Afghan refugee film wins top award

A British BBC film about two Afghan refugees has scooped the top award at the Berlin International Film Festival, it was announced tonight.

In This World, directed by award-winning Michael Winterbottom, was pitted against The Hours, starring Nicole Kidman, and Adaption, starring Nicolas Cage and Meryl Streep, for the Best Film award.

The feature, about the search for a new start in the west, saw life imitate art when shooting was over when one of the two young Afghan actors arrived in Britain to claim asylum.

In This World was shot on hand-held cameras by two young Afghan actors and was half funded by the BBC.

A BBC spokesman said the film was being awarded the Golden Berlin Bear for Best Film at a ceremony, in the 53rd annual Berlinale, one of Europe’s major three festivals, tonight.

Head of BBC Films David Thompson said: “This is a low budget film with remarkable ambition, which takes the audience on a journey with the young refugees across the continents from Afghanistan to the UK in the hope of starting a new life.

“At a time when asylum seekers are in the news this film offers an extraordinary insight into the reality behind the headlines.”

The low budget film was one of 21 competing in Berlin.

The female stars of Stephen Daldry’s The Hours – Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore – picked up the Silver Berlin Bear for Best Actress.