Berlin — Israeli director Nadav Lapid's Synonyms, a film following a young Israeli man who uproots himself to France and tries to immerse himself in his new country, has won the Berlin International Film Festival's top Golden Bear award.
The film was chosen Saturday from a field of 16 movies competing at the first of the year's major European film festivals.
Wang Jingchun was named best actor for his role in Wang Xiaoshuai's So Long, My Son, a Chinese family saga. Best actress went to Yong Mei for her part in the same film.
The best director prize went to Germany's Angela Schanelec for I Was at Home, But.
SEE THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS HERE:
Golden Bear for Best Film
Synonyms, dir. Nadav Lapid
Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize
By the Grace of God, dir. François Ozon
Silver Bear Alfred Bauer Prize
System Crasher, dir. Nora Fingscheidt
Silver Bear for Best Director
Angela Shanelec, I Was at Home, But
Silver Bear for Best Actress
Yong Mei, So Long, My Son
Silver Bear for Best Actor
Wang Jingchun, So Long, My Son
Silver Bear Best Screenplay
Mauricio Barucci, Claudio Giovannesi and Roberto Saviano, Piranhas
Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution
Rasmus Videbæk
Cinematographer, Out Stealing Horses
Glashutte Original Documentary
Talking About Trees, dir: Suhaib Gasmelbari
GWFF Best First Feature Award
Oray, dir: Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay
Golden Bear Best Short Film
Umbra, dir: Florian Fischer, Johannes Krell
Silver Bear Jury Prize Short Film
Blue Boy, dir: Manuel Abramovich
Audi Short Film Award
Rise, dir: Barbara Wagner, Benjamin de Burca
Panorama Audience Award Winner Fiction Film
37 Seconds, Japan, dir. Hikari
Panorama Audience Award Winner Panorama Dokumente
Talking About Trees, France / Sudan / Germany / Chad / Qatar dir. Suhaib Gasmelbari