The Best First Feature Award was set up by the Berlinale in 2006 in order to promote new filmmaking talent. Eight films from the Forum program have been nominated for this year’s prize.
Dieter Kosslick with the "Viewfinder"
As in previous years, a three-person international jury will award the prize for the best first feature in the Berlinale program*. The prize money for the award is 50,000 Euros and is provided by the Gesellschaft zur Wahrnehmung von Film- und Fernsehrechten (GWFF), a society dedicated to safeguarding film and television rights. The prize money is shared between the director and the producer. Additionally, the director is awarded with a high-quality viewfinder which serves as a useful instrument and memorable trophy.
A total of 24 films are nominated for the prize this year, 8 of which are from the Forum program. The winner will be announced at the official award ceremony at the Berlinale Palast on February 20th.
The jury for the Best First Feature Award is made up of producer Michael Verhoeven (Germany), actor Ben Foster (USA) and producer Lorna Tee (Malaysia).
The following eight films from the Forum program are nominated for the Best First Feature Award:
Au revoir Taipei (Yī yè Tái běi) by Arvin Chen, Taiwan/USA/Germany
Eine flexible Frau (The Drifter) by Tatjana Turanskyj, Germany
El vuelco del cangrejo (Crab Trap) by Oscar Ruíz Navia, Colombia/France
Imani by Caroline Kamya, Uganda/Sweden
The Man Beyond the Bridge (Paltadacho Munis) by Laxmikant Shetgaonkar, India
One Day (Yǒu yī tiān) by Hou Chi-Jan, Taiwan
Our Fantastic 21st Century (Neo-wa na-eui i-shib-il-seki) by Ryu Hyung-ki, Republic of Korea
Portrait of the Fighter as a Young Man (Portretul luptătorului la tinerețe) by Constantin Popescu, Romania
* Films nominated for the Best First Feature Award may not have received a prize at another international film festival or have taken part at another European film festival before the Berlinale. A film is only regarded as the director in question’s debut film if they have not previously completed a film over 60 minutes in length that was given a cinema release or shown at an international film festival. Co-directed films are not considered debut films for the purposes of the prize.