German Films managing director Mariette Rissenbeek will be the Berlin International Film Festival’s (Berlinale) next executive director, making her the first woman to lead the fest. According to a press release, Rissenbeek will co-lead with the incoming artistic director, Carlo Chatrian, who previously headed the Locarno Film Festival. The duo will prepare for their new posts during Berlinale 2019, and will officially come aboard in 2020, succeeding Berlinale’s current director, Dieter Kosslick.
German Films has helped distribute movies such as “Toni Erdmann” and “Lou Andreas-Salomé: The Audacity to be Free.” Rissenbeek previously worked as a producer on features including “Highway Society” and “Solo for Clarinet” and series “Riding the Storm.”
“[Rissenbeek’s] successful career in the film industry makes her the ideal choice for this position,” the press release details. “She has many years of experience in working with all the important film festivals around the world and has an extensive network of national and international contacts in the film industry.”
A woman taking a leadership role at a top festival is a welcome development, but it’s worth bearing in mind that, once again, a man will be making all the creative decisions. Monika Grütters, Germany’s Minister of State for Culture and the Media, praised both new directors, but it’s obvious which role she considers the most influential.
Berlinale chose Rissenbeek as exec director because “she stands for continuity and film management competence.” Meanwhile, the fest selected Chatrian as artistic director because they want Berlinale to be “younger, more international, and open to experimentation. He also brings the artistic and curatorial skills which many experts and filmmakers had hoped for,” Grütters said.
Those compliments pinpoint exactly how women and men are rewarded in the film industry: the former for their experience, the latter for their potential.
It’s great that Rissenbeek will be Berlinale’s next exec director, and the fact that she is the fest’s first female leader makes the appointment even more exciting. But let’s remember that women can be the visionaries, too — not just the people who keep things running and on budget. If the Berlinale was truly “open to experimentation,” why didn’t it choose women to serve as both the executive and artistic directors?
Portions of this post were originally tweeted by Melissa Silverstein. Follow her @melsil.
