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of the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize, Never Rarely Sometimes Always. Directed by , this sensitive abortion drama was already the recipient of a Special Back in focus Jury Prize at Sundance. Film festival giants can often narrow views of world cinema and the riches on offer, writes berlinale.de Cineworld correspondent Sean Wilson, as he digs deeper into the international scene ROTTERDAM The show was stolen at the 49th edition of IFFR with he wider perception of film SUNDANCE Isaac Chung’s upbringing in the appearance of the celebrated festivals is often dictated by Taylor Swift, Anne Hathaway, Kansas; the second, Boys State, Bong Joon-ho, who debuted TCannes. And its surface- and Elisabeth Moss is a documentary exploring a a black and white version of his level skew toward Hollywood all rolled into the 42nd Sundance mock-government election carried masterful Parasite. “I think it may glamour, above a progressive Film Festival this January. As ever, out by a group of Texas teenagers. be vanity on my art, but when awards selection, has taken the the -founded event sundance.org I think of the classics, they’re all in shine of its gleaming reputation mixed and matched glamorous black and white,” Bong explained. in recent years. More and more red carpet premieres (Emerald BERLINALE “I had this idea that if I turned column inches today are afforded Fennell’s black comedy Promising The noted acted my films into black and white then to ‘smaller’ festivals, such as Young Woman won critical raves), as jury president at the 2020 they’d become classics.” Venice. Like Cannes, Venice with plenty of intriguing selections Berlinale, awarding the coveted IFFR segments its awards has courted Hollywood in a bid off the beaten track. Sundance Golden Bear to Iranian movie along various lines, including to sustain relevance – look no 2020 jurors, including Ethan There Is No Evil. Director up and coming filmmakers,➤ further than the Joker triumphing Hawke, Isabella Rossellini and Mohammad Rasoulof was unable with the Golden Lion. Increasingly, Wash Westmoreland, awarded to accept the award as he is Above left: Kate Bosworth as however, it’s the ‘margin’ the Grand Jury prizes to two banned from leaving his home Jill Taylor in the casino in the festivals that have loyally leaned films. The first, Minari, is an country. His daughter, Baran, film21 Above: Vegas is famous towards progressive autobiographical account of accepted the award on his behalf. for its themed strip that takes and challenging cinema. Korean-American director Lee Of particular note was the winner visitors to a replica Eiffel Tower

74 Upward Curve April-June 2020 Film festivals

documentaries and short films. Rock and Roll President. Directed Presidency with the multi-faceted Willie Nelson. Check website for There’s also the Robby Muller by Oscar and Grammy-winner musical backdrop of the period, news of rescheduled dates. Award, which champions Mary Wharton, it intertwines incorporating archive footage from tribecafilm.com cinematographers while honouring Carter’s rise to the American the likes of Aretha Franklin and the legacy of the revered Wim PANAFRICAN Wenders collaborator. Known in the circles as FESPACO, 2020 winners spanned Burkina Faso’s celebration of a range of countries, including cinema is set to return in 2021, China’s Zheng Lu Xinyuan, who having celebrated its 50th won the jury prize, known as the anniversary in 2019. In the most Tiger Competition, for The Cloud recent edition of the festival, The In Her Room. This emotive black Mercy Of The Jungle won the and white drama, filmed with non- festival’s top prize, the Etalon professional actors, follows d’Or de Yennenga for best film, a 22-year-old woman as she and also clinched best actor for returns to her home town of co-star Marc Zinga (Dheepan). Hangzhou for the new year The film is the story of a sergeant celebrations, only to find things and a private who must trek aren’t as she remembers. through inhospitable terrain to iffr.com reach safety. fespaco.bf ■ TRIBECA (POSTPONED) ’s annual New Above left: Keira Knightley and York celebration of maverick film- Dominic West at Sundance in making was set to kick off in April 2018 Above: Robert De Niro and with documentary Jimmy Carter: (Left) Ethan Hawke at Tribeca

76 Upward Curve April-June 2020