![]() 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 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]
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
[edit]The 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
[edit]Main Competition
[edit]The 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]![](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/40/Gene_kelly.jpg/200px-Gene_kelly.jpg)
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
[edit]OCIC 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.