Berlinale 2025: A Wild Ride
Okay, so the 75th Berlin International Film Festival – the Berlinale, for short – just wrapped up. It was a whirlwind! Think glitzy red carpet, Hollywood A-listers like Robert Pattinson and Ethan Hawke... the works. But honestly, the real buzz was all about the films themselves and who'd snag that coveted Golden Bear.
This year, under the new leadership of Tricia Tuttle, the whole thing felt like navigating a minefield. Between strikes, crazy weather, and the usual political drama, you'd think they’d have called it quits. But nope! They pulled it off and even smashed ticket sales records. Go figure.
A Solid Lineup... With a Twist
Nineteen films competed, seventeen of which were world premieres. Film critics Anna Wollner and Fabian Wallmeier from rbb called the selection "solid," but also said there wasn’t a clear frontrunner. It was all about personal stories and relationships, which made it super interesting. Germany had a couple of entries – "Was Marielle weiß" and "Yunan" – but neither really made it into the top prize conversation.
So, who were the Golden Bear contenders? Gabriel Mascaro's Brazilian film "The Blue Trail," Dag Johan Haugerud's "Dreams (Sex Love)," and Johanna Moder's "Mother's Baby" were all generating serious buzz. And then there was Kateryna Gornostai's documentary, "Timestamp," about Ukrainian school life during the war. That one was a real tearjerker, and a powerful contender.
Beyond the big prize, Michel Franco's "Dreams" delved into US-Mexico relations and inequality, while Radu Jude’s satirical "Kontinental '25" offered a scathing look at societal hypocrisy. (Jude won the Golden Bear back in 2021, so he was definitely one to watch.) The acting awards were super competitive too. Ethan Hawke ("Blue Moon"), Rose Byrne ("If I Had Legs I’d Kick You"), and Denise Weinberg ("The Blue Trail") were all in the running for the gender-neutral Silver Bear for Best Performance.
Political Fireworks
Let's be honest, the Berlinale’s never exactly shy about controversy. Tilda Swinton, who got the Golden Honorary Bear, gave a killer speech about humanitarian solidarity. But then, her comments on the BDS movement sparked a huge debate. And things got even wilder when a filmmaker’s comments about "genocide" against Palestinians led to a police investigation and a hasty statement from the Berlinale distancing themselves from it all. You know how sometimes things just spiral? This whole thing highlighted the delicate balance between freedom of speech and, you know, not starting an international incident.
It echoed similar events from the previous year, so they’re beefing up moderator training. I guess we'll see if that helps.
The Verdict (and the Aftermath)
Todd Haynes headed the jury this year, and with no clear frontrunner, predicting the winner was impossible. It could have been anyone! Honestly, who saw that coming? But despite all the drama, the 75th Berlinale was a huge success, drawing way more viewers than last year. It just proves that even with all the challenges, this festival is still a major player in the film world.
Lorenz Dangel's Moving Score
One thing that really stood out was the music. German composer Lorenz Dangel’s score for "September 5" (coming out March 21st) got a lot of attention. He's already won the Deutscher Filmpreis for Best Film Music, and his work on "September 5," about the 1972 Munich Olympics hostage crisis, was praised for its subtlety and power.
And a Quick Note on the Deutscher Filmpreis
Finally, Sarah Blaßkiewitz's feature film debut, "Precious Ivie," got a Deutscher Filmpreis nomination. It was cool to hear her talk about her creative process and the challenges – and rewards – of being a young filmmaker in Germany.
