Notes on Anti-Discrimination
The Berlinale believes in the importance of a globally connected film and media community that advocates for a pluralistic, inclusive, equal and fair cultural industry. For us, this is grounded in the values of artistic freedom, diverse creative work, mutual appreciation and freedom of expression.
In order to meet this responsibility, we are focused on breaking down barriers to the cultural experiences created by the festival and providing our participants with the greatest possible protection against discrimination as defined in the German General Equal Treatment Act (AGG). Informed by a critical understanding of power relationships, we recognise diversity as the acknowledgement of differences in our visitors, artists, employees and cooperation partners. We always take an intersectional approach to our understanding of diversity and cast a critical eye at structures that result in (multiple) discrimination and disadvantages. We pay particular attention to recognising unequal treatment and discriminatory behaviour as such and to promoting spaces where people can respectfully interact and enter into dialogue with one another.
In order to provide our guests, partners and employees with a festival that is as free from discrimination as possible, the Berlinale reserves the right to enforce its house rules in cases of discrimination or harassment and to prevent those involved in such abuses from participating in our events. For further details, please refer to the KBB House Rules.
Special rules apply to communications in our digital spaces and services. These are summarised in our Social Media Code of Conduct.
Notes and Contact Information
If you have experienced or observed discrimination while visiting the festival, as a service provider or cooperation partner, or in the context of other official events or communication activities connected to the Berlinale, you can report this to the following email address:
If you have experienced discrimination as an applicant, an employee or in an employee-like position, you can lodge a complaint via the complaints office in accordance with Article 13 Paragraph 1 of the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) at: .
Awareness Team
During and shortly after the Berlinale, additional Awareness Teams are available to offer preliminary advice to any visitors or employees who observe, experience or are affected by discrimination in connection with the festival. The availability of the Awareness Teams for the next Berlinale will be announced in the run-up to the festival.
The Awareness Teams are there to listen, understand and advise people in a supportive, confidential and initially strictly anonymous manner. At the request of the person seeking advice, the Awareness Team will inform the Berlinale and will consult it about possible measures to be taken. The implementation of these measures is the responsibility of the Berlinale. The Berlinale is grateful for your active collaboration and encourages all witnesses and those affected to contact our Awareness Teams should such incidents occur.
This service does not constitute a further psychological consultation. For further consulting services, the following contact persons and advice centres are available free of charge, anonymously and confidentially; they also operate outside the festival period:
The German Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency
The Federal Anti-Discrimination Agency is a point of contact for individuals affected by discrimination. The German General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) regulates this protection.
Type of counselling: telephone and email
Telephone: +49 (0) 30 18555-1855
Email:
Consultation hours: Monday 1.00 pm to 3.00 pm, Wednesday and Friday from 9.00 am to 12.00 noon
Languages: German, English
Website: www.antidiskriminierungsstelle.de
GLADT – independent, multilingual, queer
GLADT is an organisation of Black and POC lesbians, gays, bisexuals, trans, inter and queer people in Berlin. It campaigns on various levels against racism, sexism and trans, inter and homophobia, ableism and other forms of discrimination. It focuses in particular on intersectionality, meaning the overlap and interactions of different forms of discrimination and the specific experiences that result from them.
Type of advice: by phone and by email, video or online chat.
Address (barrier-free): GLADT e.V., Lützowstraße 28, 10785 Berlin
Telephone: +49 (0)30 58 76 84 93 00
Email:
Languages: Urdu, Punjabi, Turkish, Hebrew, Farsi, German, English. Interpreters for German sign language, Arabic, Spanish, Portuguese, French, Georgian and Russian can also be called in as required.
Website: www.gladt.de/
Info in German sign language here: https://gladt.de/gsg/
The "Violence against Women" Telephone Hotline
The "Violence against Women" telephone hotline is a nationwide counselling service for women who have experienced or are currently experiencing violence. Counselling is also available to relatives, friends and professionals who are dealing with affected individuals.
Type of counselling: telephone and online (barrier-free)
Telephone: 116 016
Consultation hours: daily, also at weekends, around the clock
Languages: German, English, French, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Turkish, Kurmanji, Romanian, Polish, Russian, Ukrainian, Albanian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Vietnamese, Chinese, Farsi, Arabic
Website: www.hilfetelefon.de
The Anti-Discrimination Network Berlin (ADNB) of the Turkish Union in Berlin-Brandenburg (TBB)
The ADNB is a counselling centre primarily for people living in Berlin who are experiencing racist and related discrimination (People of Colour, Black people, Muslims, Roma, Sinti, Jews, people with a migration background and/or refugee experience and others).
Type of advice: due to the COVID-19 pandemic, advice is currently being given chiefly by phone or email. On-site consultations (in Berlin) can only be offered to a limited extent and in urgent cases.
Address (barrier-free by appointment): ADNB des TBB, Oranienstraße 53, 10969 Berlin
Telephone: +49 (0) 30 61 30 53 28
Email:
Office hours: consultation by telephone without an appointment is available on Tuesdays from 3.00 pm to 5.00 pm and Thursdays from 10.00 am to 12.00 pm on the following number: +49 (0)157 8510 6697 (NB: this number is only for consultations without an appointment).
Languages: German, English, Turkish, Romanian, Arabic, Spanish and עברית. If your language is not listed, the ADNB will find an interpreter.
Website: www.adnb.de
OFEK – Counselling and Intervention Centre in Cases of Anti-Semitic Violence and Discrimination
The growing number of cases of anti-Semitic violence and discrimination has resulted in an increasing need for counselling that specialises in anti-Semitism. The OFEK counselling centre advises individuals and their families and relatives as well as witnesses in cases of anti-Semitic violence in school, at work, in the community, in the personal environment and by public authorities. It also supports institutions – including municipalities, schools and associations – that are seeking professional advice following anti-Semitic incidents.
Type of advice: by telephone, by email and personal consultations (across Germany) by appointment.
Telephone Hotline: +49 (0)30 610 80 458, +49 (0)176 458 755 32
Consultation by telephone: Mondays 4.00 pm to 6.00 pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays 10.00 am to 12.00 pm, Wednesdays and Fridays 12.00 pm to 2.00 pm
Email:
Languages: German, Hebrew, Russian and English.
Website: www.ofek-beratung.de
KiDs – Protecting children from discrimination
KiDs offers advice and support in cases of discrimination affecting children between the ages of 0 and 12 in Berlin.
The advice service is designed both for children and for the adults who are responsible for protecting them from discrimination, including parents and guardians, caregivers, educators, teachers and other educational professionals.
KiDs provides advice by phone and in person.
Consultations can be requested by phoning +49 30 80 20 63 23 or emailing
Consultations are free and confidential and can be provided in German, Turkish, English and Spanish. If necessary, interpreters for other languages can also be brought in.
Website: https://kids.kinderwelten.net/en/