Spanish-language cinema is making a big splash at the Berlinale

The 61st edition of the Berlinale, which closed this weekend, recognized Spanish-language cinema by awarding a Silver Bear to 'El Premio', by the Argentinean living in Mexico, Paula Markovitch. ‘Ausentes’ by Marco Berger and ‘Also la Lluvia’, by Icíar Bollaín, have also received awards at the prestigious Berlin festival.

The 61st edition of the Berlinale, which closed this weekend, recognized Spanish-language cinema by awarding a Silver Bear to The Prize, by the Argentinean living in Mexico Paula Markovitch. Absent by Marco Berger and Also the Rain, by Icíar Bollaín, have also received an award at the prestigious Berlin festival.

In addition to the films by Markovitch, Berger and Bollaín, this year also present at the Berlinale was A mysterious world, by the Argentine Rodrigo Moreno, who five years ago won the Alfred Bauer award for the most creative works for his debut The Custodian.

El Premio, the autobiographical film in which Markovitch addresses his childhood memories during the last Argentine military dictatorship (1976-83), has been very well received by both the jury chaired by Isabella Rossellini and critics. This Silver Bear, shared with the Polish Wojciech Staron (artistic direction) and the Mexican Bárbara Enríquez (production design), puts an end to the void that Spanish-language cinema left at the last Berlin International Film Festival.

Brazilian José Padilha, who won the Golden Bear in 2008 for Elite Troop The second part of the highest-grossing film in Brazilian cinema was screened in Berlin.

After And also the rain The second feature film most voted by the public in the Panorama section was Party walls, by the Argentine Gustavo Taretto, with the Spanish Pilar López de Ayala as the protagonist.

Two years ago, the contest elevated young Latin American cinema to the top by awarding the Golden Bear to the Peruvian film The scared tit, by Claudia Llosa, and a triple Silver Bear (Grand Jury Prize, the award for best First Feature and the Alfred Bauer Prize) to the Uruguayan Gigante, by the Argentine Adrián Biniez.

In documentary, highlight the out-of-competition presence of the latest work by the Spanish Isabel Coixet, Listening to Judge Garzón.

Latin American cinema has won the Teddy Award in the latest edition of the Berlinale, which values ​​the homosexual theme of the films presented. The Argentine film Absent, by Marco Berger, deserved the award.

Finally, note the presence in Berlin of the short film The Shower, by the Chilean Maria José (Pepa) San Martín, who won the prize awarded by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD) with her first work as a director.

Golden Bear for the Iranian drama 'Jodaeiye Nader az Simin'

The Iranian drama Jodaeiye Nader az Simin (The separation of Nader and Simin), by director Asghar Farhadi, won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival, which concluded this Sunday.

The film, which describes the legal battle of two families for the custody of an elderly man, also received the awards for the best male and female performances, which the jury, headed by the Italian actress Isabella Rossellini, decided to award to all the actors.

Farhadi le rindió homenaje a su compatriota y colega Jafar Panahi, quien no pudo participar en el jurado del festival alemán porque recientemente fue condenado a seis años de prisión, acusado de conspirar y hacer propaganda contra el estado iraní, aparentemente por filmar una manifestación antigubernamental con el fin de incluir las imágenes en una película.