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By A.J. Goldmann - February 20, 2011

Asghar Farhadi’s “Nader and Simin” was the big winner at this year’s Berlin Film Festival, which announced its awards Saturday evening, a day prior to the end of the fest.

Farhadi won the Silver Bear for best director two years ago for his film “About Elly.” “Nader and Simin” was widely seen as a shoo-in for the Golden Bear, both for its outstanding quality in a year of insipid competition fare and the spotlight thrown on Iranian cinema by incarcerated director Jafar Panahi, for whom the festival kept an open jury seat for the duration of the festival.

The international jury of the 61st Berlin Film Festival, presided over by actress Isabella Rossellini, jointly awarded the Silver Bears for acting to the ensemble cast of “Nader and Simin.” Among the six actors and actresses who shared the two statues was the director’s teenage daughter,...

What a night for Asghar Farhadi's Nader and Simin, a Separation. Not only has the International Jury of this year's Berlinale, presided over by Isabella Rossellini, awarded the film the Golden Bear, but, in a most unusual move, the jury's also decided to give the Silver Bear for Best Actor and Silver Bear for Best Actress to the male and femaie ensembles, respectively. Actress Sarina Farhadi (above) thanked all those in Iran who've stood in line for hours for tickets to see the film — which, we might as well go ahead and mention, has also picked up the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury for best film in the Competition.

Béla Tarr's The Turin Horse has won the Jury Grand Prix (Silver Bear). Tarr was on hand to accept the award, but decided to say nothing once he'd gotten up on stage. The Turin Horse is Fipresci's choice for best film in Competition.

Nader and Simin, a Separation

The competition at the 61st Berlin Film Festival just came to an end so it’s right time to announce some winners!

For the first time in the history of the Berlinale, The Golden Bear went to Iran! Asghar Farhadi‘s drama Nader and Simin, a Separation (a look at contemporary Iranian society) took the top three awards including the Golden Bear for best pic and ensemble male and female casts for actor and actress Silver Bears.

Now, that’s what we call a warm reception!

On receiving his Golden Bear, Farhadi said that he had never thought that he would win and then took a moment to think of his country and his imprisoned colleague Jafar Panahi who had been prevented from coming to Berlin to serve on the International Jury.

Nader and Simin, a Separation follows the title’s couple when the husband,...

We haven't mentioned the Berlinale at all in the heat of Oscar week. So let's do that, shall we? Better late than never. The festival closes tomorrow but the awards were handed out over the past two days.

"Nader and Simin: A Separation" Golden Bear

Asghar Fahradi, who got a lot of Oscar buzz a couple years back (though no nomination) for About Elly, won this year's Golden Bear for Nader & Simin: A Separation (2011). The Hollywood Reporter explains the film like so.

Farhadi's drama traces the breakup of a Iranian family set against the political tensions in Tehran. While not overtly political, Nader and Simin is starkly critical of conditions in Iran, notably the country's huge class divide. It was widely tipped to win Berlin's top prize, not least because of the current upheaval in the Middle East.

Fahradi dedicated his prize to jailed filmmaker Jafar Panihi who was also...

The competition at the 61st Berlinale came to an end tonight with a glitzy star-studded ceremony in the Berlinale Palast. Jailed Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi was again honoured in his absence, whilst Diane Kruger was among the actors who were in attendance.

Here were the winners from the main competition section of the festival, as selected by a jury headed by Isabella Rossellini. You can find my reviews of each film by clicking on the title;

New Perspectives in Cinema: Andres Veiel – If Not Us, Who

Silver Bear for Best Script: Joshua Marston and Andamion Murataj – The Forgiveness of Blood

Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution: shared by Wojciech Staron (cinematographer) and Barbara Enriquez (production designer) – El Premio

Silver Bear for the Best Actress: Female Ensemble – Nader and Simin, A Separation

Silver Bear for Best Actor: Male Ensemble – Nader and Simin, A Separation

Silver Bear for Best Director: Ulrich Kohler,...

By A.J. Goldmann - February 14, 2011

Last Thursday the 61st Berlin International Film Festival kicked off with a star-studded red carpet gala for Joel and Ethan Coen’s “True Grit,” the stateside hit (and Best Picture Oscar nominee) that was celebrating its international premiere here. The Coen’s revenge epic about a fourteen-year-old girl out to bring her father’s murderer to justice seemed an appropriate opening shot for a festival which, in its opening weekend, has included a fair number of films about children and adolescents in peril.

The Berlinale, as it is known here, is by far the most down-to-earth of the three main European film festivals. Compared to Cannes and Venice, it is a decidedly unglamorous affair partly due to the time of year it occurs, the general gritty aesthetic of the Germany capital and the eclecticism (and often obscurity) of the offerings.

It is also the...

New Hollywood darling Hailee Steinfeld opened the Berlin Film Festival Thursday evening with her first film “True Grit,” which will show out of competition in Germany’s capital. The fresh-faced teenager may even win an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress come February 27, but it’s a seven-year-old Argentine named Paula Galinelli Hertzog who may bring home the Golden Bear—Berlin’s top award—for her debut drama “The Prize” (El Premio).

Opening on a long, single-take shot of a young girl attempting to roller skate on an overcast beach, competition entrant El Premio (The Prize) starts as it means to go on. It’s another piece of bleak, festival-friendly slow cinema with repetitive images and little dialogue or music. In the spirit of an international film festival, it’s a decidedly multi-national affair too, with the film preceded by so many different film funding logos that people began to laugh as each new one came up. In the end it’s listed as a Mexican/French/Polish and German co-production, although that seems like a dishonest description as it fails to mention that the film is set in Argentina and written and directed by Argentine Paula Markovitch.

It is a very specific Argentinian story in fact, based on the life of its author as a seven year old girl growing up in the 1970s.