Berlinale, 100216.

Yesterday was an interesting day in my Berlinale history. The second day of films for me and I was hurrying to my third film. I was a bit stressed because I only had fifty minutes between the films and had to ride the U-Bahn a bit to get to the CineStar cinema. I came, ran to the toilet and went into the theatre. Before, when I had booked the tickets to this film, 'Amphetamine', I had gotten the image that it would be a small salon with a small audience. When I entered though, it was a completely different scenario. It was a huge theatre packed with people. But not only people, it was a lot of cameras as well. I was a bit surprised and thought that it might be a premier, and I was happy to be there. When things started though, I noticed it wasn't what I thought it was. I had wound up at the award ceremony for the 'Berlinale Shorts'. At first I thought it might have been a combination of the award ceremony and the movie I was to see and I thought 'OK'. The jury was introduced by a super lovely host and the mood was sparkling. I haden't planned on seeing any of the short films so I didn't know much about the films or the film makers they were talking about, but it was a blast anyway. The first two awards were independent organisations who gave and then there was the silver and gold bear to be presented. The silver bear went to an Israelian film and the director was shocked over winning. He claimed his price, stumbeled a nice 'Thank you, I Love you!', placed himself in front of the journalists, brought his price forth and smiled like a kid in a candy store. Then the gold bear was to be presented. The motivation described a perfectly presented, seventeen minute long film with only one take. The name was presented, but I couldn't really figure out what they said. I hear something with 'bank' but that was all. Everyone started clapping and the director and producer stepped on stage. He, the director, started talking and in an instance I heard. The accent. He was deffinetly Scandinavian. I thought Swedish, but I wasn't sure. My excitement started growing. I noticed I got a bit warm, almost nervous. I quicly looked through the program to notice the film was 'Händelser vid Bank' ('Incidents by a Bank' in english) from Sweden. A second later i realized it was Ruben Östlund's film and I got so happy. I think it was because of the fact that I knew who the director was and because the film was from Sweden. Now I was the kid in the candy store. Ruben gave a speak about 'Buffy the vampier slayer' and a Russian film maker (I didn't really hear, I was too psyched). Then the producer stepped forth. She thanked all the people from the production team and the sponsor and then dropped the bomb that they had developed the film together with Backa Teatern (The Backa Theatre). If I was happy before, I could have died a happy man after that. I felt like I was a part of the whole happening. Both from being there, but also because grew up only hundreds of meter away from that theatre. I couldn't have made a better mistake to go to that ceremony.

After the ceremony they screened the films that won and I laughed so hard to 'Händelser vid Bank'. See it if you get the chance. I walked out of the cinema really happy.

I later realized I had gone to the wrong cinema, not the wrong room, but the wrong cinema, wrong building. I am surprised they even let me in with my ticket. It was for a completely different film. I am happy about mistake though. Really happy. I will never forget. I hope...