The Berlinale Remembers John Hurt

The Berlin International Film Festival is presenting a special screening to commemorate the recently deceased actor John Hurt. Since the 1990s he had attended the Berlinale with regularity and starred in twelve films presented at the festival.

The British actor is considered one of the most brilliant performers of the stage and screen in the last 50 years. Early in his career he gained international acclaim as a character actor. His roles in Midnight Express (dir: Alan Parker, 1978) and The Elephant Man (dir: David Lynch, 1980), for which he garnered Oscar nominations, firmly established him at the top of the league in Hollywood. Younger audiences are acquainted with Hurt from his portrayal of Mr. Ollivander in the Harry Potter films. Currently moviegoers in Germany can see him in Jackie (dir: Pablo Larraín).

Berlinale entries with John Hurt that screened, for instance in the Competition include The Commissioner (dir: George Sluizer, 1998), V for Vendetta (dir: James McTeigue, out of competition in 2006), and Jayne Mansfield’s Car (dir: Billy Bob Thornton, 2012). John Nossiter’s Resident Alien (1991) and Owning Mahowny by Richard Kwietniowski (2003) were shown in the Panorama.

In memory of John Hurt, the Berlin International Film Festival will present An Englishman in New York by Richard Laxton. In 2009 Hurt received the Teddy Award for his outstanding performance in this film. It will screen in CinemaxX 6 at 6.00 pm on Friday, February 17.