TEHRAN -- ”Taxi” starring and directed by Jafar Panahi won the Golden Bear for best film on Saturday at the Berlin International Film Festival, organizers announced on Saturday.
The award, which the director was not in Berlin to accept, was handed to his niece, Hana Saeidi, who herself also appears in the movie.
"Taxi” is a documentary-like drama set entirely in a taxi where Panahi as the cabdriver talks to some of his passengers as he navigates the streets of Tehran.
"The Club” by Chilean director Pablo Larrain, about defrocked Roman Catholic priests, won the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize.
"Ixcanul” ("Volcano”), a film by Guatemalan director Jayro Bustamente about the hard life of Mayan coffee growers, won the Silver Bear Alfred Bauer Prize.
The best actor and best actress awards went to Tom Courtenay and Charlotte Rampling, who play a couple in British director Andrew Haigh’s drama "45 Years”.