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Berlinale’s Golden Bear Goes to ‘Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn’


Courtesy of Ghetie Silviu


Romanian director Radu Jude’s irreverent contemporary satire “Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn” has won the Berlin Film Festival’s Golden Bear for best film.


The jury said the film has that “rare and essential quality of a lasting art work. It captures on screen the very content and essence, the mind and body, the values and the raw flesh of our present moment in time. Of this very moment of human existence.”


Hungary’s Dénes Nagy won the Silver Bear for best director for World War II drama “Natural Light.” The jury said of the film: “Appalling and beautifully shot, mesmerising images, remarkable direction and a masterful control of every aspect of the craft of filmmaking, a narration that transcends its historical context. A portrait of war in which the observant gaze of the director reminds us again of the need to choose between passivity and taking individual responsibility.”


The Silver Bear grand jury prize was won by Ryusuke Hamaguchi’s “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy,” while the Silver Bear jury prize went to Maria Speth’s “Mr Bachmann and His Class.”


The Silver Bear for leading performance went to Maren Eggert in “I’m Your Man” by Maria Schrader, and the Silver Bear for supporting performance was won by Lilla Kizlinger in “Forest – I See You Everywhere” by Bence Fliegauf.


Hong Sangsoo won the Silver Bear for screenplay for “Introduction.”


The Silver Bear for outstanding artistic contribution went to Yibrán Asuad for the editing of “A Cop Movie,” directed by Alonso Ruizpalacios.


The international jury, made up of former Golden Bear winners, was comprised of Mohammad Rasoulof from Iran, Nadav Lapid from Israel, Adina Pintilie from Romania, Ildikó Enyedi from Hungary, Gianfranco Rosi from Italy and Jasmila Žbanić from Jasmila Zbanic from Bosnia and Herzegovina.


The hybrid festival and the accompanying European Film Market, which took place March 1-5, was industry focused. An audience facing festival will take place June 9-20, pandemic permitting.


Berlinale 2021: The Award Winners of the Competition

Golden Bear for Film: “Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn” by Radu Jude


Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize: “Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy” by Ryusuke Hamaguchi


Silver Bear Jury Prize: “Mr Bachmann and His Class” by Maria Speth


Silver Bear for Director: Dénes Nagy for “Natural Light”


Silver Bear for Leading Performance: Maren Eggert in “I’m Your Man” by Maria Schrader


Silver Bear for Supporting Performance: Lilla Kizlinger in “Forest – I See You Everywhere” by Bence Fliegauf


Silver Bear for Screenplay: Hong Sangsoo for “Introduction” by Hong Sangsoo


Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution: Yibrán Asuad for the editing of “A Cop Movie” by Alonso Ruizpalacios


Berlinale 2021: Awards of the Encounters Section

Best Film: “We” by Alice Diop


Special Jury Award: “Taste” by Lê Bảo


Best Director (ex-aequo): “The Girl and the Spider” by Ramon Zürcher, Silvan Zürcher


Best Director (ex-aequo): “Social Hygiene” by Denis Côté



Special Mention: “Rock Bottom Riser” by Fern Silva




Variety's Naman Ramachandran contributed to this post.


https://variety.com/2021/film/global/berlin-film-festival-winners-1234922622/

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