Szumowska wins Silver Bear for Best Director

Polish director, screenwriter and producer Małgorzata Szumowska won the Silver Bear for Best Director award at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival. The prize was awarded ex aequo to Romanian director Radu Jude for “Aferim”. Szumowska’s “Body/Ciało” stars veteran actor Janusz Gajos, along with Maja Ostaszewska and Justyna Suwala.  It tells a story about “a cynical prosecutor and his anorexic daughter, who are trying to cope with the tragic death of their wife and mother”, according to Filmneweurope.com. “I am a director, but also a woman. This is a great combination,” Szumowska said during her acceptance speech. In 2013, Szumowska won the Teddy award for her film “In the name of…”at the Berlin festival. Iranian director Jafar Panahi won the main prize of this year’s edition of the festival for his latest film “Taxi”.