Thank you to our friends at German Films for this round up of how German films and co-productions faired at this year's Berlinale. No big fireworks (like last year's BARBARA), but many good films to look forward to:The 63rd Berlin International Film Festival (7 – 17 February 2013) came to an end at the weekend. At the awards ceremony on Saturday evening, the International Jury headed by director Wong Kar Wai made a Special Mention of LAYLA FOURIE (DE/ZA/FR/NL, Pandora Filmproduktion) by Pia Marais, which had screened in the Competition. Moreover, Aziz Zhambakiyev received a Silver Bear for an outstanding artistic contribution in the categories camera, editing, music score, costume design or set design for the camera in the German co-production HARMONY LESSONS by Emir Baigazin (KZ/DE/FR, The Post Republic, Rohfilm). The competition entry HARMONY LESSONS was also awarded the Readers' Jury Prize of the Berliner Morgenpost.
The International Short Film Jury awarded a Silver Bear to Stefan Kriekhaus for REMAINS QUIET (DIE RUHE BLEIBT). The Turkish-German short film co-production ASURA by Köken Ergun (TK/DE, Studio Ergun) was presented with the DAAD Short Film Prize .
There were two prizes for German films in the Forum: the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury in the Forum went to the German co-production CIRCLES by Srdan Golubovic (DE/RS/FR/SI/HR, Neue Mediopolis Filmproduktion). IN BLOOM by Nana Ekvtimishvili and Simon Groß (DE/GE/FR, Indiz Film) received the Prize of the C.I.C.A.E., the international association of arthouse cinemas.
In the Perspektive Deutsches Kino sidebar, the domain of up-and-coming German film-makers, the following prizes were presented by independent juries: Director Jan Speckenbach received the Made in Germany – Perspektive Fellowship for his treatment for THE SOUND OF STONES (DAS KLOPFEN DER STEINE), ), his treatment for a musical set among the ruins of post-World War II Berlin. This award comes with 15,000 Euros prize-money to support young talented German directors in their future projects. TWO MOTHERS (ZWEI MÜTTER) by Anne Zohra Berrached (Filmakademie Baden-Würtemberg) received the French-German Youth Office's (FGYO) funded FGYO-Award Dialogue En Perspective, which comes with 5,000 Euros prize-money. CHIRALIA by Satiago Gilm (Deutsche Film- und Fernsehakademie Berlin) received a Special Mention in the FGYO-Award Dialogue en perspective.
The documentary NAKED OPERA by Angela Christlieb (LU/DE, Heimatfilm) received the Heiner Carow Prize. The DEFA Foundation honours a German fiction, documentary or essay film from the Panorama section with this award.
...and our nod to Canada (or should I say Quebec): Félicitations, Denis Côté, for his Silver Bear for "Vic+Flo ont vu un ours“ (Alfred Bauer Award for innovation), on the heels of last year's Silver Bear for Kim Nguyen’s "Rebelle". "Inch'Allah“ by Anais Barbeau-Lavalette receives three honours: Third Prize of the Panorama Audience Award, the Fipresci, and special mention by the Ecumenical Jury. In the Berlinale's youth section 14plus "Barefoot“ by Danis Goulet also received a special mention.
