Up-to-date Berlin Festival director Tricia Tuttle continues to build her team for the 2025 Berlinale, on Wednesday naming Michael Stütz and Jacqueline Lyanga as co-directors of the German event’s A-list film programs.
Stütz will remain as head of Berlin Panorama and will take up his novel duties in July. Lyanga also has close ties to the festival as a U.S. delegate to the Berlinale. He will also take up his novel position next month.
“Michael and Jacqueline bring a robust and complementary combination of skills and networks, and are incredibly knowledgeable, collaborative inventive leaders, as well as passionate and generous film lovers,” Tuttle said in a statement. “I look forward to working with them in shaping the Berlinale’s animated film programs.”
Stütz and Lyanga will work with Tuttl to curate the Berlinale main competition and Berlinale special sections, as well as the Berlinale special gala line-up, and will also lead the broader festival team on the overall film selection.
“It’s invigorating to join the Berlinale team as co-director of the film program as the festival prepares to celebrate its 75th edition next February,” said Lyanga. “I look forward to working with the team to build the future of the festival. It’s amazing to be able to join Tricia Tuttle and Michael Stütz in programming an international film festival with one of the largest audiences in the world.
Stütz added: “I am looking forward to this novel adventure of overseeing Panorama and my expanded role as co-director of film programming. I would like to thank Tricia Tuttle for her trust and look forward to working with Tricia and Jacqueline Lyanga, the section heads, and all of my colleagues. We are thrilled to continue to make the Berlinale the premiere venue for great cinema from around the world.
Tuttle took over as the novel head of the Berlinale in April, replacing outgoing co-directors Carlo Chatrian and Mariëtte Rissenbeek. She made it clear that she intended to review the festival’s management structure to improve cooperation, communication and efficiency between Berlin’s different sections. It has already made several key appointments, including the appointment of European cinema veteran Tanja Meissner as the novel head of Berlinale Pro*, a newly created position that will include running the European Film Market at the Berlin Film Festival.
In other appointments, Tuttle named Florian Weghorn, currently programming manager at Berlinale Talents, as constant chief of staff for the festival. In her novel job, Weghorn’s responsibilities will include supporting Tuttle in communicating the festival’s strategy internally and with key external stakeholders. Tommy Kommer, an expert in corporate finance in the cultural sector, is the novel director of finance and business operations. Miriam Reimers has been appointed director of program operations and production at the Berlinale, responsible for the execution of programs for the public, as well as the production, protocol, accreditation and security of red carpet events.
“It’s great to have most of my leadership team in place,” Tuttle said. “I am very excited to work with them to support the Berlinale staff, but also to plan for the future. One of my main goals is to revitalize the ways in which the Berlinale connects with a sense of place, to harness the strengths of our incredible home city. If we can do this, while building stronger links between the public film program and the European Film Market and the marketplace, we can make the festival even more impactful for audiences, as well as for the significant films, filmmakers and rights holders who entrust us with their premieres . I look forward to working with this team to achieve much over the next few years.
Tuttle’s first Berlinale as festival director will be an event celebrating the festival’s 75th anniversary, taking place from February 13–23, 2025.
