Romanian director Adina Pintilie took the Golden Bear in the 68. Berlinale Film Festival for ‘Touch Me Not”.

"Touch Me Not" is about the fear of intimacy and achieving sexual liberation. The film was the unexpected winner selected among 18 films by the international Juri, presided by German director Tom Tykwer. It follows the emotional journeys of Laura, Tómas and Christian, offering a deeply empathic insight into their lives. Craving for intimacy yet also deeply afraid of it, they work to overcome old patterns, defense mechanisms and taboos, to cut the cord and finally be free. Touch Me Not is a combination of fiction and documentary and is Adina Pintilie’s debut feature film.

Another film that made its mark at the Berlinale was Wes Anderson’s stop-motion animation “Island of Dogs”, about a pack of dogs living in a dystopian near-future Japan. The film opened the festival this year and was not completely ignored as Wes Anderson was given a Silver Bear for best director. It was also the joke of the night when actor Bill Murray came on stage to receive the award for best achievement, by Wes Anderson, referring that he had never thought to go to work as a dog and return home with a Bear. He added that it will be another American to say 'ich bin ein Berliner Hund’.

The runner-up grand jury prize went to “Mug” from Polish director Małgorzata Szumowska, a satire on Polish society and its religious devotion that forgets humanity. The film explores national identity issues currently in question in Poland.

Our favorite “Las Herederas” (A.K.A “The Heiresses”), Paraguayan film directed by Marcelo Martinessi was a triple winner. It took home the Alfred Bauer prize, an award that “opens new perspectives on cinematic art". The Silver Bear for acting went to Ana Brun. The actress dedicated the award to to all the Paraguayan women who are fighters. To these awards is added the prize of international critics (FIPRESCI). "Las Herderas" is about two apparently-prosperous women in a lesbian relationship who run into financial troubles.

French actor Anthony Bajon who plays the junkie trying to beat his addiction in a priest-run retreat in the Cédric Kahn-directed drama “The Prayer” received the Silver Bear for best actor.

The jury also distinguished the work of Russian director Alexey German Jr. in the film “Dovlatov” about the Russian journalist and writer Sergei Dovlatov, evidenced in a rigorous reconstruction of the 70s in Stalingrad. Elena Okopnaya received the Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution for costume and production design.


by L. Fietz

See the complete list of winners of the 2018 Berlin International Film Festival:


Golden Bear for Best Film: “Touch Me Not,” Adina Pintilie
Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize: “Twarz” (“Mug”), Małgorzata Szumowska
Silver Bear Alfred Bauer Prize: “The Heiresses,” Marcelo Martinessi
Silver Bear for Best Director: Wes Anderson, “Isle of Dogs”
Silver Bear for Best Actress: Ana Brun, “The Heiresses”
Silver Bear for Best Actor: Anthony Bajon, “The Prayer”
Silver Bear for Best Screenplay: Manuel Alcalá and Alonso Ruizpalacios, “Museum”
Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution, Costume or Set Design: Elena Okopnaya, “Dovlatov”
Audi Short Film Award: “Solar Walk,” Réka Bucsi
Silver Bear for Short Film Jury Prize: “Imfura,” Samuel Ishimwe
Golden Bear for Best Short Film: “The Men Behind the Wall,” Ines Moldavsky
Best First Feature: “Touch Me Not,” Adina Pintilie
Berlinale Glashütte Original – Documentary Prize: “The Waldheim Waltz,” Ruth Beckermann