• About Us
  • Advertising on Awards Daily
Wednesday, November 29, 2023
  • Login
  • Register
No Result
View All Result
Awardsdaily
  • Home
  • Good As Gold
  • AD TV
  • Oscars Calendar 2024
  • Podcasts
  • Interviews
  • Follow us on Twitter
    • Awards Daily
    • Sasha Stone
    • Ryan Adams
    • Clarence Moye
    • Mark Johnson
  • All News
  • Home
  • Good As Gold
  • AD TV
  • Oscars Calendar 2024
  • Podcasts
  • Interviews
  • Follow us on Twitter
    • Awards Daily
    • Sasha Stone
    • Ryan Adams
    • Clarence Moye
    • Mark Johnson
  • All News
No Result
View All Result
Awardsdaily
No Result
View All Result

Berlin Dispatch – That’s a Wrap

by Zhuo-Ning Su
February 25, 2023
in Berlinale, Film Festival
9
Berlin Dispatch – That’s a Wrap

Download:: Berlin Dispatch - That's a Wrap

WELL… what a rollercoaster ride it’s been seeing those bears being doled out tonight. The 73rd Berlinale has come to an end and Kristen Stewart’s jury made some great choices, some confounding choices and some that border on acts of trolling. Let’s take a look.

Outstanding Artistic Contribution: cinematography of DISCO BOY

Called it! As I said, this would not have been my pick but so very happy for Hélène Louvart, truly a giant of her craft. Of the films I’ve covered on this site alone, she’s responsible for shooting PETRA, HAPPY AS LAZZARO, ALL THE DEAD ONES and NEVER RARELY SOMETIMES ALWAYS. A list of bangers that doesn’t begin to cover her filmography but tells you a little bit about her incredible range. This lady is the real deal.

Best Screenplay: MUSIC

Ok, so this has got to be the jury trolling us, right? Angela Schanelec’s cinematic riddle barely has any dialogue and what the characters do verbally express seldom adds up to anything. To award this film for screenwriting is beyond head-scratching. But you know what? I can never begrudge Schanelec getting shiny statues because, as much as I struggle to appreciate her work, I just love the fact that a lady in her 60’s is out there making the most radical arthouse cinema. That’s dope. Although this sadly comes at the price of leaving out some brilliant screenplays in competition.

Best Supporting Performance: Thea Ehre (TILL THE END OF THE NIGHT)

Now this I really don’t get. German director Christoph Hochhäusler’s stylish neo-noir was the last comp film to screen and it was… not great. Trans actress Thea Ehre plays a character caught between an undercover cop and a drug dealer, and it is not my idea of the best supporting performance of this festival by a long stretch. Without going into the quality of the performance, to me hers is clearly a co-lead role that should not even be eligible. Obviously to give the gender-neutral award to Ehre justifies the category reform but, for the third time in a role, I’m not happy with the jury’s choice here.

Best Lead Performance: Sofía Otero (20,000 SPECIES OF BEES)

I had a feeling the jury was going to recognize Spanish director Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren’s film in some way – it’s a female-centric queer film that fits the jury profile perfectly – but to honor child actor Otero (her character is 8 years old) still feels like a stunt. Again, this choice justifies the gender neutrality of the prize, for Otero is playing a boy who identifies as girl, but you won’t convince me that this performance is better than many others from the lineup given by adult performers or even the other child actor at the center of TÓTEM. Disappointing.

Best Director: Philippe Garrel (THE PLOUGH)

In my humble opinion, Stewart & Co. dropped the ball big time with this choice. THE PLOUGH is easily my least favorite film in competition and I’m surprised how a jury with such a young and punk vibe would go for the very retrograde, very conservative direction of 75-year-old Garrell, especially when there are so many vibrant new voices in the lineup doing different, exciting things. But apparently the jury does have a soft spot for old-school filmmaking (see the end of this post) and there’s nothing more to say about that.

Jury Prize: BAD LIVING

After a few bombs, the jury rebounded with a solid pick here. Portuguese director João Canijo’s epic melodrama is exquisitely crafted and would have won three prizes if I get to call the shots. I welcome this embrace of camp by the jury and would choose to see this as recognition of the excellent ensemble cast and the work of a superb DP.

Grand Jury Prize: AFIRE

Called it! AFIRE is a tremendous film period, so it’s nice to see it being recognized as such. With a possible North American launch at NYFF, this will probably land on a lot of top 10 lists come December. Also, I expected Stewart to dig Petzold and now that we know she swiped right, we’re one step closer to seeing a collaboration for the ages.

Golden Bear: ON THE ADAMANT

Remember when I said this jury has a thing for oldies? Here’s Exhibit B. French director Nicolas Philibert’s documentary that shines a light on the life of numerous mental illness patients on a boat is expertly put together and has so much heart, but it’s also… the opposite of exciting? While watching the film, I was often touched by the human truths captured on camera, but I couldn’t help being struck by how deeply traditional, unadventurous the filmmaking is. This choice made my heart sink a little, especially because it means TÓTEM – a magnificent film that could really use the push – is shut out completely. Well, cinephiles everywhere will just have to work a bit harder to see Lila Avilés’ directorial tour-de-force.

That’s it from my side on this year’s Berlinale. It’s been a great edition, and not just for the competition – the Encounters sidebar, for example, is also full of gems to be discovered. Hopefully many of these will find their way to a cinema near you.

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Reddit
  • WhatsApp
  • Print
Tags: Berlin Film FestivalBerlinale
Zhuo-Ning Su

Zhuo-Ning Su

Berlin-based freelance festival journalist. Sees too many films for his own good.

Related Posts

Miami Film Festival gems

‘Society of The Snow’ Wins Audience Award at 2023 Miami Film Festival GEMS

by Megan McLachlan
November 8, 2023
9

Miami, FL – Miami Dade College’s (MDC) Miami Film Festival (MFF) announced that Society of the Snow is the winner of the Miami Film Festival GEMS 2023...

scad film fest

SCAD Welcomes 26th Year of the SCAD Savannah Film Festival with a Thrilling Film Lineup

by Megan McLachlan
October 6, 2023
0

SAVANNAH, GEORGIA — The Savannah College of Art and Design’s 26th annual SCAD Savannah Film Festival will return in person...

Miami Film Festival gems

Miami Film Festival Gems Announces Lineup Of Award Season Contenders For November 2-5 Event

by Megan McLachlan
October 3, 2023
0

Miami, FL (Oct. 3, 2023) — Miami Dade College’s (MDC) renowned Miami Film Festival today unveiled the lineup for its...

newport beach film festival 2023

24th Annual Newport Beach Festival (NBFF) Announces Festival Lineup

by Megan McLachlan
September 12, 2023
2

Newport Beach, CA (September 12, 2023) – The 24th annual Newport Beach Film Festival (NBFF) announced Tuesday that it will screen 91 films from 19 countries -...

Nantucket Film Festival Announces Additional Films, Signature Programs, and Special Guests

Nantucket Film Festival Announces Award Winners & Competition Award Winners for Their 28th Annual Edition

by Mark Johnson
June 27, 2023
0

Official release: Nantucket, MA (June 27, 2023) – The 28th annual Nantucket Film Festival presented by Bank of America today...

Nantucket Film Festival: An Illuminating Doc, a Peculiar Comedy/Thriller, and a Heartwarming Dramedy Wrap up the Festival

Nantucket Film Festival: An Illuminating Doc, a Peculiar Comedy/Thriller, and a Heartwarming Dramedy Wrap up the Festival

by Mark Johnson
June 25, 2023
1

The end of any film festival is bittersweet. As much fun as they can be, by the end you're nearly...

Next Post
No Guts, No Glory SAG Edition

Producers Guild No Guts No Glory

Ary Zara On How Important Respect Is While Flirting and Falling in Love in ‘The Avocado Pit’

Ary Zara On How Important Respect Is While Flirting and Falling in Love in ‘The Avocado Pit’

November 28, 2023
Shorts: ‘The Shepherd’ Spins a Tale of Faith Just in Time for the Holidays

Shorts: ‘The Shepherd’ Spins a Tale of Faith Just in Time for the Holidays

November 28, 2023
Miguel Ángel Ferrer, Carlos Manuel Gonzalez Discuss Venezuela’s Oscar Entry ‘The Shadow of the Sun’ [VIDEO]

Miguel Ángel Ferrer, Carlos Manuel Gonzalez Discuss Venezuela’s Oscar Entry ‘The Shadow of the Sun’ [VIDEO]

November 28, 2023
Oscars 2024: New York Film Critics Preview, Predictions, Contest!

Oscars 2024: New York Film Critics Preview, Predictions, Contest!

by Sasha Stone
November 27, 2023
128

Tonight are the Gotham Awards. They have the opportunity to platform only two or three winners. Their choice to go...

cult docs 2023

Cult Doc Fan? Here are 5 TV and Film Docs to Keep On Your Radar

by Megan McLachlan
November 28, 2023
0

Megan McLachlan highlights 5 TV and film documentaries that capture the spectrum of cults. With cults on the rise, so...

2024 Oscar Predictions: Are the Oscars in Trouble?

2024 Oscar Predictions: Are the Oscars in Trouble?

by Sasha Stone
November 25, 2023
146

I drove six days to spend Thanksgiving with my daughter and her new family. By that, I mean her boyfriend's...

Happy Thanksgiving – Much to Be Thankful For

Happy Thanksgiving – Much to Be Thankful For

by Sasha Stone
November 23, 2023
18

Don't worry, I'm not going to do what I usually do this time of year: single people out by name...

2024 Oscar Predictions: Is the Oscar Squad Thankful for ‘The Color Purple,’ ‘Napoleon?’

2024 Oscar Predictions: Is the Oscar Squad Thankful for ‘The Color Purple,’ ‘Napoleon?’

by Clarence Moye
November 22, 2023
26

We're headed into Thanksgiving, and most Oscar-contending films have been seen at this point. WB's The Color Purple and Apple's...

Oscar Predictions 2024 Good As Gold: A Bevy of Contenders Descend on the Middleburg Film Festival

Oscar Predictions 2024: ‘The Color Purple’ and ‘Napoleon’ Enter the Race

by Mark Johnson
November 21, 2023
40

I have maintained The Color Purple's presence in my Best Picture lineup since my initial attempt at predicting the 2024...

AwardsDaily Crew

  • About Us
  • Sasha Stone
  • Editor Ryan Adams
  • Editor Clarence Moye
  • Editor Mark Johnson
  • Contact Us

ADTV Crew

  • ADTV Home
  • Megan McLachlan, Editor
  • Joey Moser, Editor
  • Clarence Moye, Editor
  • Jalal Haddad, Senior Contributor
  • Shadan Larki
  • Ben Morris
  • David Phillips
  • Advertising on Awards Daily
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Oscar Podcast
  • AwardsDailyTV

© 2023 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Good As Gold
  • AD TV
  • Oscars Calendar 2024
  • Podcasts
  • Interviews
  • Follow us on Twitter
    • Awards Daily
    • Sasha Stone
    • Ryan Adams
    • Clarence Moye
    • Mark Johnson
  • All News

© 2023 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password? Sign Up

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In