'Hail Caesar' brings Roman holiday mood to Berlin Film Festival opening

'Hail Caesar' brings Roman holiday mood to Berlin Film Festival opening
By Robert Hackwill1



BERLIN: -- The 66th edition of the Berlin film festival has opened with the Cohen brother’s latest opus, “Hail Caesar” getting them rolling in the aisles.

Chairing a prizegiving jury for the first time is triple Oscar-winner Meryl Streep, but she was far from the only star in Berlin along with the Cohen’s cast and a bevy of German celebrities.

“Hail Caesar” looks like it is a rollercoaster comedy that packs in the laughs, so is it easy to be funny? Euronews caught up with the film’s star, George Clooney.

“One question, to be funny, what does it take, funny bones, you have to play the joke, what is the secret?”

“I think you just need good writing with good directors, don’t you? That’s usually the best way, then you can survive,” said the actor-director.

But comedy isn’t always a barrel of laughs, as we found out when meeting Tilda Swinton.

“How did you manage to keep a straight face when acting with George Clooney? What is the secret?”

“Stand by him for a long long time and the joke wears off,” said Swinton after a pause for thought.

Streep is unlikely to be so waspish but her acting chops will ensure her voice will be heard when it is time for the jury members to pick the winners, even if on the opening night the only voices that could be heard were the fans screaming her name.

“In the past the opening movies at the Berlinale were less spectacular. But this time, finally the Festival had a great glamour opening. Certainly the spanking new movie by the Coen brothers with an excellent cast was the right choice. And if you want to have a big media buzz on the red carpet, you just need George Clooney, what else?” says euronews’ Wolfgang Spindler in Berlin.


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2016-02-12