EntertainmentBerlinale surprise: Documentary 'Dahomey' wins the Golden Bear, shedding light on colonial-era artefacts

Berlinale surprise: Documentary 'Dahomey' wins the Golden Bear, shedding light on colonial-era artefacts

The renowned festival in Berlin will conclude on Sunday. Included in the day's events are screenings of the award-winning films. The most significant decisions were made on Saturday night. This year, Berlinale did not have a clear favorite for the main prize. The victor was chosen by the jury, led by Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong'o.

Mati Diop (director) and Lupita Nyong'o (jury president)
Mati Diop (director) and Lupita Nyong'o (jury president)
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25 February 2024 09:28

The Paris-raised director, Mati Diop, was awarded the Golden Bear for his film. He collaborated with institutions in Senegal and Benin and created a documentary dedicated to art pieces pillaged by French colonial troops in the 19th century from the kingdom of Dahomey, located in Africa on the Gulf of Guinea.

The documentary "Dahomey" narrates the tale of 26 royal artefacts from the Kingdom of Dahomey (1600-1904), which were looted during the colonial era and transported from Benin to France. Diop covers the ongoing battle to repatriate these objects to the people of Benin.

List of winners

"We can either erase the past or take responsibility for it and use it as a foundation for further development. The choice is ours. As a French-Senegalese director, I chose the latter. I am one of those who refuse to forget. I'm one of those who dismiss amnesia as a mode of action. I stand in solidarity with my compatriots in Senegal, who are striving for democracy and justice," said the author of the winning film.

Full list of Berlinale 2024 winners in the Main Competition:

  • Golden Bear:"Dahomey" dir. Mati Diop
  • Silver Bear - Grand Jury Prize:"A Traveler's Needs" dir. Hong Sang Soo
  • Silver Bear - Jury Prize:"L'Empire" dir. Bruno Dumont
  • Silver Bear for Best Leading Role: Sebastian Stan for "A Different Man" (dir. Aaron Schimberg)
  • Silver Bear for Best Supporting Role: Emily Watson in "Small Things Like This" (dir. Tim Mielants)
  • Silver Bear for Best Direction:Nelson Carlo De Los Santos Arias for "Pepe"
  • Silver Bear for Best Screenplay: Matthias Glasner for "Sterben"
  • Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Achievement: Martin Gschlacht for his cinematography in the film "Des Teufels Bad" (dir. Veroniki Franz and Severin Fiala)
  • Honorary Golden Bear:Martin Scorsese
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