The Baeren (Bears) awards are lined up during the award ceremony for the 2020 Berlinale Film Festival in Berlin, Germany, on Feb. 29, 2020. Organizers say the annual Berlin International Film Festival is being put off this year due to the coronavirus pandemic and split into two parts later in 2021. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)
BERLIN (AP) --
The annual Berlin International Film Festival is being put off this year due to the coronavirus pandemic and split into two parts later in 2021, organizers said Friday.
The "Berlinale" had been scheduled for February in the German capital but cannot go ahead due to the likelihood that coronavirus restrictions on large gatherings will continue, organizers said.
To give the film industry a venue to market their products in the first quarter, however, a virtual Berlinale will be held online in March. Then in June, organizers are scheduling a summer event with numerous film screenings for the public in theaters and the open air.
"The division makes it possible to maintain the two supporting pillars: film market and festival," organizers said.
The Publicists of the International Cinematographers Guild (ICG, IATSE Local 600) will present actor Kathy Bates with the 2025 Television Showperson of the Year Award at the 62nd ICG Publicists Awards luncheon on Friday, Feb. 28.
This annual award honors an individual whose accomplishments in television best represent that special spirit traditionally defined as showmanship, a quality exemplified by Bates, whose decades-long career includes an acclaimed role as the title character in CBS’s 2024 remake of “Matlock.”
With her first major screen role as Annie Wilkes in “Misery,” Bates won the Academy Award® for Best Actress. She has also earned 14 Emmy® Award nominations, including two wins for “Two and a Half Men” and “American Horror Story: Coven.” Bates’ notable television roles include “Harry’s Law,” “Disjointed” and several sessions of “American Horror Story,” as well as lauded guest roles on “Six Feet Under” and “3rd Rock from the Sun.” For her work in “Matlock,” Bates won a Satellite Award and received Golden Globe, Critics Choice and SAG awards nominations.
“Kathy Bates has consistently captivated audiences with her versatility, depth and the sheer power she brings to every role,” shared ICG Publicists Awards chairs Tim Menke and Sheryl Main in a joint statement. “It’s our honor to celebrate her unrivaled career and dedication to her craft.”
Previous recipients of the Television Showperson of the Year Award include Sir Patrick Stewart, Ava DuVernay, Greg Berlanti, Quinta Brunson, John Landgraf, Shonda Rhimes, Aaron Spelling and Bob Hope. The awards ceremony will take place at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel in Beverly Hills.
