Romanian director Călin Peter Netzer's film Child's Pose won the Golden Bear at the Berlin Film Festival on Saturday evening (February 16 ). The Romanian film, which was the only local contender at the international film festival, landed the Golden Bear for Best Film. It competed against 18 films from around the world for the festival's awards – the Golden and Silver Bear statuettes. The film was among the favorites for the award, together with Prince Avalanche, by David Gordon Green, and Gloria, by Sebastian Lelio, according to a Bloomberg review.

Director Călin Peter Netzer is no stranger to film festivals and awards. Two of his previous films Maria (2003 ) and Medalia de onoare/Medal of Honor (2009 ) received nominations and awards at a number of festivals, including the Bratislava, Chicago, Miami, Locarno, Thessaloniki and Torino film festivals. Child's Pose, which tells the story of an overbearing mother's relationship with her adult son, stars some well known names from Romanian cinema, Luminita Gheorghiu (The Death of Mr. Lazarescu) and Bogdan Dumitrache (Best Intentions). The cast also includes Natasa Raab, Ilinca Goia, Florin Zamfirescu, Cerasela Iosifescu, Mimi Branescu and Vlad Ivanov. The review of the movie by Romania-Insider.com is here.

Other winners in this year's edition of the Berlinale – the 63rd, were Paulina García in Gloria, who got a Silver Bear for Best Actress, Nazif Mujić in Epizoda u životu berača željeza (An Episode in the Life of an Iron Picker) by Danis Tanović- a Silver Bear for Best Actor, Jafar Panahi for Pardé (Closed Curtain) by Jafar Panahi, Kamboziya Partovi with a Silver Bear for Best Script.

Promised Land by Gus Van Sant got a Special Mention, the same as Layla Fourie by Pia Marais. Awards announced so far are listed here. The jury was made up of Wong Kar Wai (President), Susanne Bier, Tim Robbins, Shirin Neshat, Athina Rachel Tsangari, Andreas Dresen and Ellen Kuras.

editor@romania-insider.com

(photo source: berlinale.de)