The 75th Berlin International Film Festival concluded on February 22 with Norwegian filmmaker Dag Johan Haugerud’s “Drømmer” (“Dreams (Sex Love)”) taking home the Golden Bear, the Berlinale’s top prize.
The 2025 edition opened on February 13 with the world premiere of Tom Tykwer’s “Das Licht” (“The Light”) and marked a shift in leadership, as Tricia Tuttle stepped in as artistic director following the departure of Carlo Chatrian and Mariette Rissenbeek. During the opening ceremony at the Berlinale Palast, the Honorary Golden Bear for lifetime achievement was presented to Tilda Swinton, recognizing the Scottish actor’s decades-long screen career.
American filmmaker Todd Haynes led this year’s international jury, joined by director Nabil Ayouch, actor Fan Bingbing, costume designer Bina Daigeler, filmmaker Rodrigo Moreno, critic Amy Nicholson, and writer-director Maria Schrader.
In addition to the Golden Bear, the Competition section saw “O Último Azul” (“The Blue Trail”) by Brazil’s Gabriel Mascaro receive the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize, while “El Mensaje (“The Message”) from Argentine director Iván Fund earned the Silver Bear Jury Prize.
China’s Huo Meng picked up the Silver Bear for Best Director for “Sheng Xi Zhi Di” (“Living the Land”). Rose Byrne was honored with the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance for her role in “If I Had Legs I’d Kick You,” directed by Mary Bronstein, and Andrew Scott won Best Supporting Performance for Richard Linklater’s “Blue Moon.”
Romanian director Radu Jude took the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay for “Kontinental ’25,” which he also directed. The award for Outstanding Artistic Contribution went to the creative team behind “La Tour de Glace” (“The Ice Tower”), helmed by French filmmaker Lucile Hadžihalilović.
In the Perspectives section, which spotlights emerging filmmakers, the GWFF Best First Feature Award — which carries a €50,000 prize — was awarded to “The Devil Smokes (and Saves the Burnt Matches in the Same Box),” directed by Ernesto Martínez Bucio. The film was produced by Carlos Hernández Vázquez, Gabriela Gavica Marrufo, and Alejandro Durán. A Special Mention went to “On Vous Croit” (“We Believe You”), directed by Charlotte Devillers and Arnaud Dufeys.
The Berlinale Documentary Award, endowed with €40,000, went to “Holding Liat,” directed by Brandon Kramer and produced by Darren Aronofsky, Lance Kramer, Yoni Brook, Ari Handel, and Justin A. Gonçalves. Special Mentions were awarded to “La Memoria de las Mariposas” (“The Memory of Butterflies”) by Tatiana Fuentes Sadowski and “Canone Effimero” by Italian duo Gianluca and Massimiliano De Serio.
Among 20 entries in the Berlinale Shorts competition, Lesley Loksi Chan took the Golden Bear for “Lloyd Wong, Unfinished.” The Silver Bear Jury Prize went to “Futsu no Seikatsu” (“Ordinary Life”) by Yoriko Mizushiri, while the inaugural CUPRA Filmmaker Award, with a €20,000 prize, was presented to Quenton Miller for “Koki, Ciao.” The European Film Awards candidate from the Shorts lineup is “Comment ça va?” (“How Are You?”) by Caroline Poggi and Jonathan Vinel.
The Generation sections, Kplus and 14plus, highlighting youth-oriented world cinema, announced their winners as follows:
In Generation Kplus, the Crystal Bear for Best Film was awarded to “Maya, Donne-Moi un Titre” (“Maya, Give Me a Title”) by Michel Gondry, while Julia Lemke and Anna Koch’s “Zirkuskind” (“Circusboy”) received a Special Mention. “Rebels Cinema Club” by Khozy Rizal earned Best Short, and “Down in the Dumps” (“Tief Unten”) by Vera van Wolferen was acknowledged with a Special Mention.
The international jury for Generation Kplus awarded “Zhi Wu Xue Jia” (“The Botanist”) by Jing Yi the Grand Prix for Best Film, which carried a €7,500 prize sponsored by Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk,. A Special Mention went to “Umibe é Iku Michi” (“Seaside Serendipity”) by Satoko Yokohama. The Short Film Grand Prize, which includes a €2,500 award from Deutsches Kinderhilfswerk, went to “Autokar” by Sylwia Szkiłądź, with “Akababuru: Expresión de Asombro” (“Akababuru: Expression of Astonishment”) by Irati Dojura Landa Yagarí earning a Special Mention.
In Generation 14plus, Antoinette Jadaone’s “Sunshine” won the Crystal Bear for Best Film, and “Hora do Recreio” (“Playtime”) by Lucia Murat received a Special Mention. Best Short Film went to Wish You Were Ear by Mirjana Balogh, with Atardecer en América (Sunset Over America) by Matías Rojas Valencia earning a Special Mention.
The International Jury for the Generation 14plus Competition, awarded Brendan Canty’s “Christy” the Grand Prix for Best Film, carrying a €7,500 prize funded by the Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung (Federal Agency for Civic Education). A Special Mention was awarded to “Têtes Brûlées” by Maja-Ajmia Yde Zellama. “Ne Réveillez Pas l’Enfant Qui Dort” (“Don’t Wake the Sleeping Child”) by Kevin Aubert won Best Short, which carried a €2,500 endowment from the Bundeszentrale für politische Bildungand Beneath. “Which Rivers Flow” by Ali Yahya received a Special Mention.
Independent juries and audience awards rounded out the Berlinale’s closing weekend, alongside development prizes for projects presented at the Berlinale Co-Production Market and participants in Berlinale Talents.