Berlin Film Fest–Meryl Streep, three-time Oscar winner, used her first-time role as film festival jury head to address issues of women’s representation in Hollywood and in politics.
“It’s nice to be the boss,” she told a Berlin Film Festival press conference Thursday to introduce her seven-strong panel. Streep will help choose the Golden and Silver Bear trophy winners at the 66th edition, with four women on the jury in total.
“This jury is evidence that at least women are included,” she said when asked against the backdrop of the current Oscar diversity debate why the Berlin jury had no black members. “In fact, we women dominate this jury. That’s an unusual situation in bodies of people that make decisions.”
The Berlin jury this year includes French photographer Brigitte Lacombe, Italian actress Alba Rohrwacher, and Polish director Małgorzata Szumowska, in addition to actors Clive Owen and Lars Eldinger and U.K. film critic Nick James.
While not taking the bait to endorse Hillary Clinton as the first female U.S. president when asked to do so during the presser, Streep did call for more women to be political leaders worldwide.
“The thing I’ve noticed from my different roles is there is a core of humanity that travels right through every culture. And, after all, we’re all from Africa, originally. We’re all Berliners. We’re all Africans, really,” said Streep.
Berlin honored the actress in 2012 with a lifetime achievement award.
As head of the festival jury, Streep has already forbidden fellow members to read a booklet outlining the competition films and filmmakers. The 19-time Oscar nominee explained that she wanted everyone to view the competition movies with open eyes.
“It’s such an unusual thing in the world now to come to something fresh, and to see without prejudging an idea of what you’re about to see,” she said. “To meet something fresh is almost impossible with all the chatter in our heads.”
Last year’s Berlinale jury was led by U.S. director Darren Aronofsky.
The international jury will announce the winners of the official competition on Feb. 21.
