The jury was deeply impressed with his performance as Helmut Schmidt in the hijacking drama "Mogadischu". Christian Berkel studied the former Federal Chancellor with great intensity and rendered the role just as precisely. "If you try to copy Helmut Schmidt, you’ll end up in a cabaret", said Berkel about the difficulty of this role. And there is certainly nothing even remotely reminiscent of persiflage about the performance. What Berkel accomplishes in "Mogadischu" is a feat of master craftsmanship that ranks high in the cinematic portrayal of historical figures. But this praise alone would not be worthy of the actor. Over the previous years, Berkel has advanced to one of the heavyweights in his profession. The previous nomination for THE GOLDEN CAMERA as Best Actor in 2007 demonstrates that one always has to reckon with him. This goes for his audience as well. Although he has been frequently booked for international productions, Berkel is not one to let it go to his head and pack his bags for America. He knows where he belongs. His assignments as a "criminalist" in ZDF are living proof of this. Christian Berkel has come out first against Mehmet Kurtulus and Klaus J. Behrendt, two strong competitors and highly talented colleagues. In this round, the jury judged Berkel’s achievement as more compelling.

By jury member Markus Trebitsch
Foto: © Arne Weychardt for HÖRZU