This year’s Golden Bear, the highest prize awarded for the best film at the festival, went to Italian docudrama, Caesar Must Die (Cesare Deve Morire). The film follows a production of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar put on in a maximum security prison on Rome, with inmates taking on the various roles of the play.

Although the film, from directors Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, was well received, it was certainly not the frontrunner for this highly-coveted award. However, the fact that it was this award which first helped gather awareness of Asghar Farhadi’s critically acclaimed Iranian drama, A Separation, just last year, undoubtedly bodes well for this film.

Cold War drama, Barbara, had been hotly tipped to nab the top prize, but director Christian Petzold did not leave empty handed after being given the Silver Bear award for Best Director. Similarly, Portuguese drama and festival favourite, Tabu, from director Miguel Gome, was recognised as a work of ‘particular innovation’ with the Alfred Bauer Prize.

Other Silver Bear awards went to Mikkel Boe Følsgaard for Best Actor in Danish period piece, A Royal Affair, where he took on the challenging role of King Christian VII. The film was the only multiple award winner, with writers Arcel and Rasmus Heisterberg being rewarded with a Silver Bear for Best Screenplay. Meanwhile, the Best Actress Bear was presented to Rachel Mwanza, who made her film début at the festival in Kim Nguyen’s War Witch, which tells the story of one girl’s experience of civil war in Africa.

Cinematographer Lutz Reitemeier was given the Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic achievement in recognition of his work on White Deer Plain, a three-hour Chinese epic from director Wang Quan’an. A special one-off Silver Bear was also awarded to Swiss filmmaker Ursula Meier for her film, Sister, which follows the story of a poor boy who steals ski equipment from a nearby resort.

Berlin’s jury grand prize, which is often considered to be the runner-up to the Best Film award, went to Hungarian drama Just The Wind. Directed by Bence Fliegauf, Just The Wind examines the issue of human rights by taking a look at a real life murder-plot against a Roma family.

The jury itself was made up of a number of familiar faces, with jury president Mike Leigh joined by Anton Corbijn, Asghar Farhadi, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Jake Gyllenhaal, François Ozon, Boualem Sansal and Barbara Sukowa.

Despite a number of promising films being recognised for their achievements, there was something of an underlying feeling that this year’s line-up was not quite so spectacular as that which was witnessed by festival-goers last year. Whilst a number of big stars such as Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Robert Pattinson and Christian Bale may have been in attendance, it is thought that many of this year’s best films are being held back to receive their première at the Cannes Film Festival later on this year.

See the full list of this year’s Berlinale prize winners, here: http://www.berlinale.de

Actors do love repeat collaborations, don’t they? Drew Barrymore and Adam Sandler, Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. Not normally in as quicker succession as this though.

Jennifer Lawrence (X-Men: First Class) and Bradley Cooper’s (The A-Team) previous collaboration on David O Russell’s The Silver Lining Playbook, is barely in post-production and won’t be released until November this year, but already the two have signed for another film together.

Serena, which is based on the 2008 novel by Ron Rash, will see the pair as two over-ambitious newly-weds George and Serena Pemberton, who move to North Carolina in 1929 to build a timber empire. However, when Serena discovers she can’t have kids, she develops an unhealthy determination to kill George’s illegitimate son.

So, she’s ambitious and vicious? Gripping stuff.

The film was initially set to be directed by Darren Aronofsky back in 2010, with Angelina Jolie considering the role of Serena. Obviously those plans fell through and the project is now to be directed by Danish born, Susanne Bier.

Jennifer and Bradley’s previous collaboration, The Silver Linings Playbook is about a former teacher, who moves back in with his mother and attempts to reconcile with his ex-wife, having spent four years in a mental institution.

Bradley who was last seen in comedy sequel The Hangover Part II, will next be in Brian Klugman’s The Words opposite Olivia Wilde and Zoe Saldana.

Lawrence in the meantime has a small supporting role in indie Like Crazy which is currently playing in cinemas across the UK, before the release of the eagerly anticipated The Hunger Games in March.

For some time, Lohan has been considered the frontrunner for the much-coveted role. However, speaking with E!News, it seems that the executive producer of the upcoming Lifetime film, Larry Thompson, has revealed that Transformers actress could also be lined up for the role of the Hollywood star. Thompson stated that he had been “talking to Lindsay Lohan directly, and with her reps, and have been in conversations with other actresses, including Megan Fox”.

As one of the most famous film stars that ever lived, the role of Taylor, who died in March last year, is certainly a prestigious one. The Cleopatra star was placed seventh on the American Film Institute’s list of the ‘Greatest American Screen Legends’, and is often credited as having played a role in triggering the sexual revolution of the 1960s. With Taylor having won two Oscars and appearing in a huge number of classic films, including eleven in which she starred alongside husband Richard Burton, it is certainly questionable as to whether or not either Lohan or Fox is truly deserving of such a role.

Whilst Lohan could certainly be seen to have a physical resemblance to the screen legend, as well as the background as a child actress with addiction issues, it seems that her ongoing probation status could be what’s standing in the way of her nabbing the role.

Perhaps someone with slightly more serious screen credentials might be more appropriate choice to play Taylor – both Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angelina Jolie have been mooted for the role in the past. However, following her success in embodying iconic Hollywood starlet Marilyn Monroe in Simon Curtis’ My Week with Marilyn, perhaps Michelle Williams might be prepared to shed her blonde-bombshell style in order to work her magic in Liz and Dick.

Current hipster darling, Zooey Deschanel, could also be seen as having the potential to create Taylor’s recognisable image, although at 32 she is a little older than Lohan and Fox, who are both age 25. On the other hand, Emma Stone’s critically acclaimed performance in The Help would perhaps give her a certain credibility in taking on such as notable role.

Lifetime plan to start shooting Liz and Dick in Spring, so we’re unlikely to have to wait long to find out who will finally be cast as Taylor. Perhaps those who don’t make the cut might be considered for the same role in the film adaptation of Sam Kashner and Nancy Schoenberger’s Taylor biography, Furious Love, which Martin Scorsese was rumoured to be interested in directing for Paramount last summer.

We’ll keep you posted!

It seems to be one hurdle after another for the actress’ first directorial attempt. In the Land of Blood and Honey first encountered major problems during filming last year, when Bosnian officials withdrew Jolie‘s permit after accusations that the film would feature a Bosnian woman falling in love with her Serbian rapist.

Eventually, only three days of filming took place in Bosnia itself, even after Jolie and her team proved that there was no rape scene, and their license was reinstated.

However, it seems that the film may face further delays, if Croatian journalist James Braddock is successful with the complaint which he has recently filed at a court in Illinois. Braddock claims that the script for Jolie’s film, written by Jolie herself, was based upon his 2007 book, The Soul Shattering.

More than just a case of coincidental plot similarities, Braddock argues that he approached the film’s executive producer, Edin Sarkic, about the possibility of turning his book into a film, back in 2007. The author also claims that he met with Sarkic on several occasions to discuss the book, as well as sharing email and phone correspondences, before learning that the film was being made without his involvement.

Although Jolie denies the allegations, the film’s release could be blocked, or at least significantly delayed, if there proves to be any truth in Braddock’s claims. In the Land of Blood and Honey, a love story between a Serbian soldier and a female Bosnian prisoner of war, was due to for release in the US on 23rd December this year.

The film already received its New York première last night, which was attended by the cast, as well as Jolie and partner Brad Pitt. Jolie’s brother, James Haven, was also in attendance, but the pair kept their distance – unlike the pair’s post-Oscars appearance back in 2000, where their red carpet kiss sparked controversy after Jolie announced that she was “just so in love with my brother right now” during her acceptance speech.

In the Land of Blood and Honey does not yet have a UK release date, but we’ll keep you posted!

This week, Brad Pitt formally announced he sees himself quitting the acting industry when he reaches the age of fifty. The 47-year-old Hollywood star has been acting for 24 years, but now he feels like it is time to move on. This must have put a downer on the Australian interview show, 60 minutes, on which Pitt was promoting his new film, Moneyball.
After making the comment, he was reported saying, ‘I’m really enjoying the production side and getting stories to the plate that may have had a harder time otherwise’. The Hollywood heartthrob implied that one of the reasons for cutting his career short was to spend more time with his six children.
He believes that since becoming a father, his perspective on life has changed. He said, ‘If I’m choosing a film now I want it to be, maybe, less immature than things I’ve done in the past. I’m very conscious that they’re going to see it as adults. I want it to mean something to them. I want them to think: ‘Dad’s all right’. It changes everything.’

Pitt doesn’t seem afraid of those dreaded grey hairs intruding in his famous golden locks and claimed, ‘I like ageing. With age comes wisdom and I have said it before and I say it again, I will take wisdom over youth any day. ‘

Luckily for his fans, he has signed up for Happy Feet 2, World War Z and Cogan’s Trade, which are to be released next year. So before he disappears completely, let’s get the lowdown of Brad Pitt’s top five films over his career.

1. Troy – This epic Trojan war story has a star-studded cast, seeing Brad Pitt act alongside Orlando Bloom and Eric Bana. Directed by Wolfgang Peterson, the powerful war film was nominated for the Academy Award for Costume Design. It also took in a staggering $497,409,852 in the box office.

Pitt plays the legendary warrior, Achilles, whose mission was to lead troops into Troy to recapture his wife, Helen (Diane Kruger), who was kidnapped and taken to Troy by Paris (Orlando Bloom) who fell in love with her. The film is full of authentic and bloody fight scenes. Every swing and smash of the sword makes your heart skip a beat. Surely Brad Pitt’s most epic and powerful performance.

2. Oceans 11 (2001) – We see Mr. Pitt take on a smooth master criminal in this clever remake of the 1960 Rat-Pack original. Directed by Steven Soderbergh, this comedy-crime film features Brad Pitt, George Clooney, Julia Roberts and Matt Damon, who together, attempt to pull off one of the greatest robberies of all time. Pitt is the ultimate ‘cool’ character: he lays back in his chair while devising clever plans and smoking cigars, speaking in a low gravelly voice and wearing sleek suits. Could he be any more cool?

3. Inglorious Bastards (2009) – This brutal World War II movie from Quentin Tarantino, sees Brad Pitt play Lietenant Aldo Raine, who recruits a team of eight Jewish-American soldiers to go behind enemy lines and frighten German serviceman. When he demands they bring back Nazi scalps, the film doesn’t leave anything to the imagination, right down to the spine-tingling, ripping and peeling sound effects. Despite being serious film, Pitt’s accent is sure to make you smile because takes you a while to get used to his character’s voice.

4. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – This fantasy-drama film is loosely based around F.Scott Fitzgerald’s 1922 short story of the same name. It sees the Hollywood heart-throb age in reverse; he is born an old man and grows up to be a young strapping lad. When he falls in love with Cate Blanchett, we feel his emotional pain, as the love of his life slips away from him, as she grows old and he gets ever younger. They are so deeply in love but they can only be together for a short while. As he grows younger, they re-unite after several years and he dies in her arms as an infant. It is a moving and emotional film.

5. Mr and Mrs Smith – This tongue-in-cheek, action spy film, yet again portrays Brad Pitt rather than being the King of Cool, instead the Secret Agent of Cool. He is a sply who is unaware that his wife also works in the same line of business. When they both receive a mission outline to kill each other, the race is on. It is a light-hearted action movie with some good special effects and of course, we see our man get dirty and sweaty in the fight scenes, making the ladies swoon and the men go green with jealousy.

With Fathers Day just a few days away, we thought we’d take a look at some classic examples of some on-screen dads playing the parents to their real life children within the world of filmmaking. Here’s just a few of our favourites…

Attending the LA screening of his new movie The Tree of Life, which won the Palme D’Or at this year’s Cannes, Pitt was seen sans beard, making him look years younger.

Jolie also attended the screening instead of the New York première of her own film Kung Fu Panda II. She seemed as happy as the rest of us with his new look, which could possibly include a change of hair colour too. What do you think, has Brad hit the bottle?

Jolie has said in the past that she took the role in the animated film for the sake of her children and it appears Pitt is also picking film roles with the brood in mind, he said:

“Becoming a father certainly changed the way I choose films because I’m very aware they are going to see them one day. I want them to be proud of their dad in the end, when they grow up and figure out what we actually do for a living.”

Taking on the role of a strict father to three sons in 1950s suburbia has also got him thinking about his other important role in life, being a father to six children.

“It’s so obvious to me that when I come home my kids are aware of everything that’s going on. So it’s quite important for me not to put my frustrations on them or bring them to the door. In the film it’s the exact opposite of that.

“It’s a very sad man who feels embittered by his situation, doesn’t feel like he’s able to get ahead, always feels like he’s on the losing end and feels quite oppressed by his surroundings and predicament.”

So there you have it. Pitt really is a family man. Anyway, if you’re planning on watching The Tree of Life or Kung Fu Panda II, you can be safe in the knowledge that Pitt no longer has that horrendous beard/ goatee thing.

To watch the trailer for The Tree of Life click here and if you want to read about last time Pitt shaved of his beard take a look at this.

Producer Graham King, the man behind The Town and The Departed has confirmed he will be taking on the project. He has bought the rights from Square Enix, the games company who own the hugely popular computer game the films are based on.

You’ll remember that there has already been two Tomb Raider films from Paramount, with Angelina Jolie playing the inflatable-bosomed action hero. There is no talk of Jolie returning for this film.

The film is to be funded by JK Films, who actually financed Jolie’s latest outing in The Tourist. It has been reported that the film will be out within the next two years and that it “will create daring new adventures for the young and dynamic Lara Croft.”

The last Tomb Raider film Lara Croft Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life was released in 2003. In 2009 Warner Bros and producer Dan Lin seriously considered making a new version of the film, which failed after the studio sold its stake in the games publisher Eidos to Sqaure Enix.

We’re wondering if anyone would be interested in seeing another version of the computer game, is the idea not a little dated now?

Fassbender’s involvement in this much anticipated sci-fi flick has been rumoured for some time, but it has today been announced this he will definitely feature, and in one of the film’s lead roles.

Relatively little seems to be known about the film itself, although Scott reportedly stated that Prometheus as has evolved into its own “grand mythology and universe”, since starting life as a prequel to his 1979 sci-fi horror, Alien. Designer of the original alien, H. R. Giger himself, is also said to be involved with the film.

In addition, Swedish Millennium Trilogy actress, Noomi Rapace, has been cast in the role of Elizabeth Shaw, a scientist who is one of the film’s five main characters. The studio was also rumoured to be considering the likes of Charlize Theron, Angelina Jolie, and Michelle Yeoh for a character called Vickers, whilst a character referred to only as “Engineer 1″ will reportedly be portrayed by a 6’5″ character entirely using CGI.

Fassbender will play an android – which will make quite a change from his roles in the likes of Fish Tank, Inglorious Basterds and, of course, the critically acclaimed Hunger. Never one to shy away from unusual projects, Fassbender also recently appeared John Maclean’s short film, Man on a Motorcycle, which was shot entirely on a mobile phone and screened at last year’s BFI London Film Festival.

With Prometheus‘ release date being pushed back to 8th June, could this be the summer blockbuster of 2012? We’ll keep you posted!