Berlinale 2023 – list of winners and awards – photo

On Saturday, February 25, the awarding ceremony of the laureates of the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival took place. This year, it was symbolically held under the sign of Ukraine, however, no Ukrainian film made it to the main competition.

This year, 18 films competed for the main awards of the Berlinale – the Golden and Silver Bears – in the Main Competition.

The winners were chosen by an international jury. It was led by the American actress Kristen Stewart at the Berlinale 2023. In addition to her, the jury included Iranian actress Holshifte Farakhani, Czech director Valeska Grisebach, Romanian director Radu Jude, director working with actors from the USA Francine Meisler, Spanish director Carla Simon and director from Hong Kong Johnny To.

The main award of the 73rd Berlinale – the Golden Bear for The best movie – received a documentary film about a psychiatric clinic in Paris “On the Adamant” (On the Adamant) French director Nicolas Philibert. The film depicts the everyday life of the center, located in a floating structure on the Seine River in Paris. Here, psychiatrists, psychologists, and art therapists help patients regain their footing in everyday life through a structured daily routine.

Nikolay Philibert. Photo: berlinale.de

Silver Bear (Jury Grand Prix) received the film “Red Sky” (Roter Himmel) German director Christian Petzold. Petzold’s drama is the second part of his trilogy (the first part “Undine” the director showed at Belrinale in 2020) and tells about a company of young people who learn the pains of creativity and love.

Special jury prize received the picture “Bad life” (Mal Viver) by the Portuguese director Joao Canizo.

The best director the jury recognized Philip Harrell for the film “Le grand chariot” (Le grand chariot).

Philip Harrell. Photo: berlinale.de

Award for Best case scenario received by film director Angeli Shanelek for the tape “Music” (Music).

Silver bear for The best role won by 8-year-old Spanish actress Sofia Otero, who starred in the film “20 thousand species of bees” (20,000 especies de abejas).

Sofia Otero. Photo: berlinale.de

Award for Best supporting role actress Thea Ere received for her role in the film “Until the end of the night” (Bis ans Ende der Nacht).

It also became known earlier that two Ukrainian films won awards at Berlinale 2023. In particular, the short film directed by Nadiya Parfan “This Date” received a special award from the International Jury. And the Ukrainian-German documentary film by Mila Zhluktenko and Daniel Asadi Faezi “Waking Up in Silence” was awarded a special award for the best short film in the Generation Kplus program.

73rd Berlin International Film Festival started on February 16, 2023. At the opening, the President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelenskyi addressed the participants.

The festival showed such Ukrainian films as “You love Me?” directed by Toni Noyabrova, “We will not fade away” Alisa Kovalenko, short film “This is a date” Nadia Parfan, as well as the tape “Iron Butterflies” Roman Lyuboy about the investigation of the MH17 disaster, as well as a documentary “Waking in Silence” Myla Zhluktenko and Daniel Asadi Faezi. The program also included a documentary film “Eastern Front” (Eastern Front) about the war in Ukraine, directed by Russian director Vitaly Mansky and Ukrainian director Yevhen Titarenko.

The premiere of Sean Penn and Aaron Kaufman’s film about the war in Ukraine was also held at Berlinale 2023 Superpower (“Superpower”).

In addition, several events related to the war in Ukraine took place at the festival. On February 22, representatives of the Ukrainian film industry called on the international cultural community to demand the release of human rights defender and journalist Maksym Butkevich from Russian captivity. And on February 24, the first anniversary of the beginning of the full-scale invasion, an action of solidarity with Ukraine took place at the Berlinale, on the red carpet in front of the Festival Palace. She was joined by the German Minister of Culture and Media, Claudia Roth, and the head of the jury for the main competition, Kristen Stewart.

Action of solidarity with Ukraine at the Berlinale. Photo: Julia Sinkevych / Facebook

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