Tuesday
Feb172026
Berlinale's best suprise is both a debut and an Ethan Hawke showcase
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 at 5:00PM by Elisa Giudici
Ethan Hawke in THE WEIGHT, which premiered at Sundance and now hits Berlin.
The most galvanizing film of this year’s Berlinale didn’t screen in competition, having opened at Sundance last month. It’s a debut directed by an Irish editor few outside industry circles could have named a month ago. After The Weight, that anonymity will surely be temporary. Padraic McKinley (previously known for cutting mid-tier commercial fare) announces himself here with a thriller of such muscular clarity that it easily eclipses many of the films vying for the Golden Bear...