Top 25 photos from Berlinale: Antonio and his golden camera

(Sigourney Weaver, © Antonio Castello)

By LINDSAY R. BELLINGER

The man with the golden camera strikes again. I first noticed photographer Antonio Castello during a press conference last year. His camera with a golden vintage lens really made me look twice. He captured more than a thousand photos over the course of this year's 70th anniversary edition of the Berlin International Film Festival, known by most just as the Berlinale. Looking through his "best of" photos that he sent me, filled with festivalgoers, filmmakers, actors and actresses, made me miss the chaos and energy of the days at Berlinale. I thought it best to introduce this piece with a photo of the incomparable Ms. Weaver. I witnessed quite a frenzy, both from the fans on the Red Carpet and even from journalists in the press room, that built up around Ms. Weaver. The assortment of fan photos printed out for signing was an eclectic mix; I saw an interesting Avatar hologram dvd cover, a still from Alien and also a shot of her from Ghostbusters. Weaver and her co-star Margaret Qualley paid a lot of attention to their adoring fans and seemed to enjoy signing autographs and giving interviews as they made their way up the Red Carpet for the world premiere of their film My Salinger Year, which was directed by Philippe Falardeau and based on Joanna Rakoff's memoir. 

(Margaret Qualley, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

(Carlo Chatrian and Jeremy Irons, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

(Stylist woman on Red Carpet wearing Chucks, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

(German model Stefanie Giesinger, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

(The always dashing Daniel Brühl, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

 (Elle Fanning at world premiere of Sally Potter's The Roads Not Taken, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

 ('father-daughter' Javier Bardem & Elle Fanning, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

(Javier Bardem catching a glimpse of something interesting, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

(Salma Hayek looking quite elegant, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

(Willem Dafoe and Abel Ferrara at their photocall for Siberia, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

(Willem Dafoe, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

(Woman on the Red Carpet, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

(The amazing Elio Germano with a Silver Bear for bringing Antonio Ligabue to life, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

(Woman on the Red Carpet, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

 (Fahri Yardimto resting his eyes, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

(Camilo Restrepo, © Antonio Castello)

Colombian writer/director Camilo Restrepo, who lives and works in Paris, won the GWFF (Gesellschaft zur Wahrnehmung von Film- und Fernsehrechten) Best First Feature Award at this year's festival. The award was given to Restrepo for his film Los Conductos and it also included a €50,000 cash prize. His film had its world premiere in the newly created Encounters section of the Berlinale. 

 

(Lena Meyer-Landrut, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

(Johnny Depp, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

(Hillary Clinton, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

(Douglas Booth, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

(Paula Beer, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

(Jury President Jeremy Irons, © Antonio Castello)

 

 

 

Hopefully you have enjoyed these unique shots from the perspective of Berlin-based Colombian photographer Antonio Castello as he gives you a glimpse into the glamour of one of the most important film festivals in the world. This year's Berlinale showed some bold and shocking cinema that will forever be ingrained in my memory. Thank you Carlo Chatrian, Mariette Rissenbeek and your entire Berlinale team (Generation, Forum, Forum Expanded, Competition, Berlinale Special Gala, Encounters, Panorama, Panorama Documentary, Homage, Berlinale Classics, Retrospective, On Transmission, Deutsches Perspektiv, Berlinale Shorts) who have given their blood, sweat and tears to make the 70th anniversary an extra special addition to the world of cinema.