75th Berlinale Winners: Dag Johan Haugerud’s ‘Dreams (Sex Love)’ Takes the Golden Bear

February 22, 2025

The Blue Trail and The Message were also awarded. Best Director to Huo Meng for Living the Land.

The 75th edition of the Berlin International Film Festival concluded with a grand celebration, marking the debut year of Tricia Tuttle as festival director. The coveted Golden Bear for Best Film was awarded to Norwegian filmmaker Dag Johan Haugerud’s Dreams (Sex Love), the final instalment in his Dream Sex Love trilogy.

A Night of Surprises and Triumphs

Jury President Todd Haynes described Dreams (Sex Love) as “a meditation on love” executed with “incredible confidence and precision.” Haugerud, overwhelmed by the honour, expressed his gratitude by urging people to “write more and read more. It expands your mind.”

The Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize went to Gabriel Mascaro’s The Blue Trail, a thought-provoking dystopian drama examining society’s treatment of the elderly. The Silver Bear Jury Prize was awarded to The Message by Argentine filmmaker Iván Fund, while the Best Director honour went to Huo Meng for his heartfelt drama Living the Land.

Silver Bear for Best Screenplay 2025- Radu Jude for Kontinental ’25 by Radu Jude

Outstanding Performances and Acclaimed Screenplay

Rose Byrne secured the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance for her role in If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You, a gripping portrayal of a mother balancing her career as a therapist with raising a child with special needs. Andrew Scott won Best Supporting Performance for playing Broadway legend Richard Rodgers in Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon.

The Best Screenplay award was given to Radu Jude for Kontinental ’25, a satirical take on contemporary politics. Jude used his acceptance speech to advocate for the fight against rising film production costs and made a strong political statement regarding global justice.

Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance 2025- Rose Byrne in If I Had Legs I‘d Kick You by Mary Bronstein

Innovations and Notable Wins

Under Tuttle’s leadership, the festival introduced the new Perspectives section, dedicated to first-time directors. Mexican filmmaker Ernesto Martínez Bucio’s The Devil Smokes (and Saves the Burnt Matches in the Same Box) was named Best First Feature.

The Berlinale Documentary Award went to Holding Liat, a compelling film produced by Darren Aronofsky that follows an Israeli family’s emotional journey after their son is taken hostage.

Celebrating Queer Cinema and Emerging Talents

The Teddy Award for Best Queer Feature was won by Lesbian Space Princess, an animated Australian film. The Panorama Audience Award went to Sorda, while The Botanist received the Grand Prix for Best Film in the Generation Kplus section.

Complete List of Key Winners

Full list of winners:

COMPETITION

Golden Bear for Best Film: “Dreams (Sex Love)”

Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize: “The Blue Trail”

Silver Bear Jury Prize: “The Message”

Silver Bear for Best Director: Huo Meng, “Living the Land”

Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance: Rose Byrne, “If I Had Legs, I’d Kick You”

Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance: Andrew Scott, “Blue Moon”

Silver Bear for Best Screenplay: “Kontinental ’25,” Radu Jude

Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution: The creative ensemble of “The Ice Tower,” Lucile Hadžihalilović

BERLINALE DOCUMENTARY AWARD

Best Documentary: “Holding Liat,” Brandon Kramer

Special Mention: “Canone Effimero”, Gianluca De Serio, Massimiliano De Serio

PERSPECTIVES JURY

GWFF Best First Feature: “The Devil Smokes (and Saves the Burnt Matches in the Same Box),” Ernesto Martínez Bucio

BERLINALE SHORTS

Golden Bear: “Lloyd Wong, Unfinished,” Lesley Loksi Chan

Silver Bear: “Ordinary Life,” Yoriko Mizushiri

Awards previously announced:

PANORAMA AWARDS

Panorama Audience Award: “Sorda,” Eva Libertad
Second Prize: “Lesbian Space Princess,” Emma Hough Hobbs, Leela Varghese
Third Prize: “Home Sweet Home,” Frelle Petersen

Panorama Documentary Audience Award: “Die Möllner Briefe,” Martina Priessner
Second Prize: “Yalla Parkour Sweden,” Areeb Zuaiter
Third Prize: “Khartoum,” Anas Saeed, Rawia Alhag, Ibrahim Snoopy, Timeea M Ahmed, Phil Cox

GENERATION AWARDS

Generation International Jury

Grand Prix for Best Film in Generation 14plus: “Christy,” Brendan Canty
Special Mention: “Têtes Brûlées,” Maja-Ajmia Yde Zellama

Special Prize for Best Short Film in Generation 14plus: “Don’t Wake the Sleeping Child,” Kevin Aubert

A Bird Flew,” Leinad Pájaro De la Hoz
Special Mention: “Beneath Which Rivers Flow,” Ali Yahya

Grand Prix for Best Film in Generation Kplus: “The Botanist,” Jing Yi
Special Mention: “Seaside Serendipity,” Satoko Yokohama

Special Prize for Best Short Film in Generation Kplus: “Autokar,” Sylwia Szkiłądź
Special Mention: “Akababuru: Expression of Astonishment,“ Irati Dojura Landa Yagarí

Youth Jury Generation 14plus

Crystal Bear for Best Film: “Sunshine,” Antoinette Jadaone
Special Mention: ”Playtime,” Lucia Murat

Crystal Bear for Best Short Film: “Wish You Were Ear,” Mirjana Balogh
Special Mention: “Sunset Over America,” Matías Rojas Valencia

Children’s Jury Generation Kplus

Crystal Bear for Best Film: “Maya, Give Me a Title,” Michel Gondry
Special Mention: “Circusboy,” Julia Lemke

Crystal Bear for Best Short Film: “Little Rebels Cinema Club,” Khozy Rizal
Special Mention: “Down in the Dumps,” Vera van Wolferen

INDEPENDENT JURY PRIZES

Ecumenical Jury Prizes
Competition: “The Blue Trail,” Gabriel Mascaro
Panorama: “The Heart Is a Muscle,” Imran Hamdulay
Forum: “Holding Liat,” Brandon Kramer

FIPRESCI Jury Prizes
Competition: “Dreams (Sex Love),” Dag Johan Haugerud
Encounters: “Little Trouble Girls,” Urška Djukić
Panorama: “Under the Flags, the Sun,” Juanjo Pereira
Forum: “The Memory of Butterflies,” Tatiana Fuentes Sadowski

Teddy Awards
Best Feature Film: “Lesbian Space Princess,” Leela Varghese, Emma Hough Hobbs
Best Documentary/Essay Film: “Satanic Sow,” Rosa von Praunheim
Best Short Film: “Lloyd Wong,” Lesley Loksi Chan
Jury Award: “If You Are Afraid You Put Your Heart into Your Mouth and Smile,” Marie Luise Lehner
Special Teddy Award: Todd Haynes

CICAE Art Cinema Award
Panorama: “Deaf” (Sorda), Eva Libertad
Forum: “If You Are Afraid You Put Your Heart Into Your Mouth and Smile,” Marie Luise Lehner

Guild Film Prize: “Dying,” Matthias Glasner

Label Europa Cinemas: “Hysteria by Mehmet,” Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay

Caligari Film Prize: “Fwends,” Sophie Somerville

Peace Film Prize: “Khartoum,” Anas Saeed, Rawia Alhag, Ibrahim Snoopy, Timeea M Ahmed, Phil Cox
Special Mention: “Queer as Punk,” Yihwen Chen

Amnesty International Film Award: “The Moelln Letters,” Martina Priessner
Special Mention: “Khartoum,” Anas Saeed, Rawia Alhag, Ibrahim Snoopy, Timeea M Ahmed, Phil Cox

Heiner Carow Prize: “Palliative Care Unit,” Philipp Döring

AG-Kino Gilde Cinema Vision 14Plus: “Paternal Leave,” Alissa Jung
Special Mention: “Têtes brûlées,” Maja-Ajmia Yde Zellama

OTHER PRIZES

Berliner Morgenpost Readers’ Jury Award: “The Blue Trail,” Gabriel Mascaro

Tagesspiegel Readers’ Jury Award: “The Swan Song of Fedor Ozerov,” Yuri Semashko

DEVELOPMENT AWARDS

Artekino International Award: “Dreamgirl,” Kaan Müjdeci, produced byTato Film & Asteros Film

Eurimages Co-Production Development Award: “Ibicaba – Visions of Paradise,” Andrea Štaka

VFF Talent Highlight Award: “March 14th,” Alberto Gross Molo

Gen Z Audience Award: “30 Days of Summer,” Anastasiia Solonevych

Written by: Federica Scarpa

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