Wasilewski wins Silver Bear for Best Script at Berlinale
PR dla Zagranicy
Nick Hodge
21.02.2016 12:12
Polish director and screenwriter Tomasz Wasilewski won the Silver Bear for Best Script on Saturday at the 66th Berlin International Film Festival for 'United States of Love.'
Winner of the Silver Bear for Best Script, director Tomasz Wasilewski for 'United States of Love' poses with Magdalena Cielecka (R) and Julia Kijowska at the Awards Ceremony of the 66th annual Berlin International Film Festival, in Berlin, Germany, 20 February 2016. EPA/KAY NIETFELD
“I'm lost for words,” Wasilewski said on receiving the award.
“Thank you Berlinale – it's been a great privilege to be here.
“Thank you to the Jury for recognizing us, and thank you also to the audience for such an amazing experience – we only just had the premiere yesterday and we'll never forget that evening.
“It's amazing, I wrote so as to be able to direct. Now I'll have to do it more often. Thank you!”
The film, which explores the plight of four Polish women in the transformation that followed the fall of communism, was one of 18 works competing in the main competition.
The winner of the Golden Bear for Best Film was Gianfranco Rosi's 'Fire at Sea', a documentary about the refugee crisis.
The Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize went to Danis Tanovic's 'Death in Sarajevo', while the Silver Bear for Best Director went to Mia Hansen-Love for 'Things to Come'.
The Main Competition Jury was chaired by Meryl Streep this year.
'United States of Love' is Wasilewski's third feature, following on from 2013's 'Floating Skyscrapers', an exploration of gay love in contemporary Poland that won awards at a number of Polish and international festivals. (nh/pk)