The 76th edition of the Berlin Film Festival opens on Thursday, featuring productions from over 80 countries and with German film legend Wim Wenders presiding over this year’s jury.<\/p>\n
AFP sat down with festival director Tricia Tuttle, who is in her second year at the helm, for a look-ahead at Europe’s first big cinema festival of the year.<\/p>\n
Here are five things to expect from this year’s festival, which runs until February 22.<\/p>\n
– ‘Reflecting international cinema’ –<\/p>\n
Of more than 200 films shown during the 10-day festival, 22 will compete for the coveted Golden Bear, which was won last year by the drama “Dreams” from Norwegian director Dag Johan Haugerud.<\/p>\n
In assembling this year’s diverse programme, Tuttle said that “the guiding principle was to reflect where international cinema is right now”.<\/p>\n
She said that she had noticed “family and intimacy under pressure, questions of care, power, belonging, and the experience of living between worlds” as themes running through this year’s selection.<\/p>\n
“Many of the films look at how private lives are shaped by larger political and social forces.”<\/p>\n
The festival will also honour Malaysian actor Michelle Yeoh — who won the best actress Oscar in 2023 for “Everything Everywhere All at Once” — with a lifetime achievement award.<\/p>\n
– Spotlight on women directors –<\/p>\n
As in 2025, women directed most of the films being screened at the festival.<\/p>\n
Among those in the official competition, nine out of 22 were directed by women, a higher proportion than at the Cannes or Venice festivals.<\/p>\n
“One thing that is encouraging for me is the number of second and third time female film-makers who have made strong work,” Tuttle said.<\/p>\n
The opening film, “No Good Men”, is itself the third feature-length film from Afghan director Shahrbanoo Sadat.<\/p>\n
“It’s about Afghan women’s experience, which you wouldn’t see if it wasn’t for Shahrbanoo’s work,” Tuttle said.<\/p>\n
Sadat fled her home country following the Taliban takeover in 2021 and now lives in Hamburg.<\/p>\n
– American films remain elusive –<\/p>\n
In contrast to Cannes or Venice, which regularly attract Oscar contenders, Berlin does not feature as many large-scale US productions and the sprinkle of stardust that often accompanies them.<\/p>\n
“Some of the biggest authored films of the year, those sort of commercial-arthouse crossover films, haven’t launched out of festivals this year,” Tuttle noted, perhaps in a nod to titles such as “One Battle After Another”, “Sinners” and “Marty Supreme”.<\/p>\n
For such films, which can easily cost more than $100 million to make, producers and distributors are increasingly keen on controlling all aspects of a film’s release.<\/p>\n
“Festivals can be busy, noisy places where you might not get the cut-through that you want,” according to Tuttle — not to mention running the risk of negative reviews from critics.<\/p>\n
– The era of co-productions –<\/p>\n
This year’s festival will notably feature European co-productions with financing from several countries.<\/p>\n
According to Tuttle, “there’s an opportunity right now for Europe, for European producers to work together” as the industry more broadly continues to fracture.<\/p>\n
She cites the example of Joachim Trier’s “Sentimental Value”, nominated for nine Oscars, which is a co-production between Norway, Denmark, France and Germany.<\/p>\n
“Sentimental Value is a film that is made by many countries in terms of investment, but it’s very much the work of an author and a really important filmmaker,” said Tuttle.<\/p>\n
– Streaming platforms almost absent –<\/p>\n
Unlike in Venice, where three Netflix-produced films entered the official competition, the giants of the streaming world are relatively marginal in Berlin.<\/p>\n
“There’s real value to be had in theatrical exhibition, not just because there’s money to be made there … but also, for us as movie fans, it’s the best way to see a film,” said Tuttle.<\/p>\n
The only Netflix film at this year’s Berlinale will feature in the “Special Presentation” section — outside of the official competition.<\/p>\n
“Un hijo proprio” (“A Child of My Own”) is a documentary-length feature telling the story of a Mexican woman who invents a pregnancy in an attempt to escape pressure from her family to have a child.<\/p>\n
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