Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale)

The Berlinale joins ICFR in calling on the Iranian government to immediately and unconditionally drop all charges against Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaeeha and to restore their freedom of life, movement, and filmmaking. Moghadam and Sanaeeha are due to appear before Iran’s Revolutionary Court on 1 March 2025 for their Berlinale-awarded film “My Favourite Cake“, which was part of the festival's 2024 programme. Filmmakers Maryam Moghadam and Behtash Sanaeeha have been to the Berlinale several times. In 2024, they were unable to attend the premiere of their film due to a travel ban imposed on them for their film “My Favourite Cake“. The film’s continued success, including Berlinale’s award of the “Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique“, and Ecumenical Jury prizes as well as festival and cinema releases around the world, has not diminished the Iranian government's condemnation of Moghadam and Sanaeeha's actions. After months of interrogation and two years of travel bans, they are now due to appear in court. Festival director Tricia Tuttle has signed the petition on behalf of the Berlinale, along with many other industry luminaries. The Berlinale joins the ICFR in urging to amplify their call by signing and sharing this petition to the Iranian authorities to drop all charges now. Find all info here: https://lnkd.in/eZJkEZCH

Best of Berlinale 2025! Enjoy! Thank you to everyone who has been a part of it and made it so special 🤍 #Berlinale #Berlinale2025 #Recap #BestOf #Highligts #FilmFestival #FilmIndustry

The 75th Berlin International Film Festival came to a successful close with the Berlinale Publikumstag (Audience Day) on February 23. After the festive Award Ceremony on Saturday evening, where “Dreams (Sex Love)” by Dag Johan Haugerud won the Golden Bear, thousands of viewers once again flocked to the cinemas on the Berlinale Publikumstag for catch-up screenings of films from the anniversary edition. Interest in the programme of the 75th Berlinale was very impressive among industry professionals and the public: Around 19,000 accredited professionals came to the festival and 336,000 tickets were sold to the public. “We were delighted with the results of the 75th anniversary edition. We have seen a positive response to our juries’ decisions, strong feedback on the improvements we made to our infrastructure, and also much excellent feedback on film and industry programmes. Additionally audience admissions were up on previous years. The spirit was high and with this energy we are already planning for 2026,” says Festival Director Tricia Tuttle. Read the full press release: https://lnkd.in/efgbMXGv #Berlinale #Berlinale2025 #Audience #BerlinalePublikumstag #FilmFestival #FilmIndustry

At the final festival weekend, the independent juries awarded numerous films of this year’s Berlinale. Take a look at this year’s award recipients: 1. “Dreams (Sex Love)” (Competition) by Dag Johan Haugerud won the Prize of the Guild of German Arthouse cinemas in Competition. 2-4. The prizes of the Ecumenial Jury went to: “The Blue Trail” (Competition) by Gabriel Mascaro, “The Heart Is a Muscle” (Panorama) by Imran Hamdulay, and “Holding Liat” (Forum) by Brandon Kramer. 5. The new Heiner Carow Prize was awarded to “Palliative Care Unit” (Forum) by Philipp Döring. 6. The Jury of the Amnesty International Film Award selected “The Moelln Letters” (Panorama Dokumente) by Martina Priessner as this year’s winner. 7. The young jury of the Prize of AG Kino – Gilde – Cinema Vision 14plus awarded “Paternal Leave” (Generation 14plus) by Alissa Jung. 8-9. “Deaf” (Panorama) by Eva Libertad and “If You Are Afraid You Put Your Heart into Your Mouth and Smile” (Forum) by Marie Luise Lehner took home the CICAE Art Cinema Award by the International Confederation of Art House Cinemas. 10-13. The FIPRESCI Jury awarded four films: “Under the Flags, the Sun” (Panorama Dokumente) by Juanjo Pereira, “The Memory of Butterflies” (Forum) by Tatiana Fuentes Sadowski, “Little Trouble Girls” (Perspectives) by Urška Djukić (producer Jožko Rutar accepted the award), and “Dreams (Sex Love)” (Competition) by Dag Johan Haugerud. 14. “Hysteria” (Panorama) by Mehmet Akif Büyükatalay was honoured by Label Europa Cinemas. Furthermore, the Caligari Film Prize went to “Fwends” (Forum) by Sophie Somerville and the Independent Peace Film Prize was awarded to “Khartoum” (Panorama Dokumente) by Anas Saeed, Rawia Alhag, Ibrahim Snoopy, Timeea M Ahmed, and Phil Cox. Two films were additionally honoured by the Reader’s Juries: 15. “The Blue Trail” (Competition) by Gabriel Mascaro won the Berliner Morgenpost Readers’ Jury Award. 16. The Tagesspiegel Readers’ Jury Award went to “The Swan Song of Fedor Ozerov” (Forum) by Yuri Semashko. #Berlinale #Berlinale2025 #IndependentJuries #FilmFestival #FilmIndustry

And just like that, the 75th Berlinale has come to an end. Time truly flies when you’re having a good time. Happy Birthday Berlinale! Year 75, you have been great and we can’t wait for the next 75 years. Cheers! 🥳 #Berlinale #Berlinale2025 #Anniversary #HappyBirthday

What an amazing night! An evening full of heartfelt speeches and unforgettable moments. Congratulations to all winners! 1. Director Dag Johan Haugerud and producers Yngve Sæther and Hege Hauff Hvattum holding their Golden Bear for Best Film for “Dreams (Sex Love)” in front of the Berlinale Palast. 2. “The Blue Trail” director Gabriel Mascaro celebrating his win of the Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize. 3. Director Iván Fund took home the Silver Bear Jury Prize for his film “The Message”. 4. The Silver Bear for Best Director went to Huo Meng for “Living the Land”. 5. Actor Rose Byrne with her Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance for “If I Had Legs I'd Kick You” by Mary Bronstein. 6. Radu Jude posing with the Silver Bear for Best Screenplay for his film “Kontinental ’25”. 7. Director Lucile Hadžihalilović accepted the Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution on behalf of the Creative Ensemble of “The Ice Tower”. 8. Director Ernesto Martínez Bucio took home the GWFF Best First Feature Award for his film “The Devil Smokes (and Saves the Burnt Matches in the Same Box)”. 9. The Berlinale Documentary Award went to “Holding Liat” by Director Brandon Kramer and Producer Lance Kramer. 10. Director Lesley Loksi Chan was awarded with the Golden Bear for Best Short Film for her documentary “Lloyd Wong, Unfinished”. 11. The first ever winner of the Berlinale Shorts CUPRA Filmmaker Award, Quenton Miller celebrating his win for “Koki, Ciao” in front of the Berlinale Palast. Winner of the Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance for “Blue Moon”, Andrew Scott, and Yoriko Mizushiri, winner of the Silver Bear Jury Prize (Short Film) for “Ordinary Life”, could not attend the ceremony but sent lovely video messages, thanking the juries and audiences, instead. Once again: Big applause and congratulations! #Berlinale #Berlinale2025 #GoldenBear #SilverBear #BerlinalePalast

The Golden Bear for Best Film goes to “Dreams (Sex Love)” (Drømmer) directed by Dag Johan Haugerud and produced by Yngve Sæther and Hege Hauff Hvattum. Congratulations! Discover all info on the winners, awards, and juries on our website in the Awards & Juries: https://lnkd.in/dRaK6ysu #Berlinale #Berlinale2025 #GoldenBear #DreamsSexLove #DagJohanHaugerud

The Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize goes to “The Blue Trail” (O último azul) by Gabriel Mascaro. Congratulations! Discover all info on the winners, awards, and juries on our website in the Awards & Juries: https://lnkd.in/dRaK6ysu #Berlinale #Berlinale2025 #SilverBear #TheBlueTrail #GabrielMascaro

The Silver Bear Jury Prize goes to “The Message” (El mensaje) by Iván Fund. Congratulations! Discover all info on the winners, awards, and juries on our website in the Awards & Juries: https://lnkd.in/dRaK6ysu #Berlinale #Berlinale2025 #SilverBear #TheMessage #IvánFund

The Silver Bear for Best Director goes to Huo Meng for “Living the Land” (Sheng xi zhi di). Congratulations! Discover all info on the winners, awards, and juries on our website in the Awards & Juries: https://lnkd.in/dRaK6ysu #Berlinale #Berlinale2025 #SilverBear #LivingTheLand #HuoMeng