Tilda Swinton is set to receive the Honorary Golden Bear at the opening ceremony of the 75th Berlin International Film Festival. For the acclaimed actress, this recognition marks a full-circle moment in her storied career.
A Long History with Berlinale
Swinton’s connection with Berlin runs deep. In 1986, she made her first festival appearance with Derek Jarman’s Caravaggio, which won the Silver Bear. Two years later, she biked alongside the Berlin Wall for Cynthia Beatt’s short film Cycling the Frame. Over the decades, Swinton has starred in more than 25 films that have screened at Berlinale.
Her bond with the festival reached new heights in 2009 when she served as president of the international jury. During a Berlinale Talents talk that year, she reflected on her artistic approach, sharing:
"For me, acting is dressing up and playing. It’s nothing more than that. I love to play. I don’t like to act, but I do like to play.… It’s a kind of aliveness."
Honoring a Cinematic Icon
Announcing the award, festival director Tricia Tuttle praised Swinton’s impact on cinema:
"The range of Tilda Swinton’s work is breathtaking. To cinema, she brings so much humanity, compassion, intelligence, humor, and style, expanding our ideas of the world through her work."
Swinton expressed her gratitude and described her lifelong bond with the festival:
"The Berlinale is the first film festival I ever went to…. It was my portal into the world in which I have made my life’s work — the world of international filmmaking — and I have never forgotten the debt I owe it."
Swinton’s latest role is in Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door, adding another chapter to a career defined by artistic exploration. As Berlinale honors her extraordinary contributions, Swinton’s cinematic journey returns to where it all began — at a festival that shaped her path and inspired her passion for storytelling.
