Persian Realm

"I am glad to see that the 'Song of Sparrows' has attracted attention of the people, and I think this prize was my fair share." - Reza Najie Acceptance Speech

Reza Najie makes film History as Best Actor at Berlinale '08

Four movies by prominent Iranian filmmakers were screened and competed for the Top Golden Bear Prize and several other categories including for Best Actor in at the 58th edition of the Berlin Film Festival in Germany. Majid Majidi's The Song of Sparrows, Manijeh Hekmat's 3 Women, Hana Makhmalbaf's Buddha collapsed out of Shame and Tanaz Eshaghian's Be Like Other. But it was director Majid Majidi's leading actor Reza Najie that truly made film history by winning the Silver Bear for Best Actor, a First for an Iranian actor to date thus joining the long list of prestigious actors in film history to have been awarded with this Award since its inception in 1956 ( The Golden Bear however was founded in 1951). He is the 2nd Iranian to be awarded at the Berlin Film Festival, the first being director Bahman Ghobadi with his movie Turtles Can Fly, in 2004, winning the Glass Bear and Peace Film Award. The Silver bear for Best actress was confered to British actress Sally Hawkins for Mike Leigh’s drama Happy Go Lucky. The Festival’s Top Prize The Golden Bear for best film went to Brazilian Jose Padilha's controversial film The Elite Squad. Hana Makhmalbaf was the other lucky Iranian compatriot to win the Special Children Jury selection Prize for her already critically acclaimed drama Buddha collapsed out of Shame focusing on the trauma’s of childhood set in war torn Afghanistan.

The Berlin International Film Festival, also called the Berlinale, is one of the world's leading film festivals held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978. With 230,000 tickets sold and over 430,000 admissions it is considered the largest publicly-attended film festival worldwide. Up to 400 films are shown in several sections, representing a comprehensive array of the cinematic world. Around twenty films competing for the awards called the Golden and Silver Bears. Since 2001 the director of the festival has been Dieter Kosslick.

The European Film Market (EFM), a film trade fair held simultaneously to the Berlinale, is a major industry meeting for the international film circuit once a year. The trade fair serves distributors, film buyers, producers, financiers and co-production agents. The Berlinale Talent Campus, a week long series of lectures and workshops, gathers young filmmakers from around the globe. It partners with the festival itself and is considered to be a forum for upcoming artists.

The festival, the EFM and other satellite events are attended by more than 20,000 professionals from over 120 countries. Around 4200 journalists are responsible for the media exposure in more than 100 countries. At high-profile feature film premieres, movie stars and celebrities are present at the red carpet. The Berlinale has established a cosmopolitan character integrating art, glamour, commerce, politics and a global media attention.

In "The Song of Sparrows," the Oscar-nominated Iranian director Majid Majidi tells the story of Karim, who lives contentedly with his wife and children on the outskirts of the capital and works on an ostrich farm. After events result in him being fired, Karim is forced to search for work in the city where his efforts to eke out a living lead to further problems for both himself and his family.The film, which received its world premiere in Berlin where it was one of 21 entries competing for the Golden Bear top prize, is a gentle cautionary tale that contrasts pastoral innocence with urban guile.

Muslim beliefs and traditions are interwoven into the film's fabric, but always as a cultural reference point rather than a religious ideology.

"My religious convictions are rooted in family," Majidi said.
I grew up in a religious family and these values have accompanied me all my life. For me the question is not what we believe, but where our religious values take us and what they lead us to do."

The Elite Squad, a violent tale of corrupt drug-squad officers in Brazil, has won the Golden Bear, the top prize at the annual Berlin Film Festival. It had created unprecedented interest upon its release in Brazil, because of its portrayal of a police force willing to torture and kill unarmed suspects. Producer Marcos Prado said the award "gives us the strength to go forward".

Hana Makhmalbaf’s Buda Az Sharm Foru Rikht (Buddha collapsed out of Shame) has won The Crystal Bear-at Berlin International Film Festival. The ten day long festival is closing today.

According to the official release of the festival “This film is exciting and provocative and at the same time it is very shocking. It is about a little girl who is struggling to be allowed to go to school. We were moved by the poignant way the film depicts how a country dominated by violence affects the everyday life of children. The film showed us the senselessness of just sending soldiers to a troubled region. More necessary are people who can convince children that violence is not the solution.” The Crystal Bear for the Best Short Film went to Nana by Warwick Thornton (Australia) “A little girl is talking about her special relationship with her dear old nana. She is always cooking for her granddaughter and looking after the old people in the village. But there’s another side to her as well. The film is funny and full of humour.” The Special Mention for a Feature Film goes to Titanics ti liv by Grethe Bøe (Norway) “Great actors combined with an excitement and mystery were the ingredients which convinced us in this film. The story was also accompanied by wonderful music.” The Special Mention for a Short Film goes to New Boy by Steph Green (Ireland) “The plot is easy to follow even though there is not much dialogue. The portrayal of the characters’ feelings touched us and swept us along and the reminder of Joseph’s earlier homeland gave us a realistic insight into his former life as well as his feelings. In the end we learned that having prejudices just isn’t worth it.” Note: The Crystal Bears, the main prizes in the Generation section of the festival are awarded by a Children’s Jury and a Youth Jury. A total of 21 pictures were screened in competition in the German capital for the 58th festival. VIVE REZA NAJIE !

Persepolis Still in the Race! by Darius KADIVAR