The
Berlin Film Festival on Monday announced the names of International Jury members
for its 71st edition adding that a hybrid online and live competition will be
hosted in March in view of COVID-19 pandemic. It is going to be the first major
European cinema showcase of this year, reports AFP.

The six-member
jury panel will comprise Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof, Hungary director
Ildikó Enyedi , Israeli director Nadav Lapid, Italian director Gianfranco Rosi,
Romania director Adina Pintilie, and Bosnian director Jasmila Žbanić.

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All the International jury members are recipients of Berlin’s Golden Bear award for best film.

However,
the jury panel this year will have no president and the competition movies will
be reviewed in a theater in Berlin keeping in mind the pandemic concerns.

It is meaningful and a great sign of hope that the Golden Bear winners will be in Berlin watching films in a theater and finding a way to support their colleagues,” said artistic director Carlo Chatrian about the six-member jury.

Critics
and reporters, however, will be given online access to movies during March 1-5 competition.

To curb large gatherings, film stars will remain absent from the event.

In December last year, the organisers announced that the 71st edition of the Berlin Film Festival will be hosted in two stages– first stage will mark the screening of movies for the jury panel a while the second stage of the event will be held in June.

In the second stage, the filmmakers invited
to attend screenings of its selected films for the general public at venues
across the city. A gala awards ceremony will also take place then.

Last year, the Berlinale announced postponement of its February slot as the another wave of COVID-19 infections hit the country.

Meanwhile, May edition of the Cannes film festival has been deferred till July last week.