BERLIN -- Razzle dazzle and all that jazz came to the 53rd Berlin Intl. Film Festival Thursday night, with Renee Zellweger, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Richard Gere stepping up the red carpet for the opening-night screening of "Chicago."
Subzero temperatures couldn't cast a chill over the Berlinale's most glamorous debut in years. The trio of stars was joined by director Rob Marshall and co-star John C. Reilly, who also appears in two other pics unspooling at the festival -- "The Hours" and "Gangs of New York."
Miramax co-chairman Harvey Weinstein was also on hand along with Michael Douglas, in his supporting role as husband to Zeta-Jones. This enthusiastic embrace of high-kicking Hollywood entertainment marked a break from the high-minded duds with German connections that have opened the fest in the past three years -- "Heaven," "Enemy at the Gates" and "Million Dollar Hotel."
At the press screening earlier on Thursday afternoon, "Chicago" even managed to heat up the Berlinale's notoriously jaded press corps, which broke into a roaring ovation as the credits went up.
At the love fest of a news conference afterward, the four stars deflected the spotlight onto Marshall, holding him solely responsible for the film's success.
"Rob is the one standing at the top of this pyramid," said Reilly.
Gere added, "Rob is not only standing at the top of the pyramid, he was also the one who dragged every single stone block into place."
'Gale,' 'Hours' on tap
The Hollywood theme will continue with screenings of "The Life of David Gale," "Adaptation," "Solaris," "The Hours" and "Confessions of a Dangerous Mind," all packed into the fest's first few days.
The floorshow ahead of the screening was also significantly shorter and less Teutonic than last year, when German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder bored the crowd with a 20-minute political speech between performances by two local bands.
This year Culture Minister Christina Weiss gave a much briefer and more personal welcoming address, ending with the hope that the fest would unspool against the backdrop of peace, not war. That sentiment was met with a round of applause.
Fest director Dieter Kosslick also participated in some knockabout banter with Berlin Mayor Klaus Wowereit, jesting about the bankrupt state of the city's finances -- which is certainly evident from the much less lavish post-screening party. Where last year guests were bused over to one of Berlin's parliamentary palaces, this year's shindig took place at the Berlinale Palast Theater itself.
Contact Adam Dawtrey at
ed.meza@mannaa.de