Director Marco Berger's Ausente
(Absent) has won the Teddy Award at the 61st Berlin
International Film Festival, also known as Berlinale.
The film stars Javier de Pietro as
Martin and Carlos Echevarria as his sports teacher, Sebastian.
Martin subtly finds excuses to invade
Sebastian's personal life and end up spending a night in his
apartment. It's a thriller about a minor exploiting an adult.
“The jury decides to give this year's
Teddy Award for best feature film to AUSENTE directed by Marco Berger
in recognition of its original story, bold and innovative aesthetics,
and sophisticated approach to queer dynamics,” the nine-member jury
said in awarding its 25th annual prize.
“The film's unique combination of
homoerotic desire, suspense and romantic tension reflects the
director's keen understanding of genre conventions and cinematic
language. As the most intriguing, cutting-edge film in the
selection, the jury considers that Ausente celebrates the spirit of
the Teddy Award.”
The Teddys recognize the best gay and
lesbian cinema at the festival. Last year, American director Lisa
Cholodenko took home the prize with the Oscar-nominated lesbian moms
movie The Kids Are All Right.