The 74th Berlinale, also known as the Berlin International Film Festival, has officially begun with an exciting array of 20 films competing for the prestigious Gold and Silver Bears. An international jury led by Lupita Nyong’o, globally recognized for her roles in Academy Award-winning movies such as ’12 Years a Slave’ and ‘Black Panther,’ are tasked with selecting the Golden and Silver Bear recipients. The festival, now in its last year under the artful management of Carlo Chatrian and managing director Mariëtte Rissenbeek, continues maintaining its diversity by spotlighting on auteurs and art house films set outside the usual mainstream foci of the U.S. and Western Europe. You can experience the glamour and keen excitement of the award ceremony live by using the official streaming channels from the Berlinale website and its respectiveYouTube channel.
The End of an Era at Berlinale
Chatrian’s era as an artist director will conclude this year, and he is expected to be replaced by Tricia Tuttle, former director of the London Film Festival. Chatrian’s tenure has not been devoid of criticism despite many praising his steadfast devotion to auteur and art house cinema. Some cinephiles have voiced their concerns about the scarcity of major studio and Hollywood titles. However, Chatrian, in his final Berlinale act, has remained true to his artistic conviction by selecting a competition lineup brimming with lesser-known names but packed with significant art house credibility.
Highlighting the Competition
Highly anticipated features of the 2024 festival include the Iranian drama ‘My Favourite Cake’ by Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha; German melodrama ‘Sterben’ or ‘Dying’ by Matthias Glasner; French-German coming-of-age staple ‘Langue Étrangère’ by Claire Burger; and Mati Diop’s riveting documentary ‘Dahomey’, which dives into the reappearance of pilfered African art.
A-Listers Eyeing the Prize
The competition isn’t just for niche films. Known names in the industry are also aiming for top honors. Cillian Murphy, the star of ‘Oppenheimer,’ hopes to score with ‘Small Things Like These.’ Rooney Mara, known for several critically acclaimed roles, is appearing alongside Mexican director Alonso Ruizpalacios in the kitchen drama ‘La Cocina.’ Isabelle Huppert returns for her third collaboration with Korean director Hong Sangsoo in the competition entry ‘A Traveler’s Needs.’
Winners of the 74th Berlinale
Golden Bear for Best Film
Dahomey dir. Mati Diop
Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize
A Traveler’s Needs dir. Hong Sangsoo
Silver Bear Jury Prize
L’ Empire dir. Bruno Dumont
Silver Bear for Best Director
Nelson Carlos De Los Santos Arias for Pepe
Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance
Sebastian Stan for A Different Man
Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance
Emily Watson for Small Things Like These
Silver Bear for Best Screenplay
Matthias Glasner for Sterben (Dying)
Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution
Martin Gschlacht for the cinematography for The Devil’s Bath
Encounters Awards
Best Film
Direct Action dirs. Guillaume Cailleau, Ben Russell
Best Director
Cidade; Campo dir. Juliana Rojas
Special Jury Award (ex aequo)
The Great Yawn of History dir. Aliyar Rasti, Some Rain Must Fall dir. Qiu Yang
GWFF Best First Feature Award
Cu Li Never Cries dir. Pham Ngoc Lan
Berlinale Documentary Award
No Other Land dirs. Yuval Abraham, Basel Adra, Hamdan Ballal, Rachel Szor
Berlinale Short Film Awards
Golden Bear Best Short Film
An Odd Turn dir. Francisco Lezama
Silver Bear Jury Prize
Remains of the Hot Day dir. Zhang Wenqian
Wrapping Up
As the final act of the award ceremony, following the deliberation by the esteemed jury, the winners get their due recognition. Instrumental in shaping the course of global cinema, they all await the announcement of their names in this grand event for their devotion and contribution to the film industry. Keeping up to date with the Berlinale and discovering new films and rising talents has never been easier. Head over to HitPlay to see the most updated list of prizewinners and immerse yourself in a sophisticated, curated selection of films.
