Lars Von Trier’s ‘Melancholia’ wins best European film award

BERLIN - Denmark’s Lars von Trier late Saturday won the prize for best European film of 2011 for his movie “Melancholia” at a ceremony put on here by the European Film Academy.

“Melancholia” follows two sisters, the bride Justine (Kirsten Dunst), due to get married in the sumptuous romantic castle of Claire (Charlotte Gainsbourg), but the union is doomed as the wayward planet Melancholia heads for Earth.

Dunst won the Best Actress award at Cannes for her role, although the Danish director was kept out after making some dubious remarks about Hitler.

Von Trier was not present in Berlin and a member of his team accepted the award on his behalf.

“I should say from Lars that he has no message for you since he has decided not to make statements any more and I really don’t know why. But he asked me that I should salute to you in a very kind and friendly way,” the crew member said. “The King’s Speech” by Tom Hooper was the other big winner, taking three prizes including best actor for Colin Firth in the role of King George VI.

Hooper declared: “I’m absolutely thrilled to get this. I think it’s great that we’re standing here today celebrating the ideal of the European project through the film industry.” Michel Hazanavicius’s “The Artist” won best music prize while German director Wim Wenders, president of the academy, won the best documentary award for “Pina” about choreographer Pina Bausch.

AFP