The MTV movie awards, CanneSéries and the TCA awards (prizes awarded by American television critics) already practiced this strategy. But following in their footsteps, the Berlin Film Festival is the first historic ceremony of this scale to take the plunge. The organizers of the Berlinale have announced that, from the 2021 edition, the distinction between best actor and best actress will be abolished. From now on, a single prize for the best performance will be awarded to the most deserving actress in the selection.
The Berlinale also takes advantage of this merger to create a prize for the best supporting role which also will not be gendered. The winners of the 2021 vintage, which will be held in the German capital from February 11 to 21, will succeed the German Paula Beer, crowned best actress for Ondine and the Italian Elio Germano crowned best actor for Volevo nascondermi .
The distinction does not take place in the other categories
"Not separating the prices according to sex is a signal for a more sensitive awareness of gender issues in our film industry" , underline festival directors Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian.
In recent years, there have been increasing demands to remove the distinction between best actress and best actor in favor of best performance. For his supporters, like the star of the Billions series Kate Dillon who identifies as non-binary and who had seized the Emmy awards, this score is not justified. There is no competition between director and director, screenwriters, editors etc.
Despite the uncertainties linked to the coronavirus pandemic, the Berlinale intends to take place physically. Their film market will offer a half-virtual, half-concrete hybrid format. Solution already adopted by the Toronto Film Festival. Withdrawn from the prize list, the Alfred Bauer Prize, which rewarded a feature film opening up new perspectives in cinematographic art, becomes the special jury prize. Founder of the Berlinale, Alfred Bauer maintained close ties with the Nazi administration, the extent of which was revealed earlier this year by the weekly Die Zeit .