Who will succeed Romanian Radu Jude, Golden Bear at the last Berlinale?
The jury of the American M. Night Shyamalan delivers its verdict on Wednesday, after a week of competition carried out at pace due to the Covid, but in good shape.
Read alsoBerlinale 2022: French, first language
In total, eighteen films were screened in official competition, narrowed over a week to limit the risk of contamination, with an award ceremony scheduled for 6:00 p.m. GMT.
With a virtual absence of American cinema, still largely under glass due to the pandemic and a particularly marked art and essay tone, the competition concealed some good surprises and the games seem open.
Read alsoBerlinale 2022: from the heart to the work
The screenings of this 72nd edition
Among the highlights of the screenings, the Spaniard Isaki Lacuesta was able to earn points with
Un Ano, Una Noche
, the first film returning to the terrorist attack of November 13, 2015 at the Bataclan, in Paris, through the testimony of two victims , interpreted brilliantly by Argentinian Nahuel Perez Biscayart and French Noémie Merlant.
Other French people have their chances, like Mikhaël Hers with
Les Passagers de la Nuit
, a family trajectory in Paris with Charlotte Gainsbourg, or François Ozon, prolific filmmaker who opened the Berlinale with
Peter Von Kant
but eternally disappointed with the big festivals, even if Berlin has already offered him the money for
Thanks to God
.
A prize for the Chinese Li Ruijun (
Return to Dust
), the Spaniard Carla Simón (
Alcarràs
) or the Swiss Michael Koch (
A Piece of Sky
) would highlight strong fictions on the rural world and its transformations, one of the questions of the year at the Berlinale.
Unless the jury chooses, like last year with the Golden Bear
Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn
, acerbic and crazy criticism of contemporary society, the choice of a radical and disturbing cinema, at the risk of hermeticism.
The Austrian Ulrich Seidl could then claim the title with his
Rimini
, a fascinating dive of rawness alongside a fallen crooner in the Italian winter, or the Canadian Denis Côté, with
Unété comme ça
, which renounces all hindsight for film the sexual addiction of young women.
A gender-neutral ceremony
The jury brings together an eclectic series of personalities under the leadership of the American director of Indian origin M. Night Shyamalan, king of the thriller film (
Sixth Sense
), the Japanese Ryûsuke Hamaguchi (one of the filmmakers of the year, nominated for an Oscar for
Drive My Car
), Zimbabwe's first black filmmaker, Tsitsi Dangarembga, and Austrian actress Connie Nielsen (
Gladiator
or
Wonder Woman
).
In addition to the supreme reward, the Golden Bear, the jury must award its Silver Bears, including the Grand Jury Prize or the best achievement.
Like last year, in a festival that aims to be at the forefront of issues of gender equality and inclusion, there are no longer Best Actor and Best Actress Bears, but a prize of the best interpretation in a principal role and another for the best secondary role, without distinction of kind.
Whatever the winners, the organizers can congratulate themselves on having, at the cost of drastic sanitary measures, brought the competition to an end after an ersatz festival, online only, last year.
The only downside: the absence of a very big name in cinema, the Frenchwoman Isabelle Huppert, who was to be awarded a reward for her entire acting career.
Tested positive for Covid-19 the day before, she had to give up the trip to Berlin.