Berlin 2020 Winners: Mohammad Rasoulof Claims Golden Bear, Eliza Hittman Takes Grand Jury Prize
The 2020 Berlin Film Festival, which kicked off on February 20, handed out its top prizes today as the fest comes to a close in Germany. The night’s top winner, Iranian filmmaker Mohammad Rasoulof for “There Is No Evil,” could not attend the ceremony due to an Iran-sanctioned travel ban and possible prison sentence for his politically charged film (read IndieWire’s review here). See all this year’s winners below.
As is befitting for a festival season marked by tension, activists were gathered outside the festivities in front of the Berlinale Palast, where the honors took place, demonstrating for climate change. The 70th edition of the Berlinale weathered its share of controversies this year, too, from jury president Jeremy Irons digging up past controversial remarks to the revelation that late festival chief Alfred Bauer had ties to the Nazi party. The first edition assembled by artistic director Carlo Chatrian and executive director Mariette Rissenbeek demanded resistance to years of backlash to lackluster programming. Still, the 10-day event provided a robust slate of programming that situated the festival outside the buzzy realms of such fests as Cannes and Sundance. For a primer on this year’s lineup, check out IndieWire’s top 10 films of the festival.
Led by Irons, the competition jury included actress Bérénice Bejo, producer Bettina Brokemper, director Annemarie Jacir, playwright and filmmaker Kenneth Lonergan (who, not in attendance, Skyped in from New York, where he stayed back to see one of his kid’s performances), actor Luca Marinelli, and director Kleber Mendonça Filho.
Golden Bear: “There Is No Evil,” Mohammad Rasoulof
Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize: “Never Rarely Sometimes Always,” Eliza Hittman
Silver Bear for Best Director: Hong Sang-soo, “The Woman Who Ran”
Silver Bear for Best Actress: Paula Beer, “Undine”
Silver Bear for Best Actor: Elio Germano, “Hidden Away”
Silver Bear for Best Screenplay: “Favolacce,” Fabio D’Innocenzo and Damiano D’Innocenzo
Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution: Jürgen Jürges for cinematography on “DAU. Natasha”
Silver Bear Special Prize: “Delete History,” Benoît Delépine and Gustave Kervern
Best Film in the Encounters Competition: “The Works and Days (of Tayoko Shiojiri in the Shiotani Basin),” C.W. Winter and Anders Edström
Special Jury Award in the Encounters Competition: “The Trouble With Being Born,” Sandra Wollner
Best Director in the Encounters Competition: Cristi Puiu, “Malmkrog”
Special Mention by the Encounters Jury: “Isabella, Matías Piñeiro
Berlinale Documentary Award: “Irradiés,” Rithy Panh
Special Mention by the Jury for the Berlinale Documentary Award: “Notes From the Underworld,” Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel
Special Mention by the GWFF Best First Feature Award Jury: “Nackte Tiere,” Melanie Waelde
GWFF Best First Feature Award: “Los conductos,” Camilo Restrepo
Golden Bear for Best Short Film: “T,” Keisha Rae Witherspoon
Audi Short Film Award: “Genius Loci,” Adrien Mérigeau
Silver Bear Jury Prize (Short Film): “Filipiñana,” Rafael Manuel
Special Mention of the International Jury Generation Kplus: “The Kites,” Seyed Payam Hosseini
Special Prize of the International Jury in Generation Kplus for the Best Short Film: “El nombre del hijo,” Martina Matzkin
Grand Prix of the International Jury in Generation Kplus for the Best Film: “Los Lobos,” Samuel Kishi Leopo
Special Mentions of the International Jury Generation Kplus: “Mignonnes,” Maïmouna Doucouré; “Mamá, mamá, mamá,” Sol Berruezo Pichon-Rivière
Panorama Audience Award for Best Documentary: “Welcome to Chechnya”
Panorama Audience Award for Best Feature Film: “Otac,” Srdan Golubović
Compass-Perspektive-Award: “Walchensee Forever,” Janna Ji Wonders
