movie ‘Roter Himmel’ directed by German Christian Petzold won the Silver Bear Grand Prix of the Berlinale Jury today.
The Silver Bear of the Jury was awarded to the Portuguese filmmaker Joao Canijo for Bad Life. The Silver Award for Best Director went to French director Philippe Garrel for Great Chariot.
Sofia Otero, the young performer behind Girl, earned the best review at Berlinale for her role in 20,000 species of bees, a film connected to Estibaliz Urresola Letchuza.
The ceremony offered heartfelt moments as the jury chair, American actress Kristen Stewart, presented the top honors.
The Spanish film Samsara, directed by Lois Patiño, received the Special Jury Prize in the Encounters section which showcases new cinematic sounds.
The producer acknowledged the entire team who contributed over the course of five years to the project and described Samsara as a celebration of cultural diversity between Laos and Zanzibar, inviting audiences to close their eyes for a short while to see more clearly when they open them again.
Eight-year-old Cocó, the heroine of 20,000 species of bees, struggles to meet the expectations of others and wrestles with her own identity as people insist on calling her Aitor, a name she does not recognize. The family dynamics become a lens on growth, memory, and the bonds that shape a young girl’s world.
Anna, Cocó’s mother, uses the holidays to visit her mother Lita and her aunt Lourdes, who live with Anna’s three children amid professional and emotional crises tied to bees and honey production. The unfolding family portrait blends intimate drama with ecological motifs, reflecting broader concerns about work, heritage, and care.
The official awards gala, attended by a diverse international jury led by Kristen Stewart, highlighted a festival scene that values bold storytelling and distinctive voices.
In the Encounters program, Samsara stood out for its fusion of Laos and Zanzibar cultural textures and the way the film invites audiences to experience a meditative, immersive moment that lingers after the screen goes dark. The project’s producer thanked the team for their perseverance and described the film as a homage to global cultural exchange and visual experimentation, inviting viewers to suspend ordinary awareness for a fifteen minute journey that deepens perception upon return. Source Berlinale.