In some European cities

We are constantly bombarded by news concerning Hollywood films and stars, as a result we run the risk of forgetting about other news items which also concern the film industry. For instance, in some European cities important film-related events have taken place over the last weeks. I could mention Madrid or London, where – after all the controversy related to the Oscar nominees – Sidney Poitier was awarded a BAFTA Fellowship (a life achievement award), but I´ve decided on Berlin.

This year´s Golden Bear, the Berlinale award, will be remembered for two reasons: firstly, the winner has been a documentary – an unusual fact in film festivals – and secondly, the documentary reflects one of the current issues that has become one of the most worrying problems of our time: the migration crisis which has resulted from the various war conflicts that constantly make headline news. In brief, it is good to remember that cinema can also play a social role by contributing to raising our awareness of current issues.

Fuocoammare (Fire at Sea) by Gianfranco Rosi has been the winner of the Golden Bear for Best Film.

Have you seen any documentary lately? In which way does winning an award make a documentary or any kind of film more appealing to the audience?