Winners Announced at the 62nd Berlinale

Today, during the award ceremony of the Independent Juries of the 62nd Berlinale, the young French-German-Slovak jury awarded the “Dialogue en perspective” prize. This year the prize goes to Marten Persiel’s film This Ain’t California. The award was initiated in 2004 by the German-French Youth Office (DFJW), an official Berlinale partner, in association with the Berlin International Film Festival.

The young jury that decided who would receive the “Dialogue en perspective” prize consisted this year of one Slovak, three German and three French film fans between the ages of 20 and 26. Under the direction of jury president, director, actor and screenwriter Jan Henrik Stahlberg, the jurors watched the 13 entries in the Berlinale’s Perspektive Deutsches Kino section from a young, German-French-Slovak perspective, and afterwards passionately discussed which film had impressed them most and deserved the “Dialogue en perspective” prize.

The jury explains its choice as follows: 'The ‘Dialogue en perspective' award goes to This Ain’t California because of its visual strength and the stylistic confidence of its editing. With gripping dynamics, it mixes personal history with the collective memory of the German Democratic Republic. We’ve rarely been so splendidly manipulated.” With the “Dialogue en perspective” prize, the DFJW would like to promote, on the one hand, the exchange between German and French young people and, on the other hand, the intercultural dialogue on film, especially the dialogue on young German cinema.

Also, another major update is the 14th Panorama Audience Award, for which the audience has cast its votes, and its presented in collaboration with radioeins of rbb (Berlin-Brandenburg’s public radio and television station), Berlin’s city magazine tip and the Berlinale’s Panorama section, goes to Parada for the best feature film. For the best documentary film, Marina Abramovic The Artist is Present came out on top, receiving more votes than its competitors.

The official award ceremony will be held on Berlinale Kinotag, Sunday, February 19, at 5 pm in CinemaxX 7 at Potsdamer Platz. Wieland Speck, Panorama director, Robert Skuppin, head of programme department at Radioeins, and chief editor of tip magazine Heiko Zwirner will present the awards. Radioeins film expert Knut Elstermann will host the presentation. Directly after the award ceremony, the winning documentary will be rescreened. The winning feature will follow at 8:00 pm, also in CinemaxX 7.

The Panorama Audience Award has been presented since 1999. Since 2011, two prizes are being awarded: to the best feature film and the best documentary film. Berlin artist Christian Bilger created the award statuette. Throughout the entire Berlinale, moviegoers were asked to rate the films shown in the Panorama section either on a card received after the screening or online. Over 23,500 votes have been castand counted.

This year the Panorama presented 53 productions from 37 countries, of which 20 screened in the Panorama Dokumente series. While the documentary film winner, Marina Abramovic The Artist is Present, went into the lead on the first day and ultimately won by a clear margin, the race for the best fictional work remained exciting until the very last moment.

Winner of the Panorama Audience Award for Best Feature 2012:

Parada (The Parade)

Serbia, Republic of Croatia, Macedonia, Slovenia 2011

Director: Srdjan Dragojevic

2nd place

Diaz - Don't Clean Up This Blood

Italy, Romania, France 2012

Director: Daniele Vicari

3rd place

Xingu

Brazil 2011

Director: Cao Hamburger

Winner of the Panorama Audience Award for Best Documentary 2012:

Marina Abramovic The Artist is Present

USA 2011

Director: Matthew Akers

2nd place

Call Me Kuchu

USA 2012

Directors: Malika Zouhali-Worrall, Katherine Fairfax Wright

3rd place

La Vierge, les Coptes et Moi (The Virgin, The Copts And Me)

France, Qatar, Egypt 2012

Director: Namir Abdel Messeeh

Also check the other updates:

Berlinale 2012: Crystal Bears and Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk Awards in Generation Kplus

The members of the Children’s Jury Generation Kplus

Kimia Godarzani-Bakhtiari, Rosa Münchmeyer, Anne Marie Dominik Fittje, Nikita Neitzke, Justin Braun, Fion Mutert, Victor Neumeister, Lale Öztoprak, Anna Luisa Cruz, Pia Jacqueline Heß, Simon Kajdi: give the following awards:

Crystal Bear for the Best Feature Film: ARCADIA by Olivia Silver, USA 2011

A family realises that it cannot just run away from its problems. We were deeply touched by the authentic story and the natural actors. A long journey and a moving film in all respects!

Special Mention: Kikoeteru, furi wo sita dake: by Kaori Imaizumi, Japan 2011

A profound exploration of death which forced us to think.  We were captivated by the long, haunting sequences with hardly any music which brought us close to a child learning to express her feelings.

Crystal Bear for the Best Short Film: Julian by Matthew Moore, Australia 2011

A sophisticated film which accompanies a misunderstood boy on his way to popularity with wit and lightness of touch. The fantastic actor displays his phenomenal talent in portraying the smart protagonist - and surprises us in the process. Really great cinema!

Special Mention: B I N O by Billie Pleffer, Australia 2011

Without words, we are told the story of a lonely boy who risks his very life in search of friendship. It was the eyes of the lead actor in particular that we found so fascinating.

The members of the International Jury Generation Kplus

Marc Cousins, Rasmus Horskjær, Frieder Schlaic, Marité Ugàs, Maxine Williamson, give the following awards:

Grand Prix of the Deutsche Kinderhilfswerk for the Best Feature Film, endowed with 7,500 Euro: Kauwboy by Boudewijn Koole, Netherlands 2011  

Through a distinctly intimate style we are sucked into and moved by a young boys struggle for finding his way out of almost unbearable grief. Beautiful cinematic moments, a little black bird and blue bubble gum are the ingredients that make this a truly original film. A story about love, and the dark and light moments of a father and a son.

Special Mention: GATTU by Rajan Khosa, India 2011

We felt the potential for life's wonders could be seen in every child's eye; and in particular, the boundless ingenuity of the young rascal was utterly compelling. Along with the heavenly dueling spectacle throughout, this combination created a humorous, energetic and joyous ride. We award this film for capturing the ironies, the complexities and the vitality of India.

Special Prize of the Deutsche Kinderhilfswerk for the Best Short Film, endowed with 2,500 Euro: B I N O by Billie Pleffer, Australia 2011

Our winning film is an extremely cinematic portait of otherworldly boys. We loved the film's rebelliousness, its beautiful compositions, its lack of dialogue, its world of isolated youth - tense, imaginative and full of risk.

Special Mention: L by Thais Fujinaga, Brasil 2011

Our Special Mention goes to a film about young people not comfortable in their own bodies. We loved the way the theme emerges visually, not through dialogue, and the bold way in which the kids hurt each other. The film is funny and true about youth, and features a great romantic moment when toes seem to kiss each other.