The Berlin Film Festival will award British actress Tilda Swinton a lifetime achievement award during its 75th edition, organizers announced on Friday (December 20). The Berlinale, the first major cinematographic event of the year in Europe, salutes the scope “stunning work” of the 64-year-old star, who brings “so much humanity, compassion, intelligence, humor and style in cinema”.
The festival takes place in the German capital from February 13 to 23, 2025, and will open with the new film by German director Tom Tykwer, made famous by the feature film Run, Lola, run (1998).
Short hair highlighting her enigmatic face, alabaster skin, green eyes, Tilda Swinton saw her career take off late in life, winning the 2008 Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her character as an icy businesswoman in Michael Clayton by the American Tony Gilroy with George Clooney.
This Scotswoman began by working on demanding, even experimental films, in collaboration with independent British director Derek Jarman (Edward II, Caravaggio). Since 2000, Hollywood cinema has opened its doors to the woman who has co-starred in big-budget feature films alongside stars like Leonardo DiCaprio in The Beach (2000), Tom Cruise in Vanilla Sky (2001), Keanu Reeves in Constantine (2005) or Brad Pitt in War Machine.
More recently, she notably toured with Wes Anderson in Asteroid City (2023) or Pedro Almodovar in The Room Next DoorGolden Lion in Venice in 2024.
“Tilda Swinton is one of our modern cinema idols and has also been a long-standing member of the Berlinale family”declared the new director of the festival, the American Tricia Tuttle, in a press release. “The Berlinale was the first film festival I attended”declared for her part Tilda Swinton. It was in 1986 with Caravaggioinspired by the life of the Italian baroque painter Caravaggio, the actress's very first film, winner of a Silver Bear in Berlin.
During the 74th Berlinale, it was American director Martin Scorsese who was awarded an honorary Golden Bear for his entire career.
