The film There Is No Evil by director Mohammad Rasoulof has won the Golden Bear for the best film on Saturday at the seventieth Berlinale, the international film festival of Berlin.
The documentary was filmed in secret because of the censorship of the Iranian government. The film studies the death penalty and looks at the impact of such a punishment on four people awaiting their execution.
Rasoulof was not allowed to leave Iran to receive the prize. His daughter Baran, who also plays a role in the film, accepted the Golden Bear for him.
“I am very overwhelmed and happy by winning this prize, but at the same time I am sad because this prize is for a filmmaker who could not be there tonight,” said Baran.
The Silver Bear went to Never Rarely Sometimes Always! by Eliza Hittmann about two teenagers fighting for abortion.
Hong Sansoo won the prize for best director for The Woman Who Ran, a short film about friendship between women and loneliness.
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