The young actors will step into the spotlight of the 67th edition of the festival in mid-February, with Berlinale celebrating its 20th anniversary.
The selection of candidates was made by an international jury composed of film experts, who chose the actors based on their roles in feature films as well as their potential for a worldwide career in film.
In October 26 members of the European Film Production (EFP) nominated the candidates. Since 2005 one of its member is also the Slovenian Film Centre (SFC), reports EFP, Europe's only organization for the promotion of film.
Golden 10
The jury chose Slovenian actress Maruša Majer for her role in "Ivan", a film by Slovenian director Janez Burger that has not yet had an official premiere.
The Slovenian "rising film star" will meet colleagues from all parts of Europe in Berlin. The remaining nine award winners are Esben Smed (Denmark), Louis Hofmann (Germany), Alessandro Borghi (Italy), Elīna Vaska (Latvia), Hannah Hoekstra (the Netherlands), Zofia Wichłacz (Poland), Victoria Guerra (Portugal), Tudor Aaron Istodor (Romania) in Karin Franz Körlof (Sweden). The expert jury consisted of Xavier Koller, a Swiss film director, Pandora Da Cunha Telles, a film producer from Portugal, Jan Lumholdt, a Swedish film critic and writer, Dorka Gryllus, an actor and former titleholder from Hungary, and Lucinda Syson, who works as an agent for actors.
Fearlessness and "raw female instinct"
According to the jury, Maruša "gives a fearless, gritty and thoroughly soul-bearing quality to her work, that goes under both her and our skins – and refuses to let go. Maruša conveys a female animalism of a rarely seen strength."
The Slovenian actress will participate in a 4-day programme between 10 and 13 February, which includes interviews with important representatives of ICDN (International Casting Director Network), meeting with film directors and other representatives of film industry, a press conference, a photo shooting and a workshop. The main event is an award ceremony at Berlinale Palast, the festival's main stage, where recipients are introduced and receive the Shooting Stars award.
5 Slovenian recipients so far
The Shooting Stars project is funded by the EU's Media Programme and the participating members of EFP. The last Slovenian awardee before Majer was Jure Henigman in 2013, while others who promoted the extraordinary talent of Slovenian actors are Marko Mandić, Aleksandra Balmazović and Iva Krajnc.
Past recipients from other European countries include Pilou Asbaek of Denmark (Game of Thrones, new adaptation of Ben-Hur), German Daniel Brühl (Goodbye Lenin, Rush, The Fifth Estate) and Oskar winner Alicia Vikander (Ex Machina, Anna Karenina, Royal Affair).
A. J. ; translated by K. Z.
