The 53rd annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from February 6–16, 2003. The festival opened with musical film Chicago by Rob Marshall and closed with Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York, both films played out of competition at the festival.
The Golden Bear was awarded to In This World directed by Michael Winterbottom.
The retrospective dedicated to German film director F. W. Murnau was shown at the festival.
Juries
The following people were announced as being on the jury for the festival:
Main Competition Atom Egoyan, Canadian filmmaker and producer - Jury President Martina Gedeck, German actress Anna Galiena, Italian actress Kathryn Bigelow, American filmmaker and producer Abderrahmane Sissako, Mauritanian filmmaker Humbert Balsan, French actor and producer Geoffrey Gilmore, American director of the Tribeca Film Festival
Short Films Competition Andreas Dresen, German filmmaker Phyllis Mollet, French director of communication of the FIAPF Thom Palmen, Swedish director of the Umeå International Film Festival
Official selection
Main Competition The following films were in competition for the Golden Bear and Silver Bear awards: English title Original title Director(s) Country25th HourSpike LeeUnited StatesAdaptationSpike JonzeAlexandra's ProjectRolf de HeerAustraliaAngstDer alte Affe AngstOskar RoehlerGermanyBlind Shaft盲井Yang LiChina, Germany, Hong KongConfessions of a Dangerous MindGeorge ClooneyUnited States, Canada, GermanyDistant LightsLichterHans-Christian SchmidGermanyThe Flower of EvilLa fleur du malClaude ChabrolFranceGood Bye, Lenin!Wolfgang BeckerGermanyHero英雄Yimou ZhangChina, Hong KongHis BrotherSon frèrePatrice ChéreauFranceThe HoursStephen DaldryUnited States, United KingdomI'm Not ScaredIo non ho pauraGabriele SalvatoresItaly, Spain, United KingdomIn This WorldMichael WinterbottomUnited KingdomThe Life of David GaleAlan ParkerUnited States, GermanyMadame BrouetteMoussa Sene AbsaCanada, Senegal, FranceMy Life Without MeIsabel CoixetSpain, CanadaSmall CutsPascal BonitzerFrance, United KingdomSolarisSteven SoderberghUnited StatesSpare PartsRezervni deliDamjan KozoleSloveniaThe Twilight Samuraiたそがれ清兵衛Yōji YamadaJapanYes Nurse! No Nurse!Ja zuster, nee zusterPieter KramerNetherlands
Short Films Competition English title Original title Director(s) Country(A)TorzijaStefan ArsenijevicSerbiaAraki: The Killing of a Japanese PhotographerAnders MorgenthalerDenmarkThe Chubbchubbs!Eric ArmstrongUnited StatesDeloresAdam StevensGermanyIn AbsentiaEn ausenciaLucía CedrónGermanyThe Good SonMichael SandovalUnited KingdomWar Against StonesAndreas TeuchertGermanyThe Tram Was Going, Number NineЙшов трамвай дев'ятий номерStepan KovalUkraineFishJonathan DaviesFinlandSaviorAthanasios KaranikolasGermanyThe MatchUrsula FerraraItalyLong TakePatrícia MoranBrazilRettet Berlin!Gerd ConradtGermanySpinCath Le CouteurUnited KingdomTarryStijn van SantenNetherlandsThe Toll CollectorRachel JohnsonCzechoslovakia, United StatesNever Trust a CowNathalie PercillierFrance
Retrospective
The following films were shown in the retrospective: English titleOriginal titleDirector(s)Country7th HeavenFrank BorzageUnited StatesThe Burning SoilDer brennende AckerF. W. MurnauGermanyCity GirlUnited StatesEarly Spring早春Yasujirō OzuJapanEquinox Flower彼岸花JapanFaustFaust – Eine deutsche VolkssageF. W. MurnauGermanyFour SonsJohn FordUnited StatesGood Morningお早ようYasujirō OzuJapanThe Grand Duke's FinancesDie Finanzen des GroßherzogsF. W. MurnauGermanyJourney into the NightDer Gang in die NachtThe Last LaughDer letzte MannLegongLegong: Dance Of The VirginsHenry de La FalaiseUnited StatesThe Merry WidowErnst LubitschMoanaRobert J. FlahertyNosferatu – A Symphony Of HorrorNosferatu, eine Symphonie des GrauensF. W. MurnauGermanyNosferatu the VampyreNosferatu – Phantom der NachtWerner HerzogWest Germany, FranceThe Philadelphia StoryGeorge CukorUnited StatesPhantomF. W. MurnauGermanyTabu: A Story of the South SeasUnited StatesTartüffTartuffeGermanyWhite Shadows in the South SeasW. S. Van Dyke, Robert J. FlahertyUnited States
Perspektive Deutsches Kino The following feature and documentary films were selected for the Perspektive Deutsches Kino - section: English title“Perspektive Neues Deutsches Kino 2003” in the archive on the official Berlinale website. Retrieved on 17 February 2025.Original titleDirector(s)CountryThey've Got KnutSie haben KnutStefan KrohmerGermanyWeWirMartin GypkensGermanyBernau liegt am MeerMartina DöckerGermanyGrüsse aus DachauFrom Dachau with LoveBernd FischerGermanyScience FictionKein Science Fiction or Science FictionFranz MüllerGermanyNarrenFoolsTom SchreiberGermanyKiki & TigerKiki and TigerAlain GsponerGermanyUnternehmen ParadiesVolker SattelGermanyLet It Rock!Igor PaaschGermanyBefreite ZoneLiberated ZoneNorbert BaumgartenGermanySchattenweltHình bóngRobin von HardenbergGermanyThe Family JewelsEierdiebeRobert SchwentkeGermanyMy First MiracleMein erstes WunderAnne WildGermany
German Cinema
English title Original title Director(s) Country Anatomy 2 Anatomie 2 Stefan Ruzowitzky Germany
Official Awards
Main Competition
The following prizes were awarded by the Jury: Golden Bear: In This World by Michael Winterbottom Silver Bear Jury Grand Prix: Adaptation by Spike Jonze Silver Bear for Best Director: Patrice Chéreau for His Brother Silver Bear for Best Actor: Sam Rockwell for Confessions of a Dangerous Mind Silver Bear for Best Actress: Meryl Streep, Nicole Kidman and Julianne Moore for The Hours Silver Bear for Best Film Music: Majoly, Serge Fiori and Maadu Diabaté for Madame Brouette Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution: Yang Li for Blind Shaft
Short Film Competition Short Film Golden Bear: In Absentia by Lucía Cedrón The Tram #9 Was Going by Stepan Koval
Honorary Golden Bear Anouk Aimée
Berlinale Camera Artur Brauner Peer Raben Erika Richter
Panorama Audience Award Broken Wings by Nir Bergman
Crystal Bear Best Short Film: Pipsqueak Prince by Zoia Trofimova Best Feature Film: Elina: As If I Wasn't There by Klaus Härö
Independent Awards
FIPRESCI Award Distant Lights by Hans-Christian Schmid Special Mention: Remake by Dino Mustafić
References
External links 53rd Berlin International Film Festival on IMDb Yearbook for the Berlinale 2003 berlinale.de Berlin International Film Festival 2003