Berlinale's Golden Bear goes to 'Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn'
Along with Radu Jude's Golden Bear-winning film, find out more about the Silver Bear winners of the Berlin International Film Festival's competition.
Golden Bear for 'Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn'
Definitely not safe for work: Its opening scene is a homemade sex tape. But for Radu Jude, finding this material more obscene than society's racism, anti-Semitism and nationalism is what's perverse. The Romanian director had won a Silver Bear in 2015 with "Aferim"; this film is for those who enjoy transgressive experiments — like the jury, who praised the way it captures the pandemic's zeitgeist.
Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize: 'Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy'
Japanese director Ryusuke Hamaguchi's film is built in three episodes centering on female characters. A coincidental love triangle, an unsuccessful seduction trap, and an encounter emerging from a mix-up: The short stories mirror each other, and the work shines through its exquisitely slick mise en scène.
Silver Bear Jury Prize: 'Mr Bachmann and His Class'
Maria Speth's documentary is nearly four hours long, but the half-day class is a captivating learning experience. In a multicultural German town, the 64-year-old teacher Dieter Bachmann leads a group of children with roots in 12 countries. "Mr Bachmann and His Class" is a hopeful take on how education can change everything in the thorny concept of integration.
Silver Bear for Best Director: 'Natural Light'
Hungarian filmmaker Denes Nagy explores the human soul through this slow-paced World War II drama set in 1943. Instead of being driven by the action of the conflict, the film focuses on the moral dilemma of a Hungarian soldier, allied with Nazi Germany, who is reluctantly called to take command of his company following an ambush.
Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution: 'A Cop Movie'
The police force is one of the most controversial institutions in Mexico. Director Alonso Ruizpalacios explores what it means to be a cop in Mexico City in this Netflix production. Combining documentary and role-playing scenes, this is definitely not your typical "cop movie." The Berlinale jury recognized Yibran Asuad's exceptional editing work in this film.
Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance: 'I'm Your Man'
Director Maria Schrader, renowned for the series "Unorthodox," explores how a rational woman (Maren Eggert) deals with a three-week experiment in which she lives with a humanoid robot programmed to be her perfect romantic partner (Dan Stevens). While most critics praised Stevens for perfectly impersonating an AI man, the jury was most impressed by Eggert's subtle performance.
Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance: 'Forest – I See You Everywhere'
"Forest – I See You Everywhere" by Hungarian director Bence Fliegauf is composed of a series of vignettes. The first one centers on a girl who confronts her father, accusing him of being responsible for her mother's death. The members of the jury were enchanted by Lilla Kizlinger's performance, which they found "especially strong and memorable."
Silver Bear for Best Screenplay: 'Introduction'
Even though story of "Introduction" is relatively simple, the jury was charmed by its efficient storytelling, through which "a hidden truth of human life is suddenly revealed, bright and lucid." Revered South Korean director Hong Sangsoo shot a part of his black-and-white 66 minute film in Berlin.