09/01/2020 - The Oscar-winning British actor will be the president of the International Jury at this year’s Berlin International Film Festival, led for the first time by Carlo Chatrian and Mariette Rissenbeek

Actor Jeremy Irons

This year’s 70^th-anniversary edition of the Berlinale (20 February-1 March) will see Jeremy Irons, born in Cowes on the Isle of Wight in 1948, step in to head up the International Jury – picking up the baton (or perhaps Bear?) from last year’s choice, actress Juliette Binoche. “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,” observed debuting Artistic Director Carlo Chatrian. “His talent and the choices he has made, 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.”

Predictably, this enthusiasm was also shared by the man of the hour himself. No stranger to the German festival, he previously presented JC Chandor’s Margin Call and Bille August’s Night Train to Lisbon [+see also:
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This year’s edition of the gathering will be the first since the departure of Dieter Kosslick, and the Berlinale is now led by Carlo Chatrian and Mariette Rissenbeek as Executive Director.