The movie reflects upon the importance of moral conscience in four episodes, telling the stories of four men who are confronted with carrying out death penalties and the people surrounding them. Especially the stories of young men faced with this task during their military service, one escaping, another facing the task, and the complications and deep moral conflicts these killings bring about for them confront the audience with the disturbing reality in the Iranian political and judicial system. The actions of these men have a deep impact on the relationships to their loved ones and families, especially the strong female characters. The atmosphere of political persecution is unsettling. In a very impressive way the film depicts the options that exist, and gives a sense of the possibility of decision and resistance even under political pressure. Thus it shows an impressive fundamental critique of death penalty in general and especially of the oppressive system in Iran by means of outstanding storytelling and cinematography and the intense acting. In this the film is a strong statement of human dignity which constitutes us as a person in Iran and everywhere (phto: © Cosmopol Film).
70th International Film Festival Berlin
The Ecumenical Jury of the 70th Berlinale awarded its prize in the International Competition to "There Is No Evil" (Sheytan vojud nadarad, Iran 2020) by Mohammad Rasoulof, who also won the Golden Bear. In the Panorama, the jury awarded its prize to "Otac" (Father) by Srdan Golubović from Serbia and a Special Mention to "Saudi Runaway" by Susanne Regina Meures from Switzerland. The Forum Award went to the Japanese documentary "Seishin 0" (Zero) by Kazuhiro Soda.
Bear winners next to Rasoulof were "Never Rarely Sometimes Always" by Eliza Hittman (Grand Jury Prize), "The Woman Who Ran" (Domangchin yeoja) by Hong Sangsoo (Best Director), Paula Beer (Best Actress) for her role in "Undine" by Christian Petzold and Elio Germano (Best Actor) for "Volevo nascondermi" (Hidden Away) by Giorgio Diritti. Brothers Fabio and Daminao D'Innocenzo received a Silver Bear for Best Screenplay for their film "Favolacce" (Bad Tales), which they also directed.
The 70th Berlinale opened on February 20 with a gala and the film "My Salinger Year" by Philippe Falardeau. For the first time, the festival was headed by Carlo Chatrian as Artistic Director and Mariette Rissenbeek as Managing Director. They have introduced the "Encounters" series as a new section and created the "Berlinale Specials & Berlinale Series" section for the earlier competition entries "out of competition". There were also special events to mark the 70th anniversary of the festival, including a special program "On Transmission" with former Berlinale participants who enter into dialogue with a guest of their choice. The retrospective was dedicated to the American director, producer and screenwriter King Vidor.
Link: Festival homepage
Awards of the Ecumenical Jury
The road movie is based on a true story of a father who walks 300 km from the province to the Serbian capital to show his desperate will to get back his children. Because of the precarious economical family situation and a desperate irrational act of his wife the children were taken care of by the youth welfare office.
The film shows that the Serbian system is still stuck in socialistic arbitrariness, corrupt structures, a strong urban-rural divide and an unbearable neglect of the whole country. Yet the father manages to deal with the catastrophic tension, his feelings of guilt and the challenges on his way to Belgrade in a reserved and non-violent way. In the character of the father the jury recognizes an example of an attitude of persistence and search for justice without hurting anyone else. Thus the father becomes a hero without considering himself as a hero at all (photo: © Maja Medic/Film House Baš Čelik).
Her upcoming wedding day will change Muna’s life forever. It is the day she makes her decision, not about her groom already chosen for her, but whether to seek freedom outside of Saudi Arabia. A woman of courage facing dangers and challenges, Muna plots her escape from her paternalistic society. Exactly because she is a person of compassion and love for family values, she has to leave. This coming-of-self-determination-story is real, authentic and touching, being totally put together of smartphone videos. Susanne Regina Meures as the director with Muna as protagonist and person created more than a film, together they added feminism to smartphone and cast dignity of women as a bridge instead of a border. And together they added a young woman to Germany who is happy about the sun of freedom inside – and so very fine about the rain outside (photo: © Christian Frei Filmproductions).
With subtle though effective use of cinematic means, especially of camera and montage, the film shows the impact the psychiatrist Dr. Masatomo Yamamoto has on his patients and their fear of a future without him as he approaches retirement. With a sensitive understanding of their distress and with gentle encouragement, he motivates and accompanies them as they seek to move forward. In the second part, he is shown after his retirement, spending time with his wife now with dementia. Impressive in its seeming simplicity, the film is a landmark for human dignity and agency. Compassion and humility guide the action. A moving film about the value of human agency and care for loved ones in a society motivated more by financial and social success (photo© Laboratory X, Inc.).
