Asia scrapes Berlin consolation prizes

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Awards News

Asia-Pacific films claimed only consolation prizes at the Berlin International Film Festival, which closed last night (18 Feb).

At a glitzy ceremony Cesar Must Die, by Italy's Taviani brothers was named as the winner of the Golden Bear for best feature film.

The most prominent feature award for an Asian film went to German cinematographer Lutz REITEMEIER on the WANG Quanan 王全安-directed epic White Deer Plain 白鹿原.

Talent and from the Asia-Pacific region did better in the short film sections. French-produced film The Great Rabbit, by Japanese director WADA Atsushi 和田篤司, claimed the Silver Bear and jury prize.

Two short films from Australia collected prizes in the youth oriented-Generation section. Matthew Moore's short Julian claimed the Silver Bear, while Billie Pleffer's Bino was credited with a special mention.

Japanese feature Just Pretended to Hear 聴こえてる、ふりをしただけ (2011) by IMAIZUMI Kaori 今泉かおり came second in the Generation section behind winner Arcadia from the US. New Zealand-made film Meathead won a silver bear (top prize) in the related Generation 14plus short film section and Japanese animated short film 663114 by HIRABAYASHI Isamu 平林勇 got a special mention.

Indian feature Gattu (2011) (pictured), by Rajan Khosa, earned a Generation Kplus special mention.

 
BERLINALE 2012 – MAIN COMPETITION WINNERS & ASIA PACIFIC WINNERS

Golden Bear for best film
Caesar Must Die (Cesare deve morire); dirs. Paolo & Vittorio Taviani (Italy)

Jury grand prix silver bear
Just The Wind (Csak a szél); dir Bence Fliegauf (Hungary-Germany-France)

Silver bear for best director
Christian Petzold for Barbara (Germany)

Silver bear for best actress
Rachel Mwanza in War Witch (Rebelle); dir. Kim Nguyen (Canada)

Silver bear for best actor
Mikkel Boe Følsgaard in A Royal Affair (En Kongelig Affære); dir. by Nikolaj Arcel (Denmark)

Silver bear for an outstanding artistic contribution
Lutz Reitemeier for the photography in White Deer Plain; dir. Wang Quanan (China)

Silver bear for the best script
Nikolaj Arcel, Rasmus Heisterberg for A Royal Affair (En Kongelig Affære); dir. by Nikolaj Arcel (Denmark)

Alfred Bauer Prize, awarded in memory of the Festival founder, for a work of particular innovation
Tabu; dir. Miguel Gomes (Portugal-Brazil-Germany-France)

Special award-silver bear
Sister (L'enfant d'en haut); dir. Ursula Meier (France-Switzerland)

 
PRIZES OF THE INTERNATIONAL SHORT FILM JURY

The jury prize — silver bear
The Great Rabbit; dir. Wada Atsushi

 
PRIZES OF THE GENERATION JURIES

Children's Jury Generation Kplus
Special mention
Just Pretended To Hear; dir. by Imaizumi Kaori (Japan)

Crystal bear for the best short film
Julian; dir. Matthew Moore (Australia)

Special mention
BINO; dir. Billie Pleffer (Australia)

Youth Jury Generation 14plus
Crystal bear for the best short film
Meathead; dir. Sam Holst (New Zealand)

Special mention
663114; dir. Isamu Hirabayashi (Japan)

International Jury Generation Kplus
Special mention
Gattu; dir. Rajan Khosa (India)

The special prize of the Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk for the best short film
BINO; dir. Billie Pleffer (Australia)

 
INDEPENDENT JURIES

C.I.C.A.E. prize
Forum section: Our Homeland (Kazoku no kuni); dir Yang Yonghi (Japan)

NETPAC prize
Modest Reception (Paziraie Sadeh); dir. Mani Haghighi (Iran).

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