# 1st Berlin International Film Festival

The 1st annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 6 to 17 June 1951 at the Titiana-Palast cinema. The opening film was Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca.
At this first Berlin Festival, the Golden Bear award was introduced, and it was awarded to the best film in each of five categories: drama, comedy, crime or adventure, music film, and documentary. This system disappeared already the following year because FIAPF (Federation Internationale des Associations des Producteurs de Films) stated that the awarding of prizes by an expert jury was reserved for "A-festivals" only. Instead, the next year's festival awards were voted on by the audience.

## Jury

The following people from West Germany were announced as being on the jury for the festival:
* Fritz Podehl, playwright and producer - Jury President
* Johannes Betzel, cinema owner
* Emil Dovifat, professor of political journalism
* Werner Eisbrenner, composer and conductor
* Günther Geisler, journalist and critic
* Walter Karsch, critic and publisher
* Hilde Lucht-Perske, city councilor
* Tatjana Sais, actress
* Paul Heimann, pedagogue and reader
* Johannes Betzel, cinema operator

## Main Competition

The following films were in competition for the Golden Bear awards:
| English title | Original title | Director(s) | Production Country |
| Drama ||||
| The Browning Version | The Browning Version | Anthony Asquith | United Kingdom |
| Das gestohlene Jahr | Das gestohlene Jahr | Wilfried Fraß | Austria, West Germany |
| Dr. Holl | Dr. Holl | Rolf Hansen | West Germany |
| The Forbidden Christ | Il Cristo proibito | Curzio Malaparte | Italy |
| Girls in Uniform | Muchachas de uniforme | Alfredo B. Crevenna | Mexico |
| God Needs Men | Dieu a besoin des hommes | Jean Delannoy | France |
| Path of Hope | Il cammino della speranza | Pietro Germi | Italy |
| Miss Julie | Fröken Julie | Alf Sjöberg | Sweden |
| Four in a Jeep | Die Vier im Jeep | Leopold Lindtberg | Switzerland |
| Das seltsame Leben des Herrn Bruggs [de] | Das seltsame Leben des Herrn Bruggs [de] | Erich Engel | West Germany |
| Comedy ||||
| Without Leaving an Address | ...Sans laisser d'adresse | Jean-Paul Le Chanois | France |
| Geheimnis einer Ehe | Geheimnis einer Ehe | Helmut Weiss | West Germany |
| Living on 'Hope' | Leva på 'Hoppet' | Göran Gentele | Sweden |
| The Mating Season | The Mating Season | Mitchell Leisen | United States |
| Documentaries ||||
| The Undefeated | The Undefeated | Paul Dickson | United States |
| In Beaver Valley | In Beaver Valley | James Algar | United States |
| Thrillers and adventures ||||
| Justice Is Done | Justice est faite | André Cayatte | France |
| Destination Moon | Destination Moon | Irving Pichel | United States |
| Music film ||||
| Cinderella | Cinderella | Wilfred Jackson | United States |
| The Tales of Hoffmann | The Tales of Hoffmann | Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger | United Kingdom |
| Culture Films and Documentaries ||||
| Begone Dull Care | Begone Dull Care | Norman McLaren and Evelyn Lambart | Canada |
| Der gelbe Dom | Der gelbe Dom | Eugen Schuhmacher | West Germany |
| Kleine Nachtgespenster | Kleine Nachtgespenster | Eugen Schuhmacher | West Germany |
| Art and Science Films ||||
| Der Film entdeckte Kunstwerke indianischer Vorzeit | Der Film entdeckte Kunstwerke indianischer Vorzeit | Hans Cürlis | West Germany |
| Goya | Goya | Luciano Emmer | Italy |
| Il paradiso perduto | Il paradiso perduto | Luciano Emmer and Enrico Gras | Italy |
| Advertising Film ||||
| Blick ins Paradies | Blick ins Paradies | Hans Fischerkoesen | West Germany |
| Het gala-Concert | Het gala-Concert | ? | Netherlands |
| The Story of Time | The Story of Time | Michael Stainer-Hutchins | United Kingdom |

## Official Awards
### Main Competition

* Golden Bear:
** Best Drama Film: Four in a Jeep by Leopold Lindtberg
** Best Comedy Film: Without Leaving an Address by Jean-Paul Le Chanois
** Best Documentary: In Beaver Valley by James Algar
** Best Crime or Adventure Film: Justice Is Done by André Cayatte
** Best Music Film: Cinderella by Wilfred Jackson
* Silver Bear:
** Best Drama Film: Path of Hope by Pietro Germi
** Best Comedy Film: Living on 'Hope' by Göran Gentele
** Best Music Film: The Tales of Hoffmann by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger
* Bronze Bear:
** Best Drama Film: The Browning Version by Anthony Asquith
** Best Comedy Film: The Mating Season by Mitchell Leisen
** Best Documentary: The Undefeated by Paul Dickson
** Best Crime or Adventure Film: Destination Moon by Irving Pichel
* Golden Medal:
** Best Culture Films and Documentaries: Kleine Nachtgespenster by Eugen Schuhmacher
** Best Arts and Science Film: Der Film entdeckte Kunstwerke indianischer Vorzeit by Hans Cürlis
** Best Advertising Film: The Story of Time by Michael Stainer-Hutchins
* Silver Medal:
** Best Culture Films and Documentaries: Begone Dull Care by Norman McLaren and Evelyn Lambart
** Best Arts and Science Film: Goya by Luciano Emmer
** Best Advertising Film: Het gala-Concert
* Bronze Medal:
** Best Culture Films and Documentaries: Der gelbe Dom by Eugen Schuhmacher
** Best Arts and Science Film: Bosch
** Best Advertising Film: Blick ins Paradies by Hans Fischerkoesen

### Audience Vote

* Large Bronze plate: Cinderella by Wilfred Jackson
* Small Bronze plate: The Browning Version by Anthony Asquith

### Special Prize of the city of West Berlin

* Special Prize for an Excellent Film Achievement:
** The Forbidden Christ by Curzio Malaparte
** God Needs Men by Jean Delannoy
* Certificate of Honour: Dr. Holl by Rolf Hansen