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Films vie for coveted Golden Bear Peru film wins Berlin Golden Bear
(about 8 hours later)
Woody Harrelson and Renee Zellweger are among the stars with films in the running to win the top prize at the Berlin Film Festival. Peruvian film The Milk of Sorrow has won the Berlin Film Festival's coveted Golden Bear award for best picture.
Harrelson's The Messenger and Zellweger's My One and Only are hotly tipped for the coveted Golden Bear best picture award. The first Peruvian film in the festival's main competition, it tells the story of a young woman who was born of her mother's rape in the 1980s.
The 11-day showcase of international cinema winds up on Saturday with the awards ceremony, where Silver Bears are also handed out in other categories. It beat hotly-tipped The Messenger, starring Woody Harrelson, and My One and Only, with Renee Zellweger.
Overall there are 18 films competing. The runner-up Silver Bear was shared by Uruguay's Gigante and Germany's Everyone Else.
The Messenger sees Harrelson play an army officer assigned to inform the next of kin about soldiers killed in combat . "This is beautiful... this is such an honour," said The Milk of Sorrow's director, Claudia Llosa, on receiving the award.
My One and Only is a witty 1950s comedy in which Zellweger plays a glamorous housewife who leaves her husband and embarks on a journey of self-discovery with her teenage sons. "This is for Peru. This is for our country."
It is based loosely on actor George Hamilton's tale of how his mother brought him and a brother to Hollywood. Hit picker
Other popular festival films this year included About Elly. It is the story of middle-class Iranians whose trip to the Caspian Sea turns to tragedy as they try to uphold their social customs. The Messenger, which sees Harrelson play an army officer assigned to inform the next of kin about soldiers killed in combat, won the Silver Bear for best script for writers Oren Moverman and Alessandro Camon.
Can Woody Harrelson's The Messenger win big at Berlin? The Messenger, starring Woody Harrelson, won best script
Also highly praised by the critics has been London River. Starring Brenda Blethyn, it is directed by French-Algerian Rachid Bouchared and is set in the aftermath of the 7 July, 2005, bombings in London. Sotigui Kouyate from Mali won the Silver Bear for best actor for his turn in London River as a French Muslim waiting for news of his son after the deadly bombings in London in July 2005.
This year's jury president is the British actress Tilda Swinton. She and her fellow judges will also be considering the films and performances of other big acting names. The film also stars Brenda Blethyn and is directed by French-Algerian Rachid Bouchared.
Michelle Pfeiffer's film Cheri is another contender. The actress plays a retired, middle-aged courtesan in 1920s Paris, who is in love with a much younger man. The best director Silver Bear went to Iranian Asghar Farhadi for About Elly, the story of middle-class Iranians whose trip to the Caspian Sea turns to tragedy as they try to uphold their social customs.
Carrying on the flamboyant theme, Dame Judi Dench plays a chain-smoking fashionista in Rage while in the same film Jude Law plays a cross-dresser who goes by the name of Minx. British actress Tilda Swinton was this year's jury president.
The Berlin Film Festival is now in its 59th year. Part of its appeal is its reputation for often picking out potential hit films for the following the year. The Berlin Film Festival is in its 59th year. Part of its appeal is its reputation for often picking out future hit films.
Last year's winner of the Golden Bear was The Elite Squad, a violent tale of corrupt drug-squad officers in Brazil.Last year's winner of the Golden Bear was The Elite Squad, a violent tale of corrupt drug-squad officers in Brazil.
The UK's Sally Hawkins was best actress for Happy-Go-Lucky. Last month she also won the Golden Globe for best comedy actress for the same role.The UK's Sally Hawkins was best actress for Happy-Go-Lucky. Last month she also won the Golden Globe for best comedy actress for the same role.
Iran's Reza Naji won best actor at Berlin last year for The Song of Sparrows.Iran's Reza Naji won best actor at Berlin last year for The Song of Sparrows.
US film-maker Paul Thomas Anderson took the prize for best director for There Will Be Blood.US film-maker Paul Thomas Anderson took the prize for best director for There Will Be Blood.
Its star Daniel Day-Lewis went on to win the Oscar for best actor. Its star Daniel Day-Lewis went on to win an Oscar for best actor.