The 69th annual

Berlin International Film Festival The Berlin International Film Festival (), usually called the Berlinale (), is an annual film festival held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festival has been held every February since 1978 and is one of Europ ...

took place from 7 to 17 February 2019. French actress

Juliette Binoche Juliette Binoche (; born 9 March 1964) is a French actress. She has appeared in more than 60 films, particularly in French and English, and has been the recipient of List of awards and nominations received by Juliette Binoche, numerous accolades, ...

served as the Jury President.

Lone Scherfig Lone Scherfig () (born 2 May 1959) is a Danish film director and screenwriter. She is especially known for her films '' Italian for Beginners'' (2000) and '' An Education'' (2009), and is also known for her romantic comedies, such as '' One Day ...

's drama film '' The Kindness of Strangers'' opened the festival. The

Golden Bear The Golden Bear () is the highest prize awarded for the best film at the Berlin International Film Festival and is, along with the Palme d'Or and the Golden Lion, the most important international film festival award. The bear is the heraldic an ...

was won by Israeli-French drama ''

Synonyms A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means precisely or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are a ...

'' directed by

Nadav Lapid Nadav Lapid () is an Israeli screenwriter and film director. Film critics consider him to be among the most internationally acclaimed filmmakers from Israel. Early life Lapid was born in Tel Aviv, Israel, to a family of Ashkenazi Jewish descent. ...

, which also served as the closing film of the festival.

Juries

MJK 38930 Jury of the 2019 Berlin International Film Festival

Main competition

, French actress - Jury President *

Justin Chang Justin Choigee Chang is an American film critic and columnist currently working at ''The New Yorker''. He previously worked for '' Variety'' and for ''Los Angeles Times''. His 2023 reviews at the ''Times'' won the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for Critici ...

, American journalist and film critic *

Sandra Hüller Sandra Hüller (; born 30 April 1978) is a German actress. She has appeared in German, Austrian, British, French, and American films. She has received various accolades, including two European Film Awards, a César Award and three German Film Aw ...

, German actress *

Sebastián Lelio Sebastián Lelio Watt (born 8 March 1974) is a Chilean director, screenwriter, editor and producer. He received critical acclaim for directing the films '' Gloria'' (2013) and '' A Fantastic Woman'' (2017), the latter of which won an Academy Awa ...

, Chilean film director and screenwriter * Rajendra Roy, American chief curator of

MoMA The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) is an art museum located in Midtown Manhattan, New York City, on 53rd Street (Manhattan), 53rd Street between Fifth Avenue, Fifth and Sixth Avenues. MoMA's collection spans the late 19th century to the present, a ...

Trudie Styler Trudie Styler (born 6 January 1954) is an English actress, director, and film producer. Early life and family Styler was born in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, the daughter of Pauline and Harry Styler, a farmer and factory worker. When Styler was ...

, British actress, producer and film director

First Feature Award Jury

* Katja Eichinger, German journalist, writer and film producer *

Alain Gomis Alain Gomis (born 6 March 1972) is a French-Senegalese film director and screenwriter. His 2017 film '' Félicité'' was selected as the Senegalese entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 90th Academy Awards The 90th Academy Awards c ...

, French filmmaker *

Vivian Qu Vivian Qu (; Wen Yan) is a Chinese film director, screenwriter and producer who directed the award-winning 2013 film ''Trap Street''. She also produced '' Night Train'', released in 2007, ''Knitting'', in 2008 and '' Black Coal, Thin Ice'' in 2 ...

, Chinese filmmaker and producer

Documentary Award Jury

* Maria Bonsanti, Italian artistic director and director of the Eurodoc program *

Gregory Nava Gregory James Nava (born April 10, 1949) is an American film director, producer and screenwriter. Personal life Nava was born in San Diego, of Mexican and Basque heritage. Nava graduated from St. Augustine High School in San Diego and attended ...

, American film director, screenwriter and producer *

Maria Ramos Maria da Conceição das Neves Calha Ramos (born 1959) is a South African businesswoman and former civil servant. She is currently the group chair of Standard Chartered, a position she has held since May 2025. Ramos was the chief executive o ...

, Brazilian film director

International Short Film Jury

* Jeffrey Bowers, American curator * Vanja Kaludjercic, Croatian programmer and purchasing director of

MUBI Mubi (; stylized as MUBI; the Auteurs before 2010) is a global streaming platform, production company and film distributor. MUBI produces and theatrically distributes films by emerging and established filmmakers, which are exclusively available ...

Koyo Kouoh Koyo Kouoh (24December 196710May 2025) was a Cameroonian-Swiss art curator who served as Executive Director and Chief Curator of the Zeitz Museum of Contemporary Art Africa in Cape Town, South Africa, from 2019 onwards. In 2015, ''The New York T ...

, Cameroonian author, curator and artistic director of RAW Material Company

Official Sections

Main Competition

The following films were selected for the main competition for the

and

Silver Bear The Berlin International Film Festival (), usually called the Berlinale (), is an annual film festival held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951 and originally run in June, the festival has been held every February since 1978 and is one of Europ ...

awards:

Out of competition

The following films were selected to be screened out of competition:

Panorama

The following films were selected for the Panorama section:

Berlinale Special

The following films were selected for the Berlinale Special section:

Short Film Competition

The following films were selected for the Berlinale Shorts section:

Official Awards

The following prizes were awarded:

Main Competition

: ''

'' by

Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize The Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize (also Jury Grand Prix, Grand Prize of the Jury) is an award given by the jury at the Berlin International Film Festival to one of the feature films in competition. It is the runner-up to the Golden Bear prize an ...

: ''

By the Grace of God By the Grace of God (, abbreviated D.G.) is a formulaic phrase used especially in Christian monarchies as an introductory part of the full styles of a monarch. In England and later the United Kingdom, the phrase was formally added to the royal sty ...

'' by

François Ozon François Ozon (; born 15 November 1967) is a French film director and screenwriter. Ozon is considered one of the most important modern French filmmakers. His films are characterized by aesthetic beauty, sharp satirical humor and a free-wheeli ...

Alfred Bauer Prize The Alfred Bauer Prize was an annual film award, presented by the Berlin International Film Festival, as part of its Silver Bear series of awards, to a film that "opens new perspectives on cinematic art". The prize was suspended in 2020 after it ...

: ''

System Crasher ''System Crasher'' () is a 2019 German drama film directed by Nora Fingscheidt. Plot The nine-year-old Bernadette, known as “Benni”, is considered aggressive and wayward. If anyone but her mother touches her face, she lashes out – a conse ...

'' by

Nora Fingscheidt Nora Fingscheidt ( ) is a German director and screenwriter. She has been a participant of the film festival since 2011 for her short films, winning the prize in 2017 for ''Without This World'' (''Ohne diese Welt''). She became widely known for ...

Silver Bear for Best Director The Silver Bear for Best Director () is an award presented annually at the Berlin International Film Festival since 1956. It is given for the best achievement in directing and is chosen by the International Jury from the films in the Competition ...

Angela Schanelec Angela Schanelec (; born 14 February 1962) is a German actress, film director, screenwriter, and translator. Her film ''Places in Cities'' was screened in the Un Certain Regard section at the 1998 Cannes Film Festival. In 2019, Schanelec won th ...

for ''

I Was at Home, But ''I Was at Home, But'' () is a 2019 German-Serbian drama film directed by Angela Schanelec. It was selected to compete for the Golden Bear at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival. At Berlin, Schanelec won the Silver Bear for Best Director ...

'' *

Silver Bear for Best Actress The Silver Bear for Best Actress () was an award presented at the Berlin International Film Festival from 1956 to 2020. It was given to an actress who has delivered an outstanding performance and was chosen by the International Jury from the fil ...

: Yong Mei for ''

So Long, My Son ''So Long, My Son'' (, or ''Di Jiu Tian Chang'') is a 2019 Chinese drama film directed by Wang Xiaoshuai. It was selected to compete for the Golden Bear at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival. At the festival, the film won the two main a ...

'' *

Silver Bear for Best Actor The Silver Bear for Best Actor () was an award presented at the Berlin International Film Festival from 1956 to 2020. It was given to an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance and was chosen by the International Jury from the films i ...

Wang Jingchun Wang Jingchun (; born 12 February 1973) is a Chinese actor. Awards He won the Best Actor Award at the Tokyo International Film Festival in 2013 for his performance in Ning Ying's film ''To Live and Die in Ordos''. In 2019, he won the Silver B ...

for ''

'' *

Silver Bear for Best Screenplay The Silver Bear for Best Screenplay () is the Berlin International Film Festival's award for achievement in Screenwriting. Winners 2000s 2010s 2020s See also * Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Screenplay * Golden Osella f ...

: Maurizio Braucci,

Claudio Giovannesi Claudio Giovannesi (born 20 March 1978) is an Italian film director and screenwriter. Biography After graduating in Modern Letters at the Sapienza University of Rome and in Film Directing at the Experimental Film Centre, Giovannesi directed his ...

and

Roberto Saviano Roberto Saviano (; born 22 September 1979) is an Italian writer, journalist, and screenwriter. In his writings, including articles and his book ''Gomorrah (book), Gomorrah'', he uses literature and investigative reporting to tell of the economic ...

for ''

Piranhas A piranha (, or ; ) is any of a number of freshwater fish species in the subfamily Serrasalminae, of the family Serrasalmidae, in the order Characiformes. These fish inhabit South American rivers, floodplains, lakes and reservoirs. Although o ...

'' * Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution:

Rasmus Videbæk Rasmus Videbæk (born 21 February, 1973 in Copenhagen) is a Danish cinematographer. Films The year of release and director of each film are indicated in parentheses. * '' Murk'' (2005 - Jannik Johansen) * ''Ledsaget udgang'' (2007 - Erik Claus ...

for '' Out Stealing Horses'' (Cinematography)

Golden Bear for Best Short Film

* ''Umbra'' by Florian Fischer and Johannes Krell

Panorama

Panorama Audience Award

* 1st Place: ''

37 Seconds ''37 Seconds'' is a 2019 Japanese drama film written and directed by Hikari. The film features actress Mei Kayama, who has cerebral palsy, as 23-year-old Yuma Takada, a talented artist who wants to make her name in manga. A sympathetic magazine ...

'' by Hikari * 2nd Place: '' Stitches'' by Miroslav Terzić * 3rd Place: ''

Buoyancy Buoyancy (), or upthrust, is the force exerted by a fluid opposing the weight of a partially or fully immersed object (which may be also be a parcel of fluid). In a column of fluid, pressure increases with depth as a result of the weight of t ...

'' by Rodd Rathjen

Panorama Audience Award – Documentaries

* 1st Place: '' Talking About Trees'' by

Suhaib Gasmelbari Suhaib Gasmelbari (born 17 December 1979, Omdurman, Sudan) is a Sudanese film director, screenwriter, and cinematographer. Biography Gasmelbari was born in Omdurman, Sudan in December 1979. He lived parts of his early childhood in Russia before ...

* 2nd Place: '' Midnight Traveler'' by Hassan Fazili and Emelie Mahdavian * 3rd Place: ''

Shooting the Mafia ''Shooting the Mafia'' is a documentary film directed by Kim Longinotto about Italian photographer Letizia Battaglia and her career documenting the life and crimes of the Mafia in and around Palermo. Battaglia offers a glimpse into life under Ma ...

'' by

Kim Longinotto Kim Longinotto ( Sally Anne Longinotto-Landseer; born 8 February 1948, London) is a British documentary film maker, well known for making films that highlight the plight of female victims of oppression or discrimination. Longinotto has made mo ...

Generation

Generation 14Plus

* Crystal Bear for Best Film: '' Stupid Young Heart'' by Selma Vilhunen ** Special Mention: ''

We Are Little Zombies ''We Are Little Zombies'' (Japanese transliteration: ''Wī Ā Ritoru Zonbīzu'') is a 2019 Japanese coming-of-age comedy-drama film written, directed and composed by Makoto Nagahisa in his feature directorial debut. The film was shown at both the ...

'' by Makoto Nagahisa * Crystal Bear for Best Short Film: ''Tattoo'' by Farhad Delaram ** Special Mention: ''Four Quartets'' by Marco Alessi

Generation KPlus

* Grand Prix of the Generation 14plus International Jury for the Best Film: ''

House of Hummingbird ''House of Hummingbird'' () is a 2018 South Korean Drama (film and television), drama film written and directed by Kim Bora. The film debuted in competition at the Busan International Film Festival's New Currents section in October 2018, where it ...

'' by

Kim Bo-ra Kim Bo-ra (, born September 28, 1995) is a South Korean actress. She gained recognition for her role in the hit drama ''Sky Castle'' (2018). She started her career as a child when she was in the film '' For Horowitz'' (2006), and has since bee ...

** Special Mention: ''

Bulbul Can Sing ''Bulbul Can Sing'' is a 2018 Indian Assamese language drama film directed by Rima Das. It was screened in the Contemporary World Cinema section at the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival. The film centres on three teenagers trying to come ...

'' by

Rima Das Rima Das (born 1977) is an Indian filmmaker best known for her 2017 film '' Village Rockstars'', which won several national and international awards and became India's official entry for the 90th Academy Awards in the Best Foreign Language Film ...

* Special Prize of the Generation 14plus International Jury for the Best Short Film: ''Liberty'' by Faren Humes ** Special Mention: ''The Jarariju Sisters'' by Jorge Cadena

Independent Awards

Teddy Award

* Best Feature Film: ''

Brief Story from the Green Planet ''Brief Story from the Green Planet'' () is a 2019 internationally co-produced science fiction adventure film directed by Argentine filmmaker Santiago Loza. The film centres on Tania (Romina Escobar), a young transgender woman mourning the recent ...

'' by

Santiago Loza Santiago Loza (born April 15, 1971, in Córdoba Province, Argentina, Córdoba Province, Argentina) is an Argentina, Argentine film director and writer. He studied at Universidad Nacional Film School, Instituto Nacional de Cine y Artes Audiovisuale ...

* Best Documentary/Essay Film: '' Lemebel'' by Joanna Reposi Garibaldi * Best Short Film: ''Entropia'' by

Flóra Anna Buda Flóra Anna Buda (born March 4, 1991) is a Hungarian film director and animator based in Paris, France. She is mostly known for writing and directing the multi-award-winning short film '' 27'', which premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 202 ...

* Special Jury Award: '' A Dog Barking at the Moon'' by Xiang Zi * Special Teddy Award:

Falk Richter Falk Richter (born 23 October 1969) is a German educator, playwright and theater director. Early life and education Falk Richter was born on 23 October 1969 in Hamburg. His father was a merchant. He studied linguistics, philosophy and theat ...

* TEDDY Readers’ Award Powered by QUEER.DE: ''

'' by

FIPRESCI Prize The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI, short for ''Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique'') is an association of national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the worl ...

* Competition: ''

'' by

* Panorama: ''Dafne'' by Federico Bondi * Forum: ''

Die Kinder der Toten ''The Children of the Dead'' () is a novel by Elfriede Jelinek, first published in 1995 by Rowohlt Verlag. It is commonly regarded as her magnum opus. The novel won the Literaturpreis der Stadt Bremen in 1996. The prologue and epilogue were tran ...

'' by Kelly Copper and Pavol Liska

Prize of the Ecumenical Jury The Prize of the Ecumenical Jury () is an independent film award for feature-length films shown at major international film festivals since 1973. The award was created by Christian film makers, film critics and other film professionals. The objec ...

* Competition: '' God Exists, Her Name Is Petrunija'' by Teona Strugar Mitevska * Panorama: ''

'' by Rodd Rathjen ** Special Mention: '' Midnight Traveler'' by Hassan Fazili and Emelie Mahdavian * Forum: ''Earth'' by

Nikolaus Geyrhalter Nikolaus Geyrhalter (born 1972) is an Austrian filmmaker. He has directed, produced, written, and worked as cinematographer for numerous documentaries. He has won awards for ''Das Jahr nach Dayton'' (1997), ''Pripyat (film), Pripyat'' (1999), ''El ...

CICAE The International Confederation of Arthouse Cinemas (CICAE, from French Confédération Internationale des Cinémas d’Art et d’Essai) is an international non-profit association with address of record in Paris which tries to support and to promo ...
Art Cinema Award

* Panorama: ''

'' by

HIKARI may refer to: Places * Hikari Station, a station on Sanyō Main Line in Hikari, Yamaguchi * Hikari, Chiba, a former town in Sousa District, Chiba, Japan * Hikari, Yamaguchi, a city in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan People * Hikari (name), people a ...

* Forum: ''Our Defeats'' by

Jean-Gabriel Périot Jean-Gabriel Périot is a French filmmaker. Biography He lived in southern France and Guadeloupe before moving to Paris. Périot never went to a film school, instead he studied media and communication. While working in the audiovisual servic ...

Berliner Morgenpost ''Berliner Morgenpost'' is a German newspaper, based and mainly read in Berlin, where it is one of the most read daily newspapers. History and profile Founded in 1898 by Leopold Ullstein, the paper was taken over by Axel Springer AG in 1959 a ...
Readers' Jury Award

* ''

'' by

Tagesspiegel (meaning ''The Daily Mirror'') is a German daily newspaper. It has regional correspondent offices in Washington, D.C., and Potsdam. It is the only major newspaper in the capital to have increased its circulation, now 148,000, since reunification ...
Readers' Jury Award

* ''

Monsters. ''Monsters.'' () is a 2019 Romanian drama film directed and written by Marius Olteanu. It stars Judith State, Cristian Popa, Alexandru Potrocean, Șerban Pavlu and Dorina Lazăr. The plot is divided in three chapters and follows a day in the ...

'' by Marius Olteanu

Guild Film Prize

* '' God Exists, Her Name Is Petrunija'' by Teona Strugar Mitevska

Caligari Film Prize

* ''Heimat Is A Space in Time'' by

Thomas Heise Thomas Heise (22 August 1955 – 29 May 2024) was a German documentary filmmaker. Life and work Heise was born in East Berlin on 22 August 1955, the son of philosophy professor Wolfgang Heise. He was a printer's apprentice between 1971 and 1973. ...

Heiner Carow Prize

* ''Beauty and Decay'' by Annekatrin Hendel

Compass-Perspektive-Award

* ''Born in Evin'' by Maryam Zaree

Kompagnon-Fellowship

* Perspektive Deutsches Kino: ''To Be Continued'' by Julian Pörksen * Berlinale Talents: ''Transit Times'' by Ana-Felicia Scutelnicu

ARTEKino International Prize

* ''A Responsible Adult'' by

Shira Geffen Shira Geffen (; born April 23, 1971) is an Israeli actress, screenwriter, film director and children's book writer. Biography Shira Geffen was born in 1971. Her father, Yehonatan Geffen, was an author.Jordan HoffmanShira Geffen doesn’t care if y ...

Eurimages Eurimages is a cultural support fund of the Council of Europe, established in . Eurimages promotes independent filmmaking by providing financial support to feature-length fiction, animation, and documentary films. In doing so, it encourages co-op ...
Co-Production Development Award

* Avalon PC for ''

Alcarràs Alcarràs () is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Segrià in Catalonia. It includes a small exclave to the south. It has a population of . Etymology Of Arabic origin, in ancient documents (12th century) it appears with the form ''Alc ...

VFF Talent Highlight Award

* Vincenzo Cavallo for '' Bufis''

Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ...
Film Award

* ''Your Turn'' by Eliza Capai

Label Europa Cinemas

* '' Stitches'' by Miroslav Terzić

Peace Film Prize

* ''Your Turn'' by Eliza Capai ** Special Mention: *** ''System K'' by Renaud Barret *** '' Midnight Traveler'' by Hassan Fazili and Emelie Mahdavian

References

External links

Berlin International Film Festival
{{DEFAULTSORT:Berlin International Film Festival, 69th 69 2019 film festivals 2019 in Berlin 2019 festivals in Europe 2019 in German cinema February 2019 in Germany

Juries

Main competition

First Feature Award Jury

Documentary Award Jury

International Short Film Jury

Official Sections

Main Competition

Out of competition

Panorama

Berlinale Special

Short Film Competition

Official Awards

Main Competition

Golden Bear for Best Short Film

Panorama

Panorama Audience Award

Panorama Audience Award – Documentaries

Generation

Generation 14Plus

Generation KPlus

Independent Awards

Teddy Award

FIPRESCI Prize The International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI, short for ''Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique'') is an association of national organizations of professional film critics and film journalists from around the worl ...

Prize of the Ecumenical Jury The Prize of the Ecumenical Jury () is an independent film award for feature-length films shown at major international film festivals since 1973. The award was created by Christian film makers, film critics and other film professionals. The objec ...

CICAE The International Confederation of Arthouse Cinemas (CICAE, from French Confédération Internationale des Cinémas d’Art et d’Essai) is an international non-profit association with address of record in Paris which tries to support and to promo ... Art Cinema Award

Berliner Morgenpost ''Berliner Morgenpost'' is a German newspaper, based and mainly read in Berlin, where it is one of the most read daily newspapers. History and profile Founded in 1898 by Leopold Ullstein, the paper was taken over by Axel Springer AG in 1959 a ... Readers' Jury Award

Tagesspiegel (meaning ''The Daily Mirror'') is a German daily newspaper. It has regional correspondent offices in Washington, D.C., and Potsdam. It is the only major newspaper in the capital to have increased its circulation, now 148,000, since reunification ... Readers' Jury Award

Guild Film Prize

Caligari Film Prize

Heiner Carow Prize

Compass-Perspektive-Award

Kompagnon-Fellowship

ARTEKino International Prize

Eurimages Eurimages is a cultural support fund of the Council of Europe, established in . Eurimages promotes independent filmmaking by providing financial support to feature-length fiction, animation, and documentary films. In doing so, it encourages co-op ... Co-Production Development Award

VFF Talent Highlight Award

Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ... Film Award

Label Europa Cinemas

Peace Film Prize

References

External links

CICAE The International Confederation of Arthouse Cinemas (CICAE, from French Confédération Internationale des Cinémas d’Art et d’Essai) is an international non-profit association with address of record in Paris which tries to support and to promo ...
Art Cinema Award

Berliner Morgenpost ''Berliner Morgenpost'' is a German newspaper, based and mainly read in Berlin, where it is one of the most read daily newspapers. History and profile Founded in 1898 by Leopold Ullstein, the paper was taken over by Axel Springer AG in 1959 a ...
Readers' Jury Award

Tagesspiegel (meaning ''The Daily Mirror'') is a German daily newspaper. It has regional correspondent offices in Washington, D.C., and Potsdam. It is the only major newspaper in the capital to have increased its circulation, now 148,000, since reunification ...
Readers' Jury Award

Eurimages Eurimages is a cultural support fund of the Council of Europe, established in . Eurimages promotes independent filmmaking by providing financial support to feature-length fiction, animation, and documentary films. In doing so, it encourages co-op ...
Co-Production Development Award

Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ...
Film Award