The Berlin International Film Festival opens with the film “My Salinger Year,” starring Sigourney Weaver. A minute of silence is to be held for the victims of the Hanau terror attack.
Star of the opening film: Sigourney Weaver
In “My Salinger Year,” Sigourney Weaver plays the role of an old-school New York literary agent whose main goal is to protect the aging cult author J.D. Salinger from his intrusive admirers. Weaver, legendary for her Ellen Ripley role in the “Alien” films, revealed her own perspective on fans: “They are the people we work for,” she said at a press conference on Friday ahead of the world premiere.
New festival directors kick off 70th Berlinale
Succeeding to longtime director Dieter Kosslick, festival management duo Carlo Chatrian and Mariette Rissenbeek pose together on the red carpet as they open their first Berlin festival as directors. Among the noticeable changes this year is the fact that the opening film is not part of the main competition. There are 18 works running for the Golden and Silver Bears.
A minute of silence for victims of terror attacks
Beyond the afternoon rain, Wednesday night’s deadly racist attacks in Germany contributed to dampening the festive mood of the opening: “We are deeply saddened to hear what has happened in Hanau and our thoughts go out to the victims and their families,” said a festival spokesperson. A minute of silence is to be held during the opening to commemorate the victims.
Based on a real-life story
Canadian director Philippe Falardeau (left of Sigourney Weaver) adapted the coming-of-age story from Joanna Rakoff’s 2014 hit memoir “My Salinger Year,” based on her own experience working at the storied NY agency in the 1990s. For Falardeau, the film is not so much about Salinger, but rather about the impact an author can have on a young person’s life. The film crew poses here on the red carpet.
