The Berlin International Film Festival, a renowned platform for celebrating the film industry, is set to commence on February 25th.

Notably, for the first time in its 74-year history, the festival’s jury includes Lupita Nyong’o, an internationally acclaimed actress of Kenyan descent. Nyong’o expressed her honor at being appointed President of the jury, emphasizing the value of diverse perspectives in the selection process.

This appointment marks a significant milestone, particularly as Nyong’o is the first African black jury member for the festival. Despite past criticism for lacking diversity in its jury composition, the festival aims to address these concerns by including Nyong’o as the head of the jury.

Among the 20 films competing for awards are three African entries, including “Black Tea” by Abderrahmane Sissako, “Dahomey” by Matidiop, and “Who Do I Belong To” by Joobeur.