Berlinale-2017 summed up, surprised and met someone’s expectations only partially

BERLIN. Aki Kaurismäki became the best director at the cinema festival that ended, but was left without a main prize.

With all the unpredictability of the Berlinale, which sometimes raises not the best ribbons to Olympus and does not notice obvious masterpieces, the majority of the synephiles did not doubt this year’s jury verdict. This time, the Finn Aki Kaurismäki, who made his debut in 2017 in the competition program of the Berlin Film Festival, was in the role of a favorite and a universal favorite. The film Toivon tuolla puolen (“On the Other Side of Hope”) seemed an ideal candidate for victory, combining the plot’s urgency, irony and the charm of the absurd. Kaurismäki opposes pessimists and opponents of the integration of millions of refugees into European society with his painting. He sees in this situation not a catastrophe, like many, but a chance for manifestation of compassion and humanity. In this, he is in solidarity with Angela Merkel. The story of the Syrian Khaled, who became his own for the Finns who sheltered him, is seasoned with the signature subtle humor, which was so loved by fans of Kaurismäki’s work.

Toivon tuolla puolen is the second part of the port cities trilogy, which may remain incomplete, as the owner of the Grand Prix of the Cannes Film Festival in 2002 announced the possible cessation of active work in the cinema due to accumulated fatigue. Predictions regarding the victory in Berlinale came true only partly. Kaurismäki did not receive the coveted Golden Bear, but was declared the best director. The symbol of Berlin of the highest standard went to the arthouse tape A Teströl és Lélekröl (“On the Body and the Soul”) of the Hungarian director Enyedi Ildikó. The main characters, slaughterhouse workers in love with each other, see the same dreams in which they turn into deer. The owner of the Golden Globe, the famous Polish director and screenwriter Agnieszka Holland (Agnieszka Holland) received the Alfred Bauer Prize for the psychological thriller "Trail of the Beast" (Pokot), awarded for innovation in art. The Grand Prix went to the social drama Félicité ("Happiness") by Alain Gomis.

Elena Tanakova © Gallerix.ru