AI WEIWEI'S TURANDOT | Everything is art. Everything is politics. – Ai Weiwei

Preview / Premiere:

• Berlin, Cosima Filmtheater – October 10, 2025, 8:15 p.m.
  
• Guest: Director Maxim Derevianko, followed by Q&A
  

With its impressive visual language, AI WEIWEI'S TURANDOT creates a multisensory experience that not only transports the viewer into Puccini's opera, but also delves deep into Ai Weiwei's creative process.


Arguably China's most renowned artist, Ai Weiwei staged his operatic debut here – a project that reflects both his artistic vision and his political activism. He has always combined art and social engagement; human rights are at the heart of his work. In Turandot, an opera about tyranny and oppression, he combines the classic plot with contemporary references – such as the war in Ukraine or the global refugee crisis – thus demonstrating the work's timeless relevance.


The film builds a special bridge to Ai Weiwei's own beginnings: As early as 1987, he appeared as an extra in Turandot on the stage of the New York Metropolitan Opera – cast by choreographer Chiang Ching, who will work alongside him again in Rome.


Tenor Michael Fabiano shines in the role of Calaf, and the production is conducted by the Ukrainian maestra Oksana Lyniv, who now lives in Germany.

• A film by Maxim Derevianko
  
• Starring: Ai WeiWei, Michael Fabiano, Oksana Lyniv, Chiang Ching, and many more.
  
• Italy, USA 2025; 77 min., Omdt subtitles
  
• Theatrical release: October 16, 2025