Jornal da Mostra
ASIAN AND ARGENTINIAN CINEMATOGRAPHIES GO ON BEING ACCLAIMED AT THE BERLINALE AWARD CEREMONY
21/02/2007
Nothing is more ordinary in the history of the Berlinale (popular name of the Berlin Festival). The jury of the 57th edition acclaimed as the best movie in its selection an Asian film Tu ya de hun shi?Tuya´s Marriage, by the Mongolian Wang Quanan. The Argentinian movie El Otro, was awarded twice, one best actor award for Julio Chavez and the other The Jury Grand Prix. That means that they still endorse the movies that are minimalist, full of mannerisms where the gestures and the silence are worth more than a thousand words. The products Made in China, go on achieving its share of the independ film industry, despite the totalitarian authorities of the country who report that they continue censoring their own authors and thinkers.
Nevertheless the verbose movie by Robert De Niro The Good Sheperd was also awarded: An award for its artistic contribuition by its cast full of stars (Matt Dammon, Angelina Jolie, Alec Baldwin, besides Robert De Niro himself).The award stresses the festival recognition towards the independent movie industry, but rolls out the red carpet for the annual spread of the best of Hollywood. The tribute would have a veiled intention,for De Niro shot a corageous movie about the origin of the CIA and the disastrous misdemeanors of a blind patriotism.
The Scottish David Mackenzie (Young Adam) was awarded for his genuinely brilliant soundtrack for Hallam Foe, which brings in the leading role, the already mature and competent Jamie Bell (from Billie Elliot). Curiously a movie is highlighted by its pop soundtrack.
As best director, the Israeli Joseph Cedar was awarded for Beaufort, with an episode on the defeat and withdraw of Israel from a mount conquered in the Lebanese territory. The movie portrays the stupidity of war and the relativity of a conquest. The Israeli movie industry follows the Argentinian minimalist model, although a lot is said and almost anything moves about. Another interesting exercise in style, showing that the Amos Gitaï school has its good followers.
The strong and beautiful German actress Nina Hoss, who is more of a theater actress than a movie one, was awarded as best actress for the weird and striking moving Yella, by Christian Petzold, a phantasmagorical nightmare which reminds us of the David Lynch escapism, but suggests in its tense action all the nomenclature of a new unified Germany which opens up for the corporate corruption. Everyone, including Nina Hoss, was taken aback by the announcement,for Marion Cotillard metamorphosed into Edith Piaf was supposed to be awarded for her performance in La Vie en Rose.
Coherent with its choices, the Berlim Festival jury ended up honoring the innovative cinematographic achievement by the Korean Park Chan-wook, well-known for the disturbing violence of his movies, awarding him with the Alfred Bauer Prize (name of the founder of the festival) for Sai bo gu ji man gwen chan a/I´m a Cyborg but that´s ok. The entire movie takes place in a mental institution where a young anorexic girl only thinks about feeding herself with eletric shocks, stemming from either rays or batteries.
Evidently the Berlim Festival has had much more than that. All through the year other titles will be highlighted and will be released in our movie theaters. The movie season has just started. As time goes by, lots will be talked about including injustices. Therefore everyone counts on the public acclaim. The movie goers have the last word.
More information at www.berlinale.de
ABMIC - Associação Brasileira Mostra Internacional de Cinema © 2025 | Mostra de Cinema, Cultura e Eventos Ltda.