Berlinale Topics

Meet the Sections | Competition

19 films will compete for the Golden and Silver Bears, among them one first feature, as well as one documentary. Productions from 26 countries are represented and 17 of the films are world premieres. Eight films were directed or co-directed by women. Nine filmmakers have been at the festival before, three of whom, have been in the Competition several times.

Meet the Sections | Berlinale Special

Berlinale Special is one of the most exciting and diverse sections of the festival. This year the programme will include Red Carpet Galas that harness the star power and charisma of well-known talents, late-night genre films and documentaries that invite dialogue.

Meet the Sections | Perspectives

Perspectives, the Berlinale’s new first fiction feature competition section brings together exceptional international filmmakers. While the stylistic and thematic diversity is just as wide-ranging, all of these filmmakers reach out to audiences with brave hearts, boundless curiosity and bold ideas.

Meet the Sections | Panorama

Panorama presents a broad spectrum of film forms. Queer works have been a vital part of the section's profile over the years, while feminist perspectives and documentary forms make up about a third of the selection each year.

Meet the Sections | Generation

The section for young audiences presents a programme dedicated to the perspectives of young people. It aims to create a space for their hopes and dreams and for the opportunity to connect with the world together.

Meet the Sections | Berlinale Shorts

Berlinale Shorts is the festival’s official short film competition. It celebrates the short form and awards one of the two Golden Bears of the Berlinale. The 2025 edition is rich in portraits of varying kinds.

Meet the Sections | Forum

The Forum is and remains the section for innovative, idiosyncratic, experimental and unconventional forms of cinematic expression. Together with the filmmakers and audiences, it wants to voyage to the edges of the familiar and open up perspectives.

Meet the Sections | Forum Expanded

Forum Expanded is the Berlinale’s section for experimental film, artist’s moving image and expanded cinematic forms. This year, in its anniversary 20th edition, the section presents 24 works.

Meet the Sections | Retrospective

“Wild, Weird, Bloody. German Genre Films of the 70s” is the topic of the Retrospective. In this interview, Rainer Rother and Annika Haupts discuss the appeal of imperfection, the desire for genre and the fascination for the outlaw.

Meet the Sections | Berlinale Talents

With this year's theme Berlinale Talents extends an invitation to its audiences not only to visit the exciting programme, but to actively engage, to explore new ideas, to broaden horizons and welcome new narratives; to listen, courageously, together.