An ongoing series of mini profiles on the blog German Film @ Canada on the movers and shakers that make the Berlinale one of the most important events in the international film calendar: the filmmakers, actors, programmers, curators, industry promoters and fans, from rookies to veterans.
Name & role: Patrick Heidmann is a Berlin-based film critic & journalist, writing on international film and festivals for Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Zeit Online, taz, GQ, EPD Film, Queer.de, Rolling Stone and more.
This is my 24th Berlinale. My first one was also the first Berlinale at Potsdamer Platz. But I wish I had experienced the festival in its old hood as well.
Projected, expected or confirmed Berlinale interview you’re most looking forward to/most dread: Nothing is ever confirmed until the very last minute at a festival like this one. But I’m hoping to interview Joan Baez, because I love to meet living legends. And hoping to meet Ira Sachs again, who's one of the nicest people ever in the film industry.
Speaking of: You have interviewed Kristen Stewart before. How will she approach her role as Berlinale jury president you think, what will she look for in this Competition?
I find juries and their approaches impossible to predict. But I know her taste in films can be eclectic, so I hope that will shine through in the jury choices.
Asking for a friend… It‘s an unprecedented year for German films in the Berlinale main sections. Simple post-Covid backlog or seismic change in German filmmaking and/or industry? Neither. I think it’s just an exceptionally strong year for German films (at least on paper). And probably indicative of the waning international interest in the Berlinale, unfortunately.
What does a day at Berlinale look like for you? You’ll always find me at the first competition press screening at 8.30am. From there, it’s a back and forth between screenings at Potsdamer Platz and interviews at various hotels all over town. Hopefully with some time here and there to get some writing done or to grab a bite. Last screening is usually around 10pm, followed by the daily conundrum: finish the next article, go to a Berlinale party, or get some sleep. The answer usually is: a little bit of everything.
Guilty-pleasure film in your Berlinale 2023 schedule: No pleasure should be guilty! So I really hope to catch some of my favorite 90s films in the Retrospective, especially "Now and Then“ and "Muriel’s Wedding.“
One thing you prefer at TIFF, one at Berlinale, one at Cannes:
At TIFF: the friendliness of the volunteers and everybody else at the festival.
At Berlinale: the fact that it only takes a 5 minute train ride to escape the festival completely.
At Cannes: the one-of-a-kind atmosphere. The buzz there is just different.
As a Berliner, what’s your best advice for out-of-town Berlinale visitors? This year in particular: always keep up with changes and disruptions in terms of public transport. Also, don’t waste time trying to find a good meal close to Potsdamer Platz. It’s worth spending an extra 10 minutes or so in the subway or taxi to check out nice restaurants in other parts of town.
I have to ask, #OscarPredictions: Which of the 9 Academy Awards it’s nominated for could All Quiet on the Western Front win?
Best International Feature obviously is the safest bet. But I’m predicting a win for Cinematography as well.
interview by
Jutta Brendemühl
image courtesy Patrick Heidmann
