OMEN
02-15-2009, 12:31 PM
A Spanish-Peruvian production, 'La Teta Asustada', has won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival.
The moving drama by Claudia Llosa, 32, was the first ever Peruvian competition entry in the Berlinale.
'This is for Peru, this is for our country,' she said, holding the trophy aloft, flanked by her lead actress Magaly Solier.
'La Teta Asustada' tells the story of Fausta, who imbibes 'the milk of sorrow' as an infant after her mother's brutal rape during the 1980-2000 war between the Peruvian army and Shining Path guerrillas.
Fausta is haunted by fear and regret after her mother's death but begins a journey of self-discovery that leads to a hopeful ending.
'The Milk of Sorrow' beat favourites including 'The Messenger' starring Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster as GIs tasked with notifying loved ones of soldiers who have fallen in battle in Iraq.
The Silver Bear prize for best actor went to Sotigui Kouyate of Mali for his role in 'London River' as a father searching for his son in the wake of the July 2005 public transport bombings in the British capital.
Austria's Birgit Minichmayr captured the prize for best actress as a woman in a doomed relationship in the German drama 'Everyone Else', which also shared a runner-up prize for best picture with 'Gigante' by Argentina's Adrian Biniez.
Iran's Asghar Farhadi won the Silver Bear for best director for his drama 'About Elly' about a woman who vanishes on a beach getaway with friends.
Eighteen pictures were in competition for the Golden and Silver Bear prizes.
The 11-day festival, which ranks second only to Cannes in size and prestige, ends today.
RTE
The moving drama by Claudia Llosa, 32, was the first ever Peruvian competition entry in the Berlinale.
'This is for Peru, this is for our country,' she said, holding the trophy aloft, flanked by her lead actress Magaly Solier.
'La Teta Asustada' tells the story of Fausta, who imbibes 'the milk of sorrow' as an infant after her mother's brutal rape during the 1980-2000 war between the Peruvian army and Shining Path guerrillas.
Fausta is haunted by fear and regret after her mother's death but begins a journey of self-discovery that leads to a hopeful ending.
'The Milk of Sorrow' beat favourites including 'The Messenger' starring Woody Harrelson and Ben Foster as GIs tasked with notifying loved ones of soldiers who have fallen in battle in Iraq.
The Silver Bear prize for best actor went to Sotigui Kouyate of Mali for his role in 'London River' as a father searching for his son in the wake of the July 2005 public transport bombings in the British capital.
Austria's Birgit Minichmayr captured the prize for best actress as a woman in a doomed relationship in the German drama 'Everyone Else', which also shared a runner-up prize for best picture with 'Gigante' by Argentina's Adrian Biniez.
Iran's Asghar Farhadi won the Silver Bear for best director for his drama 'About Elly' about a woman who vanishes on a beach getaway with friends.
Eighteen pictures were in competition for the Golden and Silver Bear prizes.
The 11-day festival, which ranks second only to Cannes in size and prestige, ends today.
RTE