Carlo has been involved with films for a very long time but me not.
CARLO CHATRIAN:The feeling is a very positive one.
CHATRIAN:Im happy you say that.
Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo ChatrianAlexander Janetzko / Berlinale 2019
Weve been lucky but weve also worked hard to achieve that.
There will be a consistent presence of U.S. films and more generally well-loved and well-known artists.
Its not only about a bigger presence of U.S. talent.
We also just announced the documentaryKiss The Future, on the Siege of Sarajevo, involving U2 andBono.
We also have the film with Fan Bingbing.
Were expecting all the guests to be back at the festival with others who are soon to be announced.
DEADLINE:Going back to the bigger U.S. presence.
You announced that Jacqueline Lyanga wasjoiningthe team to work alongside Ryan Werner as a U.S. delegate over the summer.
Did that boost your connection in L.A. or did you already have strong connections there?
This year companies were more confident.
They were confident in 2021, to tell the truth, but things got disrupted in the autumn.
On the other side, Ive known Jacqueline since my time in Locarno.
We had exchanges with her when she was at AFI.
I was looking for a stronger presence in L.A. Shes great.
She helped us a lot.
DEADLINE:How do Werner and Lyanga work together?
CHATRIAN:Ryan is in New York and is involved in a lot of films.
We want to keep that and enhance that if possible.
CHATRIAN:In 2020, there was also a gap because the festival was even later.
Weve both known Eugene for a long time so were looking forward to exchanging with him.
DEADLINE:How did you manage to secure Kristen Stewart as jury president?
She is an artist more associated with Cannes than Berlin.
its like UNESCO, if theyre great, they belong to the whole of humanity.
I was impressed by her as an actor but also as a person.
We were looking for somebody that was established, politically committed but also young.
It was not a long battle.
Are you expecting a big Chinese contingent this year as well as a bigger Asian presence in general?
So we do believe we will have strong attendance.
CHATRIAN:In terms of the line-up we have a very strong Asian presence this year.
This was another of our goals.
Were not talking only about China but Asia in general.
We have already announced some titles,Green Nightin Panorama with Fan Bingbing.
We have also invited the very original Japanese thriller#Mannhole.
How does that work?
Sometimes professionals working for state-backed bodies are not necessarily politically aligned with their governments thinking.
RISSENBEEK: Youre correct.
Its not always clear.
Its taken a lot of time over the past months because we went case by case on this.
Its very, very difficult for an Iranian filmmaker based in Iran to travel outside.
This is more telling about the situation in Iran.
There is a political value in that.
Sepideh Farsi (whose filmThe Sirenopens Panorama) is a good example of that.
We also have the documentaryWhere God Is Notin the Forum, which is about torture.
There is alsoAnd, Towards Happy Alleys.
Are you planning any special events to support Ukrainian cinema and filmmakers this year?
RISSENBECK:We will do something at the festival and were also speaking to a number of other entities.
The city of Berlin will do something for sure on 24th February.
They have some activities planned and we want to synchronize as much as possible.
There will be a big announcement on Monday.
Ukrainian cinema and professionals will be at the festival, supporting the people fighting in Ukraine.
