Berlinale — Berlin International Film Festival
One of the three largest film festivals in the world, held annually in February in Berlin
About Berlinale
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75 Years of the Berlin Film Festival
The Berlinale was founded in 1951 in West Berlin — in the midst of the early Cold War, serving as a showcase for film culture in the divided city. For 75 editions, it has shaped Berlin's February cityscape: ten days of film festival with over 250 films from 70+ countries, featuring the Competition (for the Golden Bear), Encounters, Perspektive Deutsches Kino, Generation (Children and Youth Film), Forum, Panorama, Retrospective, and more.
Golden and Silver Bears
The Golden Bear is the most prestigious award — it goes to the best film in the international competition. The Silver Bears are awarded for Grand Jury Prize, Jury Prize, Best Director, Best Leading Performance, Best Supporting Performance, Best Screenplay, and Outstanding Artistic Contribution. A seven-member International Jury, chosen annually by the festival directors, decides on the awards.
Main Venues
- Berlinale Palast (Marlene-Dietrich-Platz 1) — Main cinema for competition films and the opening/closing galas
- CinemaxX at Potsdamer Platz
- Cubix Alexanderplatz
- Friedrichstadt-Palast for special events
- HKW (Haus der Kulturen der Welt) — Forum section
- Akademie der Künste — Retrospective
- Over 20 other Berlin cinemas and venues
Berlinale Pro — The Industry Side
Alongside the public festival, the professional side, "Berlinale Pro," runs concurrently:
- European Film Market (EFM): one of the three most important international film markets (alongside Cannes Marché and AFM)
- Berlinale Co-Production Market: a platform for international film financing
- Berlinale Talents: a talent program for 250 selected emerging talents from around the world
- World Cinema Fund Day: a funding program for films from Africa, Latin America, and Asia
In 2026, approximately 19,500 film professionals from 135 countries were accredited, including 2,288 journalists.
Tiergarten and Mitte as Festival Districts
The main venue is Potsdamer Platz in the Tiergarten district (Mitte borough), where the modern festival quarter emerged in the mid-1990s (Sony Center, Stage Theater, CinemaxX, Berlinale Palast). During the ten festival days, tens of thousands of visitors flock through the city daily between Potsdamer Platz, Friedrichstraße, Alexanderplatz, and HKW. The Berlinale shapes Berlin's urban landscape in February more strongly than any other single event of the year.
Berlinale — edition 2026
The 76th Berlinale ran from February 12 to 22, 2026, setting a new record with 350,000 audience tickets sold — surpassing the previous year's figure of 340,000. A total of 278 films from 80 countries were featured in the program.
On the industry side, 19,500 film professionals from 135 countries were accredited, including 2,288 journalists. The European Film Market (EFM) ran from February 12–18, the Berlinale Co-Production Market from February 14–17, Berlinale Talents from February 13–18, and the World Cinema Fund Day on February 17.
Programme Berlinale 2026
International Competition 2026
- 22 films in the official competition
- Jury President: Wim Wenders
- Section awards presented on the closing Saturday, February 21, 2026
Award Winners 2026
- Golden Bear (Best Film): "Gelbe Briefe" by İlker Çatak — a political drama about a Turkish artist couple as victims of state repression. The first German director in 22 years (previously Fatih Akin in 2004 with "Gegen die Wand")
- Grand Jury Prize: "Salvation" by Emin Alper
- Jury Prize: "Queen at Sea" by Lance Hammer
- Best Director: Grant Gee for "Everybody Digs Bill Evans"
- Outstanding Artistic Contribution: "YO (Love is a Rebellious Bird)" by Anna Fitch and Banker White
- Best Screenplay: Geneviève Dulude-de Celles for "Nina Roza"
- Best Leading Performance: Sandra Hüller in "Rose"
- Best Supporting Performances: Anna Calder-Marshall and Tom Courtenay in "Queen at Sea"
Sections 2026
- Competition
- Encounters
- Perspektive Deutsches Kino
- Generation (Children and Youth Film)
- Forum and Forum Expanded
- Panorama
- Retrospective
- Berlinale Special
- Berlinale Classics
Main Venues
- Berlinale Palast (Marlene-Dietrich-Platz, Potsdamer Platz)
- CinemaxX at Potsdamer Platz
- Cubix Alexanderplatz
- Friedrichstadt-Palast
- HKW (Haus der Kulturen der Welt)
- Akademie der Künste
- Over 20 other Berlin cinemas
Official Berlinale Website · Berlinale 2026 Festival Review · Press Release Festival Dates
Highlights Berlinale 2026
Prices Berlinale 2026
Audience tickets €12–€20 per screening, special events and galas up to approx. €50. Festival passes are not offered. Advance sales start three days before the festival on berlinale.de — popular screenings sell out within hours.
Practical information — Berlinale
Getting to the Berlinale Palast
S+U Potsdamer Platz (directly in front of the Berlinale Palast). U2 Mendelssohn-Bartholdy-Park (3 minutes walk). By car: Marlene-Dietrich-Platz, parking garages at Potsdamer Platz are expensive; public transport is strongly recommended.
Tickets
Audience tickets are available via the official website (berlinale.de) and at box offices. Advance sales start three days before the festival begins and a large portion is sold out within hours — booking early is crucial. Prices: €12–€20 per screening, galas are more expensive.
Accreditations
Industry accreditations must be applied for several months before the festival begins — the deadline is usually in November/December.
On Site
The festival operates across over 20 cinemas spread throughout the city. Those planning to see multiple films should factor in travel time — however, most venues are reachable within 20 minutes by U-Bahn and S-Bahn.
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Travel to this festival
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Where it takes place Berlinale
Berlinale Palast / Potsdamer Platz
Potsdamer Platz, 10785 Berlin