The work about a farming family who fears for their plantation, which is to be replaced by a solar system, was awarded the Golden Bear for best film in the competition in the Berlinale-Palast in the evening.
Austrian production went empty-handed
In her acceptance speech, the 36-year-old filmmaker Simón showed herself to be a loyal supporter of the festival: “I feel like a child of the Berlinale. Maybe I should move here.” The Austrian production in the competition, Ulrich Seidl’s “Rimini”, went empty in the evening.
The Frenchwoman Claire Denis was honored with a silver bear as best director in the Berlinale Palast for her drama of a love triangle, “Avec amour et acharnement”. Directing with an ensemble that includes greats like Juliette Binoche or Vincent Lindon is easy, the 75-year-old said modestly.
The Silver Bear for Best Acting went to the German cabaret artist Meltem Kaptan for her title role in Andreas Dresen’s freedom drama “Rabiye Kurnaz vs. George W. Bush”. The 41-year-old thanked her director in particular: “Thank you for taking me on this journey. You are the best tour guide imaginable.” Dresen’s film was also able to claim the silver bear for best screenplay (Laila Stieler).
The Silver Bear for Best Supporting Role was awarded to Laura Basuki in Kamila Andini’s Indonesian drama Nana. The Silver Bear for the Grand Jury Prize, on the other hand, went to South Korea. Veteran Hong Sangsoo was recognized for his work “So-seol-ga-ui yeong-hwa” (The Novelist’s Film) and accepted the award in his winter coat. “I’ll just keep doing what I’ve been doing,” promised the 61-year-old. The Jury Prize in the competition went to Mexican-Bolivian filmmaker Natalia López Gallardo for her mystical work “Robe of Gems”.
But even if there were no prizes for the Austrian production in the competition, the red-white-red filmmaking in Berlin did not go unappreciated. At the start of the evening, the up-and-coming director Kurdwin Ayub, who presented her debut work “Sonne” about three young Viennese women in the “Encounters” category, was delighted to receive the cross-section trophy for the best first film. The award, endowed with 50,000 euros, from the Society for the Perception of Film and Television Rights (GWFF) went to the filmmaker, who was born in 1990. On the stage in the Berlinale Palast, she was delighted with the honor and at the same time showed pragmatically: “I hope the taxes will be taken I don’t want the money. But I think Austria is cool anyway.”
And in the Encounters section, Ruth Beckermann, an Austrian filmmaker, was also able to celebrate. The 70-year-old director won the award for the best film in the category for aesthetically daring works with her documentary project “MUTZENBACHER”, in which she talks to 75 men about their sexuality – based on the fin-de-siecle erotic novel of the same name. “It’s so incredibly unexpected for me,” said Beckermann, overwhelmed. The Golden Bear for the best short film went to the Russian production “Trap” by Anastasia Veber.
“For a festival director, every film is something like its child,” said the artistic director of the Berlinale, Carlo Chatrian, paying tribute to all 256 works in this year’s edition. Their projection started on February 10th with the opening of the 72nd Berlinale under strict corona hygiene regulations. And the measures held. There were minor setbacks, for example when France’s actor Isabelle Huppert was unable to travel to Berlin for the presentation of the Honorary Golden Bear at short notice on Tuesday because the 68-year-old had received a positive corona test.
On the whole, however, the concept of a 50 percent occupancy of the halls, a daily test obligation for the specialist audience and a shortening of the festival to six days proved successful. After today’s award gala, the Berlinale will now continue for the public, which will be able to see works from the program catalog until February 20th.
Source: Nachrichten
