A Crowning Coclusion of the Week: Gala Premiere of CONCLAVE and A Tribute to.. Award for Edward Berger

At the latest since ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT (2023), Edward Berger has become a name familiar to everyone. His works are characterized by a uniquely versatile style that underscores the emotional development of his characters. In his laudatory speech, Christian Jungen, Artistic Director of the Zurich Film Festival, describes how he has masterfully achieved this in this latest film: 'You are a master who makes us feel like we are in the Vatican'. Academy Award winner Edward Berger accepted the Golden Eye delivering a charming, bilingual speech in which his connection to the city of Zurich and his Swiss roots were palpable. He emphasized that Zurich is an important city for him personally, which is why he was nervous to show this film here.

Edward Berger's gratitude went above all to Ralph Fiennes, who was also present, without whom he might not even have made CONCLAVE, the film adaptation of the novel of the same name. The British actor, who we know from films such as SCHINDLER'S LIST, THE READER and HARRY POTTER, was delighted about this collaboration with Edward Berger: 'He created a perfect atmosphere of permission,' he said. He felt that together with Berger, the actors found the perfect balance between planning and improvisation.

This balance is clearly noticeable. CONCLAVE touches with impressively profound characters, breathtaking images and a haunting soundtrack composed by Career Achievement Award winner Volker Bertelmann and at the same time the silence that runs through the entire film is captivating. According to Berger, this was a great challenge, but he says that he wants to make films he is 'terribly afraid of', because this is the only way he can learn something new.