The 24th European Film Awards were held in Berlin last weekend. Paula Fleri-Soler was there to see what we can expect when Malta hosts the awards next year.

Lars von Trier’s end of the world saga Melancholia and the ever-popular The King’s Speech were the big winners with three awards apiece at the 24th European Film Awards held in Berlin on December 3.

We shouldn’t forget that Europe is a community, a union, a promise of peace. It needs to be reminded of its spirit, of its soul

A dark, cold and wet Berlin night did absolutely nothing to dampen the atmosphere outside the Hotel Concorde where a veritable who’s who of European filmmakers, guests and members of the press gathered waiting to be whisked off to the Tempodrom for the awards ceremony.

Situated near Potsdamer Platz, the Tempodrom is an architecturally unique location which has played host to numerous high-profile events. Inaugurated with the 14th European Film Awards, it was fitting that the venue’s 10th anniversary was celebrated with another edition of the ceremony.

The red lighting of the Tempodrom’s tented roof was reflected in the skies of Berlin as the nominees and presenters arrived on the red carpet and entered the venue to mingle and enjoy a drink before the ceremony proper began.

The evening kicked off with an introduction by European Film Academy (EFA) director Marion Döring. During her speech, Döring welcomed the Maltese delegation led by Malta Film Commissioner Peter Busuttil in view of the fact that Malta will be hosting next year’s awards ceremony.

Speeches by EFA president (and eventual winner) Wim Wenders, Germany’s Minister for Culture and the Arts Bernd Neumann, and EFA deputy chairman Volker Schlondörff followed suit.

In his welcome, Wenders emphasised the evening’s purpose of celebrating Europe’s film community; a united Europe different from the one currently at the centre of a financial crisis.

“Europe isn’t all about bureaucracy, political scheming and debt management,” he said. “We shouldn’t forget that Europe is a community, a union, a promise of peace. It needs to be reminded of its spirit, of its soul.”

The ceremony proper began with the arrival of the evening’s host, German comedian and TV presenter Anke Engelke. Establishing the tone of her presentation from the get-go, Engelke walked on stage in slow motion and wearing a wedding dress, in a parody of European Actress 2011 nominee Kirsten Dunst’s performance in Melancholia, which with eight nominations was up for most awards.

Charismatic, comic and at times uproariously funny, Engelke kept things going at a quick pace, although she got off to a slightly embarrassing start when she called French actress Sylvie Testud on stage to present the first award of the evening – only for Testud to admit she had no idea what to say because she was supposed to be presenting the European Actor award.

Amid hearty laughs from the audience, Engelke immediately apologised for her blunder, and called up the correct presenter, Irene Jacob, who set off proceedings by awarding the European Animated Feature Film 2011 to Spain-UK co-production Chico and Rita.

Melancholia translated three of its nominations into awards, including the prestigious European Film of 2011. Director von Trier, however, was not present to pick up the award. With no sign of the backlash following the infamous Hitler/Nazi comments saga at Cannes abating, a few weeks ago von Trier released a statement saying he would in future refrain from giving any public statements and interviews. His wife, Bente Froge, was on hand in Berlin to pick up the award on his behalf.

Commenting backstage after the show, the charming Froge said her husband was very happy with the award. When asked his whereabouts, she replied with a grin: “he’s home cooking... he’s taking care of the children”.

She added more seriously that after Cannes he just wants to concentrate on making films and reiterated the director’s decision for press silence by adding: “I don’t think you will see Lars at a press conference anymore.”

Melancholia also won the Carlo di Palma European Cinematographer Award and the European Production Designer 2011 Awards.

The King’s Speech walked away with three awards, including European Editor 2011 award for Tariq Anwar and the People’s Choice Award 2011, while Colin Firth won his nth Best Actor award the role.

The film’s director Tom Hooper was on hand to pick up the latter two awards and summed up his reaction to the film’s undiminished popularity by paraphrasing Firth’s acceptance speech at the Oscars, saying: “inside I’m dancing!”

The European Actress 2011 was awarded to Tilda Swinton for her acclaimed performance in the drama We Need to Talk about Kevin.

All the other nominees for European Film 2011 – bar Le Havre – walked away with one award each. A visibly surprised and emotional Susanne Bier won European Director 2011 for her work on In a Better World.

Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardennes won European Screenwriter for The Kid with a Bike and Ludovic Bourse won European Composer 2011 for his work on The Artist.

In the run up to the awards it was generally felt that The Artist, a French black and white silent film about Hollywood’s silent era was expected to perform better than it ultimately did. Nevertheless, the current frenzy it is creating means we shall be definitely hearing more about it in the near future.

Prolific Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen, internationally for his turns in Casino Royale (2006) and this year’s The Three Musketeers, was given the European Achievement in World Cinema 2011. Mikkelsen was subjected to merciless ribbing by his friend, Swedish actor Stellan Skarsgård, who introduced the award. “I know you’ve been voted sexiest man in Denmark about six times but those are by people who don’t know you,” said Skarsgård, among many other good-natured insults.

British director Stephen Frears (My Beautiful Launderette, The Grifters, The Queen) was given the European Film Academy Lifetime Achievement award. Saying he’ll try not to take the award too seriously, the self-deprecating director added: “The truth is I’m everything you don’t approve of. I’m not an auteur and I don’t write the scripts. I’m just a bloke who makes films and hopes the audience likes them.”

The European Co-Production Award 2011 Prix Eurimages was given to Madrid-based Uruguayan film producer Mariela Besuievsky. A slightly embarrassed Wim Wenders picked up the award for best European Film Academy Documentary for Pina, while newcomer Hans Van Nuffel won the European Discovery 2011 award.

Maverick director Terry Gilliam won the Short Film 2011 prize for The Wholly Family, commenting that he feels like he’s going backwards, making short films at this late stage of his career.

One of the evening’s genuinely emotional moments came as actor Bruno Ganz and Volker Schlondörff presented an impromptu special honorary award to veteran French actor Michel Piccoli (who was nominated for his role as a reluctant newly-elected pope in Habemus Papam). This announcement was greeted by a warm and prolonged standing ovation, with Ganz saying this was “presented with no deeper reason but love”.

A distinctly European ambiance was prevalent throughout the glitzy evening thanks to a bevy of established and up-and-coming actors and film-makers from across the continent on presenting the individual awards. This gave the ceremony a multilingual flavour as presenters and winners alike switched languages with ease.

As the ceremony drew to a close, Engelke thanked all present in the Tempodrome for a successful evening, before sending them off to the lavish after-party at the Hotel Concorde with an enthusiastic “See you in Malta next year!”

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