The fest's second daily issue includes a look into how sellers have become reluctant to commit to the Middle Kingdom amid the coronavirus and a conversation with Cate Blanchett and the 'Stateless' team on their new Berlinale Series.
The Hollywood Reporter has released its second 2020 Berlin International Film Festival daily issue, which includes a look into the impact the coronavirus has had on dealers amid the festival and a discussion with Cate Blanchett and the Stateless team on their new immigration series.
Coronavirus Impact
Chinese industry players were predictably scarce on the Berlin sales floor as the European Film Market got fully underway Thursday. Organizers confirmed that 118 Chinese companies and individuals had pulled out of this year's market, all of them citing the inability to travel because of the coronavirus crisis that continues to paralyze broad swaths of the world's second-biggest economy. Many veteran Chinese buyers contacted by THR said they still planned to participate in the market from afar. With China’s film sector essentially shut down and release dates for even Hollywood tentpoles still up in the air, THR takes a look into sellers being reluctant to commit to the Middle Kingdom amid the coronavirus.
"A Compelling Entry Point to Tell a Bigger Story"
Four years after Gianfranco Rosi’s documentary Fire at Sea won the Golden Bear at the Berlinale, the hot-button subject of immigration is now set to take center stage in the fest’s growing TV arm, and with the headline-grabbing backing of a double Oscar winner. The hard-hitting, six-part drama Stateless from NBCU, set to have its world premiere Wednesday as part of Berlinale Series, was co-created by Cate Blanchett alongside her school friend Elise McCredie, who acted as showrunner, and director Tony Ayres, whose first feature, Walking on Water, won Berlin’s Teddy Award in 2002. The creative team behind the Berlinale Series chats with THR about the decision to tackle such a politically sensitive topic and why they have no desire to "preach to the converted."
Click here to download the day 2 PDF.
Click here to download the day 1 PDF.
