ABOUT THIS EPISODE

In today's episode, OWC RADiO host Cirina Catania, talks to Slovenian journalist and film critic Damijan Vinter, who gives us his take on this year's Berlin International Film Festival (the Berlinale). Here are his must-see movies and his impressions of this year’s films in competition.

Celebrating its 70th year, the Berlin International Film Festival has once again confirmed its status as one of the world's leading film festivals: 342 festival films, 330,000 sold tickets, and 22,000 industry professionals from 133 countries.

Damijan Vinter shares his impressions of the best feature films, including the winner of the Golden Bear, “There Is No Evil,” a drama from the Iranian director Mohammad Rasoulof centering on true stories of the people behind the scenes who carry out executions in the Islamic Republic of Iran.

Rasoulof, has had many run-ins with the Iranian government since 2010, and was banned from filmmaking. He has now been sentenced to one-year in prison due to films which the Iranian authorities found to be "propaganda against the system." As of this writing, Rasoulof is refusing to turn himself in. An appeal is planned.

If you missed this year's Berlinale, or just want to learn more about the films that were in competition in 2020, listen in to Damijan's recommendations and insights.

You will find something interesting for sure!

As always, your comments and suggestions are welcome.

Write to us at [email protected] or comment below.

For more information about our amazing sponsor, Other World Computing, go to MacSales.com or OWCDigital.com, where you'll find hardware and software solutions and tutorial videos that will get you up and running in no time.

For more about our host, filmmaker, tech maven and co-founder of the Sundance Film Festival, Cirina Catania, visit cirinacatania.com.

If you enjoy our podcast, please subscribe and tell all your friends about us! We love our listeners. And, if you have ideas for segments, write to [email protected]. Cirina is always up for new ideas!

In This Episode

00:20 – Cirina introduces Damijan Vinter, a journalist and film critic from Slovenia.1:15 – Damijan agrees that Sheytan Vojud Nadarad or There Is No Evil is the best film in the competition5:25 – The award ceremony for the Golden Bear award touched everyone at the Berlinale Palast.07:41 - Never Rarely Sometimes Always, a realistic teenage dilemma. Awarded Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize09:04 – Damijan shares a funny cat scene from the film, The Woman Who Ran.11:46 – Damijan enumerated his favorite film in the competition. His favorites were Volevo Nascondermi/Hidden Away and Bad Tales.15:10 – Cirina shares what she loves most about the Berlin International Film Festival; People talk about the movie in terms of what country they’re from.18:48 – Damijan shares how the film Gunda managed to capture a very sincere moment in life on the farm.34:01 – Damijan gives his opinion about the new management running the Berlinale.35:48 – Damijan wished for a different approach on the opening keynote for the Panorama section.

Jump to Links and Resources

Transcript

You've got to give me all of the inside scoop on the festival. I was really interested because you said that, for the first time in a long time this year, you were almost 100% in agreement with the jury.

Yeah.

So what was that all about?

First of all, because I saw the last competition movie. It was this Iranian film, Sheytan Vojud Nadarad to which is like There is no Evil. I just saw it yesterday, and it was the best and most beautiful film ever in the competition. And you know the feeling when you see the best movie at the end of all this traveling? I was so touched that I skipped another screening, which I have tickets for. That evening, I realized that it was the film they gave the Golden Bear to. It was the start of my happiness or satisfaction, I should say.