Berlinale Golden Bear honoree Isabelle Huppert's festival appearance cancelled following COVID diagnosis

This year's recipient of the Berlinale's Honorary Golden Bear, Isabelle Huppert, would not be attending the festival as she has tested positive for COVID-19.

According to Variety, the French star's absence was confirmed by the festival on Monday night. A statement from the Berlinale read, "Unfortunately, today Isabelle Huppert has been tested positive for the coronavirus in Paris and therefore she will not be able to attend the Berlin International Film Festival."

"While informing the festival, she emphasized that she feels very dedicated to the Berlinale and wants to participate in any possible way also to support her latest film 'A Propos de Joan,'" it continued.

Carlo Chatrian, Berlinale's artistic director, explained that because Huppert "doesn't feel sick," the festival will go ahead with its planned ceremony on Tuesday honouring the 'Elle' actor with the lifetime achievement award.

Huppert will join in via a live link from Paris. The ceremony will be followed by a screening of 'A Propos de Joan'.

But, 'Berlinale Homage: In Conversation with Isabelle Huppert', a planned event, organized under the Berlinale Talents program, has been scrapped. Huppert has a longstanding relationship with Berlin and has starred in seven competition films to date.

Before appearing in Francois Ozon's '8 Femmes' as an unprepossessing woman who emerges in the end as a confident beauty, she was first a guest in Berlin with Jacques Doillon's 'La vengeance d'une femme'.

The ensemble cast was awarded a Silver Bear for outstanding artistic accomplishment.

Meanwhile, in 'L'Avenir' she portrayed a woman re-discovering her freedom as a philosophy teacher in a failing marriage. Director Mia Hansen-Love was awarded the Silver Bear as best director for the film.

As per Variety, this absence of Huppert is yet another headache for Berlin, which has endured a number of unfortunate incidents, including technical difficulties during its opening night film, Francois Ozon's 'Peter von Kant', as well as a break-in at the EFM studio, where key equipment was stolen overnight.

( With inputs from ANI )