Romanian movie Pozitia Copilului (Child’s Pose) has picked up the coveted Golden Bear prize for best film at the 63rd Berlin film festival.
Child’s Pose, directed by Calin Peter Netzer, tells the story of a wealthy mother who uses her connections to try and stop her son from going to jail.
The film was a favorite among the 19 contenders. Calin Peter Netzer said he was “a little bit speechless” by the win.
An unemployed Roma from Bosnia-Hercegovina won the best actor award.
Nazif Mujic re-enacted his family’s real-life struggle to get vital medical treatment in the low-budget An Episode In the Life of an Iron Picker, which also picked up the runner-up Silver Bear award.
Calin Peter Netzer’s film is a tale of corruption and guilt in modern Romania.
It follows a rich and controlling mother, played by Luminita Gheorghiu, as she bribes witnesses into giving false statements to save her son from jail after he accidentally runs down and kills a boy.
US filmmaker David Gordon Green won best director at the festival for his comic road movie Prince Avalanche, while best actress went to Chile’s Paulina Garcia for her role as a Santiago divorcee in Gloria.
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