American filmmaker Todd Haynes will serve as the president of the jury for Berlin International Film Festival’s (Berlinale) upcoming 75th edition, scheduled to run from February 13-23 next year, the organisers have announced.
The Berlinale recognised Haynes as “a dazzlingly gifted writer and director with an impressive range,” adding, “his body of work is at once stylistically versatile but also unmistakably his.” The festival organisers praised Haynes' nearly four-decade career as one defined by his distinctive voice in American cinema, exploring themes of gender, identity, and the interior lives of outsiders with a nuanced sensitivity.
“Over nearly 40 years, Todd Haynes has been one of the most bold and distinctive filmmaking voices in US-American cinema, beloved for his great sensitivity in exploring the interior worlds of outsiders and women, and his fascinating investigations into gender and identity,” the statement said.
“His skill at creating complex characters has attracted many of the world’s finest actors. Stars such as Julianne Moore, Cate Blanchett, Rooney Mara, Kate Winslet, Anne Hathaway, Natalie Portman, Mark Ruffalo, Christian Bale and Ewan McGregor have played the multi-layered characters in his films. Todd Haynes’ films and their actors have won awards at numerous international film festivals,” the statement further said.
Haynes’ relationship with the Berlinale dates back to his debut feature film Poison, which won the prestigious Teddy Award, the festival's prize for queer cinema, in 1991.
Haynes’ illustrious filmography includes Safe (1995), Velvet Goldmine (1998), and the genre-bending Bob Dylan biopic I’m Not There (2007), which earned the Grand Jury Prize in Venice. His mini-series Mildred Pierce (2011) and the critically acclaimed Carol (2015) cemented his status as a master of storytelling.
Haynes’ more recent projects like Dark Waters (2019) and The Velvet Underground (2021) showcased his ability to explore diverse subjects with profound depth. His latest film, May December (2023), also received critical acclaim.
The Berlinale’s landmark 75th edition will also be the first under the stewardship of Tricia Tuttle, the newly appointed head, who previously led the BFI London Film Festival. Tuttle steps into the role of artistic director, succeeding Carlo Chatrian and Mariette Rissenbeek, who co-led the festival from 2020.
