Darren Aronofsky has been named president of the jury for next year’s Berlin film festival.
The US director, whose most recent film was this year’s biblical fantasy epic Noah, will help decide the winner of the 2015 Golden Bear for best film and a number of smaller prizes. He said: “At the Berlinale, the cinema is always exciting and fascinating. I am looking forward to watching the latest from the greatest in one of the great cities on the planet.”
The festival director Dieter Kosslick added in a statement: “Darren Aronofsky has distinguished himself as an outstanding protagonist in contemporary auteur cinema. In his artistic approach he consistently sounds out cinematic language and its aesthetic possibilities. I’m pleased to be able to welcome him as jury president of the Berlinale 2015.”
Aronofsky burst on to the scene in 1998 with the low-budget drama Pi. Since then his career highs include the dizzying 2000 drugs drama Requiem for a Dream and the Oscar-nominated movie Black Swan (2010). His 2008 drama The Wrestler revived the career of Golden Globe-winning Mickey Rourke. Aronofsky’s sprawling 2006 fantasy epic The Fountain was roundly rubbished by critics, but is beginning to be reconsidered as something of an offbeat cult classic.
The 65th Berlin international film festival will run from 5 to 15 February next year. The celebrated German auteur Wim Wenders will be awarded an honorary Golden Bear for his lifetime achievement.
