70th Berlinale opens with red carpet gala

In "My Salinger Year," Sigourney Weaver plays the role of an old-school New York literary agent whose main goal is to protect the aging cult author J.D. Salinger from his intrusive admirers. Weaver, legendary for her Ellen Ripley role in the "Alien" films, revealed her own perspective on fans: "They are the people we work for," she said at a press conference on Friday ahead of the world premiere.

Succeeding to longtime director Dieter Kosslick, festival management duo Carlo Chatrian and Mariette Rissenbeek pose together on the red carpet as they open their first Berlin festival as directors. Among the noticeable changes this year is the fact that the opening film is not part of the main competition. There are 18 works running for the Golden and Silver Bears.

Beyond the afternoon rain, Wednesday night's deadly racist attacks in Germany contributed to dampening the festive mood of the opening: "We are deeply saddened to hear what has happened in Hanau and our thoughts go out to the victims and their families," said a festival spokesperson. A minute of silence is to be held during the opening to commemorate the victims.

Canadian director Philippe Falardeau (left of Sigourney Weaver) adapted the coming-of-age story from Joanna Rakoff's 2014 hit memoir "My Salinger Year," based on her own experience working at the storied NY agency in the 1990s. For Falardeau, the film is not so much about Salinger, but rather about the impact an author can have on a young person's life. The film crew poses here on the red carpet.

The international jury was also introduced during the opening gala. President Jeremy Irons and his six accompanying jury members — actress Berenice Bejo, producer Bettina Brokemper, director Annemarie Jacir, filmmaker Kenneth Lonergan, actor Luca Marinelli and film critic Kleber Mendonca Filho — embark on a 10-day journey that will end with the awarding of Golden and Silver Bears on February 29.

Actor Jeremy Irons, president of this year's Berlinale jury, opened a press conference on Friday by distancing himself from controversial comments he had made in the past on sex abuse, same-sex marriage and abortion, which he claimed to have "already refuted and apologized for." Hoping "to put those past comments to bed," he emphasized his support for human rights and achievements on those issues.

As Daniel Brühl arrived on the red carpet, fans had him sign posters of Quentin Tarantino's "Inglorious Basterds," in which he played a German war hero. Though the popular actor is not starring in any Berlinale film this year, he recently announced that was to produce and star in a German-language film adaptation of the World War I classic novel, "All Quiet on the Western Front."

Years before he co-directed the acclaimed "Berlin Babylon" series, German filmmaker Tom Tykwer became famous for his Berlin film "Run Lola Run" (1998). Days before the opening of the Berlin film festival, Sony Pictures India announced that a Hindi-language remake will be released in 2021.

The filmmaker won the Golden Bear at the Berlinale for his film "Head-On" in 2004. Akin is not showing any works at the festival this year, but a restored version of his 1998 film, "Short Sharp Shock" is to be released in March.

German Minister of State for Culture and Media Monika Grütters was also a smiling guest of honor on the red carpet. She said this week that shortly after the Berlinale she would be presenting a first draft for a new funding law to help the country's film industry.