On the evening of February 25 local time, the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival came to an end. In the most concerned main competition unit, the French documentary "Journey of Perseverance", which was not expected by the outside world before, won the highest honor Golden Bear Award. Also surprising to the outside world is that this year's Best Leading Role winner, Sofía Otero, is only 9 years old.

The French documentary "The Journey of Perseverance" won the Golden Bear, the highest honor. The pictures in this article are from the official website of Berlin Film Festival

Journey to Perseverance, directed by Nicolas Philibert, focuses on a Parisian daycare for the mentally handicapped. The 72-year-old Philibert is a well-known French documentary director. He often focuses his lens on the daily life of ordinary people. Well received. However, in Filibert's recording career of about forty years, this is the first time that his work has been shortlisted for the main competition unit of the three major European film festivals. In addition, "Journey of Perseverance" did not receive much media attention after its premiere in Berlin, so it has the color of a dark horse. This is the fourth time in the history of the Berlin Film Festival that a documentary has won the best film award.

The crew of "Journey of Perseverance" came to the stage to receive the Golden Bear Award

"Red Sky", which was favored by the participating media before, finally won the Silver Bear Jury Award. The film was produced by German director Christian Petzold, and it is the second part of his "Elemental Elf Trilogy" shooting plan. The previous one is "Undine" in 2020. The film tells the story of a group of friends on vacation. The writer Leon struggles with a creative crisis and becomes extremely sensitive, which is incompatible with the happy and leisurely atmosphere. The lead actor Thomas Schubert's performance in the film was also well received and was originally considered a strong contender for the Best Actor Award. However, in the end, the award went to the young actress Sofia Otero in "Twenty Thousand Kinds of Bees."

"Twenty Thousand Kinds of Bees" is directed by Spanish director Estibaliz Uresola Solagren, and explores family relationships and gender identity from the perspective of a child. Sofia Otero was only 8 years old when she starred in the film, and now she is 9 years old, which is enough to break the record for the youngest winner of the Berlin Film Festival in the performance category.

Sofia Otero was only 8 years old when she starred in "Twenty Thousand Kinds of Bees", and now she is 9 years old, which is enough to break the record for the youngest winner of the Berlin Film Festival in the performance category.

Portuguese director João Canni won the equivalent of third place Jury Prize for "Barely Living". French director Philippe Garrel won the Silver Bear for best director for The Big Dipper, about a family of puppeteers. German director Angela Shanalek won the best screenplay award for "Music". The Distinguished Artistic Contribution Award went to the cinematographer of The Disco Boys, Helena Loiret. Austrian transgender actress Thea Ehre won Best Supporting Actor for "Until Night Ends." This year marks the third year that the Berlin Film Festival's acting awards have been de-categorized by gender, and child and transgender actors seem to have a special meaning.

This year's Berlin Film Festival is also the group "going overseas" with the largest number of Chinese films since the epidemic, with works shortlisted in each unit. Although in the end only the short film "Xiaohui and His Cow" by the young Chinese director Lao Xinying won the Special Mention Award from the Jury of the New Generation Children's Unit, it has stepped onto the international stage, let the outside world see Chinese films, and actively communicated with filmmakers from all over the world. Communication, these are worthy of recognition in themselves.

【List of Winners of the Main Competition Unit】

Best Film: "Fortitude" by Nicolas Philibert

Jury Prize: "Red Sky" Christian Petzold

Best Director: Philippe Garrel, The Big Dipper

Jury Prize: "Just Getting By" João Conny

Best Leading Role: Sofia Otero, "Twenty Thousand Kinds of Bees"

Best Supporting Actor: Thea El, "Until Night Ends"

Best Screenplay: Angela Shanalek, "Music"

Outstanding Artistic Contribution Award: "Disco Boy" Photography Helena Loiret