Looking for a hit of highbrow culture and glam to get you through the dismal winter? You’re in luck: the Berlinale film festival is just around the corner. Here’s what you should know about it and how to get tickets.
The long, cold and dark winters are one of the toughest parts of living in Germany, and it’s been especially bad this year in some parts of the country. The capital Berlin has seen temperatures fall to -10C combined with icy conditions that make it difficult to walk anywhere.
That’s why a glitzy film festival that doesn’t shy away from any topic is exactly what everyone needs.
For just under two weeks, films from all over the world by both upcoming and well-known filmmakers will be screened across Berlin cinemas.
Expect a buzzy atmosphere as stars such as Pamela Anderson, Charli XCX and Channing Tatum flock to the Hauptstadt. And who knows? Maybe the ice and snow will finally melt, too.
What is Berlinale and what can I expect?
This year, Berlinale, officially known as the Berlin International Film Festival, runs from February 12th to February 22nd.
It’s the 76th edition of the event that was founded in West Berlin in 1951 during the Cold War. The original aim was to showcase the “free world” during the city’s division.
In 2026, more than 200 feature films and documentaries in various languages are scheduled to be shown at venues across Berlin including the Berlinale Palast and Zoo Palast.
The programme is huge so it’s worth going through carefully to see what catches your eye.
Some of the highlights include Karim Aïnouz’s thriller Rosebush Pruning, which stars Pamela Anderson, Callum Turner and Riley Keough. It’s showing in the main competition along with more than 20 other films.
At the Sea, the new drama from Pieces of a Woman director Kornél Mundruczó, starring Amy Adams, is another entry already creating awards buzz, while tense thriller Josephine, starring Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan, is also making waves after winning top prizes at Sundance.
Meanwhile, the German period drama Rose – directed by Markus Schleinzer and starring Sandra Hüller – is also set to be a standout, while the world premiere of Gelbe Briefe (Yellow Letters), from filmmaker İlker Çatak, who grew up in Berlin and Istanbul, is another one to watch.
Norwegian producer Yngve Saether poses with the Golden Bear for the Best Film award for their movie “Drommer” (Dreams) in Berlin, on February 22, 2025. (Photo by Tobias SCHWARZ / AFP)
Malaysian actress Michelle Yeoh will receive the Honorary Golden Bear in recognition of her “outstanding achievements in film and cinema”, the festival said.
“Michelle Yeoh is a visionary artist and performer whose work defies boundaries ‒ whether geographic, linguistic or cinematic,” Berlinale director Tricia Tuttle added.
A host of independent arthouse filmmakers are also showing their work. Look out for the Panorama lineup that features local and international dramas, while Generation spotlights films for younger audiences and emerging young filmmakers.
The festival also has a neighbourhood programme called Berlinale Goes Kiez that includes a screening on February 19th at Berlin’s Plötzensee prison.
The event opens on Thursday February 12th at the Berlinale Palast with the world premiere of No Good Men, an Afghan-German drama about a female camerawoman directed by Shahrbanoo Sadat. It’s invite-only, but there are a few other showings throughout the festival.
READ ALSO: What’s on in Germany – Nine unmissable events this February
Aside from the screenings, you should also keep an eye out around town for European and global cinema heavyweights such as Juliette Binoche and Isabelle Huppert.
How can I get tickets?
The great thing about Berlinale is its accessibility. Anyone can buy tickets as long as they’re quick off the mark – some showings sell out fast.
Tickets can be booked online and are available three days in advance, always from 10am. For instance, tickets go on sale on Monday for the following Thursday. They can be booked up until the screening starts, if seats are still available.
Exceptions including showings held in the Uber Eats Music Hall and tickets for all screenings on Berlinale Publikumstag (February 22nd). These can be snapped up from February 9th.
Tickets for the screening of Geheimnisse einer Seele (Secrets of a Soul) from the Berlinale Classics section will also be available from February 9th at 10am.
Meanwhile, tickets for the special screening in Plötzensee prison can be booked by phone from February 9th on +49 30 259 20-259.
Some groups like schoolchildren, students, people with disabilities and those who are unemployed or receive the Bürgergeld benefit qualify for reduced ticket prices.
You can find all the programme details and where to buy tickets here.
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