People who struggle with life. This is one of the major focuses of this Berlinale. For example in Matthias Glasner's drama "Dying" with Corinna Harfouch and Lars Eidinger. The film about a broken family is in the running for the Golden Bear at the film festival alongside 19 other competition entries. This Saturday (February 24), the jury will announce which films and performances will be honored.
Jury President Lupita Nyong'o and her colleagues have spent almost forty hours over the past few days watching films competing for the Golden Bear. Many of the films are also politically charged. They point beyond individual fates and thus reflect social problems.
These actors have a chance of winning a Silver Bear
In addition to the Golden Bear, other awards are also presented - for example to the actors. The Berlinale no longer differentiates between genders for acting prizes, but awards one Silver Bear for the best performance in a leading role and one for the best performance in a supporting role. Harfouch has a good chance of winning this award in her role as a cold-hearted mother in "Dying", but faces strong competition. For example from Liv Lisa Fries, title actress in Andreas Dresen's drama "In Liebe, Eure Hilde". Fries portrays Hilde Coppi (1909-1943), a resistance fighter during the Nazi era.
Lily Farhadpour is also in high demand. In the Iranian tragicomedy "Keyke mahboobe man" ("My Favorite Cake"), she plays a senior citizen who rediscovers her love life in Tehran. Nina Mélo in the melancholy love story "Black Tea", Rooney Mara in the social study "La Cocina" and Salha Nasraoui in the drama "Mé el Aïn" ("Who Do I Belong To") also deserved it. Raúl Briones Carmona in "La Cocina" and Oscar favorite Cillian Murphy in the Berlinale opening film "Small Things Like These" also have good prospects. This year, however, the many strong performances by actresses are particularly striking.
Documentary and drama compete for the Golden Bear
Shortly before the finale of the film festival, speculation about the favorite for the Golden Bear was shaken up once again - with the late premiere of "Mé el Aïn". The drama by director Meryam Joobeur tells the story of the life of a Tunisian farming family in the shadow of war and terrorism in a powerful, artistically exaggerated visual language. The humanly gripping epic should have a good chance with the jury due to its creative and political strength.
The chances are also good for the documentary "Dahomey" about the return of art treasures looted from Africa. French director Mati Diop intervenes in current social discussions and captivates with poetic passages - for example, one of the statues speaks to the audience off-screen several times.
"Keyke mahboobe man" ("My Favourite Cake") by Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha could also be of interest to the jurors. On the surface, it appears to be a film that primarily reflects on love and self-determination in old age. However, the story of the widow is both impressive and touching as a picture of a society in which women are constantly oppressed. The Iranian director duo were prevented from leaving the country for Berlin by the Iranian authorities. "Keyke mahboobe man" is a critics' favorite. The Austrian entry "Des Teufels Bad", a morbid psychogram by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala with Anja Plaschg in the leading role, also scored well with the critics.
German director with a chance of winning
Dresen's "In Liebe, Eure Hilde" is a possible candidate for the Grand Jury Prize. However, it is also conceivable that the jury will succumb to the bizarre chamber play "Yeohaengjaui pilyo" ("A Traveler's Needs") by South Korean director Hong Sang-soo. French star actress Isabelle Huppert plays a woman who tries to keep her head above water as a French teacher in South Korea.
Claire Burger could win the directing prize with her coming-of-age story "Langue Étrangère" about a German-French student exchange. But as always, what one person likes, another rejects. And: juries like to spring surprises.
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