New leaders tapped for Berlin film festival from 2020

BERLIN – Carlo Chatrian, the director of the Locarno film festival, and German movie industry official Mariette Rissenbeek have been tapped to take charge of the Berlin International Film Festival starting in 2020.

A committee led by Germany’s culture minister, Monika Gruetters, on Friday designated Chatrian as the festival’s future artistic director and Rissenbeek as its managing director.

Dieter Kosslick, who has been in charge since 2001, will preside over his last edition of the “Berlinale” next year. The annual event is one of Europe’s main film festivals, along with Cannes and Venice.

The Italian-born Chatrian has led Switzerland’s Locarno festival since 2013. Rissenbeek is currently the managing director of German Films, an advisory centre for marketing German-made movies internationally.