Minister of State and Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and the Media Monika Grütters, Jury President James Schamus, and Festival Director Dieter Kosslick will open the 64th Berlin International Film Festival at the Berlinale Palast at 7.30 pm on February 6. During the Opening Gala, the International Jury will be introduced. In addition to James Schamus (USA), its members are Barbara Broccoli (USA), Trine Dyrholm (Denmark), Mitra Farahani (Iran), Greta Gerwig (USA), Michel Gondry (France), Tony Leung (People’s Republic of China), and Christoph Waltz (Austria). Anke Engelke will again host the evening. This year’s music will be provided by The Asteroids Galaxy Tour. The event will be broadcast live on television by ZDF/3sat.
Following the Opening Gala, Wes Anderson’s TheGrand Budapest Hotel will have its world premiere. The American cult director has brought together an array of stars in the ensemble of his new comedy, and many of them have announced their arrival: Wes Anderson, Ralph Fiennes, Tony Revolori, Saiorse Ronan, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Léa Seydoux, Willem Dafoe, Bob Balaban, Fisher Stevens, and Jeremy Dawson will all be on hand to present the film in Berlin.
The members of the International Jury and the Best First Feature Award Jury are all expected on the Red Carpet. Other international and national guests are also anticipated: Bradley Cooper, Denis Dercourt, John Hurt, Nazif Mujić, David O. Russell, Taika Waititi, Jasmila Žbanić, Aziz Zhambakiyev, Maren Ade, Mario Adorf, Feo Aladag, Thomas Arslan, Harry Baer, Marie Bäumer, Meret Becker, Bibiana Beglau, Iris Berben, Christian Berkel, Moritz Bleibtreu, Sebastian Blomberg, Matthias Brandt, Anna Brüggemann, Dietrich Brüggemann, Ingrid Caven, Henriette Confurius, Pepe Danquart, Maria-Victoria Dragus, Andreas Dresen, Katja Eichinger, Lars Eidinger, Hannelore Elsner, Stipe Erceg, Veronica Ferres, Florian David Fitz, Inka Friedrich, Maria Furtwängler, Florian Gallenberger, Bruno Ganz, Martina Gedeck, Matthias Glasner, Herbert Grönemeyer, Philip Gröning, Michael Gwisdek, Monika Hansen, Corinna Harfouch, Benjamin Heisenberg, Karoline Herfurth, Hannah Herzsprung, Nina Hoss, Henry Hübchen, Sandra Hüller, Hannes Jaenicke, Julia Jentsch, Vanessa Jopp, Sibel Kekilli, Friederike Kempter, Burghart Klaußner, Herbert Knaup, Sebastian Koch, Juliane Köhler, Wolfgang Kohlhaase, Nicolette Krebitz, Joachim Król, David Kross, Maren Kroymann, Günter Lamprecht, Dani Levy, Jan Josef Liefers, Peter Lohmeyer, Anna Loos-Liefers, Florian Lukas, Heike Makatsch, Mišel Matičević, Eva Mattes, Ulrich Matthes, Elyas M'Barek, Jeanine Meerapfel, Michael Mendl, Wotan Wilke Möhring, Anna Maria Mühe, Sandra Nettelbeck, Christiane Paul, Milan Peschel, Franziska Petri, Christian Petzold, Katja Riemann, Max Riemelt, Armin Rohde, Saskia Rosendahl, Udo Samel, Clemens Schick, Frieder Schlaich, Volker Schlöndorff, Hans-Christian Schmid, Maria Schrader, Katharina Schüttler, Jessica Schwarz, Peter Simonischek, Florian Stetter, Lena Stolze, Ernst Stötzner, Jasmin Tabatabai, Aylin Tezel, Anna Thalbach, Jördis Triebel, Tom Tykwer, Idil Üner, Andres Veiel, Justus von Dohnányi, Vera von Lehndorff, Margarethe von Trotta, Nora von Waldstetten, Mark Waschke, Hans Weingartner, Ina Weisse, Franziska Weisz, Lavinia Wilson, Gustav-Peter Wöhler, Ronald Zehrfeld, Hanns Zischler as well as many others.
A number of prominent German politicians have also announced their attendance, including: Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament; Federal Foreign Minster Frank-Walter Steinmeier, Federal Minister of the Interior Thomas de Maizière; Mayor of Berlin and Senator Michael Müller as well as many others.
A number of ambassadors are expected as well.