Enlarge image
US director Steven Spielberg accepts the Honorary Golden Bear
Photo: FABRIZIO BENSCH / REUTERS
US director Steven Spielberg (76) received the Berlinale's Honorary Golden Bear for his life's work.
Spielberg accepted the award from Berlinale directors Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian that evening in Berlin.
The audience celebrated Spielberg with minute-long ovations.
Spielberg was visibly touched during the gala.
He spoke of an incredible honor.
“I'm overwhelmed because I haven't accomplished anything on my own.
I have shot all my films in collaboration with great people.
My whole life, my family - everything is cooperation.«
Spielberg said he owed a lot to German cinema.
He named film pioneers like Murnau and Lubitsch, but also directors like Rainer Werner Fassbinder, Werner Herzog, Margarethe von Trotta, Wim Wenders, Wolfgang Petersen, Volker Schlöndorff and Tom Tykwer.
"I've been inspired by all of them, by their films," Spielberg said.
»My work is somehow at home in Germany, and I really do feel almost at home here tonight.«
»Steven Spielberg is the soul of cinema«
But he's not thinking about quitting just yet.
Spielberg announced that he wants to make many more films.
"I would like to surpass Manoel de Oliveira".
The Portuguese film director, who died in 2015, made his last film at the age of 106.
"Maybe I can do it," said the three-time Oscar winner.
In a eulogy, U2 singer Bono described Spielberg as "the greatest of the greats in Hollywood".
Spielberg knows that we can only live with love.
»Steven Spielberg is the soul of cinema.« And he is »a master storyteller«, spanning thousands of years from dinosaurs to artificial intelligence.
Spielberg touched people's hearts with shock as well as delight.
Spielberg's latest film »The Fabelmans« was shown during the gala.
It will be in German cinemas on March 9th.
The story tells of Spielberg's childhood and youth as the son of Jewish parents in the USA in the 1950s and 60s - and of his beginnings as a filmmaker.
czl/dpa
