The Competition is the main event of the Berlinale and consists of approximately 20 films, all of them world or international premieres. The Festival originally began with the intention of not being a competition at all, opting instead for audience awards. But this didn’t last long. By 1955, the big name international juries were in and by 1957 the audience awards were out. It’s when the International Jury awards the Bears, the festival's main prizes, that every Berlinale reaches its festive high-point. The Golden Bear goes to the "Best Film". A Silver Bear is given as the "Jury Grand Prix". Silver Bears are also awarded in the categories "Best Director", "Best Actress", "Best Actor" and "Outstanding Artistic Achievement". A Silver Bear for "Best Screenplay" has been awarded since 2008.

 

The Competition and the EFM have worked in tandem since the beginning. The Competition, attracting the international media and attention, has helped make the Market an increasingly important meeting place for international film business, which in turn makes the Competition a more desirable place to launch a film commercially. Karin Hoffinger of the Programme Organisation says, “There’s nothing like seeing the reaction of 1600 people at a gala screening to give a film the market buzz.”

 

“The relation between the Market and the Competition has always been a straight course,” observes Thomas Hailer, Programme Manager of the Berlinale, “and this will remain constant in the future as well. Organic contacts that have grown and developed over the years with distribution companies and producers are nurtured in both the Competition and the Market so you don’t divide the festival - what’s good for the Market is good for the Competition and to have a good, strong selection in the Competition is good for the Market.

Films from the 2010 programme include Honey by Semih Kaplanoglu, The Ghost Writer by Roman Polanski The Kids Are All Right by Lisa Cholodenko, and Shutter Island by Martin Scorsese. To view the complete lineup for 2010, click  here.

 

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