The first awards of the Berlin Film Festival were announced today. Prizes were given to the short films screening at the Festival, decided by members of the International Short Film Jury, which included Marc Barbé (France), Ada Solomon (Romania) and Laura Tonke (Germany). The Awards and jury comments are listed below.

GOLDEN BEAR AWARD
O zi bună de plajă by Bogdan Mustaţă (Romania). "The film raises questions about its issues rather than bring resolution to them. It does so in a very precise and unpredictable way. We feel that it is one of the most precious things when a film stays with you and keeps unravelling long after the final credits have ended."

SILVER BEAR
Udedh bun by Siddharth Sinha (India). "A sharp focus that relies on a harmony between images and sound rather than words. We are also sensitive to the new erotica brought to the traditional figure of the desired woman in the history of cinema."

PRIX UIP
Frankie by Darren Thornton (Ireland). "A simple and powerful approach. The straight forward point of view of a working class teenager on love, responsibility and fatherhood. We also want to re-encourage the director in developing his project of short films for young makers."

DAAD SHORT FILM PRIZE
B teme by Olga Popova (Russian Federation). "We feel this film achieves a physical and sensual intimacy with its subjects without ever violating the secret of this intimacy. We wish to encourage the director’s talent as a filmmaker."

Sandy Mandelberger, Berlin FF Dailies Editor