Iranian filmmaker Panahi wins Berlin’s Golden Bear prize

The niece of Iranian film director Jafar Panahi accepts the Golden Bear for Best Film on her uncle's behalf during the awards ceremony at the 65th Berlinale International Film Festival in Berlin on Sunday.

Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi’s Taxi has won the top Golden Bear prize at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Panahi has been unable to leave Iran after his conviction on charges of “making propaganda” against the country’s ruling system. Authorities imposed a 20-year filmmaking ban on Panahi in 2010, but he has continued to make movies.

The grand jury prize, which comes with a runner-up Silver Bear, went to Chilean director Pablo Larrain for his movie

The Club .

The best actor and best actress awards went to Tom Courtenay and Charlotte Rampling, who play a couple in British director Andrew Haigh’s drama

45 Years .

The jury awarded two best director honours: to Romania’s Radu Jude for Aferim! and to Malgorzata Szumowska of Poland for Body .