On February 22, the award ceremony for the winners of the Berlin International Film Festival, known as the "Berlinale", took place in the capital of Germany. One of the most prestigious film festivals in the world celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2025 under the leadership of its new director, Trisha Tuttle.

The jury of the main competition, chaired by director Todd Haynes, presented the main award of the film festival - the "Golden Bear" to the film "Dreams" by Dag Johan Haugerud, which completes the trilogy of the Norwegian director about the anatomy of love, the portal proficinema.com. reports.

The second most important award - the Grand Prix of the jury was received by Brazilian director Gabriel Mascara. His film, The Blue Trail, tells the story of a rebellious old woman, Teresa, who refuses to live out her days in a cushy retirement colony and instead escapes on a dangerous journey through the rivers of the Amazon.

The Silver Bear went to French director and screenwriter Lucile Hadzihalilovic, who presented at the Berlinale the film La Tour de Glace (The Ice Tower), a joint production of France and Germany. The Silver Bear for Best Screenplay was awarded to Radu Jude for the tragicomedy Kontinental '25. The Silver Bear for Best Supporting Actor was awarded to Andrew Scott, who played in Richard Linklater's Blue Moon. This classic drama was one of the audience favorites of the festival.

The Silver Bear for Best Leading Actress was awarded to Rose Byrne, an Australian actress who played the lead role in If I Had Legs, I'd Kick You. This is both a horror film and a black comedy that tells the story of the crazy everyday life of the mother of a sick girl. The Best Director statuette went to Chinese director Ho Meng for Living the Land, a family saga spanning four generations of former Chinese peasants who face the modernization of their lives and the shift in their centuries-old codes of honor and duty. The Jury Prize went to El mensaje, a black-and-white fantasy drama by Argentine director Ivan Funda about a girl gifted with the ability to communicate with animals.

The Berlin Film Festival's Forum program featured the film Cadet by Adilkhan Yerzhanov, one of the leaders of Kazakh cinema. Last year, this film was also shown at the Tokyo Film Festival. The film tells the story of a single mother, Alina, who gets a place at a cadet school and decides to enroll her son Serik in one of the classes. The boy immediately becomes a victim of bullying because of his appearance and gentle nature. The 75th Berlin Film Festival demonstrated the diversity and depth of contemporary cinema, confirming its reputation as a venue for bold and innovative works. Under the direction of Trisha Tuttle, the festival continues to combine artistic achievements with relevant social and political themes, reflecting the complexity and diversity of our time.

ORIENT