Romanian director Radu Jude wins another Berlinale Award
Romanian director, Radu Jude, has reaped another award in Berlin Film Festival
Roxana Vasile, 24.02.2025, 13:50
The 75th edition of the International Film Festival in Berlin, the first major cinema event of the year reached its climax on Saturday with its awards gala led by American reputed director Todd Haynes.
19 films were vying for a prize in the main competition, which also included a Romanian director. Radu Jude, a Romanian filmmaker, recipient of the Golden Bear Award in 2021 for his dark comedy Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn, could have scored a double with his production this year entitled ‘Kontinental 25’
On Saturday, Radu Jude reaped the Silver Bear for best screenplay of ‘Kontinental ’25’, a political fresco of the contemporary society and capitalism, which is exploring present-day issues, such as the housing crisis, the post-socialist economy, nationalism and the impact language has over the social statute.
The film is based upon a newspaper article about a guilt-ridden woman bailiff, who had to evict a homeless man from a basement. Shortly after learning that he is going to be evicted, the man commits suicide and his death sparks off the protagonist’s moral crisis.
Shot only in ten days with a smartphone, ‘Kontinental ’25’ was among the favourites of a group of international critics in Berlin, mentioned by the specialized review Screen.
‘I am a poor script-writer, so winning this award is kind of funny’, Jude joked during the award ceremony. He thanked his team adding that the prize proves that Romania still has a lot of talent and that he hoped more money would be allotted to culture in this country.
Radu Jude has dedicated the Silver Award he got for ‘Kontinental ’25’ to the heritage of the Spanish director Luis Bunuel (1900-1983), whose name was associated with the surrealistic movement and whose birthday was being commemorated right on the day of the award ceremony. ʹKontinental 25ʹs cast included Eszter Tompa, Gabriel Spahiu, Adonis Tanţa, Oana Mardare and Şerban Pavlu. The film is played in Romanian, Hungarian and German with English and German subtitles. We recall that at the 2015 edition of the aforementioned festival, Jude’s production, Aferim!, also got him the Silver Bear Award for best director.
(bill)
