The 62nd annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 9 to 19 February 2012. British film director Mike Leigh was the president of the jury. The first five films to be screened in the competition were announced on 19 December 2011. American actress Meryl Streep was presented with the Honorary Golden Bear on 14 February. Benoît Jacquot's film Farewell, My Queen was announced as the opening film.
The Golden Bear went to the Italian film Caesar Must Die, directed by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, which also served as closing night film.
Juries The following people were announced as being on the jury for the festival:
Main Competition Mike Leigh, British filmmaker - Jury President Anton Corbijn, Dutch photographer and director Asghar Farhadi, Iranian filmmaker and producer Charlotte Gainsbourg, French actress Jake Gyllenhaal, American actor François Ozon, French filmmaker Boualem Sansal, Algerian writer Barbara Sukowa, German actress
Best First Feature Award Matthew Modine, American actor Hania Mroué, Lebanese producer and distributor Moritz Rinke, German journalist and writer
Short Film Competition Sandra Hüller, German actress Emily Jacir, Palestine artist and producer David O'Reilly, Irish director, screenwriter and producer
Official Sections
In competition The following films were in competition for the Golden Bear and Silver Bear awards: English title Original title Director(s) Production CountryTodayAujourd'hui Alain GomisFrance, SenegalBarbaraChristian PetzoldGermanyCaesar Must DieCesare deve morirePaolo Taviani, Vittorio TavianiItalyCaptiveBrillante MendozaPhilippines, France, Germany, United KingdomChildish GamesDictadoAntonio Chavarrías SpainComing HomeÀ moi seuleFrédéric VideauFranceFarewell, My QueenLes adieux à la reineBenoît Jacquot France, SpainHome for the WeekendWas bleibtHans-Christian SchmidGermanyJayne Mansfield's CarBilly Bob ThorntonRussia, United StatesJust the WindCsak a szélBenedek FliegaufHungary, Germany, FranceMercyGnadeMatthias GlasnerGermany, NorwayMeteoraMetéoraSpiros StathoulopoulosGermany, GreecePostcards from the ZooKebun binatangEdwin Indonesia, GermanyA Royal AffairEn kongelig affæreNikolaj ArcelDenmark, Czech Republic, Germany, SwedenSisterL'enfant d'en hautUrsula MeierSwitzerland, FranceTabuMiguel GomesPortugal, Germany, Brazil, FranceWar WitchRebelleKim NguyenCanadaWhite Deer Plain白鹿原Wang Quan'anChina
Out of competition English title Original title Director(s) CountryBel AmiDeclan Donnellan, Nick Ormerod United KingdomExtremely Loud and Incredibly CloseStephen Daldry United StatesThe Flowers of War金陵十三钗Zhang Yimou ChinaFlying Swords of Dragon GateTsui Hark Hong Kong, ChinaShadow DancerJames Marsh United Kingdom, IrelandYoung AdultJason Reitman United States
Panorama English title Original title Director(s) Country10+10Hou Hsiao-hsien, Wang Toon, Wu Nien-jen, Sylvia Chang, Chen Kuo-fu, Wei Te-sheng, Chung Meng-hung, Chang Tso-chi, Arvin Chen, Yang Ya-cheTaiwanCalm at SeaLa mer à l'aubeVolker SchlöndorffFrance, GermanyDeath for SaleFaouzi BensaïdiFranceDollhouseKirsten SheridanIrelandEllesMałgorzata SzumowskaFrance, Poland, GermanyFrom Seoul to Varanasi불륜의 시대Jeon Kyu-hwanSouth KoreaHeadshotฝนตกขึ้นฟ้าPen-Ek RatanaruangThailand, FranceIndignadosTony GatlifFranceIron SkyTimo VuorensolaFinland, Germany, AustraliaKeep the Lights OnIra SachsUnited StatesKumaUmut DagAustriaLeave It on the FloorSheldon LarryUnited States, CanadaL'âge atomiqueHéléna KlotzFranceLost in ParadiseHotboy nổi loạn và câu chuyện về thằng Cười, cô gái điếm và con vịtVũ Ngọc ĐãngViet NamLoveDoze NiuTaiwanMommy Is ComingCheryl DunyeGermanyMy Brother the DevilSally El HosainiUnited KingdomMy WayMai-weiKang Je-gyuSouth KoreaThe ParadeParadaSrđan DragojevićSerbia, Croatia, Macedonia, SloveniaThe WallDie WandJulian Roman PölslerAustria, GermanyWilayaPedro Pérez RosadoSpainThe Woman Who Brushed Off Her TearsTeona Strugar MitevskaMacedonia, Germany, Slovenia, BelgiumXinguCao HamburgerBrazil
Official Awards
Main Competition
The following prizes were awarded by the International Jury: The Hollywood Reporter described the outcome as "a major upset". Der Spiegel said it was a "very conservative selection." Der Tagesspiegel criticised the outcome, "The jury shunned almost all the contemporary films that were admired or hotly debated at an otherwise pretty remarkable festival." Paolo Taviani said "We hope that when the film is released to the general public that cinemagoers will say to themselves or even those around them... that even a prisoner with a dreadful sentence, even a life sentence, is and remains a human being". Vittorio Taviani read out the names of the cast.
Golden Bear: Caesar Must Die by Paolo and Vittorio Taviani Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize: Just the Wind by Benedek Fliegauf Silver Bear for Best Director: Christian Petzold for Barbara Silver Bear for Best Actress: Rachel Mwanza for War Witch Silver Bear for Best Actor: Mikkel Boe Følsgaard for A Royal Affair Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution: Lutz Reitemeier for White Deer Plain (cinematography) Silver Bear for Best Screenplay: Nikolaj Arcel and Rasmus Heisterberg for A Royal Affair Alfred Bauer Prize: Tabu by Miguel Gomes Special Award – Silver Bear: Sister by Ursula Meier
Honorary Golden Bear Meryl Streep
Crystal Bears Generation Kplus (Feature Length Film): Arcadia by Olivia Silver Generation 14plus (Feature Length Film): Night of Silence by Reis Çelik
FIPRESCI Prizes Competition: Tabu by Miguel Gomes Panorama: Atomic Age by Héléna Klotz Forum: Hemel by Sacha Polak
Golden Bear for Best Short Film
Rafa by João Salaviza
References
External links
Yearbook 2012 at berlinale.de 62nd Berlin International Film Festival 2012