German director Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay’s Hysteria has won the Europa Cinemas Label as Best European film in the Panorama section.
Hysteria will now benefit from promotional support from Europa Cinemas and better exhibition thanks to a financial incentive for network cinemas to include it in their programme schedule.
See list of other Festival winners below
The jury (Klaudia Elsässer (Art+ Cinema, Budapest, Hungary): David Kelly (Light House Cinema, Dublin, Ireland): Constanze Oedl (Stadtkino im Künstlerhaus, Vienna, Austria) and Cenk Sezgin (Cinemarine Cinemas, Bodrum, Turkey).
Hysteria is a filmfaust production, with international sales handled by Pluto Films.
The cast includes Devrim Lingnau, Mehdi Meskar, Serkan Kaya, Nicolette Krebitz, and Aziz Çapkurt. Director Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay also wrote the screenplay. Producers are Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay and Claus Herzog-Reichel. Cinematography is by Christian Kochmann, Editing by Denys Darahan and Andreas Menn, Music by Marvin Miller, Sound Design by Steffen Pfauth, Production Design by Mayte Hellenthal and Casting by Kerstin Neuwirth.
The jury issued the following statement: “Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay’s Hysteria is a really well-crafted conspiracy thriller. There are plenty of twists and turns, and the film builds towards a very exciting climatic final ten minutes. The audience here in Berlin were clearly relishing the ride. But beyond the enjoyment to be had with the film, we feel that its incendiary subject matter can really promote dialogue and a greater insight into the tensions in our society today.”
Other prizes included:
Crystal Bear for the Best Film
Sunshine
by Antoinette Jadaone
Special Mention
Hora do recreio (Playtime)
by Lucia Murat
Crystal Bear for the Best Short Film
Wish You Were Ear
by Mirjana Balogh
Special Mention
Atardecer en América (Sunset over America)
by Matías Rojas Valencia
The Grand Prix of the International Jury for the Best Film in Generation 14plus
Christy
by Brendan Canty
Special Mention Generation 14plus
Têtes Brûlées
by Maja-Ajmia Yde Zellama
The Special Prize of the International Jury for the Best Short Film in Generation 14plus
Ne réveillez pas l’enfant qui dort (Don’t Wake the Sleeping Child)
by Kevin Aubert
Special Mention Generation 14plus
Beneath Which Rivers Flow
by Ali Yahya
