The provocative Romanian film Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn has won the Golden Bear at the Berlin film festival, capping the truncated 2021 virtual edition of the event.
Directed by Radu Jude, Bad Luck Banging is a satirical parable about a teacher who is put up before a tribunal after a sex tape is illicitly leaked on to the internet. In a three-star review, Guardian film critic Peter Bradshaw described it as “a contemptuous slap at boredom, at hypocrisy and at everything petty and mean” and said it is about “our creeping suspicion that standard-issue human unhappiness will survive even when, or if, [Covid] is eradicated”.
In a statement, the jury –which included directors Gianfranco Rosi and Jasmila Žbanić – said: “It is an elaborated film as well as a wild one, clever and childish, geometrical and vibrant, imprecise in the best way. It attacks the spectator, evokes disagreement, but leaves no one with a safety distance.”
The festival’s second prize went to Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy, a three-part drama by the Japanese auteur Ryusuke Hamaguchi. Bradshaw described it as an “ingenious, playful, sparklingly acted and thoroughly entertaining portmanteau” in a four-star review.
Before the festival began, considerable attention had been given to Berlin’s decision to make its acting award “gender neutral”. Tilda Swinton had called the idea “eminently sensible” while others suggested there may be a counterproductive effect that female actors find themselves excluded. In the event, Berlin’s first gender-neutral award went to Maren Eggert for her performance in I’m Your Man, directed by Unorthodox’s Maria Schrader, as a woman who reluctantly agrees to go on a “date” with a custom-built robot played by Dan Stevens.
Due to coronavirus restrictions, the Berlinale has been split into two parts: the online event – which finishes today and was designed for press and industry delegates – and a public event, due to take place in June.
Full list of awards
Golden Bear
Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn (dir: Radu Jude)
Silver Bear grand jury prize
Wheel of Fortune and Fantasy (dir: Ryusuke Hamaguchi)
Silver Bear jury prize
Mr Bachmann and His Class (dir: Maria Speth)
Silver Bear for best director
Dénes Nagy for Natural Light
Silver Bear for best leading performance:
Maren Eggert in I’m Your Man (dir: Maria Schrader)
Silver Bear for best supporting performance
Lilla Kizlinger in Forest – I See You Everywhere (dir: Bence Fliegauf)
Silver Bear for best screenplay
Hong Sangsoo for Introduction (dir: Hong Sangsoo)
Silver Bear for outstanding artistic contribution
Yibrán Asuad for editing of A Cop Movie (dir: Alonso Ruizpalacios)