The 6th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 22 June to 3 July 1956.[1] The FIAPF granted the festival the "A status" during this year,[1] which was previously only reserved for Cannes and Venice.[2] The awards for the first time, were given by an international jury.[1][3]
 Festival poster | |
| Location | West Berlin, Germany |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1951 |
| Awards | Golden Bear: Invitation to the Dance |
| Festival date | 22 June–3 July 1956 |
| Website | Website |
The Golden Bear was awarded to Invitation to the Dance directed by Gene Kelly.[4] However, this decision by the jury was widely criticized as the film was considered "too shallow" for a Golden Bear. The favourite among many critics was the Finnish entry The Unknown Soldier by Edvin Laine, which was an anti-war film without any illusions based on a novel by Väinö Linna.[1][3]
Juries
editThe following people were announced as being on the jury for the festival:[5]
Main Competition
edit- Marcel Carné, French filmmaker - Jury President
- Bill Luckwell, British producer
- Giuseppe Vittorio Sampieri, Italian director and producer
- Kashiko Kawakita, Japanese special effects director
- Leo J. Horster, American entrepreneur
- Ilse Urbach, West-German author
- Ludwig Berger, West-German filmmaker
Documentary and Short Film Competitions
edit- Otto Sonnenfeld, Israeli producer - Jury President
- D. Gualberto Fernández, Uruguayan
- Sarukkai Gopalan, Indian
- Jan Hulsker, Dutch art historian
- Fritz Kempe, West-German photographer
Official Sections
editMain Competition
editThe following films were in competition for the Golden Bear awards:[6]
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| Autumn Leaves | Robert Aldrich | United States | |
| Before Sundown | Vor Sonnenuntergang | Gottfried Reinhardt | West Germany |
| Donatella | Mario Monicelli | Italy | |
| Invitation to the Dance | Gene Kelly | United States | |
| Kispus | Erik Balling | Denmark | |
| The Legend of the White Serpent | 白夫人の妖恋 | Shirō Toyoda | Japan |
| The Long Arm | Charles Frend | United Kingdom | |
| Richard III | Laurence Olivier | ||
| The Road of Life | El camino de la vida | Alfonso Corona Blake | Mexico |
| Scandal in Sorrento | Pane, amore e... | Dino Risi | Italy |
| The Sorceress | La Sorcière | André Michel | France, Sweden |
| Trapeze | Carol Reed | United States | |
| Uncle Hyacynth | Mi tío Jacinto | Ladislao Vajda | Spain, Italy |
| The Unknown Soldier | Tuntematon sotilas | Edvin Laine | Finland |
Documentary and Short Film Competitions
edit| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production Country |
|---|---|---|---|
| The African Lion | James Algar | United States | |
| Bambuti | Kein Platz für wilde Tiere | Bernhard Grzimek and Michael Grzimek | West Germany |
| ...erwachsen sein dagegen sehr | Wolf Hart | West Germany | |
| Ernst Reuter | Wolfgang Kiepenheuer | West Germany | |
| Hitit güneşi | Sabahattin Eyüboğlu | Turkey | |
| The Long Journey | Geoffrey Collings | United States | |
| Men Against the Arctic | Winston Hibler | United States | |
| Paris la nuit | Jacques Baratier and Jean Valère | France | |
| Rythmetic | Norman McLaren and Evelyn Lambart | Canada | |
| Le Sabotier du Val de Loire | Jacques Demy | France | |
| Spring Comes to Kashmir | Ravi Prakash | India | |
| Les Très riches heures de l'Afrique romaine | Jean Lehérissey | France | |
| Zauber der Natur | Richard Mostler | West Germany | |
Official Awards
edit
The following prizes were awarded by the Jury:[4]
Main Competition
edit- Golden Bear: Invitation to the Dance by Gene Kelly
- Silver Bear for Best Director: Robert Aldrich for Autumn Leaves
- Silver Bear for Best Actress: Elsa Martinelli for Donatella
- Silver Bear for Best Actor: Burt Lancaster for Trapeze
- Silver Bear for an Outstanding Artistic Contribution: André Michel for La Sorcière
- Silver Bear for an Outstanding Single Achievement: Charles Frend for The Long Arm
- Silver Bear: Richard III by Laurence Olivier
- Honourable Mention (Director): The Road of Life by Alfonso Corona Blake
- Honourable Mention (Colour): The Legend of the White Serpent by Shirō Toyoda
- Honourable Mention (Best Humorous Film): Scandal in Sorrento by Dino Risi
Documentary and Short Film Competitions
edit- Golden Bear (Documentaries): Bambuti by Bernhard Grzimek and Michael Grzimek
- Silver Bear (Documentaries): The African Lion by James Algar
- Short Film Golden Bear: Paris la nuit by Jacques Baratier and Jean Valère
- Silver Bear for Best Short Film:
- Hitit güneşi by Sabahattin Eyüboğlu
- Spring Comes to Kashmir by Ravi Prakash
- Rythmetic by Norman McLaren and Evelyn Lambart
- Honorable mention (Short Documentary or Cultural Film):
- ...erwachsen sein dagegen sehr by Wolf Hart
- Le Sabotier du Val de Loire by Jacques Demy
- The Long Journey by Geoffrey Collings
Independent Awards
editOCIC Award
edit- The Unknown Soldier by Edvin Laine
- Special Mention: The Road of Life by Alfonso Corona Blake
Audience Vote
edit- 1st place: Before Sundown by Gottfried Reinhardt
- 2nd place: Uncle Hyacynth by Ladislao Vajda
- 3rd place: Trapeze by Carol Reed
References
edit- ^ a b c d "6th Berlin International Film Festival". berlinale.de. Retrieved 25 December 2009.
- ^ "2nd Berlin International Film Festival". berlinale.de. Retrieved 22 December 2009.
- ^ a b "Berlinale beginnings". 8 February 2012. Retrieved 12 June 2014.
- ^ a b "PRIZES & HONOURS 1956". berlinale.de. Archived from the original on 6 October 2014. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link) - ^ "JURIES 1956". berlinale.de. Archived from the original on 23 October 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2014.
- ^ "PROGRAMME 1956". berlinale.de. Archived from the original on 9 November 2013. Retrieved 7 June 2014.