So, after ten days of screenings, it is awards time in Berlin.

Generation 14 plus jury headed by Klara Kruse Rosset awarded the Crystal Bear for the Best Feature Film to the Turkish film Lal Gece directed by Reis Çelik, The film sensitively handles child marriage from the point of view of a young 14 year old girl married away to a man much older to her and who has just come out of the prison for honour killings. The world around feasts and dances to the music but the frightened young girl is left to fend for her. All they look for the next morning is the stained bed sheet, proof of consummation of the marriage.

“We were deeply touched by the brilliant actors in this year’s winning film. They let us take part in the feelings of two people who are imprisoned by family traditions which do not leave them any space for their own decision making and needs. We were especially impressed by the film’s setting - a room where the drama unfolds. Just as for the couple, it is impossible for the audience to leave it”, commented the Jury.

The Jury also made a Special Mention of the Swedish film Kronjuvelerna by Ella Lemhagen. “Friendship, love, family, the divide between poor and rich, disabilities and sickness were only a few of the Themes flowing effortlessly into one another in this complex and many-layered Film” they said.

Crystal Bear for the Best Short Film went to the New Zealand film Meathead by Sam Holst. The film shows, just in a few minutes, the radical path from childhood to adulthood.

The Serbian film The Parade directed by Srdjan Dragojevic won the Berlinale Panorama Audience Choice Award. This was followed by Daniele Vicari’s Italian film Diaz - Don’t Clean Up This Blood. Brazilian film Xingu was the third runner-up.

In the Documentary Film Category, the Audience Choice Award went to the USA film Marina Abramovic The Artist is Present directed by Matthew Akers. The second place went to another USA production Call Me Kuchu.

The last day of the screenings for the Press in the Competition and Out of Competition also threw up some exciting films. Kim Nguyen’s Canadian film War Witch narrates how communities are destroyed and children are kidnapped to be trained as soldiers in sub-Saharan Africa. After killing their parents mercilessly in front of them, the children are taught that the guns are their parents and they should never lose them. In the midst of this violent setting of rebels fighting against government troops, people continue to live. And some child soldiers want to quit fighting and lead normal lives. But their simple desires and pleasures will remain short-lived. The little Sorceress and the Magician are wonderful performers and breathe life into their characters. The director tries to heighten the drama by sending the girl to bury her dead parents to drive away the ghosts haunting her and forces her to deliver the baby all on her own.

Jet Li starrer Flying Swords of Dragon Gate is a typical Chinese period kung fu action drama and the 3D format has given the film a completely different dimension and feel. You feel as if you are a participant in the film, a character and not simply an observer, an audience. Swords fly at you and instinctively you duck to evade the blade.