Berlin (AFP)

The Berlinale, the first major film festival of the year in Europe, rolls out its red carpet from Thursday on to stars like Sigourney Weaver, Javier Bardem and ... Hillary Clinton, for a 70th edition with political overtones.

The famous actress of "Alien" will open the festivities, alongside Margaret Qualley, seen in "Once upon a time in Hollywood" by Quentin Tarantino. Both will present "My Salinger year" by Canadian Philippe Falardeau (out of competition), on the literary ambitions of a young woman working for a famous agent.

During the 11 days of the festival, some 340 films from around the world will be screened, including 18 in the running for the Golden Bear, awarded on February 29 by a jury chaired by British actor Jeremy Irons.

He will be helped in this task by the actors Bérénice Bejo ("The Artist") and Luca Marinelli ("Martin Eden") as well as the directors Kenneth Lonergan ("Manchester by the sea") and Kleber Mendonça Filho (awarded at Cannes in 2019 for "Bacurau").

Last year, the jury chaired by Juliette Binoche crowned the film "Synonyms" by Navad Lapid, on Israeli identity.

In addition to being a birthday, this 70th edition opens a new chapter for the Berlinale: after 18 years at the helm, the German Dieter Kosslick has given way to a younger duo, composed of the Italian Carlo Chatrian, former director from the Locarno film festival, and from the Dutch director Mariette Rissenbeek.

- Objective: diversity -

Their ambition: "to make room for diversity" in the 7th art, by offering numerous films made by women, works from around the world, political subjects as well as debates.

Of the 18 films in competition, six were directed or co-directed by female directors, slightly less than last year.

"Six films is not parity, but it is on track to reach it," said Carlo Chatrian, presenting his selection in late January. Its predecessor had signed a charter for gender equality last year (5050x2020), like other major festivals.

Combining cutting-edge authors and discoveries, the Berlinale's 2020 selection, open to the public as well as to journalists, offers to discover the latest opus by the American Kelly Reichardt, ("First Cow"), "There is no evil" by the Iranian Mohammad Rasoulof, forbidden to leave the country, a Brazilian film on slavery ("Todos os mortos") or the latest comedy by the French duo Kerven-Delépine which attacks web giants and our digital habits.

- Tribute to Helen Mirren -

Side stars, the list of guests is substantial: the presence of Javier Bardem, Elle Fanning and Salma Hayek, on the poster of "The Roads not taken" (in competition), should delight photographers as well as that of Johnny Depp who embodies on screen the photographer William Eugene Smith in "Minamata" (out of competition).

Cate Blanchett will present the Australian series "Stateless" in the section dedicated to this format and Helen Mirren, Oscar winner in 2007 for "The Queen" will receive a Bear of Honor for her entire career.

Despite a glamorous dimension, the festival will not be less political with an endorsement programming: Hillary Clinton is expected for the screening of the documentary dedicated to him, the Ukrainian director Oleg Sentsov, imprisoned five years, must present his second film "Numbers", inspired by his incarceration, while two films from the very controversial DAU experience, which proposed a year ago an immersion in the USSR, will be in the spotlight (including one in competition).

Finally, note that a Silver Bear will be exceptionally awarded this year to replace the Alfred-Bauer Prize, named after a former director of the Berlinale, due to recent revelations about his Nazi past.

The festival has also announced to entrust a survey on this subject to the Institute of Contemporary History in Munich.

© 2020 AFP