Deadline talked to Tuttle on the line-up, achievements and challenges.
DEADLINE:You said that the festivals past remains relevant to its present as it celebrates its 75th edition.
What is the driving factor for the festival in 2025?
Tricia Tuttle at a press conference for 2025 BerlinaleMaja Hitij/Getty Images
Thats as one dimensional as it is now when we talk about the reason that we exist.
What I will say is that were unique.
We are a major A-list festival.
Were also one of the biggest, if not the biggest, audience festivals in the world.
Were at the center of this very political city.
Its a capital city.
Its the seat of federal power, and a third of our funding comes from the federal government.
So, were really unique in so many different ways.
All of these things, all these tensions play out in the festival.
Is that something that you felt was missing.
Was getting stars on the red carpet a priority for you?
So absolutely, I dont think that Im different in that from the last two directors of the festival.
This year, were screeningA Complete Unknownwhich is already having a release in Europe.
Were screening it as a German premiere, and are really excited about it.
Moments like that can contribute to the buzz for audiences and the press around the festival as well.
Im really proud with the program.
Its the truth, in the 120 years of cinema history, personalities and stars drive our interest films.
So its something thats very much a part of our business.
It helps audiences break down a program and figure out what they want to see as well.
DEADLINE: You mentionA Complete Unknown.
Is its star Timothee Chamalet going to be in Berlin.
He wasnt in the first wave of stars that you announced today.
Will he be on the list youre due to put out on February 4?
TUTTLE:Thats something for later.
DEADLINE:Were there films you were aiming for and didnt get?
TUTTLE: I would rather talk about the films that we do have.
This is the case for every festival director.
Were passionate about all the films.
How did you deal the divisions within the organisation?
TUTTLE:Its a process.
I really tried to listen and hear and understand whats going on.
I like talking to people.
I like hearing their perspectives.
I heard many different perspectives on what happened at the festival over the last few years.
Running any festival is a series of calibrations.
Youre trying to calibrate a balanced program.
As an audience festival, were trying to reach out to different audiences.
We want to be inclusive.
I guess empathy and listening is the way Ive approached it.
Its not been easy, but its also been a pleasure.
Did anybody withhold their film?
TUTTLE:Its always the filmmakers that we dont hear from that were most worried about.
We have a lot of work to do on outreach in the next couple of years.
The biggest anxiety that I hear is not so much about what happened at the festival.
Just being able to talk to people doesnt always reassure people, but it quite often does.
But so far, no-one said, Im not submitting my film or Im pulling my film.
Why did you do that?
I felt that was the moment.
But it was very harmful still, and it was very harmful for the filmmakers.
Will they be invited?
TUTTLE:If I sound coy, its because, again, I dont want to become the story.
I have said to everyone that were just not going to reveal.
We never have in the past revealed whos on our guest list, whos not on the guest list.
It became an issue last year because there was a leak and the festival responded to it.
I wouldnt tell you who Tilda Swintons guests were on the guest list.
Its not a political guest list.
This is our private guest list.
Were entitled to invite whoever we want to the festival.
Its a guest list thats an organic, movable guest list.
Im slightly not answering your question.
I appreciate that, but I also just dont want that to be the conversation that Im having.
I dont want to invite people to our festival who are actively anti-Muslim, actively anti-people from immigration backgrounds.
We really believe in creating an inclusive space.
Berlinales recent funding issues have also been well-documented in recent years.
Does the festival now have enough?
TUTTLE.We have a balanced budget now for 2025, which is great and it was much needed.
Under the the funding system in Germany, no-ones ever totally sure what our annual funding is.
We also have a huge responsibility to raise income.
DEADLINE:Youve replaced the second main competition of Encounters with the new competition Perspectives focused on first films.
What was the thinking behind this?
The new competition creates a profile for 14 for 13 other films.
I also love first-time filmmakers, you get some of the most original, untethered-by-expectation filmmakers.
Then you have something like Leonor SerraillesAri, which is very quiet and intimate.
Theres a range in terms of themes and the art form.
