Former Berlinale, Venice Film Festival chief Moritz de Hadeln passes away at 85
Los Angeles, July 6
Former Director of the Locarno Film Festival, the Berlinale and Venice Film Festival, Moritz de Hadeln has passed away at 85.
According to Variety, the festival director died on Saturday at a hospital in Nyon, Switzerland. Zurich Film Festival CEO Christian Jungen confirmed that de Hadeln suffered from complications following a recent medical procedure.
In a tribute to the late festival director, the official social media handle of Berlinale extended condolences to his family and remembered his contributions.
"We mourn the passing of Moritz de Hadeln, one of the most influential figures in international film culture. As Director of the Locarno Film Festival, the Berlinale, and later the Venice International Film Festival, he helped shape the landscape of world cinema for more than three decades. During his tenure as Director of the Berlinale from 1980 to 2001, Moritz de Hadeln transformed the festival into one of the leading meeting places for the global film industry," a part of the post read.
Moritz de Hadeln was born in 1940 in Exeter, England. His grandfather, Detlev Freiherr von Hadeln, was a prominent art historian of the Venetian Renaissance.
After beginning as a photographer and documentary director, de Hadeln and his wife Erika founded the Nyon International Documentary Film Festival in 1969. Next, from 1972 to 1977, he directed Switzerland's Locarno International Film Festival.
Starting from 1980, de Hadeln ran the Berlinale for over 20 years before leaving in 2001.
In 2002, he became the Venice Film Festival's first non-Italian artistic director.
Over the years, de Hadeln has served on many international jury panels, including in Karlovy Vary, Venice, Moscow, Montreal, Torino, Tehran, Damascus, Kyiv and Yerevan.
He was also a member of the European Film Academy.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Moritz de Hadeln was a visionary, no doubt. But let's not forget that his era at Venice had some controversies around non-European representation. Still, he opened doors for many diverse voices. A mixed legacy, but a significant one.
I remember reading about his work with the Documentary Film Festival in Nyon—that's where the real magic began. India's documentary scene owes a lot to pioneers like him who championed non-fiction cinema globally. Rest in peace, sir.
It's sad to see another legend go. His legacy at Locarno, Berlin, and Venice is unmatched. But honestly, I wish more Indian films had been programmed under his leadership—still, he set the template for modern film festivals. 🎬
A remarkable career spanning decades. As an outsider looking in, his impact on global cinema culture is undeniable. My condolences to his family and the film community. He will be missed.
The fact that he served on juries from Tehran to Kyiv shows his understanding of cinema's universal language. In India, we often look to these festivals for recognition—he helped make that possible. A life well-lived for film lovers. 🇮🇳🎥
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