“Der Prinz” proves that it is possible to handle a heavy topic in a light, humorous way. Still it manages to create a very dizzying, uncomfortable atmosphere. The story of two adolescent girls in Rome, who meet an older man (introducing himself as a gay, royal family member) shows us a deep problem of sexually abused children. As one of actresses of the film, Jytte-Merle Böhrnsen pointed it out after the screening; “It is an important topic to deal with, because many youngsters are abused sexually, but maybe they themselves realise these after a couple of years. It is not necessary for them to take part in such a situation, but they do it, because they are curious, extremely interested in sex”. The film is directed by Petra Schröder.

Der Prinz

The American short film “Dish” also deals with youngsters, but in a different way. Its sexual topic is set in a latino Emo subculture, Los Angeles. Israel, the main character of the film is interested in having his first sexual (homosexual) relationship. His and his friend’s sexual attitude emphasises a cultural issue also. The  lifestyle of their subculture, trough which their identity is built up is proposing the question whether its style and trends are able to overwrite all of Israel’s natural instincts. What is more important, his hairdo, or having sex in an uncomfortable way? Our hero, Israel is definitely is under a social pressure and it seems that he is not ready yet for sexual experimenting. The film is directed by Brian Harris Krinsky.

Dish

The animation “Birth” is the second work of Signe Baumane. In her animation she manages to tell the problem of unwanted pregnancy in a humorous way, fully packed with creative, visual ideas, visual metaphors of situations. Baumane had a short film on the topic of sex last year in competition. Now she steps forward and she manages to confront and even provoke the audience with its graphical, and narration style. With every images of the film the director says that we should never deny to talk about sexual issues, because they are natural part of our lives. Although it is maybe not a fair comparison, but the film Jade (dir:Daniel Elliot), which won the the Silver Bear this year has a very similar topic. It deals with it in a more heavy, more “arthouse” way though. It was interesting to see the different approach the two directors had.

Birth

by Zoltán Aprily

The Golden Bear to

Please Say Something

by David OReilly (Ireland)

A film which gave us lots of emotion, sensitivity and much to think about. A very humane story. With characters who made us laugh and feel sad at the same time.

The Silver Bear to

Jade

by Daniel Elliott (Great Britain)

The jury was taken by the individual drama of a young woman and by the condensed form of the film. A subtle story which captured us from its innocent beginning till its open end.

DAAD Short Film Prize

The Illusion

by Susana Barriga (Cuba)

Showing spaces instead of faces, this video diary courageously confronts the irretrievable past. A very personal form of cinema, which succeeds in painting an autobiographical landscape of loss.

Berlinale Short Film Nominee for the European Film Awards 2009

Die Leiden des Herrn Karpf. Der Geburtstag

by Lola Randl (Germany)

A documentary or fiction – it doesn’t really matter. It contains a way of acting which is both intelligent and simple. A movie dealing with individual problems which are presented in artistic form.

And two „Special Mentions“ to

VU

by Leila Albayaty

The film illustrates the self-discovery of two women while providing the poetry of an urban space.

Contre-Jour

by

Christoph Girardet and Matthias Müller

Defying convention and expectation, this abstract found footage film is a powerful sensory machine that lets the viewer experience blindness and see what is not there.

———–

Out of these awarded films we should really track the film Die Leiden des Herrn Karpf. Der Geburtstag, as it won the UIP short film award and got automatically nominated to the European Film Academy award.

A top-notch international jury – with actress Arta Dombroshi from Kosovo, director of the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen Lars Henrik Gass, and Philippine director Khavn de la Cruz – will pick the award winners in this year’s short film section. The Berlinale Shorts will screen 28 films from 17 countries, eleven of which will be running in the Competition, and vying for the Golden and Silver Bears for Best Short Film. The entire programme automatically qualifies for the DAAD Short Film Prize and receives a nomination for Best European Short Film. Markus Kavka will present the awards in CinemaxX3 on February 10.

Germany is making a strong showing this year with five formally complex films. In Christoph Giradet and Matthias Müller’s new film contre-jour, “the way we regard the world and how it regards us in return breaks into disturbing fragments” (K. Tieke). Humorous in the telling, but formally more reticent is Lola Randl’s Die Leiden des Herrn Karpf. Der Geburtstag – a short film about the loneliness and estrangement of the urban individual. Three wilful productions underscore the specialness of Belgium’s narrative culture. And then there’s the East, which is not a country, but a direction. This trend is illustrated by Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy’s Diagnoz from the Ukraine and Alexander Karavayev’s Devyat proloyotov vmeste from the Russian Federation, which depict the current political and economic situation in very different ways, as well as Jan Andersen’s vostok’ from France, whose title is already programmatic.

David OReilly, who won Special Mention in last year’s Short Film Competition, is back with his new digital animation Please Say Something, a film about a relationship of another kind. In Birth, Signe Baumane shows how being pregnant can feel. The Indonesian film Trip to the Wound by Edwin, who is a member of this year’s Forum NETPAC jury, will screen out of competition. The film is an artistic and political statement on the freedom of art in times of radical censorship.

The Berlinale Shorts is pleased to announce that the winner of the Prix UIP at the 2008 Berlinale, Darren Thorton’s Frankie (Ireland), won Best European Short Film at the European Film Awards in Copenhagen in December 2008.

The Berlinale Shorts jury:

Khavn De La Cruz (Philippines)

With more than 70 short films and features, this director is one of his country’s most important underground digital filmmakers. De La Cruz, who participated in the Berlinale Talent Campus 2005, is also a writer and musician, as well as director of the Philippine MOV International Digital Film Festival. With his production company Filmless Films, he has made many works, including Mondomanila: Institute of Poets, a surreal cinematic reflection on Philippine society.

Arta Dobroshi (Kosovo) 

With her role in the screen drama Lorna’s Silence (winner of Best Screenplay at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival), this young actress achieved her international breakthrough and a nomination for the 2008 European Film Awards. Born in Pristina, Arta Dobroshi has played many stage roles in her country, as well as a leading role in the prize-winning German-Albanian production Magic Eye (2005), a film about the situation in Albania in 1997, when it was rocked by unrest.

Dr. Lars Henrik Gass   (Germany)

Lars Henrik Gass studied literature and theatre. Since 1997, he has been director of the renowned International Short Film Festival Oberhausen. Until 2007, he was also a member of the German Short Film Award jury. He has written many essays on photography and film, and teaches at a number of universities and academies. In 2001, Gass published his book “Das ortlose Kino. Über Marguerite Duras”.

The 2009 Berlinale Shorts programme:

I / 86 min

Bric-Brac, Gabriel Achim, Romania, 18 min

VU, Leila Albayaty, Belgium, 28 min (Competition)

Princess Margaret Blvd., Kazik Radwanski, Canada, 14 min

Kaїn, Kristof Hoornaert, Belgium, 16 min (Competition)

Please Say Something, David OReilly, Ireland, 10 min (Competition)

II / 79min

The Illusion, Susana Barriga Rodríguez, Cuba, 24 min (Competition)

A Mango Tree In The Front Yard, Raveendren Pradeepan, France, 11 min (Competition)

BaDerech Hachutza, Elad Pankovski, Israel, 17 min

Dish, Brian Krinsky, USA, 15 min

Birth, Signe Baumane, Italy/USA, 12 min (Competition)

III / 77 min

26.4, Nathalie André, Belgium, 15 min

Renovare, Paul Negoescu, Germany/Romania, 24 min

Diagnoz, Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy, Ukraine, 15 min (Competition)

contre-jour, Cristoph Giradet, Matthias Müller, Germany,11 min (Competition)

Trip to the Wound, Edwin, Indonesia, 7 min (Out of competition)

The Island, Trevor Anderson, Canada, 5 min

IV / 86 min

Jade, Daniel Elliott, Great Britain, 15 min (Competition)

Karai norte, Marcelo Martinessi, Paraguay, 19 min

Pure, Jacob Bricca, USA, 5 min

Devyat prolyotov vmeste, Alexander Karavayev, Russ. Fed., 20 min (Competition)

Musafir, BW Purba Negara, Indonesia, 17 min

Die Leiden des Herrn Karpf. Der Geburtstag, Lola Randl, Germany, 10 min

V / 90 min

Buenas Intenciones, Ivan Lomelí, Mexico, 18 min

Laitue, Nicolas Brooks, UK, 10 min

Havet, Jöns Jönsson, Germany, 25 min (Competition)

der prinz, Petra Schröder, Germany, 15 min

vostok’, Jan Andersen, France, 17 min

Mama L’Chaim, Elkan Spiller, USA, 5 min