Winners of the 72nd Berlin Film Festival announced

The winners of the 72nd Berlin Film Festival in 2022 were announced. “Alcarràs” directed by Spanish female director Carla Simón topped the Golden Bear Award for Best Film. The three major European film festivals have awarded the highest award to female directors within a year.

“The Novelist’s Film” directed by Sang-soo Hong won the Grand Jury Prize, which is the third consecutive year that Sang-soo Hong’s work has won the award in the main competition section of the Berlin Film Festival. Previously, Sang-soo Hong “The Woman Who Ran” won the 70th Best Director and “Introduction” won the 71st Best Screenplay.

Grand Jury Prize: Sang-soo Hong “The Novelist’s Film”

Claire Denis won the Silver Bear for Best Director for “Avec amour et acharnement”, Meltem Kaptan for Best Lead for “Rabiye Kurnaz gegen George W. Bush” and Laura Basuki for Best Supporting Actor for “Before, Now & Then”. “Mutzenbacher” directed by Ruth Beckermann won Best Picture in the Adventures category. The only Chinese-language film “Return to Dust” directed by Ruijun Li that was shortlisted in the main competition unit was unfortunately not selected.

Best Director: Claire Denis “Avec amour et acharnement”

Full list of winners:

main competition unit
Best Picture: “Alcarràs” Carla Simón
Jury Prize: “The Novelist’s Film” Sang-soo Hong
Jury Prize: “Robe of Gems” Natalia López Gallardo
Best Director: Claire Denis “Avec amour et acharnement”
Best Leading Actor: Meltem Kaptan “Rabiye Kurnaz gegen George W. Bush”
Best Supporting Actor: Laura Basuki “Before, Now & Then”
Best Screenplay: Laila Stieler “Rabiye Kurnaz gegen George W. Bush”
Outstanding Artistic Contribution: Rithy Panh “Everything Will Be OK”
Special Mention: “Drii Winter” Michael Koch

Adventure Unit
Best Picture: “Mutzenbacher” Ruth Beckermann
Special Jury Prize: “À vendredi Robinson” Mitra Farahani
Best Director: “Unrueh” Cyril Schäublin

Best Debut: “Sonne” Kurdwin Ayub

Best Documentary: “Myanmar Diaries” Burma Film Community

Documentary Special Mention: “No U-Turn”

Honorary Golden Bear for Lifetime Achievement: Isabelle Huppert

International Film Critics Fabisi Award
Main Competition: “Leonora Addio” Paolo Taviani
Adventure Unit: “Coma” Bertrand Bonello
Panorama Unit: “Bettina” Lutz Pehnert
Forum Unit: “Super Natural‎” Jorge Jácome

short film competition
Short Film Golden Bear: “Trap” Anastasia Veber
Short Film Jury Silver Bear: “Sunday Morning” Bruno Ribeiro
Short Film Special Mention Award: “Bird in the Peninsula” Atsushi Wada

New Generation Youth Unit
Crystal Bear Award: “Alis” Clare Weiskopf/Nicolas van Hemelryck
Special Mention: “Stay Awake” Jamie Sisley
Jury Prize: “Kind Hearts” Olivia Rochette / “Skhema” Farkhat Sharipov
Crystal Bear Best Short Film: “Born in Damascus” Laura Wadha
Special mention to the short film: “Nothing to See Here” Nicolas Bouchez
Best Short Film by the Jury: “Au revoir Jérôme!” Adam Sillard/Gabrielle Selnet/Chloé Farr
Special mention by the jury for the short film: “Blaues Rauschen” Simon Maria Kubiena / “Tinashe” Tig Terera

New Generation Children Unit
Crystal Bear Award: “Comedy Queen” Sanna Lenken
Special mention: “The Quiet Girl” Colm Bairéad
Jury Prize: “The Quiet Girl” Colm Bairéad
Special mention by the jury: “Shabu” Shamira Raphaëla
Crystal Bear for Best Short Film: “Vlekkeloos” Emma Branderhorst
Special Mention Short Film: “Luce and the Rock” Britt Raes
Best Short Film by the Jury: “Gavazn” Hadi Babaeifar
Special mention by the jury for the short film: “Vancouver” Artemis Anastasiadou