Friday

Teddy Awards (After party)

Piffl Medien

Standing proud alongside the Berlinale for 40 years, the teddies are a focal point of the queer film calendar, representing the finest LGBTQ+ cinema. Its programme honours the films and filmmakers who redefine narratives, change perspectives and give voice to people in the margins. After every award show, they throw the mother of all parties for the makers and shakers, bringing together the heart of the queer community under one roof.   

Volksbühne, Linienstraße 227, 10178 Berlin Details.

Eat! Berlin  

Eat! Berlin

Tired of the same old take-out and looking to elevate your culinary experiences? Then wrap your tired taste buds around this. Back for their 15th year, this food festival brings together over 100 chefs in unique dining locations (last year they threw a banquet at the Swiss Embassy) and specialist workshops; it’s a who’s who of the best-tasting gourmet grub. With many events selling out, it’s a good idea to make your reservations early.  

Freddy K presents FRESH 

Freddy K/Ekipa Agency

Renowned for his marathon, vinyl-only DJ sets that span hours, and throwing parties with Virus radio since the 90s, the Italian-born, Berlin-based ‘techno activist’ Freddy K arrives at RSO with records blazing. FRESH brings together Alarico, Toobris and ÜBERKIKZ for an unforgettable night of dancing, sweat and unrelenting beats.  

   RSO.Berlin, Schnelerstr 137, 12439 Berlin Details.

Saturday

SPÄTI RAVE 

No Gravity Berlin

Did you know Spätkaufs began in East Germany, specifically East Berlin, to provide service workers a late-night shopping option? Nowadays, they are unique transient spaces – more than a shop but not quite a bar – open to any and everyone. It’s this spirit that Berlin-based crew No Gravity wants to harness, committed to making parties more accessible again and preserving rave culture, they bring the rave to the Späti for all. 

 Secret location (revealed day before), Details.

Pinky Promise: Acid Weimar

Harry Eletson

Inspired by the sexually liberated 1920s Weimar era, when a frivolous sexual appetite gripped the city by its haunches, the lavish sex positive party celebrates its 6th birthday, adding a dose of acid to the mix (metaphorically, of course!). If you don’t know Pinky Promise, they throw renowned parties to make sex positivity more accessible. The dress codes encourage people to have fun and express themselves with colour – as opposed to the typical black Berlin club wear. Plus, there is also a decked-out play area for couples and friends, so you can find space to explore, connect and have fun.. 

Club OST, Alt-Stralau, 1-2 Friedrichshain 10245 Details.

IBB Prize for Photography

Moritz Haase

For the 19th year, the IBB Prize for Photography celebrates two artists, Jana Pressler (main prize) and Moritz Haase, who use photography to investigate temporal and physical realities, surface and space. Pressler’s works – playful, sculptural, documenting objects and examining structures of perception – are well placed next to Haase’s bold images that explore colour and abstract form. 

Kommunale Galerie Berlin, Hohenzollerndamm 176, 10713 Berlin Details.

Sunday

Kino International Open House

IMAGO/Emmanuele Contini

Shortly before its official opening on Feb 26, this legendary cinema re-opens its doors to the public, showing off the newly refurbished interior after a lengthy two-year renovation period. On the last Sunday of Berlinale, visitors will be able to view the renovated auditorium and foyer. Admission is free but only possible with a timed ticket. 

Kino International, Karl-Marx-Allee 33 10178 Berlin details.

Ayako Rokkaku: SCENERY IN THE PROCESS OF BEING FORMED

Roman Marz

Dotted around the gallery’s brutalist interior are textile sculptures resembling candy floss castles and cosy caves, all soft and plushy. They belong to the new exhibition by Ayako Rokkaku that explores movement through materials, places and atmospheres, shaped through meditative practices and her very own hands. This cute and playful aesthetic also stretches to glass sculptures and a new body of paintings.

König Galerie, Alexandrinenstraße 118-121 10969 Berlin Details.

Loud Women Fest

Lichtdicht 

Finally, the intersectional and international feminist music n-f-p organisation, established in 2015, lands in Berlin with a riotous and rebellious one-day festival celebrating queer, feminist, punk, alt-rock, riot grrrl and DIY energy. Loud Women Fest boasts an international and local lineup making an unforgettable day of noise and community. 

Badehaus Berlin, Revaler Str. 99, 10245 Berlin Details.