Andreas Dresen's harrowing cancer drama Stopped On Track has been awarded the Gold Prize for Best Film at yesterday's German Academy Awards. The film also won best Actor for Milan Peschel, best direction for Dresen, and best supporting actor for Otto Mellies.
The most awards were won by Roland Emmerich's Studio Babelsberg filmed American co-production, Anonymous, which took away 6 awards for: cinematography, editing, production design, costume design, sound design, and make-up.
The controversial neo-Nazi film Combat Girls received three awards, including Best Film in Bronze, best actress for Alina Levshin, and best screenplay for David Wnendt.
The best supporting actress award was presented to Dagmar Menzel for her role in Cracks in the Shell.
Best film music went to the film Hell, while Best Film in Silver went to Christian Petzold's East German set drama Barbara.
The best documentary award went to Gerhard Richter - Painting, and the best children's film went to Winter's Daughter.
The inaugural Bernd Eichinger award for contribution to German Cinema was presented to Michael "Bully" Herbig, who amongst other films, was co-producer and lead actor in Leander Haussmann's film Hotel Lux.
The prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to veteran German cinematographer, latterly working in Hollywood with such filmmakers as Martin Scorsese, Michael Ballhaus.
Peter Krausz


It was cinema, that while participating fully in the dialogues and issues of mainstream US inspired cinematographic entertainment, clearly operates in parallel to it, distinguished by the histories and artistic sensibilities of its unique European origins. The strength and vitality of this vision is greatly reassuring for all who look to the filmic medium for cultural inspiration.
Marie Geissler - Sydney arts writer