In Christoph Hochhäusler’s crime thriller “Unto the End of the Night,” Honor plays a trans woman who is investigating undercover in the drug scene. The Golden Bear for the best film went to the documentary “Sur l’Adamant” by French director Nicolas Philibert, while the jury’s Grand Prize went to “Red Sky” by Christian Petzold.
“Sur l’Adamant” (English: “On the Adament”) tells the story of a center for people with mental health problems in Paris. The documentary prevailed in the fight for the trophy against 18 competitors. An Austrian co-production also had hopes for the Golden Bear, namely Margarethe von Trotta’s film essay “Ingeborg Bachmann – Reise in die Wüste”.
Acting award went to child
This year’s acting award went to a child: Sofía Otero was honored for the best acting performance in a leading role. In the coming-of-age film “20,000 especies de abejas” (“20,000 Species of Bees”) she plays an eight-year-old child who is searching for his gender identity. “Rarely do you see so many emotions and at the same time harrowing simplicity,” the jury justified its decision. Otero tearfully thanked the jury, as well as her family and the film’s contributors. “Thank you for this wonderful award,” she said. Among others, Otero beat the Viennese Thomas Schubert, who plays the main role in Petzold’s drama “Red Sky”.
Another Austrian success
There was another Austrian success in a subcategory. The film “Adentro mío estoy bailando (The Klezmer Project)” won the GWFF Award for Best First Feature. It is an Argentinian-Austrian co-production by Leandro Koch and Paloma Schachmann. The Austrian director Selma Doborac was awarded the Caligari Film Prize for her film “De Facto”.
The German filmmaker Angela Schanelec was awarded the Screenplay Prize for her Oedipus adaptation “Music”. The Frenchman Philippe Garrel received the Silver Bear for best director, in his film “Le grand chariot” he portrays a family of puppeteers.
The jury prize went to Portuguese director João Canijo’s psychodrama “Mal Viver”, which tells the story of several women in an old hotel. Cinematographer Hélène Louvart received the Silver Bear for outstanding artistic achievement in the drama “Disco Boy”. In it, Franz Rogowski plays a man who flees to France and joins the Foreign Legion.
Alongside Cannes and Venice, the Berlinale is one of the major film festivals. The American actress Kristen Stewart (“Spencer”, “Twilight”) headed the international jury this year. Together with the other jury members, she decided on the awards. Last year, the drama “Alcarràs – The Last Harvest” won the Golden Bear.
“Sur l’Adamant” tells the story of an unusual day clinic – an aid facility housed in a floating building on the Seine. Here mentally ill people find attention, employment and help by the hour. You can participate in workshops, courses, or just talk to others. The center is part of a larger network.
Director Philibert presented his film at a press conference during the festival. He wanted to help change the way people look at patients and people with mental health problems. “And I also wanted to destroy those clichés a bit,” said Philibert. Everyday life on the ship, which is also unusual in terms of architecture, is shown with great respect and affection for all people.
Philibert is always cautious, whether he lets sick or healthy people talk, interviews them or silently observes them. With a respectful distance he gets close to the people on the “Adamant”. The camera allows him to cross a certain threshold, said Philibert, to overcome his own fears and difficulties. “We all have difficulties approaching others, and the camera helps me.”
