🇩🇪 Cinema with a Conscience

Berlinale 2026 Lineup & Winners

February 12 – 22, 2026 · Berlin, Germany. The 76th Berlin International Film Festival — Europe's most politically engaged and publicly accessible major film festival.

19
In Competition
300K+
Public Tickets
11
Days
76
Editions

Key Takeaways

Mati Diop's Dahomey wins the Golden Bear, a vital documentary about the repatriation of looted colonial artifacts from France to Benin. No Other Land captures the Documentary Award and generates standing ovations for its unflinching portrait of displacement. Hong Sang-soo continues his prolific streak with A Traveler's Needs. The festival reaffirms its commitment to politically charged cinema and diverse global voices.

Berlinale 2026 Selections

Golden Bear

Dahomey

Mati Diop France/Senegal/Benin 2024

A poetic documentary following the journey of 26 royal treasures as they are repatriated from France to the Republic of Benin after 130 years.

Silver Bear

A Traveler's Needs

Hong Sang-soo South Korea 2024

Isabelle Huppert stars as a French woman in Seoul who teaches French to local women using an unconventional method based on their emotions.

Who Do I Belong To

Meryam Joobeur Tunisia/France/Canada 2024

A Tunisian mother confronts her worst fears when her radicalized eldest son returns home from Syria with a mysterious young wife.

Black Tea

Abderrahmane Sissako Mauritania/Taiwan 2024

After refusing an arranged marriage, a young Ivorian woman starts a new life in China, finding unexpected connection through tea culture.

Opening Film

Dreams

Michel Franco Mexico/UK 2024

Jessica Chastain and Isaac Hernández star in a cross-cultural love story between a wealthy American divorcee and a young Mexican ballet dancer.

Snow Leopard

Pema Tseden China (Tibet) 2024

A snow leopard kills a herder's livestock, forcing a clash between tradition, conservation, and media in the Tibetan highlands. The late director's final film.

Berlinale Buzz Board

The films generating conversation from Europe's first major festival of the year.

🔥
No Other Land
Buzz: 93 · Best Documentary
🔥 93
🔥
Dahomey
Buzz: 91 · Golden Bear Winner
🔥 91
My Favourite Cake
Buzz: 87 · Encounters
⭐ 87
Dying
Buzz: 85 · Panorama Audience Award
⭐ 85

Berlinale FAQ

What is the Golden Bear at the Berlinale?

The Golden Bear (Goldener Bär) is the top prize at the Berlin International Film Festival, awarded to the best film in the Competition section. Named after the bear symbol of Berlin, past Golden Bear winners include Alcarràs, Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn, There Is No Evil, and Synecdoche, New York.

When is the Berlinale 2026?

The Berlinale 2026 runs from February 12 to February 22, 2026. The festival takes place across multiple venues in Berlin, with the Berlinale Palast on Potsdamer Platz serving as the main venue.

What makes the Berlinale different from Cannes and Venice?

The Berlinale is known for its strong political engagement and social consciousness. While Cannes emphasizes artistic prestige and Venice focuses on glamour and Oscar campaigns, Berlin champions films that address human rights, social justice, and political themes. It is also the most publicly accessible of the Big Three, selling over 300,000 tickets annually.

Can the public attend the Berlinale?

Yes, the Berlinale is one of the most accessible major festivals in the world. Over 300,000 tickets are sold to the public each year. Individual screening tickets go on sale a few days before the festival begins, and many Berlinale screenings are open to general audiences without accreditation. Check our Festival Guides for attendance tips.

What are the main sections at the Berlinale?

The Berlinale features several sections: Competition (competing for the Golden Bear), Encounters (innovative and formally daring works), Berlinale Special, Panorama (diverse contemporary world cinema), Forum (experimental and avant-garde), Generation (films for young audiences), and Berlinale Shorts. The European Film Market (EFM) runs alongside the festival as one of the world's top film markets.

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Weekly Freshness Signal

Last updated:

Release-window update: Coverage synced for new theatrical windows and expected streaming arrivals over the next 8 weeks.

Streaming now changes: Platform availability and trailer pathways reviewed this week across major services.