Berlin

By Martin I. Petrov 

The 66th Berlinale is opening tonight at the Berlinale Palast with Coen bros' "Hail, Caesar" premiere gathering an all star cast, along with the international jury of this year's festival. Meryl Streep, head of the jury will attend along with fellow jurors actor Clive Owen, actress Alba Rohrwacher, actor Lars Eidinger, film critic Nick James, director Malgorzata Szumowska and photographer Brigitte Lacombe. 

The press conference for the international jury opened this year's festival events this morning at the Grand Hyatt Press Centre with all jurors declaring equally honoured to be part of the festival and ready to be surprised by the diverse films competing this year for the Golden Bear. 

Meryl Streep humorously replied to a question on how she's going to judge the films about to see in the next ten days: "I don't think I watch only the acting. I think I'm susceptible. The programme is so varied and I am introduced to a new world, new culture with every film. I am eager to accept the challenge. We don't get to see most of these films in the US, so it is great to go home after and discuss films no one knows about. It's also a bit selfish, in a way." 

Continuing, she pointed out that she enjoys beeing head of the jury and has requested from all her fellows to ignore external influence, including reading any information for the films they are about to see. "It is almost impossible to be introduced to something fresh today so I have requested from my jury to be with me in this and let themselves free to a brand new and unusual experience." 

Considering that there is so much out there, Streep joked about watching a very limited amount of films. "...most of them are my friends' films and I need to see them in case I bump into them somewhere.", she said laughing. 

Among the rest of the juror's acclaimed British film writer and critic Nick James underlined that it is quite rare to see film critics in juries today, so it was quite a nice surprise for him to be invited by the Berlin festival. 

Last year's winner of Sliver Bear for her second feature "Body", Polish director Malgorzata Szumowska spoke about her prize as "horizon opening and career changing. It gave me a lot of new opportunities and changed the way I see things."