The TEDDY AWARD, a solid institution of the International Film Festival Berlin, will be given out 13 February 2009 in the following categories: Short Film, Documentary, Feature Film. The advance sale for the world’s most important queer film award has started.

This year’s Special TEDDY AWARD will be given out to Joe Dallesandro who, in the 70’s became as Warhol’s muse a sexual icon for a whole generation. Films by Andy Warhol, Paul Morrissey or Serge Gainsbourg’s `Je T’aime Moi Non Plus` (1975) made Dallesandro a legend. Wieland Speck, supervisor of the Berlinale section “Panorama” and executive of the association TEDDY e.V. remembers: “Dallesandro was not only the most beautiful man in his medial generation at the time, but also put his erotic appeal out to consciously be objectified. He has this physical appearance you never get tired of watching. This is true for the moving picture as well as photographs – and for men as for women.” Also the American director John Waters raves: „A wonderful actor who forever changed male sexuality on the screen“.

UNAIDS as a new partner
For the first time are UNAIDS an institutional partner of the TEDDY Award. For this UNO section the TEDDY Award provides an ideal communications platform to place the themes: cosmopolitanism, acceptance, diversity and to generate awareness for social and public drawbacks.

More space for guests
“In 2009 we will count on the transference possibilities within the building so that even guests who were not able to get tickets for the big auditorium will be able to attend the awards ceremony live” says Elser Maxwell of Cine Plus”. “The party after the ceremony will offer a great dance floor and a live Rock Show at midnight. Squeezebox presents a “best of” with Sherry Vine, Peaches and many more and also a Lounge floor with ambient sounds, live performances with among others Ocean a drag artist from Paris. For the traditional Gala the TEDDY-Makers managed to take Las Vegas star and performance artist Joey Arias on board and many more international festival guests are to be expected.

More Information on the TEDDY AWARD programme can be found at www.teddyaward.tv.

23. TEDDY AWARD Ceremony as part of the International Film Festival Berlin

Gala and award ceremony: 13 February 2009, 9:00pm at Haus der Kulturen der Welt

Party and Midnight Special: starting at 11:00pm