ALPHABET OF EMPATHY

      Berlinale 2025 – thoughts and awards

We adore Berlinale because, we believe, it is the most sensitive and sympathetic festival in the world—sensitive and sympathetic to new directorial ideas, to heartbreaking human problems that are neither new nor old—unfortunately, they are constantly renewing—to victims of political conflicts, to confused and lost people from all continents. This year’s program, in its smallest details as well as major cinematic events, is remarkably responsive. Yes, the festival has become an Alphabet of Empathy, an Alphabet of Compassion. Consider first of all the documentaries: we do feel the despair of numerous conflicts, as Berlinale relentlessly scans the world’s most painful points.

The main competition is truly peculiar.

      “Blue Moon” by Richard Linklater is a historical account of Broadway librettist Lorenz Hart. He chatters, chatters, chatters, mixing thoughts and sketches with alcohol—in a theater bar at the 1943 premiere of the musical “Oklahoma!”. The structure is theatrical—and it has its own ponderous charm: theater is a labor-intensive business, only occasionally Mozartian. Ethan Hawke plays the lead role—and traditionally follows Linklater’s chameleon-like dramaturgy—his signature playwriting.

Iconic Korean Sang-soo Hong also dabbles in theatrics in “What Does That Nature Say to You”    

his vaudeville is typically subtle and organic: a girl brings a guy to her parents’ house for the first time, he gets drunk, says too much, and falls face-first into salad. Every year, Sang-soo Hong brings a new film to Berlin with a tiny budget and roughly the same cast. And he takes home another award. Donghwa, a poet in his thirties, drops off Junhee, his girlfriend of three years, at her house and marvels at how large it is. He intends to look around the front yard and then leave, but by chance he runs into Junhee’s father, and ends up spending the entire day with Junhee's family. From this simple meet the parents premise Hong Sangsoo crafts a deft and moving exploration of sincerity, familial bonds and the value of a life dedicated to art.

       Norwegian director Dag Johan Haugerud, a regular at Berlinale, brought “Dreams” to Berlin and won the top prize. The director alludes to Krzysztof Kieślowski  trilogy “Three colors”, the greatness of which is incomparable. We hope the director strives to reach his own heights, not those of others. “The Dreams” an emotional film about the dreams of a schoolgirl infatuated with her teacher, was quite inspiring.

      “Kontinenet ‘25” by Romanian director Radu Jude became the competition’s most significant film.

      It offers a sarcastic commentary on the modern world’s guilty conscience and double standards. The film’s heroine, a bailiff, evicts a homeless man from his basement, and he commits suicide. What follows is her struggle with guilt. And no one can help her here—neither funny guys nor neurotics. The director masterfully combines situational comedy, absurdity, moral angst, and existential frustration. Can one ease one’s conscience by subscribing to Vodafone’s program for monthly microfinancing donations to the planet’s "hot spots"?

      “Kontinental ’25 ” paraphrases the title of Roberto Rosselini classic film, “Europa 51” and alludes to many famous works of world cinema.

      The closing ceremony of the Berlinale International Film Festival was held at 18:00 on February 22, 2025, at the Berlinale Palast in the city of Berlin, Germany, and the winners of various competition, including; the Main Competition, Perspectives (GWFF Best First Feature Award), the Berlinale Documentary Award as well as the Berlinale Shorts prizes were introduced and the prestigious Golden Bear award for the best film and other awards of this film event were awarded to the winners.

The Prizes of the International Jury

The members of the 2025 International Jury, The members of the jury of the Main Competition of this prestigious and first-class world cinema event are: The US-American director, screenwriter and producer Todd Haynes, President of the Jury, Director Nabil Ayouch (Morocco/France), actor Fan Bingbing (China), costume designer Bina Daigeler (Germany), director Rodrigo Moreno (Argentina), film critic and author Amy Nicholson (U.S.) and director, actor and screenwriter Maria Schrader (Germany), award the following prizes:

Golden Bear for Best Film (awarded to the film’s producers)

Golden Bear for Best Film, to: “Dreams” directed by Dag Johan Haugerud.

Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize

Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize, to: “The Blue Trail” directed by Gabriel Mascaro (Brazil, Mexico, Chile, Netherlands)

 Silver Bear Jury Prize

Silver Bear Jury Prize, to: “The Message” directed by Iván Fund (Argentina, Spain, Uruguay)

Silver Bear for Best Director

Silver Bear for Best Director to: Huo Meng for the film “Living the Land” (China)

Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance

Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance, to: Rose Byrne in: “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You” by Mary Bronstein (USA)

Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance

Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance, to: Andrew Scott in: “Blue Moon” by Richard Linklater (USA, Ireland)

Silver Bear for Best Screenplay

Silver Bear for Best Screenplay, to: Radu Jude for the film “Kontinental ’25” directed by Radu Jude (Romania, Hungaria, German)

Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution

Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution for the creative ensemble of: “The Ice Tower” directed by Lucile Hadžihalilović (France, Germany).

Presided by Tricia Tuttle, the 75th Berlinale International Film Festival was held, consisting of Competition sections such as Main Competition, Perspectives Competition, Generations Competition, Panorama, Forum, Shorts, Documentary, and the non-competition category including Special Screening, and Classic Cinema Screening.