An excellent work that encourages mutual understanding between nations and races or contributes to cultural exchange.

*The Japan Foundation is an independent administrative institution which aims at more comprehensive and effective development of international cultural exchange programs and which undertakes many cultural exchange projects.

 From 1961 to 1989, the Berlin Wall stood as a symbol of the Cold War, dividing Germany into East and West Germany to prevent citizens of the East from traveling into the West. It was one of the most heavily fortified borders in the world, made of 2 million tons of concrete and 700,000 tons of steel, patrolled by armed guards and guard dogs, and surrounded by mines. And yet, in the 28 years that it stood, over 5,000 people are believed to have successfully traversed the Wall. The program investigates some of the more unusual escape attempts that turned out well, with super-realistic computer graphics used to recreate this historical wall.

 It is a great honour to receive the Japan Foundation President’s Prize for 2010. We feel this is both a recognition of our work and an incentive to continue developing forms of history documentary that convey knowledge and insight in vivid and entertaining ways. In this film, the use of sophisticated CGI helped us bring to life the madness of an attempt to imprison an entire people.
 We would like to thank everyone who made this film possible-they all deserve a share of this award-but we especially want to acknowledge those men and women who risked their lives for their freedom. Their urge for freedom repeatedly brought the injustice of the division of Germany to the world’s attention. Their part in tearing down the Berlin Wall and abolishing the Inner-German border cannot be stressed enough. We offer them our thanks and our admiration. This film is their story.
(Oliver Halmburger, Loopfilm Film)

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