Between February 15th and 25th, the 74th edition of the Berlin International Film Festival, abbreviated as Berlinale, took place in Germany, one of the most important film festivals in the world. Simultaneously, the Berlinale serves as one of the primary showcases for emerging filmmakers, hosting the largest audiovisual market in the world: the European Film Market (EFM).
The Golden Bear for Best Film was awarded to Dahomey, a co-production between France, Benin, and Senegal, directed by the Franco-Senegalese filmmaker Mati Diop. This docufiction explores the stories of African artworks looted by French colonizers.
Dahomey (Mati Diop) - REUTERS / LIESA JOHANNSSEN
As every year, the Berlinale attracted the elite of the film industry, as well as the largest audience of any film festival in the world. Approximately 300,000 tickets are sold to the public each year. Over 20,000 professionals and film critics, along with numerous film enthusiasts from more than 120 countries, are accredited and visit the Berlin International Film Festival every year, which is never devoid of the current political upheavals. In this case, controversies revolved around the conflict between Israel and Palestine, the war in Ukraine, and the rise of the far-right both in Germany and elsewhere in the world.
In this edition, the opening film was Small Things Like These by Belgian director Tim Mielants (known for directing the series Peaky Blinders). The film deals with the Irish Magdalene "laundries": ecclesiastical institutions where thousands of women in Ireland were forced to perform hard physical labor without pay from the 19th century until 1996 when the last of these homes closed.
Small Things Like These, directed by Tim Mielants
The 2024 program included about 400 films in different sections and genres. As is tradition, the Berlin Film Festival hosts several subcategories, each of which is a small festival in itself.
The Competition was the centerpiece of the Festival, featuring outstanding international films that will be talked about throughout the year. Panorama showcased aesthetically and structurally daring works from independent and innovative filmmakers.
The Generation section featured films aimed at a younger audience, while Forum delved into cinema as a medium and its experimental forms. Meanwhile, the Berlinale Shorts presented a diverse exploration of cinematic possibilities in the short film genre.
Jury, figures, and awards
The jury of the 2024 Berlinale was chaired by Mexican-Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong'o (Black Panther, Little Monsters, 12 Years a Slave). Every year, the jury awards a total of eight prizes, including the Golden Bear for Best Film and the Silver Bear for Best Actor.
This year, director Martin Scorsese was honored with the honorary Golden Bear for his career. "For anyone who sees cinema as the art of crafting a story in a way that is both personal and universal, Martin Scorsese is an unparalleled role model," said Berlinale directors Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian. "His vision of history and humanity has helped us understand and question who we are and where we come from."
Martin Scorsese was born in New York in 1942 and is considered one of the most recognized directors in the world. His latest thriller, Killers of the Flower Moon, starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro, has been nominated for seven Golden Globes. Among his works are also films like Taxi Driver, Shutter Island, and Gangs of New York.
Winners of the Official Competition
A total of 20 films competed for the Golden and Silver Bears in this edition. The winners were as follows:
Golden Bear for Best Film: "Dahomey" by Mati Diop (France/Senegal/Benin)
Grand Jury Prize Silver Bear: "A Traveler's Needs" by Hong Sangsoo (South Korea)
Jury Prize Silver Bear: "The Empire" by Bruno Dumont (France/Italy/Germany/Belgium/Portugal)
Silver Bear for Best Director: Nelson Carlo De Los Santos Arias for "Pepe" (Dominican Republic, Namibia, Germany, France)
Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance: Sebastian Stan for "A Different Man" (USA)
Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance: Emily Watson for "Small Things Like These" (Ireland/Belgium)
Silver Bear for Best Screenplay: Matthias Glasner for "Sterben" (Germany)
Silver Bear for Artistic Contribution: Martin Gschlacht for "The Devil's Bath" (Austria/Germany)
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