Kenyan-Mexican actor Lupita Nyong’o is set to make history in February as she takes the helm of the jury at Berlin’s international film festival, known as the Berlinale.
The organizers announced that the 40-year-old Academy Award-winning actress will be the first black person to lead the panel selecting winners for the prestigious Golden and Silver Bear top prizes in the festival’s 74-year history.
Festival directors Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian expressed their delight in Nyong’o accepting the role, stating, “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.”
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Born to Kenyan parents in Mexico City, Nyong’o grew up in Kenya and pursued studies in film and theatre in the United States. Her notable contributions include writing, producing, and directing “In My Genes,” a documentary about Kenya’s albino population in 2009.
She gained widespread acclaim for her role as Patsey in the impactful Steve McQueen biopic “12 Years a Slave,” earning her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress.
Nyong’o’s cinematic successes span various genres, from playing the warrior Nakia in the Marvel superhero film “Black Panther” to starring in the Jordan Peele horror film “Us” and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.” In addition to her screen endeavors, she is active on Broadway and authored the New York Times bestselling children’s book “Sulwe” in 2020.
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The Berlinale, scheduled for February 15-25, is one of Europe’s top three film festivals alongside Cannes and Venice. Nyong’o’s appointment as jury head adds a significant milestone to the festival’s legacy, serving as an early annual showcase for the film industry.
The announcement comes after French director Nicolas Philibert won the Golden Bear for best film at the festival’s 74th edition for “On the Adamant,” a documentary about a floating day-care center for individuals with psychiatric problems. The festival is expected to unveil a new director to succeed Rissenbeek and Chatrian.
