The 28th TEDDY AWARD will be presented on 14 February 2014 at a gala ceremony in the Komische Oper Berlin. This year the Special TEDDY AWARD goes to two filmmakers whose works have had a remarkable impact on queer cinema.

Rosa Von Praunheim

Rosa Von Praunheim is particularly well known for his pioneering 1970/71 film Nicht der Homosexuelle ist pervers, sondern die Situation, in der er lebt [It is not the homosexual who is perverse, but the society in which he lives] that played a crucial role in launching the gay and lesbian political movement, especially in West Germany. In making this group production, he demonstrated at an early stage of his career film’s considerable potential for bringing about social change. He wins audiences over with the wide range of direct emotions and social commitment portrayed in his films. The realism that characterises his works is radically open, honest and eccentric, provocative in a positive sense and excites and sharpens the senses. His short film Mario Wirz will be shown in the Panorama section of the 2014 Berlinale. It records one of the final conversations with his good friend the Berlin poet Mario Wirz who died in 2013.

Elfi Mikesch

Elfi Mikesch is an author, photographer and filmmaker and, as one of the first camerawomen of her generation, a role model for a whole series of artists who followed. The oeuvre of this pioneer cannot be surpassed using conventional means. Elfi Mikesch is always looking for a challenge, exploring and transgressing boundaries. Her artistic method involves a dreamlike slowing of the gaze, fusing art and life in a fascinating symbiosis. Elfi Mikesch is no stranger to the Berlinale; her most recent appearance was in 2011 with her affectionate documentary on the life and work of Werner Schroeter: Mondo Lux - die Bilderwelten des Werner Schroeter. Her latest feature film Fever will receive its world premiere in the Panorama section of the 2014 Berlinale.

TEDDY AWARD
The TEDDY AWARD is presented during the Berlin International Film Festival in the categories: best feature film, best documentary, best short film and as a Special Jury Award and a Special TEDDY AWARD for lifetime achievement.
Past winners of the Special TEDDY AWARD include leading international film figures such as Tilda Swinton, Joe Dallesandro, Werner Schroeter, Ulrike Ottinger and John Hurt.

For more information on the TEDDY AWARD see www.teddyaward.tv

Tickets for the TEDDY AWARD Gala in the Komische Oper Berlin, February 14th, 2014 are available from now on in the Online Shop at www.teddyaward.tv. Ticket reservation is possible via e-mail at tickets@papagena.de or on the telephone via the Ticket Hotline 030 – 4799 7447 and at the Ticket Office of the Komische Oper Berlin. Without booking fee the tickets are available at Prinz Eisenherz Bookshop, Motzstraße 23, 10777 Berlin

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The TEDDY AWARD is a societal engaged political award, which is given to films and people, that communicate queer themes and content on a large scale and contribute with this to more tolerance, acceptance, solidarity and equality in society.

Within the scope of the International Film Festival the TEDDY will award the queer film Award's, in the categories the best feature, the best documentaries / essay film and the best short film, as well as the Special Teddy for artistic life's work given to an outstanding personality. Movies from all sections of the International Film Festival Berlin – most of them world premieres – compete every year for the TEDDY AWARD. The line-up of the present TEDDY AWARD winners goes from international star-directors such as: Pedro Almodóvar, Gus van Sant, Derek Jarman and Werner Schroeter to international on-screen stars such as Helmut Berger, Joe Dallesandra, John Hurt and Oscar-Winner Tilda Swinton.

The slogan of this year’s TEDDY AWARD is Celebrate Queer Icons! an acclamation of the lives and works of gay men, lesbians, bisexual men and women, transgender, closet queens and raging queers. From Valeska Gertto Divine, from James Dean to Barbara Stanwyck, from Sergej M. Eisensteinto Virginia Woolf, we wish to commemorate talented queers who have sought both to push back the frontiers of art through their enigmatic and dazzling works and also simply to live (or sometimes only to survive) as gay men, lesbians, bisexual men and women or as trans* in ‘normal’ society.

The TEDDY AWARD is a non-profit event. The TEDDY AWARD finances itself only by contributions of sustaining members and patrons of the Teddy e.V., by donation of supporters, the contribution of many voluntary helpers as well as sponsors and the earnings of the award gala.