Berlin

The nine members of the international jury - organisers of queer and other film festivals - view films within the framework of all programs of the Berlinale which have queer context.

Three films are nominated for each category and one receives a TEDDY for best feature film, best documentary/essay film and the best short film, each with a cash award of €3,000.

Members of the Jury:

Marcus Hu (President of the TEDDY AWARD Jury) Strand Releasing, Culver City, USA

István Sebesi Magic Mirror Budapest, Hungary

Andrejs Visockis         LGBT Film Days, Riga, Latvia

Beth Sá Freire São Paulo International Short Film Festival, São Paulo, Brazil

Jason Barker   London Lesbian and Gay Film Festival, London, Great Britain

Jin Park                      Seoul LGBT Film Festival, Seoul, South Korea

Mara Fortes                Morelia International Filmfestival, Mexico

Sarah Neal                  Brisbane Queer Film Festival, Brisbane, Australia

Victor Silakong           World Film Festival of Bangkok, Bangkok, Thailand

The TEDDY Jury nominated the following films for the Best Feature Film:

Fjellet by Ole Giæver

Ausente by Marco Berger

Tomboy by Céline Sciamma

The TEDDY for the Best Feature Film

endowed with €3,000, donated by various supporters of the TEDDY foundation

goes to Ausente by Maco Berger

Jury statement:

The jury decides to give this year's Teddy Award for best feature film to AUSENTE directed by Marco Berger in recognition of its original story, bold and innovative aesthetics, and sophisticated approach to queer dynamics. The film's unique combination of homoerotic desire, suspense and dramatic tension reflects the director's keen understanding of genre conventions and cinematic language. As the most intriguing, cutting-edge film in the selection, the jury considers that Ausente celebrates the spirit of the Teddy Award.

The TEDDY Jury nominated the following films for the Best Documentary/Essay Film:

The Ballad Of Genesis and Lady Jaye by Marie Losier

How Are You by Jannik Splidsboel

The Queen Has No Crown by Tomer Heymann

The TEDDY for the Best Documentary Film

endowed with €3,000, donated by elledorado e.V.

goes to The Ballad Of Genesis and Lady Jay by Marie Losier

Jury Statement:

The jury gives the best documentary award to the Ballad of Genesis and Lady Jaye by Marie Losier. This film draws us into a whole new magical world of diversity where anything is possible; genders change, identities shift and two people can become one through pandrogyny. The jury feels that nobody could tell the story of this once in a lifetime love affair like Ms Losier, a filmmaker with the unique imagination to match her film's subjects and the compassion to tell an extraordinary tale of queer pioneers into a simple and universal tale of love.

The TEDDY Jury nominated the following films for the Best Short Film:

Generations by Barbara Hammer and Gina Carducci

Maya Deren's Sink by Barbara Hammer

La Ducha by Maria Jose San Martin

The TEDDY for the Best Short Film

endowed with €3,000, donated by various supporters of the Teddy Foundation

goes to Generations by Barbara Hammer and Gina Carducci &

Maya Deren's Sink by Barbara Hammer

Jury Statement:

The jury gives the best short film prize to two films: Generations by Barbara Hammer and Gina Carducci, which celebrates the support of experimental film and its form by combining traditional film techniques with digital processing  and  Ms. Hammer's Maya Deren's Sink, a tribute to the avant-garde filmmaker done with Ms. Hammer's indelible touch, employing Ms. Deren's clips reprocessed and reimagined into a thoughtful sui generis work of art.

The Special Jury Award

goes to Tomboy by Celine Sciamma

The Jury Prize goes to Tomboy by Celine Sciamma for it's accomplished direction in drawing out  standing performances from this young and talented cast led by Zoe Heran. This second feature film from the talented director of Water Lilies addresses the complex identity issues of a young girl who creates an untenable situation when she assumes her true self.

SPECIAL TEDDY AWARD

supported by BSCW-Stiftung

goes to Pieter-Dirk Uys & Evita Bezuidenhout

The Sout-African entertainer and HIV/AIDS activist Pieter-Dirk Uys will be given the Special TEDDY AWARD for his commitment especially in the educational advertising about HIV/AIDS in South-African schools and for his stage alter-ego Evita Bezuidenhoud, the "most famous white woman in South-Africa" as she was addressed by Nelson Mandela.