Ukraine Will Vie For The Golden Bear

The information about participants of Berlinale 2009 has been published. This year competitive programme includes also Ukrainian participant. The short film “Diagnoz” by Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy will represent Ukraine on the 59th Berlin International Film Festival which is held from February 05 to February 15, 2009.

It is a realistic social story about the adolescent narcomania, homelessness and cruelty. Diagnoz’s protagonists are three young street-life representatives that are in the strange relationships with each other.  When drug courier Petia and his pregnant girlfriend got into a militia raid, he did not suspect that his conflict with the law was not the least serious problem of his life.

A top-notch international jury – with actress Arta Dobroshi from Kosovo, director of the International Short Film Festival Oberhausen Lars Henrik Gass, and Philippine director Khavn de la Cruz – will pick the award winners in this year’s short film section. The Berlinale Shorts will screen 28 films from 17 countries, eleven of which will be running in the Competition, and vying for the Golden and Silver Bears for Best Short Film. The entire programme automatically qualifies for the DAAD Short Film Prize and receives a nomination for Best European Short Film. Markus Kavka will present the awards in CinemaxX3 on February 10.

“Tram №9” by Stepan Koval was the last Ukrainian film which emulated for the prix (53th Berlinale). Seven years ago Ukrainian short film obtained The Silver Bear.