Aug. 24 (UPI) — The Berlin International Film Festival has announced plans to introduce gender-neutral acting awards at next year’s event.
The festival will begin awarding Silver Bears for Best Leading Performance and Best Supporting Performance.
The 2021 Berlin International Film Festival will take place Feb. 11-21.
“We believe that not separating the awards in the acting field according to gender comprises a signal for a more gender-sensitive awareness in the film industry,” festival directors Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrain said in a statement.
Paula Beer won the Silver Bear for Best Actress in February for her role in Undine. Elio Germano won the Silver Bear for Best Actor for his role in Hidden Away.
The Berlin International Film Festival also announced that the Silver Bear Alfred Bauer Prize will be renamed the Silver Bear Jury Prize after Nazi allegations were made against Bauer.
The organization wants to hold the 2021 festival physically but will be presenting the European Film Market event both physically and virtually due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The European Film Market will take place in Berlin from Feb. 11-18.