Berlin International Film Festival: Golden Bear given to 'Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn'

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"Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn", directed by Romanian director Radu Jude, was on Friday awarded the top prize at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Judges said the satirical movie, produced by Ada Solomon, has the "rare and essential quality of a lasting artwork".

The film about a teacher facing scrutiny over a sex tape "captures on screen the very content and essence, the mind and body, the values and the raw flesh of our present moment in time", the Berlinale jury said.

"I don't believe it," Jude said upon being told the news virtually. "It's really, very overwhelming."

Another European director, Denes Nagy of Hungary, received the award for best director for his debut "Natural Light", following a Hungarian unit hunting partisans in the Soviet Union during World War II.

The jury said Nagy showed "masterful control of every aspect of the craft of filmmaking, a narration that transcends its historical context".

In his victory speech, Nagy praised his actors, most of whom were factory and farm workers.

The Silver Bear for best leading performance went to German actress Maren Eggert who plays a scientist exploring life and longing with a handsome humanoid robot in "I'm Your Man".

"I'm overwhelmed by this decision," Eggert said in a video posted on Twitter.

"We were lucky to shoot this during the pandemic and therefore I wish to express my solidarity with all artists who are in a crisis because of COVID," she added.

It is the first time that the Berlin International Film Festival has awarded a single award for best acting regardless of gender.

The festival was staged online this year due to the pandemic, and the Golden Bear will be physically awarded to the winners in July, when the festival returns in an in-person format between 9-20 June with a public event and physical awards ceremony.