Freedom Film Festival ­ awards Andreas Dresen

For the four year in a row during the Berlinale, the Freedom Film Festival is honoring an eastern European filmmaker for contributing to the ideas embodied in the work and person of Andrzej Wajda, the renown Polish filmmaker for whom a prize had been founded in 1999 under the co-sponsorship of Philip Morris Kunstförderung. The first recipient of the Andrzej Wajda ­ Philip Morris Freedom Prize was Ukranian filmmaker Kyra Muratova in 2000, followed by Czech artist and filmmaker Jan Svankmajer in 2001. This year, the award is given to Andreas Dresen, a prominent young film and stage director from eastern Germany, whose Halbe Treppe is competing for the Golden Bear at this year’s Berlinale. The prize is awarded at the Berliner Rathaus on Sunday evening at 7 pm. Congratulations, Andreas!

­ Ed.