berlinale

Drum roll, please.... The 75th Berlinale opens with Tom Tykwer’s “The Light” (Das Licht)! We are thrilled to announce that the 75th Berlin International Film Festival will kick off at the Berlinale Palast on February 13, 2025, with the world premiere of Tom Tykwer’s highly anticipated new feature, “The Light”, screening in Berlinale Special Gala! A moving German-French production brought to life by an incredible cast: Lars Eidinger (“Babylon Berlin, “About Joan”) Nicolette Krebitz (“A E I O U”, “A Cloud in Our House”) Tala Al-Deen, Elke Biesendorfer, Julius Gause, and Elyas Eldridge Directed by the legendary Tom Tykwer – who was the President of the International Jury in 2018, opened the Berlinale in 2002 with “Heaven” and in 2009 with “The International” – “The Light” promises to captivate audiences with its poignant exploration of family life amid a turbulent world. “I’m over the moon to open this year’s Berlinale with ’The Light‘,” says Tom Tykwer. “The Berlinale is the festival of my life. The city is my destiny. This film is my longing.” Festival Director Tricia Tuttle shares: “We knew as soon as we saw ‘The Light‘ that we wanted it to open the 75th Berlinale.” The film will hit German cinemas on March 20, 2025, distributed by X Verleih and Warner Bros. Read the full press release via the link in bio. 🎬🎥🎉

Here we go again – Accreditation for the 75th Berlin International Film Festival is now officially open! Industry professionals, press, and students, get ready to join us in 2025 for our 75th festival edition. From the European Film Market (Feb 13–19) to Berlinale Talents (Feb 15–20) to the Berlinale Co-Production Market (Feb 15-19), Berlin will be buzzing with screenings, industry events, and all things film. Don’t miss the Early-Bear rate for the Market Badge, available until Dec 6, 2024. The regular rate deadline is Jan 9, 2025, and online Market Badge applications are open until Feb 19, 2025. Apply now via the link in our bio – see you in Berlin! 🐻🎬🎥🌟🎉

The 75th Berlin International Film Festival will take place from February 13 to 23, 2025. We certainly cannot wait for the next festival edition – for the first time under the direction of Tricia Tuttle. 🎬🎥 Picture: © Nils-Filip Dinkloh / on scene 2024

Just in time for the holidays, we have a very special gift for you! Over the past few weeks, we’ve been unboxing many Berlinale key visuals from the past and now the moment we’ve all been waiting for is finally here: The revelation of the key visual for the 75th Berlinale! The design places the Berlinale at the centre of a glowing visual interpretation of the theme of “time”. A modern, lively remix of the historical cinema feeling and an emotional anniversary countdown form the beating heart of this year’s Berlinale. The animated key visual and the poster will be visible in the city from the end of January. The key design is the basis of numerous adaptations across the Berlinale experience. For everyone who’s still in need for Christmas gifts or wants to treat themselves this holiday season, you can now shop the poster in the Berlinale Online Shop. The key design was created by Berlin graphic designer Claudia Schramke. Thank you for the amazing artwork! @claudiaschramke 🎬🎥

Curtains up! Berlin’s most beautiful cinemas and festival venues are opening their doors for the 75th Berlinale! 15 cinemas throughout the city will be part of the regular venues. The Berlinale Palast with the Competition and Berlinale Special Gala films, the Red Carpet and the fan area will stay at the heart of the festival. As already announced, the Stage Bluemax Theater at Marlene-Dietrich-Platz will become a new premiere screening venue for the newly created Perspectives first feature competition. Additionally, in order to celebrate one of the most beloved winter-events in all of Berlin, there will once again be an extensive cinema network all over the city. This year’s festival venues are the following: Akademie der Künste am Hanseatenweg, Kino Arsenal, Berlinale Palast, Colosseum, Cubix, Delphi Filmpalast, Deutsche Kinemathek / E-Werk, Filmtheater am Friedrichshain, Haus der Berliner Festspiele, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, silent green Kulturquartier, Stage Bluemax Theater, Uber Eats Music Hall, Urania Berlin, and Zoo Palast. 🍀🎬🎥

We’re not done unboxing the Berlinale Archive! Let’s take one final look at Berlinale key visuals from the past before we get to enjoy the newest addition to this collection: the key visual for the 75th Berlinale. Have a look at the designs for the 64th and 66th Berlinale in 2014 and 2016. Doesn’t feel too long ago, right? “Grand Budapest Hotel” by Wes Anderson and “Fire at Sea” by Gianfranco Rosi were among the winners in these two years. What do you think of the designs? Head to our story to vote for your favourite one and share your thoughts in the comments! 🍀🎬🎥

We are deeply saddened by the loss of film director Wolfgang Becker, who left us at the age of 70 on December 12 in Berlin. Best known for his internationally acclaimed film “Good Bye, Lenin!“, which premiered at the Berlinale in 2003, Wolfgang Becker had a long-standing connection with the festival. His first appearance with us was in 1988 with his DFFB (German Film and Television Academy Berlin) graduation film “Butterflies“. In 2003 the Berlinale’s International Jury awarded him the Blue Angel Award for “Good Bye Lenin!“ and in 1997 he received an Honourable Mention for his cinematic debut “Life Is All You Get“. Together with fellow directors Tom Tykwer, Dani Levy, and producer Stefan Arndt, he co-founded the production company X Filme Creative Pool, which went on to produce renowned films such as “Run Lola Run“ and “Cloud Atlas“. In Wolfgang Becker we have lost one of the brightest and sharpest observers of contemporary Germany. We will truly miss him and express our heartfelt condolences to his wife and daughter. Rest in peace, Wolfgang — you will be missed.

The European Film Market (EFM) will once again and under the new direction of Tanja Meissner welcome international industry representatives to Berlin from February 13 to 19, 2025. The market will bring together international film industry representatives, including producers, global sales agents, and distributors, as well as cinema operators, high-tech companies, and investors from all over the world. This year, Spain and its vibrant film industry will be in the spotlight of the EFM as its ’Country in Focus’. Spains rich diversity of filming locations, creative excellence, and forward-thinking technological advancements make it a perfect match for the EFM’s emphasis on innovation and emerging industry trends. A new highlight of the upcoming EFM is the newly established Innovation Hub, set within the iconic Gropius Bau. For the first time, an entire floor will be dedicated to showcasing creativity and pioneering developments in the international production sector. Cutting-edge technologies and AI-based solutions – from script development to distribution – will take centre stage, offering a glimpse into tools that are transforming the industry. The Berlinale Series Market, the EFM-platform for series formats, will again be celebrating the international diversity and creativity of series production. Around 15 carefully selected series with high market potential will be presented, providing a unique arena for networking and business opportunities. In May of this year, Berlinale Director Tricia Tuttle brought four Berlinale institutions together to form a new consortium: Berlinale Pro* unites the European Film Market, Berlinale Talents, the Berlinale Co-Production Market, and the World Cinema Fund. Read the full press release here: bit.ly/EFMPressRelease 🍀🎬🎥 #Berlinale #Berlinale2025 #EuropeanFilmMarket #BerlinalePro #FilmIndustry #Berlin

It’s here – the full 2025 Berlinale Retrospective line-up. Things will be getting “wild, weird, and bloody”. The offbeat and the wacky, mix it up with action, thrills, and graphic visuals in 15 selected genre films from East and West Germany. From a lush vampire opus to a psychedelic spaghetti western, the Retrospective 2025 shows that Germany can also do genre: but on its own terms! Find out more about the selected films in our news section via the link in bio.

We are excited to present the first twelve titles of the 2025 Panorama programme. Eight titles are world premieres; three are feature film debuts; a total of 18 production countries are involved. The programme presents a deluxe genre mix. From homeland horror – interpreted in manifold ways this year – to a queer Black femme road movie and an animated lesbian intergalactic odyssey to documentaries tackling the fragility of democratic systems, the films confirmed so far focus on a wide spectrum of societal fractures. The 12 titles include new works by Denis Côté, Ira Sachs, Shatara Michelle Ford, Andreas Prochaska, Frelle Petersen, Marcio Reolon and Filipe Matzembacher Find out more about the selected films in our news section via the link in bio.

Lights, camera, community! Get ready for a journey through bold stories and fresh perspectives at Berlinale Generation. Generation offers a first look at the 2025 competition programmes Kplus and 14plus, with eight feature films and seven short films confirmed, representing a total of 16 production countries, including ten world premieres. The programme outlines the question of the ways in which we connect with others and recount intimate mourning and collective action, the possibilities of imagining other worlds and the ways of getting there, on one’s own and together.  The selected films showcase a dazzling range of cinematic styles, providing a cinematic perspective on diverse global realities. For more info and a full list of all featured films, check the link in bio.

Drum roll, please, for what we have so excitedly been waiting for… We’re over the moon to announce the first three world premieres selected for the 2025 Berlinale Special programme! From genre thrills to documentaries and glamourous Red Carpet galas, the Berlinale Special is one of the most diverse sections of the Berlinale.  German director Jan-Ole Gerster presents “Islands”, a neo-noir thriller starring Sam Riley and Stacy Martin. Director-duo Madeleine Sims-Fewer and Dusty Mancinelli deliver a genius genre mash-up with the Canadian film “Honey Bunch”. Both films are presented as Midnight Specials. And the first confirmed Berlinale Special Gala is “Köln 75”, a German production that stars Mala Emde, John Magaro and Alexander Scheer. Ido Fluk has directed the film about the teenaged producer of jazz legend Keith Jarrett’s famous Cologne concert. Find out more about the selected films in our news section via the link in bio.