Geoffrey Rush receives Berlinale Camera

Saturday, 11. February 2017, Geoffrey Rush presents his newest film at Berlinale, the 67th Berlin International Film Festival, and receives one of three Berlinale Cameras. It is presented since 1986 to personalities and institutions to which it feels particularly indebted. Rush starred in eight films presented at the Berlin International Film Festival over the years.

The Australian actor is not only professionally linked to Germany but also through his German ancestors. 2015 Beyond History researched them for the Australian version of the TV-series „Who Do You Think You Are?“. Owner Andrea Bentschneider accompanied Geoffrey Rush on his search for traces in the Hamburg area to Brokdorf and Wilster.

She was able to tell him that he descends from a family of musicians. His ancestor Johann Wilms, a contemporary of Johann Sebastian Bach, was at the early 18th century at the time of High Baroque a court musician at the count of Ahlefeld. Four generations followed the lead and became musicians. Not always an easy way of breadwinning. In 1863 Rushs Great-Great-Grandfather broke with that tradition and emigrated from the port of Hamburg to Australia to become a farmer.

Creativity therefore comes naturally to Geoffrey Rush. It is not surprising that he became an actor and impersonated artists more than once. He was awarded an Oscar for his leading part as pianist David Helfgott in „Shine“ in 1997. In his newest film „Final Portrait“ (written and directed by Stanley Tucci) he plays a visual artist: Swiss painter and sculptor Alberto Giacometti. The film is set in Paris in 1964 and shows the work on a portrait of the American art critic and biographer James Lord.

We congratulate Geoffrey Rush to the award and the new film and wish him to have a great stay in Germany.

02/11/2017 created by Andrea Bentschneider

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