents at the age of three and began her acting career in the mid 90s. Her big breakthrough came in 2011 when she starred in the award-winning film "The Artist." In 2013 Bejo received the best actress prize in Cannes.
Image: Michel Hazanavicius
Bettina Brokemper
Producers are less likely to be in the public eye than actors or directors, but fortunately German producer Bettina Brokemper is getting the attention she deserves as a member of this year's jury. A star among cinema producers in Germany, she has been running a successful production company for over 20 years. Brokemper has produced films by Lars von Trier and Margarethe von Trotta among others.
Image: Martin Menke
Kleber Mendonca Filho
A man of many talents, Brazilian director Kleber Mendonca Filho first worked as a film critic before he started directing short films and documentaries. His first feature film debuted in 2012, making him well-known on the international film scene. In 2019, he received the Jury Prize in Cannes for his film "Bacurau."
Image: Ph. Lebruman
Kenneth Lonergan
Author and director Kenneth Lonergan represents the United States on the jury. The movie and stage author became known to audiences four years ago with his Oscar-winning feature film, "Manchester by the Sea." He had previously received an Oscar nomination for writing the screenplay of Martin Scorsese's "Gangs of New York."
Image: Berlinale 2020
Luca Marinelli
Italian actor Luca Marinelli completes the Berlinale jury, and at 35 years old, he is also its youngest member. For the past decade, Marinelli has been making waves in front of the camera and winning over fans around the world. In 2019, he won the Volpi Cup for best actor at the Venice Film Festival for his role in the film adaptation of the Jack London novel, "Martin Eden."
Image: Riccardo Ghilardi/Getty Images
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Acclaimed actor
In the course of his acting career Jeremy Irons has worked with numerous internationally renowned directors, including David Lynch (Inland Empire, 2006), Ridley Scott (Kingdom of Heaven, 2005), Volker Schlöndorff (Swann in Love, 1984), Louis Malle (Damage, 1992), Bernardo Bertolucci (Stealing Beauty, 1996) and many more.
Irons achieved worldwide fame in 1981 through his role in The French Lieutenant's Woman, in which he starred with Meryl Streep — who was also Berlinale jury president, in 2016.
Jeremy Irons and Meryl Streep in 'The French Lieutenant's Woman' Image: picture-alliance/United Archives/IFTN
Prior to his film career, Irons was an acclaimed theater actor in London's West End, and a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company. In 1984, he starred on Broadway in Tom Stoppard's The Real Thing, which garnered him a Tony Award.
Irons has won numerous film prizes, including both the Golden Globe and the Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role in Reversal of Fortune in 1991. In 2002, he was awarded France's honorary Cesar award. He became known to a wider audience in 1994 as the impressive voice of Scar in the Disney classic The Lion King.
French actress Juliette Binoche was jury president in 2019, a year after German director Tom Tykwer chaired the Berlinale's main jury.
