International Film Festival
Teddy Award for Berlinale documentary about singer Peaches
The musician Peaches (l) at the 38th Teddy Awards ceremony. photo
© Britta Pedersen/dpa
Before the bears were awarded on Saturday evening, the Teddy Award was on the program – the Berlinale’s queer film prize.
A documentation about the as Peaches’ Canadian electroclash and punk singer Merrill Nisker (“Fuck the Pain Away”) was honored with a Teddy Award during the Berlinale.
The film “Teaches of Peaches” by Judy Landkammer and Philipp Fussenegger uses private archive material and recordings from the “The Teaches of Peaches Anniversary Tour” to show the transformation of the now 57-year-old into an internationally celebrated artist. It is time for contemporary culture to “recognize sheer queer genius,” said the jury.
The Teddy Award has been presented as part of the Berlinale for 38 years. It is considered the oldest film award for films and people “that communicate topics about social diversity and make a contribution to greater tolerance, acceptance, solidarity and equality in society.”
The jury recognized “All Shall Be Well” by Hong Kong director Ray Yeung as the best feature film. The film depicts the family conflicts and increasing acceptance problems after a partner in an older lesbian couple dies.
The teddy bear for best short film went to “Grandmamauntsistercat” by Zuza Banasińska. The Polish director tells the story of a matriarchal family. The jury’s Teddy was awarded to the ensemble of the film “Crossing” by Swedish director Levan Akin. “Every character in this ensemble, whether main or supporting, is treated with incredible depth, without pandering to preconceived ideas or cinematic stereotypes,” the statement said.
The Special Teddy Award also went to the Berlin director Lothar Lambert. Since the 1970s, he has been “closer to people who don’t fit into any social mold,” the jury is quoted as saying in a statement.