Berlin International Film Festival 1951
The first Berlin International Film Festival took place from June 6th to 18th, 1951.
Summary
In 1950, on the initiative of US film officer Oscar Martay, a committee was set up to prepare the first Berlinale. In addition to Martey, the committee consisted of
- Theodor Baensch (Head of Film Department at the Senator for Popular Education),
- Manfred Barthel (journalist),
- Max Büttner ( Association of German Film Distributors ),
- Oswald Cammann (Berlin film industry),
- Hans Cürlis (film producer),
- Ernst Hasselbach (film producer),
- Government Councilor Schneider and
- George Turner (British film officer).
The committee decided on the name of the festival, which is still valid today. It was also decided that no socialist countries should take part in the festival, so the Berlinale was influenced by the Cold War right from the start . In November 1950, Alfred Bauer was appointed the first director of the Berlinale. Bauer asked Federal President Theodor Heuss to take over the patronage of the festival, which he refused. Heuss referred to the responsibility of the Interior Ministry. Federal Minister of the Interior Robert Lehr became the patron and ensured that the newly created German Film Prize was awarded at the Berlinale. This stayed that way until the Berlinale 1977 , when the festival was moved from summer to February.
The opening of the first Berlinale took place on June 6th in the Titania-Palast in Berlin-Steglitz with a huge crowd . The Berliner Philharmoniker played before the non-competitive opening film Rebecca by Alfred Hitchcock was shown. The first big star to appear at a Berlinale was Hitchcock's leading actress, Joan Fontaine . In addition to the Titania Palace, the Berlin Waldbühne was another venue; there were open-air film screenings in front of 25,000 spectators.
The bears were awarded in 1951 in several categories: "Drama", "Comedy", "Crime or adventure film", "Music film" and "Documentary film". Walt Disney's Cinderella was the big winner because the film not only won a Golden Bear from the jury, but also won the first audience award.
jury
Festival director Alfred Bauer appointed the following feature film jury:
- Emil Dovifat (1890–1969), publicist
- Werner Eisbrenner (1908–1981), composer
- Günter Geisler
- Walther Karsch (1906–1975), journalist
- Hilde Lucht-Perske (1902–1973), member of the Berlin House of Representatives (SPD)
- Tatjana Sais (1910–1981), actress
- Paul Heimann (1901–1967), educator, member of the SFB Broadcasting Council
- Johannes Betzel , cinema owner
Competition films
The winning films are highlighted in orange.
Award winners
Golden bears
- Documentation: Beaver Valley
- Drama: The four in the jeep
- Comedy: Unknown moved (... sans lassier d'address)
- Crime or adventure film: jury court (Justice est faite)
- Music film: Cinderella
Silver bears
- Drama: Way of Hope (Il cammino della speranza)
- Comedy: Drive into the Blue (Leva på "Hoppet")
- Music Film: Les Contes d'Hoffmann (The Tales of Hoffmann)
Bronze bears
- Documentation: The Undefeated
- Drama: Conflict of Heart (The Browning Version)
- Comedy: SOS (The Mating Season)
- Crime or adventure film Destination Moon (Destination Moon)
Golden badge
- Documentary and cultural film: Little night ghosts
- Art and science film : The film discovered works of art from ancient Indian times
- Commercial: The Story of Time
Silver plaque
- Documentary and cultural film: Begone Dull Care
- Art and Science Film: Goya
- Commercial: Het Gala-Concert
Bronze plaque
- Documentary and cultural film: The yellow cathedral
- Art and science film: Il paradiso perduto
- Commercial: View into paradise
Large bronze plate
Small bronze plate
- Conflict of Heart (The Browning Version)
Special award from the city of Berlin
- God needs people (Dieu a besoin des hommes)
- The Forbidden Christ (Il Cristo proibito)
- Honorary certificate: Dr. Holl
Sources and web links
- Wolfgang Jacobsen: 50 Years of the Berlinale - International Film Festival 1951–2000
- International Film Festival Berlin 1951 in theInternet Movie Database(English)
- Berlinale annual archive