Thu, Feb 17
TEDDY TODAY
Column by Andrea Winterdeutsch On the seventh day of the festival George Michael was the talk of the town. The portrait “GEORGE MICHAEL: A DIFFERENT STORY” had its premiere at the Panorama. Lots of fans were waiting patiently for the star’s limo. True stars keep the media waiting, so Georgie Boy was half an hour late. The date with a Berlin stylist was more important than the press conference. Because: the Pop star had lost his sunglasses the day before - big drama! Probably they are going to be sold high priced on e-Bay. The stylist arrived in the V.I.P.-lounge of the hotel to present his most exclusive … models of glasses. GM seemed to be uneasy in the beginning and excused himself, telling the crowd he didn’t sleep at all because he was so nervous. Could he really not sleep because of that or was he cruising around, looking for his sunglasses? Anyway the pop star warmed up quickly and was as self-ironical and eloquent as in the movie. Gunnar from the Panorama media department is still raving about him. We could help this pal. George Michael will stay in Berlin for a while – he’s got a dinner date with the Mayor Klaus Wowereit. He absolutely hates the star cult. “I’ve never been good in being a celebrity. It’s not good for my mental health.” In the future he wants to work more in the background, also because he thinks that his intelligent kind of pop music is outdated. He doesn’t mind the 80s revival “as long as the fashion doesn’t come back”. Obviously his own style during these times embarrasses him today: “I was the male Kylie.”. Later on, the premiere of the film took place at the cinema “International” with a lot of security. The Brits expected the worse – an anti-gay demonstration in the wild East but there were only enthusiastic fans. But after the premiere of Rosa von Praunheim’s film “MÄNNER HELDEN UND SCHWULE NAZIS” there were harsh reactions, not only in the audience, also on stage. One of the protagonists, the Ex-Nazi Jörg Fischer, left stage when he realised that there was one of the other protagonists who’s still a Nazi.
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The persecution of homosexuals is also a topic in Veronika Minder’s documentary “KATZENBALL” an excellent exploratory trip through the lesbian sub culture of Switzerland. Before the premiere the filmmaker from Bern suffered on stage fright, although she got herself a designer dress just for this occasion. Kevin Zegers, the main actor in “TRANSAMERICA”, didn’t dress properly for the winter in Berlin. Before the shooting with Miss Berlin and Miss Germany he stated: “It’s chilly”. Thanx, Kevin, for letting us know. Well yeah, Berlin isn’t L.A.. If Randy Barbato, the director of “INSIDE DEEP THROAT” will ever return to the States we don’t know. Before leaving, his passport had disappeared without any excuse. „The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou“ annoyed me in the competition. Bill Murray, in the movie married to Anjelica Huston, fancies still Cate Blanchett. Since he can’t have her he calls her more than once a “bull dyke” and a “pregnant slut”. Jeff Goldblum who plays a bisexual is named by a “dumb faggot”. That at least deserves a bear for stupid homophobic language. No one laughed at the Berlinale Palast. Today's Screenings
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