Berlin Film Festival Names Lupita Nyong’o as Jury President

Lupita Nyong - Leon Bennett / Stringer

Oscar-winning Kenyan-Mexican actress and filmmaker Lupita Nyong’o has been announced to be the next President of the International Jury of the Berlin International Film Festival. She’s the second consecutive female jury president following fellow actress Kristen Stewart.

She won the Oscar for best supporting actress for her performance in 12 Years a Slave. Along with that she has received a Screen Actors Guild Award, a Critics’ Choice Award, the Independent Spirit Award and the NAACP Image Award. Her additional credits include Black Panther and its sequel Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Us, Star Wars: The Force Awakens, Little Monsters and more.

Nyong’o has also executive produced the Sudanese film Goodbye Julia, directed by Mohamed Kordofani which is competing in the international feature film race at the Oscars. Additionally, Nyong’o is an activist who is preparing a podcast focussing on non-fictional storytelling from the African diaspora.

The 74th Berlin Film Festival will mark the last under the current leadership. The festival’s next director has yet to be announced.