Further Prizes

All Berlinale visitors can use the voting cards to choose the winners of the Audience Award in the Panorama section. The Panorama Audience Award was inaugurated in 1999 and is presented by radioeins radio station, rbb television and the Panorama section.

The jury is made up of twelve readers of the daily newspaper "Berliner Morgenpost". The prize is awarded to a feature film in the Competition section.

Since the Berlinale 2007, the Berlin-based national daily newspaper "Tagesspiegel" has awarded a Readers' Prize. The "Tagesspiegel" Readers' Jury Award is given to the best film in the Encounters section.

The Kompagnon Fellowship underlines the importance of emerging filmmakers from Germany at the Berlinale. Directors and screenwriters of a first or second feature-length film selected for the previous festival edition as well as participants of the Script Station, Doc Station, Short Form Station or the Talent Project Market of the current edition of Berlinale Talents who reside permanently in Germany are eligible to apply.

A jury, comprised of three film professionals, will select one fellow from Berlinale Talents and one from the festival programme. In addition to a stipend of 5,000 euros for the independent development of a screenplay or project, the “Kompagnon” also provides a tailor-made mentoring programme to help strengthen the filmmaker’s artistic signature, alongside professional coaching and improved industry networking opportunities.

The Kompagnon Fellowship is supported by the German Federal Film Board (FFA).

Since 2011, ARTE has presented the ARTEKino International Award, which is worth 6,000 Euros and goes to one of the projects selected for the Berlinale Co-Production Market.

In 2015 the renowned Eurimages Co-Production Development Award, which comes with a prize money of 20,000 euros, was given to the producers of one of around 25 projects selected from the Berlinale Co-Production Market for the first time. Eligible for the award are Co-Production Market projects that have been conceived from the outset as theatrical co-productions involving at least two eligible Eurimages countries. These co-productions may not, however, be solely financial in nature. Outstanding artistic quality and a project’s chances of being realised as a majority European co-production are the main criteria for selecting the winner.

The Talent Project Market offers ten producers taking part in Berlinale Talents the opportunity to present their project to potential coproducers and backers at the Berlinale Co-Prouduction Market. Since 2004, the 10,000 euros VFF Talent Highlight Award has been donated by the VFF copyright agency for film and TV producers during the Talent Project Market. In addition to presenting the main award an international jury appoints two nominees, who will receive 1,000 euros each.

In accordance with the UN’s 17 sustainability goals, Berlinale Talents is focusing on improved access to education, gender equality and diversity, environmental protection and the major role culture plays in maintaining peace and international understanding. From 2020 on, the Berlinale Talents’ "Mastercard Enablement Programme" is supporting three talents and alumni every year (with a grant of 5,000 euros and 5,000 euros worth of mentoring and coaching) to help them develop and expand their film-related social initiatives.

Since 1992, the international film organisations of the Protestant and Catholic Churches - INTERFILM and SIGNIS - have been represented by the Ecumenical Jury. It consists of six members and awards its main prize to a film entered in the Competition. It also awards two other prizes, both worth 2,500 euros, one to a film from the Panorama and one to a film in the Forum.

The prizes go to directors who have succeeded in portraying actions or human experiences that are in keeping with the Gospels, or in sensitising viewers to spiritual, human or social values.

The juries of the “Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique” (FIPRESCI), the international film critics association, view films from the Competition programme and the Encounters, Panorama and Forum sections. They award a prize for the best film in each of these sections.

The jury of the “Guild Film Prize” is composed of three members who run cinemas and are members of the AG Kino - Gilde e.V. (association of German Art House Cinemas). The jury awards its prize to a film screened in the Competition.

The "Confédération Internationale des Cinémas d’Art et d’Essai" (C.I.C.A.E.), the International Confederation of Art House Cinemas, forms one jury for the Panorama and one for the Forum. Each jury awards one prize in its section.

Launched for the first time in 2003 within the Cannes Film Festival, the "Europa Cinemas Label" has been created in order to help European films increase their distribution and raise their profile with audiences and media. The Label is since then awarded by a jury of member exhibitors to a European film selected in the Directors' Fortnight section in Cannes and since 2004 in the Venice Days. Since 2005, Europa Cinemas has been cooperating with the Berlinale to award the Label in the Panorama section.

The TEDDY AWARD – the most outstanding queer film prize in the world – is a socially engaged, political honour presented to films and people who communicate queer themes on a broad social platform, thereby contributing to tolerance, acceptance, solidarity and equality in society.

During the Berlinale the award is presented in the following categories: BEST FEATURE, BEST DOCUMENTARY / ESSAY FILM, BEST SHORT FILM and JURY AWARD as well as the SPECIAL TEDDY AWARD which is awarded to outstanding personalities. Every year films from all sections of the Berlin International Film Festival compete for the TEDDY AWARDS.

A three-person jury awards the Caligari Film Prize to a film in the Forum. The prize is sponsored by the "German Federal Association of Communal Film Work" and the streaming portal filmfriend. The winning film is honoured with 4,000 euros, half of which is given to the director, the other half is meant to fund distribution. The award's media partner is the online portal filmdienst.de.

The independent Peace Film Prize is awarded annually to films that distinguish themselves through a powerful message of peace and the skilful aesthetic execution of their themes. The jury for the award is composed of seven members, who view films from all sections. The Peace Film Prize is endowed with 5,000 euros in prize money and is presented in the form of a bronze sculpture designed by Otmar Alt.

The award is made possible with the support of the Zehlendorf Peace Intiative, the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the Weltfriedensdienst e.V.

The German branch of Amnesty International has presented the Amnesty International Film Award for the first time at the Berlinale 2005. The prize is worth 5,000 euros. The jury will view films entered into the Competition, Encounters, Panorama, Forum and Generation sections. The aim of the prize is to draw the attention of audiences and representatives of the film industry to the theme of human rights and encourage filmmakers to tackle this topic.

The Heiner Carow Prize for the promotion of German cinematic art is awarded to a feature-length film from the Competition, Berlinale Special, Encounters, Panorama, Forum, Forum Expanded or Generation section which has its world premiere at the Berlin International Film Festival. The prize is sponsored by the DEFA Foundation and is endowed with 5,000 euros. It is presented to a filmmaker who is currently based and working in Germany for their first or second, chiefly German-made documentary or fiction film. The three-person jury is appointed by the Berlinale’s artistic director and the DEFA Foundation and changes every year.

AG Kino – Gilde e.V. (association of German Art House Cinemas) together with Berlinale Generation are appointing an independent jury aimed at strengthening innovative cinema for young people beyond the festival.

The three members of the jury, composed by cinema operators, award an outstanding feature film from the Generation 14plus competition. Following the festival, the winning films of the last two years will be accompanied by AG Kino – Gilde in cooperation with VISION KINO on a nationwide cinema tour and will be given the chance to unfold their potential in different arthouse cinemas. Accompanied by film education elements, they strike out to capture young audiences.