The Boulevard der Stars (“Avenue of the Stars”) is a continuously growing monument in honor of famous German personalities from the film and television industry. The monument is located near the Berlin–Mitte square Potsdamer Platz and extends along Potsdamer Straße from Potsdamer Platz to Ben-Gurion-Straße. In front of some buildings, it is widened on both sides.
The monument was designed according to the example of the Hollywood Walk of Fame in Los Angeles and honors famous personalities with a star. The cornerstone was laid on February 5, 2010, on the occasion of the Berlinale 2010 Film Festival. The first star, in honor of Marlene Dietrich, was presented to the public on February 12. When the monument was officially inaugurated on September 10, 2010, an additional 39 stars were awarded.
The stars are made of polished bronze and set into the Boulevard’s red-colored asphalt surface. Each star is engraved with the name, occupation, personal details and signature of the honored personality. Special Pepper’s Ghost cameras have been installed on the avenue that project an image of each of the honored film stars through interactive mirrors. This allows visitors to take photos of themselves with the famous personality. The stars are illuminated at night, with the light varying for special occasions.
The annual selection of the personalities to be honored is the responsibility of a five-person jury, which is composed of one representative each from the Stiftung Deutsche Kinemathek, the Deutsche Filmakademie, the Kulturveranstaltungen des Bundes in Berlin (KBB), the Adolf-Grimme-Institut and the Friends of the Museum für Film und Fernsehen. In contrast to the Hollywood Walk of Fame, where anyone can submit nominations, only “organizations and institutions that have been demonstrably active in the field of film and television for more than three years” can submit nominations. A two-thirds majority in the jury is required for the acceptance of a candidate. Around seven to ten new personalities are to be honored annually, partly in spring and partly in autumn.
