Berlinale: The Kids Are Alright

My official role here at the Berlin Film Festival is chaperone to Ngaa, the subject of my sister Pietra's documentary, Maori Boy Genius. This is pretty ironic, as Ngaa at 17 is more mature and sorted than I will ever be. The depths of my immaturity has been plumbed in the last couple of days. But What Evs, peeps. LOL. Smiley face icon.

The Berlin bear and me doing yoga, Pietra at right

Yes, I just had to yell out "Brad! Brad! Brad! Over Here!" when he and Angie arrived for the premiere of In The Land of Blood and Honey which Angie wrote, produced and directed (seriously girlfriend you need to get off the couch and do more...) And climb over the wall and round the fence yelling to the bodyguard: "Take a photo for me, please, please!" And press my nose to the window and yell at Brad again. Oh guys, you could be my friends, you just have to know me. 

Me and Brad! Brad! Brad!

Seated at the premiere I physically had to stop myself approaching Brad who was sitting just a couple of rows behind us, so there might have been a bit of fake stretching of arms with quick clicks of the camera in his direction, photos all blurry. Angie must have been feeling sorry for me as stood right by me to make her entrance. Hey girlfriend, I could reach out and touch you (but not in a creepy way...)

Hi!

You might also be noticing that I am wearing a huge faux fur coat. Panicked by reports of lowest temps in the history of Germany, just as I left the house I grabbed the coat I wore for Halloween when I was Margot from The Royal Tenenbaums. (coat in garage, bit musty but few spritzes of perfume and she was good to go). Not sure what look I was aiming for: arty farty unexpected? Not Fozzie Bear vacays in Florida which was suggested. How playful though!

Do you ever have Up In The Air envy of those who roll through airports cool and collected with perky hand luggage.  In an attempt to launch myself into that "handluggage only" elite I took only one small-ish bag. Overfilled. The fact is, associating with Fozzie Bear pushed me into circus territory and consequently my bagged was weighed. Sorry airline dude, my bad: 14lbs, not 6lbs as I might have just told you.

Needless to say, the stares and smirks continued all through customs and on the streets of Berlin.

Ngaa, Pietra and me trying on Russian hats

Last night was the world premiere of Maori Boy Genius which is competing in the Generation section, for films about children and young people. The 1000-seat theatre was sold out and many of the audience cried at Ngaa's story. (More on that on Friday) The competition is judged by children and this week Pietra and Ngaa will know they've done well if the kids in the audience stamp their feet loudly at the end. Don't you just love it when the right people are in charge?