Lupita Nyong’o is the Jury President for 2024 Berlin Film Festival
The Berlin Film Festival has picked the exceptional actor, Lupita Nyong’o, as its Jury President for the 2024 celebrations. The festival will take off from February 15-25 and last for ten days.
The Academy Award-winning and Tony-nominated Kenyan-Mexican actor will chair the 2024 edition of the Berlinale as a replacement for Kristen Stewart who was the film festival’s Jury President in 2023.
Lupita is described by the Berlin Film Festival’s directors, Mariëtte Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian as versatile and the apple of the eye of cinema, and that makes her eligible for the Jury President role.
“Lupita Nyong’o embodies what we like in cinema: versatility in embracing different projects, addressing different audiences, and consistency to one idea that is quite recognisable in her characters, as diverse as they may look,” they said.
She is popularly known for her roles in both Black Panther movies but she shot to fame after she starred in Steve McQueen’s 12 Years A Slave. She received an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her outstanding performance in 12 Years A Slave. She has also appeared in notable films such as The Jungle Book, the Star Wars Trilogy, and a lead role in Jordan Peele’s harrowing Us film.
Meanwhile, the Berlin Film Festival has appointed a new director, Tricia Tuttle, to take over from artistic and executive directors Mariëtte Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian who have been handling the Berlinale since 2020.
During her work at the British Film Institute for a decade, Tricia Tuttle handled the London Film Festival for five years before announcing her decision to step down in October 2022. She also occupied senior positions at the National Film and Television School (NFTS) and BAFTA Film Awards.
The 2023 Berlinale awarded its prestigious award, the Golden Bear to Nicolas Philibert’s film Sur l’Adamant (On the Adamant), while Christian Petzold won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize for his film Afire.
