No more Best Actor, Actress prizes; film festival launches gender neutral trophy

Sam Rockwell, pictured here posing with his Best Actor prize at Berlinale in 2003 for his role in 'Confessions Of A Dangerous Mind'. The film festival will give out gender neutral acting prizes beginning 2021. Photo: Reuters

There will be no more separate Silver Bear awards for best actor and best actress at the Berlin film festival (also known as Berlinale) in future, organisers announced Monday, saying they want to eliminate forms of hierarchy between men and women.

From next year, the German capital's Berlinale will only crown the best performances in a leading and a supporting role.