News & Updates

Up to 400 films are shown in different sections and genres. Year after year, around 300,000 tickets are sold to the public. More than 20,000 film professionals and critics as well as numerous film fans from more than 120 countries are accredited for and visit the Berlin International Film Festival each year.

Each year, the jury awards a total of eight prizes, including the Golden Bear for Best Film and the Silver Bears for Best Actress or Best Actor. These will be awarded at the closing gala in the Berlinale Palast. The president of the international jury in 2026 is German director Wim Wenders. “Wim Wenders is one of the most influential voices in international cinema. For six decades, he has enriched the film world with works that touch and inspire us with their humanity and sense of wonder,” says Berlinale director Tricia Tuttle. Wim Wenders has long been closely associated with the Berlinale and has presented numerous films in the festival program himself. His best-known works include “Paris, Texas,” “Wings of Desire,” and “Perfect Days.”

In 2026, Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh will be honored with the Golden Honorary Bear for her lifetime achievement. “Michelle Yeoh is a visionary artist and performer whose work transcends boundaries—whether geographical, linguistic, or cinematic,” says Berlinale Director Tricia Tuttle. “Her commanding presence, fearless artistic choices, and distinctive style have had a lasting impact on generations of filmmakers and fans at the Berlinale and around the world.”

Oscar winner Yeoh has been one of the most influential voices in international cinema for decades and has been closely associated with the Berlinale since serving on its jury in 1999. With roles in films such as "Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon", "Tomorrow Never Dies", and "Everything Everywhere All at Once", she has set global standards and transcended cinematic boundaries.

The most important awards at the Berlinale are the Golden Bear and the Silver Bears. They are presented by an international jury and belong to the most renowned awards in the international film industry.

• Golden Bear for Best Film
• Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize
• Silver Bear Jury Prize
• Silver Bear for Best Director
• Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance
• Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance
• Silver Bear for Best Screenplay
• Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution

This year's Berlinale will open with the world premiere of "No Good Men" by award-winning Afghan director Shahrbanoo Sadat. The film focuses on the lives of Afghan women and combines a stirring political story with romance and humor.

The following 22 films are competing for the Golden and Silver Bears this year:

• A New Dawn by Yoshitoshi Shinomiya
• At the Sea by Kornél Mundruczó
• À voix basse by Leyla Bouzid
• Dao by Alain Gomis
• Dust by Anke Blondé
• Etwas ganz Besonderes by Eva Trobisch
• Everybody Digs Bill Evans by Grant Gee
• Gelbe Briefe by İlker Çatak
• Josephine by Beth de Araújo
• Kurtuluş by Emin Alper
• Meine Frau weint by Angela Schanelec
• Moscas by Fernando Eimbcke
• Nina Roza by Geneviève Dulude-de Celles
• Queen at Sea by Lance Hammer
• Rose by Markus Schleinzer
• Rosebush Pruning by Karim Aïnouz
• Soumsoum, la nuit des astres by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun
• The Loneliest Man in Town by Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel
• Wolfram by Warwick Thornton
• Wo Men Bu Shi Mo Sheng Ren by Anthony Chen
• YO Love is a Rebellious Bird by Anna Fitch and Banker White
• Yön Lapsi by Hanna Bergholm

In 2026, the Berlinale Hub at Potsdamer Platz will once again be the central meeting place for the film festival. The festival center is intended as a place for exchange between audiences and filmmakers and offers formats that are open to the public every day. From February 13 to 20, film talks will take place in the mornings, including discussions on current festival topics and the role of film and music. Guests include İlker Çatak, Cheryl Dunye, Faraz Shariat, John Turturro, and Tom Tykwer.

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