This year’s Golden Bear goes to Nadav Lapid’s Synonyms.
The French-German-Israeli co-production helmed by Israeli director Lapis has taken home the highest honors at this year’s Berlinale. A festival favorite, the film who stars first-timer actor Tom Mercier, is about a former IDF soldier trying to reinvent himself in Paris.
According to Variety, when accepting the award Lapid said that the provocative film would likely be considered scandalous in Israel and France as it skewers stereotypes from both nations, but for him its “a big celebration of cinema.”
The Silver Bear went to François Ozon’s French drama By the Grace of God. The film delves into a story of abuse in the Catholic Church inspired by a real-life case.
The festival’s jury also awarded German filmmaker Angela Schanelec won best director for her drama I Was at Home, But and the Silver Bear Alfred Bauer Prize to Nora Fingscheidt’s System Crasher.
The six-person international jury was headed by Juliette Binoche.
The 69th Berlin International Film Festival unspooled circa 400 films.
Check out the full list of winners below.
Golden Bear for Best Film: Synonyms, Nadav Lapid
Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize: By the Grace of God, François Ozon
Silver Bear for Best Director: Angela Schanelec, I Was at Home, But
Silver Bear Alfred Bauer Prize: Nora Fingscheidt’s System Crasher
Silver Bear for Best Actress: Yong Mei, So Long, My Son
Silver Bear for Best Actor: Wang Jingchun, So Long, My Son
Silver Bear for Best Screenplay: Piranhas, Maurizio Braucci, Claudio Giovannesi and Roberto Saviano
Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution, Costume or Set Design: Out Stealing Horses, Rasmus Videbæk
Berlinale Glashütte Original – Documentary Prize: Talking About Trees, Suhaib Gasmelbari
Best First Feature: Oray, Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay
Golden Bear for Best Short Film: Umbra, Florian Fischer and Johannes Krell
Silver Bear for Short Film Jury Prize: Blue Boy, Manuel Abramovich
Audi Short Film Award: Rise, Bárbara Wagner and Benjamin de Burca
