Martin Scorsese - Honorary Golden Bear

BERLINALE

The Berlinale in Germany is a unique place of artistic exploration and entertainment. It is one of the largest public film festivals in the world, attracting tens of thousands of visitors from around the globe each year. For the film industry and the media, the eleven days in February are also one of the most important events in the annual calendar and an indispensable trading forum.

The Berlin International Film Festival enjoys an eventful history. The festival was created for the Berlin public in 1951, at the beginning of the Cold War, as a “showcase of the free world”. Shaped by the turbulent post-war period and the unique situation of a divided city, the Berlinale has developed into a place of intercultural exchange and a platform for the critical cinematic exploration of social issues. To this day it is considered the most political of all the major film festivals.

The Berlinale brings the big stars of international cinema to Berlin and discovers new talents. It accompanies filmmakers of all disciplines on their paths into the spotlight and supports careers, projects, dreams and visions.

Thanks to its numerous industry initiatives, the Berlinale is a significant driver of innovation and an important economic factor internationally as well as for companies in Germany and Berlin.

The Programme: Diverse, Independent and Daring

Every year, around 200 films of all genres, lengths and formats are shown in the various sections and special presentations of the Berlinale. Across the spectrum from feature films to documentary forms and artistic experiments, the audience is invited to encounter highly contrasting milieus, ways of life and attitudes, to put their own judgements and prejudices to the test and to reinvigorate their experience of seeing and perceiving in the realm between classic narrative forms and extraordinary aesthetics. The programme also thrives on an intense dialogue with its audiences. A rich array of spoken-word events, audience discussions and expert panels facilitate an active participation in the festival.

The Berlinale at a Glimpse

- The Competition is the festival’s centrepiece and screens the films that will be talked about.

- Berlinale Special offers space for the extraordinary, the glamorous and the festival’s special concerns.

- Perspectives shines a brighter spotlight on new filmmakers in a high-profile competition.

- The Berlinale Shorts competition radiates the full range of colours, stretches the boundaries and lays down new tracks in the vast field of cinematic possibilities.

- Panorama screens extraordinary cinema, is a traditional audience favourite and - with its own audience award - has the festival’s biggest jury.

- The Forum and Forum Expanded stand for reflections on the medium of film, socio-artistic discourse and a particular sense for the aesthetic.

- Generation presents films that matter – for young cineastes and everyone else.

- Discover film history and view it anew in screenings of the highest quality: Retrospective, Berlinale Classics and Homage.

- The special presentation Berlinale Goes Kiez brings festival films and their casts and crews to art house cinemas.

Berlinale Pro* - Where Cinema Culture and Industry Meet

Under the umbrella term of Berlinale Pro*, the European Film Market, the Berlinale Co-Production Market and the Berlinale Talents and World Cinema Fund initiatives offer filmmakers and industry representatives a comprehensive service for talent promotion, network building, project development, consulting, co-production, financing, audience development, marketing, distribution and discourse. In all its specific events, Berlinale Pro* is setting the agenda in its commitment to the common cause of fostering greater participation and a more inclusive and sustainable film industry.

SUSTAINABILITY

An awareness of the planet’s dwindling resources, the importance of an inclusive and respectful social interaction and the significance of cultural education and of building networks for future generations are at the centre of a mindful awareness that runs right through the Berlinale universe. The foundation of this continuous transformation is the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations which, thanks to the support of Engagement Global, were presented to the public during the festival’s 70th edition with the #17Goals project on Potsdamer Platz and in the Berlinale Social Bus. The European Film Market has also been strengthening its sustainability since 2020 with its – recently updated - Sustainability Manifesto, and has been focusing on making the topic visible and audible at its events and via the EFM Podcast.

As a prime meeting place of the international film and media industries, the European Film Market understands itself as pacemaker not only for topics immediately concerning the working field of our participants, but also seeks to inspire the (future) film industry to act and think towards sustainable development as a topic of global scope.

With their measures, they aim for an environmentally and socially responsible European Film Market. First published in 2020, our EFM Sustainability Manifesto laid out an objective based on the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals. In preparation for the EFM 2023 in Berlin, they are building upon the progress of the past years while striving to complete further goals.

Following the SD Goals: 7 Affordable and Clean Energy & 12 Responsible Consumption and Production

• EFM is only building stand construction with a reuse modular system and therefore produces less waste and emissions. The system has been in place since 2018.

• EFM has banned single-use (plastic) cups from its locations in 2020 and encourages visitors to bring their own cup (BYOC policy).

• EFM follows a green cleaning policy, which includes using less harmful chemicals in cleaning products.

• EFM has a waste management system at all its locations.

• EFM aims to increase the usage of sustainable materials for printed advertising.

• EFM and all its location sources energy from 100% ecological energy since 2012.

• EFM aims to create more awareness about the consumption and use of water, and will for example actively think about alternatives for the water supply for EFM visitors at its locations.

• EFM actively encourages its team members and all visitors to use alternative traveling and accommodation options by highlighting more sustainable options in its communications.

• EFM aims to keep its own carbon footprint minimal by traveling by train wherever possible. Air travelling that cannot be replaced is actively compensated by investing in a local project for bogland preservation.

• From 2023, all EFM venues are conveniently located at Potsdamer Platz. Walkable distances decrease the need for shuttle services. In order to keep EFM an accessible event, shuttle services will continue to be provided. All shuttles are electrically powered instead of using fossil fuels.

Following the SD Goals: 4 Quality Education, 5 Gender Equality, 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure & 10 Reduced Inequalities

• EFM commits to sharing knowledge and new insights about sustainability to its team members and the community it serves (visitors, funding partners, sponsors, suppliers and facilitating companies).

• In 2022, the EFM drew up the EFM Sustainability Guide: a Proposal for Exhibitors, to assist exhibitors in preparing for a more sustainable issuance.

• EFM will actively search partners to work on a more sustainable market, whether within related (cultural and creative) sectors or new sponsors and suppliers.

• In its curated sessions, the EFM sets the industry up for emerging topics touching on mental health, diversity and inclusion and other holistic fields.

• EFM programmes introduce more sustainable approaches and facilitate access for marginalised and underrepresented groups to the industry. Following the SD Goals: 3 Good Health and wellbeing & 8 Decent work and economic growth

• EFM works on creating a healthy and sustainable working environment in its offices throughout the year, e.g. by offering workshops on intersectionality and ecological sustainability for its team.

• EFM supports a non-competitive growth policy and prioritises (health and) a sustainable environment, investing in services that benefit its team.

CONTACTS

Festival Director
Tricia Tuttle
Assistant to the Festival Director
Olha Kozliuk
phone +49 30 25920-0
office@berlinale.de

Berlin International Film Festival
Potsdamer Platz 11
10785 Berlin
Germany
info@berlinale.de

For anyone familiar with the German capital, it’s rarely what’s on the surface that counts, but the party happening beneath. Berlin may not possess the allure of the Riviera or a city on the water, but its treasures lie in the vast programme that unfolds during a – generally – freezing February. Founded in 1951, in the early 2000s it moved its base to Potsdamer Platz, which better reflected how the once-split city has been reunited and become a major cultural force. The top prize is the Golden Bear, a suitable choice for one of the chilliest festivals of the year.  

A TO Z - TOP 20 FILM FESTIVALS

BERLINALE Germany - Berlin, BIFF, Potsdamer Platz, Golden and Silver Bears, international winter film festival
BUSAN International BIFF Film Festival, South Korea, Asian film festival, Haeundae District port city, New Currents award

BFI - British Film Institute's London Film Festival, London, is a celebration of international cinema 9-20 October 2024

CAIRO Cairo CIFF International Film Festival, Opera House, Egypt, Nile river - Golden, Silver, Bronze Pyramid Awards

CANNES Paris, France, 5, Rue Charlot 75003 - Film Competitions & Awards Palme d'Or (Golden Palm) - Cinéfondation

CAIRO

One of the oldest and most respected film festivals in the Arabian world, Africa and the Middle East, CIFF held its 44th edition in November to honor some of Egypt’s most beloved treasures, its films.

Under the new leadership of director Amir Ramses, the event featured tributes to actress Maha Abu Ouf, director Ali Abdel Khaleq and actor Hesham Selim, all of whom died in 2022. It also welcomed nearly 100 films from more than 50 countries.

Its international jury was led by Japanese director Naomi Kawase, and the Golden Pyramid Award for Best Film went to Firas Khoury’s coming-of-age drama Alam. If you haven’t been to Egypt, bear in mind that worldwide attractions Nile cruises, the Pyramids of Giza and the Sphinx are within easy distance of the Cairo Opera House, site of the festival.

CANNES

For many, there is Cannes, France, and then everything else. It began in the late 1930s and is the perfect combination of sun, celebrity and the best of world cinema. It has been a major attraction for the finest filmmakers since the mid-1950s. Known to be one of the most prestigious film festivals, it takes place every May, sports the most idyllic location on the French Riviera, and attracts the beau monde of the film world. The festival’s top prize is the Palme d’Or, the Golden Palm, arguably the most sought after film prize. You might get more attention if you won an Oscar – and certainly the likelihood of more funding for future projects – but nothing quite attracts the prestige of this prize.  

One of the world’s most widely publicised events, the Cannes Festival is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which was founded in 1946. The invitation-only festival previews new films of all genres, including documentaries, from around the world with the aim of contributing towards the development of cinema, boosting the film industry worldwide and celebrating cinema at an international level.

The most prestigious award given at Cannes is the Palme d'Or (Golden Palm) for the best film. Past winners include some of the greatest movies of all time: La Dolce Vita (1960); Taxi Driver (1976); Apocalypse Now (1979); Sex, Lies and Videotape (1989); Wild at Heart (1990); The Piano (1993); Pulp Fiction (1994); and The Pianist (2002). 

CARTAGENA

The Cartagena Film Festival (Spanish: Festival Internacional de Cine de Cartagena de Indias), or FICCI, is a film festival held in Cartagena, Colombia, which focuses mainly on the promotion of Colombian television series, Latin American films and short films. The Cartagena Film Festival, which is held every March, is the oldest film festival in Latin America.

The Cartagena Film Festival was founded 1959 by Victor Nieto. Nieto remained the director of the film festival for 48 years, his last being in 2008. Nieto died at the age of 92 in November 2008. Lina Paola Rodriguez was appointed manager by Nieto in 2007 and 2008, and will remain acting director following Nieto's death.

EDINBURGH

Scotland

Established in 1947 as the International Festival of Documentary Films, the Edinburgh International Film Festival is renowned around the world for discovering and promoting the very best in international cinema - and for heralding and debating changes in global filmmaking. EIFF seeks to spotlight the most exciting and innovative new film talent, in a setting steeped in history.

Intimate in its scale, ambitious in its scope, and fuelled by pure passion for cinema in all its manifestations, focusing on artistic quality and excellence, the festival explores new ideas in cinema, inviting local and international audiences to engage with a dynamic programme of features, documentaries, shorts and experimental cinema. 

FESPACO

The Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou unfolds every other March. It was created, as former festival director Michel Ouédraogo noted, ‘in a context in which the African states had recently acquired their independence and they wanted to express their sovereignty and their identity’. And it is an essential barometer of the currents flowing through the continent’s thriving cinematic landscape. The most prestigious prize is the Étalon de Yennenga (Stallion of Yennenga), named for the legendary founder of the Mossi Empire.

The biannual Panafrican Film and Television Festival of Ouagadougou (FESPACO) in Burkina Faso was established in 1969 and accepts competition-only films by African filmmakers and chiefly produced in Africa.

HONG KONG

HKIFF Hong Kong, China

As one of Asia's oldest and most prestigious film festivals, the Hong Kong International Film Festival is a showcase for Chinese-language cinema and a platform for Asian filmmakers to gain international recognition. The festival isn't just about screenings; it's about fostering a deeper understanding of Asian culture and cinema.

INDIA

Goa, India | 2023

This 70-year-old festival operates under the beautiful philosophy of “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” — the world is one family. Because of gaps between some editions, the latest was its 53rd. It began with a joyous celebration of Bollywood, then continued with a salute to cinema worldwide.

Its big winners were the Spanish-language film Tengo sueños eléctricos (I Have Electric Dreams), which won the Golden Peacock, and best director went to Iranian writer-director Nader Saeivar for No End. Goa also includes a film bazaar in which more than 200 scripts, projects and films from compete for the attention of producers, buyers and programmers from around the world.

LOCARNAO

Locarno, Switzerland / August 2-12

Unfolding in this beautiful Swiss town at the foot of the Alps and on the northern shore of Lake Maggiore, this festival has been in existence since 1946. Unfolding every August, it has recently built its reputation for its blend of mainstream fare and edgier titles (alongside Rotterdam Film Festival’s equally esoteric Golden Tiger competition), the latter of which are reflected in the winners of the festival’s top prize, the Golden Leopard. 

Among the oldest and most beloved film festivals in the world, Locarno has spent more than three-quarters of a century celebrating the bravest, most experimental and most exceptional of new cinema.

With massive prizes packages in the hundreds of thousands, and attention from major distributors like Netflix and Pathé Films, Locarno is a major destination for filmmakers and film lovers who are drawn not only to its emphasis on great films, but its majestic location near Lake Maggiore and the Alps.

Its screen on the Piazza Grande is Europe’s largest, and it is known for programming an exceptional number of world premieres.

LONDON

British BFI, London

The British Film Institute's London Film Festival is a celebration of international cinema in the heart of one of the world's most vibrant cities. The festival is known for its diverse selection of films, from blockbusters to indie flicks, and its commitment to showcasing new talent. It isn't just a film festival; it's a cultural institution.

MELBOURNE MIFF

Melbourne, Australia | August 3-20

Now entering its 71st year, one of the oldest continuous film festivals in the world is also one of the most generous: Its main prize, the Bright Horizons Award, is worth nearly $100,000.

Last year it went to Saul Williams and Anisia Uzeyman’s acclaimed U.S.-Rwandan production Neptune Frost, which the jury praised for “disrupting the colonial gaze and connecting the rising influence of technology in all our lives.”

Other prestigious awards include the BlackMagic Design Australian Innovation Award for an outstanding Australian creative with a film in the MIFF program. This year’s (2024) went to Jub Clerk for directing Sweet As, which, in the words of the jurors, “crossed worlds and intersected certain realities” — just like a great film festival. 

The Melbourne International Film Festival is the Southern Hemisphere's largest film festival, known for its eclectic mix of local and international films. MIFF isn't just a film festival; it's a community event that brings together cinephiles, filmmakers, and storytellers from across Australia and around the world.

Film festivals are more than just events; they're cultural touchstones that reflect the state of cinema at any given moment. They're about discovery, connection, and the shared experience of film. Whether you're drawn to the glamour of Cannes, the indie spirit of Sundance, or the diverse voices of TIFF, these festivals prove that cinema isn't just alive and well - it's thriving.

SANTA FE

The Santa Fe Film Festival focuses on bringing together distinguished industry specialists and all movie lovers through accessible screenings, panels, workshops and parties! The Festival will continue to grow as the leading exhibition and portal for all things cinematic in New Mexico.

The initial idea for a Santa Fe Film Festival was first introduced in May, 1980 when Bill and Stella Pence, founders of Taos Talking Picture and Telluride Film festivals, started an event with a New Directors/New Film program, co-sponsored by the Museum of Modern Art in New York City. The Pences led a festival for four years, with such notable guests as Francis Ford Coppola, Charlton Heston, Sam Peckinpah, and Lillian Gish. Last year, the festival honored renowned Ed Asner.

The current form of the Santa Fe Film Festival was inaugurated in 1999 as a nonprofit and began showing films in the year 2000. It was created by Kurt Young, Larry Stouffer, John Armijo, David Koh and film critic Jon Bowman who also acted as the Executive Director and guiding light of the festival for ten years.

SUNDANCE

The largest independent film festival in the United States, the Sundance Film Festival was founded in 1985, when the Sundance Institute assumed creative and administrative control of the US Film Festival. Held annually in Park City, Salt Lake City, Utah, it attracts more than 45,000 people with the goal of being the ultimate gathering of original storytellers and audiences seeking new voices and fresh perspectives.

Hundreds of films launched at the festival have gone on to gain critical acclaim including: Reservoir Dogs (1992); Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994); The Usual Suspects (1995); Memento (2000); Napoleon Dynamite (2003); Saw (2004); In Bruges (2008); and Four Lions (2010).

Sundance is where indie films shine. Founded by Robert Redford, the festival takes place in Park City, Utah, and is the largest independent film festival in the U.S. Sundance isn't just about discovering new talent; it's about celebrating the spirit of independence and the art of storytelling without the constraints of mainstream Hollywood.

Giving Berlin a run for its money weather-wise, the United States’ indie darling was for much of the 1990s and 2000s the most essential film festival in the country. It takes place in Park City, Utah, every January. A mountain resort, Park City is set in beautiful surroundings, but the glamour here is hidden underneath layers of woolly jumpers and windbreakers. It was created under the auspices of Hollywood film star Robert Redford. In the 1980s it expanded, changed its name to Sundance (a reference to one of Redford’s most iconic roles) and gradually built its reputation as the home of the nascent US indie film. Jarmusch, Soderbergh, Tarantino etc. The list is endless. More recent years have seen its position challenged. The top award is the Dramatic Competition Grand Jury Prize. 

SXSW - SOUTH BY SOUTH WEST

South by Southwest, or SXSW, is where film meets technology, music, and interactive media. Held in Austin, Texas, the festival is a melting pot of creativity, showcasing not just films but also the latest in tech and digital media. SXSW isn't just a festival; it's a glimpse into the future of entertainment.

What began as a major music festival in the Texan capital of Austin in 1987, by 1994 also included a film component. It began small, but its ambitions soon grew. By the mid-2000s, South by Southwest Film Festival was attracting as strong a line-up of US indie talent as Sundance. It’s now a major player in the US film festival scene and a draw for both filmmakers and the industry in general. Moreover, who wouldn’t want to attend a Spring film festival where you can also catch up with some of the best live music acts? Multiple awards are presented at SXSW each year for shorts, documentaries, film design and more. 

TELLURIDE

Telluride Film Festival

Arguably the most eccentric of the leading festivals, Telluride takes place during the Labour Day weekend (the first Monday in September) high in the mountains of Colorado. The programme is only publicised close to the festival opening so that audiences come to it without expectations of what’s playing. It’s also not an awards festival but features mostly US premieres. And of course, it sports a stunning location. Each year, the festival pays tribute to leading lights in cinema.

TOKYO

Tokyo, Japan | 2023

The latest edition of this top-tier festival screened 169 films, an increase from 126 in 2021, and drew nearly 60,000 in admissions, nearly doubling the previous year. More than 50,000 people attended festival-related events.

Highlights included the presentation of the lifetime achievement award to 95-year-old director Nogami Teruyo, in recognition of her extraordinary contributions to Japanese film, which began when she worked as a script supervisor for Akira Kurosawa on Rashoman in 1950.

The festival is generous in hosting filmmakers in competition, who can win up to $35,000 in total prizes. It also offers one of the most towering and gorgeous trophies in the film world, created using Tokyo’s Edo Kiriko glass-cutting method. 

TORONTO

Canada

The Toronto International Film Festival, or TIFF, is known for its accessibility and its broad appeal. Unlike some of its more exclusive counterparts, TIFF offers something for everyone, from blockbuster premieres to indie gems. It's a place where films are celebrated not just for their artistic merit but for their ability to connect with audiences.

Founded in 1976, Toronto Film Festival is one of the largest audience film festivals in the world. It unfolds in the lakeside Canadian city every September and in recent years has built a reputation as the launchpad for the Oscar awards season. More than a few films that proved a hit with audiences have gone on to achieve Oscar success. Playing so close to Venice, it’s not unusual for films to play in both festivals. And being a primarily audience-driven festival, there’s a party vibe to the proceedings. (At the 2013 edition, following a screening of 12 Years a Slave, two of the film’s stars, Brad Pitt and Michael Fassbender, joined in on a limbo competition at a post-screening party.) The audience award is the top prize to look out for. 

Since its launch in 1976, the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) has become one of the biggest publicly attended film festivals in the world, attracting over 480,000 people each year. Operating out of the TIFF Bell Lightbox, located in Downtown Toronto, TIFF's mission is to transform the way people see the world through film. All year-round, it offers screenings, lectures, discussions, festivals, workshops, industry support, and the chance to meet filmmakers from Canada and around the world.

The festival's People's Choice Award – which is based on audience voting – has emerged as an indicator of success during awards season, especially at the Academy Awards. Past recipients of this award include Oscar-winning films, such as Life Is Beautiful (1998), American Beauty (1999), Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000), Slumdog Millionaire (2008), The King's Speech (2010), 12 Years a Slave (2013), La La Land (2016), Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017), Green Book (2018), Jojo Rabbit (2019), and Nomadland (2020).

TRIBECA

Born out of the aftermath of 9/11 to revitalize Lower Manhattan, the Tribeca Film Festival has quickly become one of the most significant cultural events in New York City. Tribeca isn't just about films; it's about community, resilience, and the transformative power of storytelling.

Founded by Robert De Niro, Jane Rosenthal, and Craig Hatkoff in 2002, in direct response to the attacks of 11 September 2001, this Spring festival was aimed at rebuilding morale amongst downtown New Yorkers, as well as a show of cultural resilience. It has increasingly become a draw for international filmmakers and since 2016 has its own awards categories, headed by the Best US Narrative feature film.

VENICE

Coming in a very close second is the oldest film festival in the world. Venice Film Festival was created in 1932 under the auspices of Fascist leader Benito Mussolini. But like Cannes, it found its footing in the 1950s. And like its Riviera sibling, it unfolds in one of the most beautiful locations. Keeping slightly away from the tourist trap of St Mark’s piazza, the festival takes place on the Lido. And once again, it attracts all the glamour that any festival can muster. It also follows the Cannes model of a main competition with more esoteric sidebar programmes that allow a wide and diverse range of films to screen. The top prize is the Golden Lion (most prizes at film festivals are either animals or vegetation). 

FILM FESTIVAL 2024 POSTER

Film festivals are more than just annual events where movies are screened; they're celebrations of storytelling, culture, and the art of cinema itself. From the glamorous red carpets of Cannes to the indie vibes of Sundance, these festivals bring together the best of the film world, offering a platform for filmmakers to showcase their work and for audiences to experience the diversity of global cinema. They're not just about the films; they're about the conversations, the connections, and the community that forms around them. Each festival has its own unique flavor, reflecting the character of its host city and the cinematic tastes of its audience. Whether you're an industry professional looking to network, a filmmaker hoping to debut your work, or a cinema buff eager to catch the latest and greatest in film, there's a festival out there for you. We hope you enjoy a journey around the world to explore twenty (or more) of the best film festivals and what makes each one stand out. Nothing reaches your soul like a good movie, transporting you to another world, implanting ideas, reinforcing values - allowing temporary escape from the everyday.

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