The 66th Berlin International Film Festival was held from 11 February to 21 February 2016, with American actress Meryl Streep as the President of the Jury. The Honorary Golden Bear for lifetime achievement was presented to German cinematographer Michael Ballhaus. Hail, Caesar!, directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, was selected to open the festival. The Golden Bear was awarded to the Italian documentary Fire at Sea, directed by Gianfranco Rosi, which also serves as closing night film.
Main Competition
The following people were on the jury for the Berlinale Competition section:
The following people were on the jury for the Best First Feature Award:
Michel Franco, Mexican film director and producer
Enrico Lo Verso, Italian actor
Ursula Meier, French-Swiss film director
The following people were on the jury for the Berlinale Shorts section:
Sheikha Hoor Al-Qasimi, UAE curator, artist and lecturer
Katerina Gregos, Greek curator, writer and lecturer
Avi Mograbi, Israeli filmmaker, video artist and lecturer
The following films were selected for the main competition for the Golden Bear and Silver Bear awards:
The following films were selected to be screened out of competition:
The following films were selected for the Panorama section:
The following films were selected for the Panorama Dokumente section:
The following films were selected to be screened as part of Teddy Award's 30th anniversary celebration:
The following films were selected for the Berlinale Special section:
The following prizes were awarded:
Golden Bear – Fire at Sea by Gianfranco Rosi
Honorary Golden Bear – Michael Ballhaus
Jury Grand Prix (Silver Bear) – Death in Sarajevo by Danis Tanović
Alfred Bauer Prize (Silver Bear) – A Lullaby to the Sorrowful Mystery by Lav Diaz
Silver Bear for Best Director – Mia Hansen-Løve for Things to Come
Silver Bear for Best Actress – Trine Dyrholm for The Commune
Silver Bear for Best Actor – Majd Mastoura for Hedi
Silver Bear for Best Script – Tomasz Wasilewski for United States of Love
Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution for Cinematography – Mark Lee Ping Bin for Crosscurrent
Best First Feature Award – Mohamed Ben Attia for Hedi
Panoroma Audience Award
1st Place: Junction 48 by Udi Aloni
2nd Place: Greetings from Fukushima by Doris Dörrie
3rd Place: Shepherds and Butchers by Oliver Schmitz
Panoroma Audience Award - Panorama Dokumente
1st Place: Who's Gonna Love Me Now? by Tomer and Barak Heymann
2nd Place: Strike a Pose by Reijer Zwaan and Ester Gold
3rd Place: Weekends by Lee Dong-ha
Golden Bear For Best Short Film – Batrachian's Ballad by Leonor Teles
Silver Bear Jury Prize (short film) – A Man Returned by Mahdi Fleifel
Audi Short Film Award – Anchorage Prohibited by Chiang Wei Liang
Teddy Award
Best Feature Film: Tomcat by Händl Klaus
Best Documentary/Essay Film: Kiki by Sara Jordenö
Best Short Film: Moms On Fire by Joanna Rytel
Special Jury Award: You'll Never Be Alone by Alex Anwandter
Special Teddy Award: Christine Vachon
Teddy Audience Award: Paris 05:59 by Jacques Martineau and Olivier Ducastel
Männer Magazine Readers' Jury Award: Don't Call Me Son by Anna Muylaert
FIPRESCI Prize
Competition: Death in Sarajevo by Danis Tanović
Panorama: Aloys by Tobias Nölle
Forum: The Revolution Won't Be Televised by Rama Thiaw
Prize of the Ecumenical Jury
Competition: Fire at Sea by Gianfranco Rosi
Panorama: The First, the Last by Bouli Lanners
Forum:
Barakah Meets Barakah by Mahmoud Sabbagh
Those Who Jump by Abou Bakar Sidibé, Estephan Wagner and Moritz Sieber
Europa Cinemas Label – The First, the Last by Bouli Lanners
Arte International Prize – Alvaro Brechner for Memories from the Cell
Eurimages Co-production Development Award – Cinéma De facto and Proton Cinema for Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman