At the Berlinale, Nicolas Philibert received the Golden Bear award for his documentary “On the Adamant”

Is it revenge on aging white males, who have been feeling the pinch in world cinema, since the rise of the #metoo movement?

And still, on Saturday February 25th, the highest award of 73^H The Berlinale edition crowned great masters, as it is customary to say: Nicolas Philibert received the Golden Bear for Best Film for his documentary, on adamant ; Germany’s Christian Petzold won the Grand Jury Prize for red sky Philippe Garrel won Best Director for The big camperThe Portuguese João Canegu won the Jury Prize for I will live. In the same generation, the German Angela Chanelck features a screenplay music. So the jury decided, headed by Kristen Stewart, 32, the youngest female jury president in the history of the Berlinale.

If you deserve certain awards, then this choice raises questions, especially since there are very good films of a new generation (totemMexican Lila Aviles, or even disco boy, by the Italian Giacomo Abrusese, who nevertheless awarded the director of photography, Helene Louvart, a Silver Bear for her artistic contribution). Or will the jury take a step aside, while three female directors have previously won grand slams at the biggest festivals: the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 2021 to Julia DeCourneau (Titanium), The Golden Lion in Venice by Audrey Diwan (the event), and then Carla Simon’s Golden Bear in 2022 (Our suns). Are you starting to get a lot?

France’s Nicolas Philibert, 72, finally knew coronation: author of cult documentaries since To be and to have (2002), immortalized by Radio France’s public service Radio House (2013), paid tribute to the dedication of nurses – in every moment (2018)And etc.

A piece of utopia

on adamant is a piece of utopia: the title refers to a floating building located on the banks of the Seine (Port de la Rapée, at 12^H Neighborhood), which welcomes people with mental disorders during the day. Philibert happily sets his camera in this barge full of memorable beings, like this old man who was convinced his brother was himself the inspiration for Van Gogh in his pictures. The director makes a kingdom out of a fragile place: he doesn’t invent it, that place exists, but he reveals it with the great humanity he’s used to — the film, the first part of an upcoming trilogy, will be released in theaters April 19.

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