Jafar Panahi, the Iranian dissident director who is banned from making films by the Iranian state has won this year’s Berlinale Golden Bear for his film “Taxi.”

In his film, that was described as a masterpiece by the critics, the Iranian director stars as a taxi driver engaging his passengers in dialogue as he drives them through the streets of Tehran.

The award was accepted by one of the youngest stars in Panahi’s film, a little girl that was so moved, she could barely speak.

The decision to give the award to Panahi reconfirms Berlinale’s reputation as the most politically driven of the world’s film festivals. “Instead of allowing his spirit to be crushed and giving up, instead of allowing himself to be filled with anger and frustration, Jafar Panahi created a love letter to cinema,” said Darren Aronofsky, the American director and Berlinale jury president.

See below the full list of the festival’s winners

GOLDEN BEAR FOR BEST FILM (awarded to the film’s producer)
Taxi
Taxi
by Jafar Panahi

SILVER BEAR GRAND JURY PRIZE
El Club
The Club
by Pablo Larraín

SILVER BEAR ALFRED BAUER PRIZE for a feature film that opens new perspectives
Ixcanul
Ixcanul Volcano
by Jayro Bustamante

SILVER BEAR FOR BEST DIRECTOR
Radu Jude for
Aferim! (Aferim!)

ex aequo

Małgorzata Szumowska for
Body (Body)

SILVER BEAR FOR BEST ACTRESS
Charlotte Rampling in
45 Years (45 Years) by Andrew Haigh

SILVER BEAR FOR BEST ACTOR
Tom Courtenay in
45 Years (45 Years) by Andrew Haigh

SILVER BEAR FOR BEST SCRIPT

Patricio Guzmán for
El botón de nácar (The Pearl Button) by Patricio Guzmán

SILVER BEAR FOR OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTION
In the categories camera, editing, music score, costume or set design

Sturla Brandth Grøvlen for the camera in
Victoria (Victoria) by Sebastian Schipper

ex aequo

Evgeniy Privin and Sergey Mikhalchuk for the camera in
Pod electricheskimi oblakami (Under Electric Clouds) by Alexey German Jr.