How do you like Berlin? What is special about the city for you?
This is my second trip to Berlin. It’s very affecting to be here, since I’m the first member of my family to return since my grandmother fled in 1940.
How would you describe the Berlinale in one sentence?
It’s a film-lovers festival–for a queer diversity of us.
What was your first encounter with the TEDDY AWARD?
In 2007, I saw Tilda Swinton at the Teddy Awards Gala!
In your eyes, what does the TEDDY AWARD symbolize? What does it stand for? What makes it unique?
It’s an incredibly important prize, and it shows that The Berlinale takes pride in its LGBT themes. Importantly, it also sends an vital cultural message about acceptance that transcends film and hopefully enters everyday life.
Tell us about a movie you’ve recently seen.
Le Bal. With my mother last night. Extraordinary film and vision.
How do you like Berlin? What is special about the city for you?
Berlin is a very beautiful city filled with beautiful people and extraordinary places and sights. It’s richness in history, art, fashion and even its advanced technology – which I love and admire – sets it apart from all other major world cities.
How would you describe the Berlinale in one sentence?
Berlinale in one sentence! A amazingly great platform that helps to uplift and recognize amazing and well deserved talent and that changes the world as well!
What was your first encounter with the TEDDY AWARD?
My first encounter with the TEDDY AWARD was on YouTube after reading about it in a magazine and it’s always been a dream to attend it.
In your eyes, what does the TEDDY AWARD symbolize? What does it stand for? What makes it unique?
The TEDDY AWARD to me is like voice for the voiceless. It helps to change people’s lives and inspires them to do and be better not only at their craft but also as an individual human being. It celebrates the LGBTI community and creates awareness and also educates which is what I love. It brings people from all over the world and from different backgrounds together as one big happy family and just like a teddy bear it makes one feel warm, fuzzy and welcoming.
Tell us about a movie you’ve recently seen.
The latest movie I watched is The Book Thief directed by Brian Percival, which I found extraordinary engaging and extremely moving. Well written and directed.
How do you like Berlin? What is special about the city for you?
I have been to Berlin several times. In fact Berlin was the first city I visited after my film schooling in Paris in 1983 in order to attend the Berlin Film Festival, my first international film festival. The festival’s location was still at the old city center, not where it is now. Since then I have visited the festival several times, including judging for the NETPAC award for the Best Asian Film in 2001. Among the European cities, Berlin has been like a “second home” for me. What makes it special is the high cinematic culture I always encounter. The high regard for all sorts of cinematic forms is what I admire most. This is where I was exposed to alternative and radical filmmaking and LGBT cinema. There was so much I learned from meeting filmmakers and festival organizers. Also there are a lot of venues where I can encounter film culture. Each time I am in Berlin, I visit the film museum and also the bookstores to look for books to buy.
How would you describe the Berlinale in one sentence?
The Berlinale is a crossroads for all film interests that gets people passionate for films to gather.
What was your first encounter with the TEDDY AWARD?
It was when a Filipino film, Ang Lalaki sa Buhay ni Selya (The Man in the Life of Selya) won the TEDDY AWARD, that’s when I first heard about the TEDDY.
In your eyes, what does the TEDDY AWARD symbolize? What does it stand for? What makes it unique?
It’s unique because it gives recognition to LGBT films in a major league festival. Not many festivals do so. Its courage to stand up for filmmakers with alternative sexual orientation expands the borders of filmic expression. For filmmakers who are also film programmers like myself, there is so much to learn from the creative as well as organizational planning that go into organizing events like this.
Tell us about a movie you’ve recently seen.
As organizer of the newly-formed Quezon City International Pink Film Festival held in the Philippines, I have seen so many LGBT films submitted for participation. Aiming to be the largest gathering of LGBT films in Asia, it was natural to see as many Asian films in the region. I am greatly impressed by the transgender films that, I truly feel, have risen to become the most expressive among the LGBT films. There is a spike in the region for transgender films, mostly about transgender women. Films like Thi Tham Nguyen’s Madam Phung’s Last Journey (Vietnam), Vanna Hem’s Karma (Cambodia) and Eduardo Roy Jr.s Quickchange (Philippines) are extraordinary for bringing transgender issues in ways that have not been addressed before. But this is not totally unique to Asia. There seems to be a worldwide rise in transgender filmmaking, as I also encounter filmic narratives coming from the US like PJ Raval’s Trinidad and of course Europe with its many films on the genre.
How do you like Berlin? What is special about the city for you?
I love Berlin, it is vibrant, has a huge history and I love those old huge buildings and the architecture. I also love going to swap meets.
The movie history associated with Berlin is most special for me, the Babelsberg Film Studios, the UFA films, the Berlin International Film Festival. And I am tremendously proud to see new blockbuster movies coming out in the USA and those then have being filmed in Babelsberg.
How would you describe the Berlinale in one sentence?
Epic and most relevant for movies.
What was your first encounter with the TEDDY AWARD?
The TEDDY AWARD is and always was for me a fist look in what queer movies would come out in a year and which ones might be suitable for our film festival and of cause which movie I might want to see personally.
In your eyes, what does the TEDDY AWARD symbolize? What does it stand for? What makes it unique?
The TEDDY AWARD is the “Oscar” for queer filmmaking. It gives queer cinema an international visibility and opportunity to see queer films from all over the world which would probably not make it into your local theater and because of getting a major award, these films are now being picked up for larger distribution and made available to a border audience. The TEDDY AWARD stands for “achievement” in queer cinema and because of that genre it is unique.
Tell us about a movie you’ve recently seen.
STILL ALICE with Julianne Moore. It is hiding home as most everybody knows someone who is affected by Alzheimer’s and this is a film with a great story, and brilliant actors. Julianne Moore already got the Golden Globe, a SAG Award and she is deserving the Academy Award for her performance!
The programme guide of the 2015 TEDDY AWARD is now avaialble for download. You will find all important informations about your favorite teddy bear here. Furthermore, you will find detailed background informations and we will tell you the highlights of the 2015 TEDDY cermony on 13th of february 2015.
