aria Schrader & Julianne Köhler received a Silver Bear for their performances in the opening film of the Berlinale Aimée & Jaguar  a story of lesbian love under the Nazis. The films’ strength is the depiction of the normality of events while Berlin is being bombed and people are being deported. Some fine acting saves the film from being overwhelmed by “normality” and weaknesses. The film was given a Teddy Bear Jury Award.

Shakespeare in Love was given the Silver Bear for best script by Tom Stoppard & Marc Norman. This film does not make any concessions to gay assertions that W.S. was at least “bi”. Historically largely nonsense, it is hilariously funny at times, and well acted. The music however, tries successfully to dominate the action at times. But it is worth seeing – despite possible Hollywood and Oscars, if you can shut your sense of historical reality down for two hours.

I found Fucking Amal – director, Lukas Moodyson, a straight male - in parts boring but it was inevitable that it be given the Teddy Bear Award for Best feature film “for its thoughtful coming-out portrayal of young lesbian love” and a recommendation from the Art Cinemas of Europe. Basically a lesbian school girls’ coming-out which takes literally the phrase “coming out of the closet”.  Un-exciting but OK.

Although Lola and Bilidikid is very brutal in places it shows the difficulties of gays – in Berlin - in a repressive socio-political-religious atmosphere. This is a common theme for several films. There are some good performances but at times it seems to ignore the line between dramatic and melodramatic.

Tim Roth directed The War Zone - his first major feature. As the jury of the International Confederation of Art Cinemas of Europe wrote in their laudatio: “The War Zone is for us an outstanding film, in which the whole artistically harmonises – the history, photography, and scenic structure“ (Translated). The weaving together of the sombre scenery of the southern coast of England, the developing, increasingly depressing story and the subdued – not excessively depicted violence – makes it an excellent film without any tendency to voyeurism which some directors could well learn from. This film deserved a Golden Bear for its courage and art.

Amic / Amat von Ventura Pons is an interesting, well-written film and well-worth seeing. At a different level and in a different setting there is a brooding quality here similar to The War Zone.  An older gay Professor, who has not long to live, tries to present his last essay to a student he loves, who earns money for his studies as a male hustler.

Kurt Gerons Karussel is a film that will interest cabaret and chansons fans. It is the story of the rotund Berliner, actor, and manifold talent who took the role of Mackie Messer  in the premier Brecht’s “Threepenny Opera”.  A Jew who fled the Nazis, after the occupation of the Netherlands he was sent to Theresienstadt via the transitional camp Westerbork. The film is an excellent mixture of the songs he sang, here performed by Berliner Cabaret artists, and documentary about his path down the road to hell.

Another film with a story similar to KGs Karussel shown in the first cut at the market screening was The Happiest Place on Earth based on the last years of the life of Robert Lambert, a French homo-actor who was arrested at a gay bar in Vichy France and eventually sent to Buchenwald. He died there in March 1945. These two films are reminders of how cultural repression (including homophobic forms) and political repression are two ends of the same stick.

Political oppression is the subject of the moving Speak to me sisters – directed by Maj Wechselmann and awarded a prize by the Ecumenical Jury  because this film honours the resistance of women against Apartheid and for its masterly use of archive material.

The Man who drove with Mandela was awarded the Teddy Bear Award as Best Doc. film “For its contribution to gay and lesbian history and for bringing forward a challenging & politically engaged  subject” The film is about Cecil Williams, “one of the best-known stage directors of Jo’burg” in the fifties, communist and homosexual”  It is not brilliant film but the award is well-deserved. Yet another reminder of the link between political repression  and repression of cultural freedom, for Williams was forced to leave South Africa and withdrew from the struggle.

Basically a very good idea which desperately needs another visit to the cutting room, the Dokfilm, Dear Jesse, (market screening) concerns itself with the infamous Jessie Helms. It scratches at his – for many Americans untarnished - image and starts from the idea that the film-maker was born in the same town, on the same day (but not same year) as Helms. With some work the film could graduate from being useful to important for the fight against the extreme right in the USA – and elsewhere.

Quickies or shorts

The Offering A Canadian of Chinese origin, Paul Lee’s “speechless” film was shown in competition. In between late-comers falling down stairs and others pushing passed me to get to empty I tried to attend to a film of visual beauty and interest which shows the love and affection between a Japanese monk and a novice. It is good. My attention was too often distracted to say more, except that it is unfair to the film-makers to subject works of intense art (as short films often are) to such treatment.

Liu awaiting Spring a film from Andrew Soo - about young gay Chinese in Australia - was awarded a Teddy Bear for best short film.  It really is interesting “For its portrayal of a young man’s exploration of cultural, personal and gay identity through a beautiful blending of sound and image.” Once again cultural differences play a significant role.

With a Chinese background the director of Bishonen, Manshih Yonfan, spoke of his wish not to make a “usual” film. A film reflecting socio-cultural problems, which were not sufficiently developed. The “twist” towards the end saves it from being a just gay love film.

Platonische Liebe is one of the most tense – and amusing - films I’ve seen in a long time. If he lives up to this we will hear of more “goodies” from director Philipp Kadelbach.

The struggle for the right to sexuality, including homosexuality is still not finished, including in the land of unlimited opportunities. Beefcake by the director of the acclaimed film The Hanging Garden, Thom Fitzgerald - concerns itself with the life of Bob Mizer, one of the pioneering photographers of male nudes, the models who served him and the atmosphere  of the times.

Awarded the Siegesaul Readers Prize Trick  is an urban fairy story about love and affection between two young men who meet each but have trouble in finding somewhere to “get together”. A pleasant movie.

Centred on a small hideaway hotel in southern California, although the script of the film Swallows has weaknesses, the action of the film makes them almost unnoticeable and the result is a cheerful film of hetero and gay love and intrigue in which almost everyone gets the one they want at the end and shows love between adults whether hetero, gay or bi- as absolutely normal.

Among the over 25 films I saw, I walked out of Entre La Pienas and Urban Feel. I would like to have fled 8mm, Asphalt and From the Edge of the City.  However, all in all a good Berlinale year, 1999.

C. de la Motte-Sherman

Amic /Amat (Spanien)

Man/Mandela (UK/Südafrika/Niederlände)

Speak to me Sisters (Schweden/Dänemark)

Dear Jesse (US)

The Offering (Canada)

Liu Awaiting Spring (Australia)