“A Fantastic Woman” wins Berlin’s Teddy Award for best film

PanARMENIAN.Net - Sebastian Lelio's A Fanatastic Woman has taken the top prize for best film at Berlin's Teddy Awards, which honor LGBT films screening at this year's Berlin Film Festival, The Hollywood Reporter reveals.

The Chilean feature, which premiere in competition in Berlin, stars newcomer Daniela Vega as a transgender woman struggling with the death of her partner and the judgement of his family.

The Teddy jury said Lelio “infused the story with understanding and compassion illuminating the ongoing discrimination and marginalization of transgender people around the world.”

The Teddy special jury prize this year went to Panorama entry Close Knit, from Japanese director Naoko Ogigami. The family drama focuses on a 11-year-old Tomo, who, after her alcoholic mother leaves her, goes to live with her uncle and his transsexual (and knitting obsessed) girlfriend.

“Ogigami puts emphasis on unique details such as the knitted objects, beautiful cinematography and the universal appeal of an uplifting, yet realistic story,” said the jury, announcing its decision.

Small Talk from director Hui-chen Huang won the The Teddy for best documentary. The film looks at the Taiwanese woman who work as professional mourners at funerals.

“Small Talk is the director’s courageous portrayal of her family story, which gives the audience an inside look at a culture we might not be familiar with,” said the Teddy Jury, “this powerful documentary manages to be of universal significance and extremely intimate at the same time.”

God's Own Country, Francis Lee's love story between a Yorkshire farmer and a Romanian itinerant worker, took The Harvey, the prize awarded by readers of Berlin's Manner, a gay monthly magazine. God's Own Country premiered in Sundance before moving to Berlin's Panorama sidebar. The Harvey is named in honor of late San Francisco politician, and gay-rights activist, Harvey Milk.