Statement des Arsenal Filminstitut zur aktuellen Debatte um die Zukunft der Berlinale
Als langjährige Partnerorganisation der Berlinale verfolgen wir die aktuellen Entwicklungen rund um die zukünftige Ausrichtung des Festivals und die politischen Eingriffe in die Kunstfreiheit mit großer Aufmerksamkeit und Sorge. Die Form der lancierten öffentlichen Skandalisierung und der medialen Polarisierung widerspricht und untergräbt alle Möglichkeiten einer fundierten Auseinandersetzung mit den komplexen Gesellschaftsfragen der Gegenwart, mit denen sich Künstler*innen in ihren Arbeiten in vielfältiger Weise auseinandersetzen – eben gerade auch im Rahmen eines internationalen Filmfestivals. Umso mehr begrüßen wir die Entscheidung und jede Bemühung, derart grundsätzliche Fragen mit Besonnenheit, Augenmaß und Offenheit zu diskutieren und insbesondere alle Beteiligten einzubinden.
Die Berlinale steht seit ihrer Gründung für die Freiheit des künstlerischen Ausdrucks, die Vielfalt der Perspektiven und den offenen gesellschaftlichen Diskurs. Sie ist nicht nur ein internationales Schaufenster für Filmkunst, sondern auch ein Raum, in dem kontroverse Stimmen gehört, unbequeme Fragen gestellt und kulturelle Auseinandersetzungen geführt werden können. Diese Offenheit ist kein Nebenaspekt – sie ist Wesenskern des Festivals.
Kunst- und Redefreiheit sind ein fundamentales Gut einer demokratischen Gesellschaft. Sie bedeuten, dass künstlerische Entscheidungen unabhängig von politischem, wirtschaftlichem oder ideologischem Einfluss getroffen werden. Wo diese Unabhängigkeit in Frage steht, gerät nicht nur ein Festival, sondern das Vertrauen in kulturelle Institutionen insgesamt ins Wanken. …
Das vollständige Statement – auch in der englischen Version – findet sich auf unser Webseite auf arsenal-berlin.de (Link in der Bio).
Read the complete statement in English on our website (link in bio).
We are very happy, that Pepa Lubojacki's IF PIGEONS TURNED TO GOLD from the Forum programme won this years Berlinale Documentary Award.
The film shows Pepa Lubojacki's attempt to deal with her family's tendency towards addiction – specifically to alcohol which is is a constant in their family. In an attempt to find a sisterly way of dealing with it, text, long-term observation, beats and AI-animated photos are combined in an unflinching, yet loving form of disclosure.
The prize is endowed with 40,000 euros in prize money. It's split between the winning film’s director and producer. Winning the award also entitles a film to take part in the competition for the Oscar® for Best Documentary Feature. Congratulations!
Photos: Stills from the film; image 4 by Dario Lehner. Producer Klára Mamojková, director Pepa Lubojacki and producer Wanda Kaprálová at the premiere of the film.
@pepa.lubojacki@claw_films@pigeons_film
Congratulations to Daniela Magnani Hüller: her film WAS AN EMPFINDSAMKEIT BLEIBT (Sometimes, I Imagine Them All at a Party) got a honorary mention at the Berlinale Documentary Award.
Fourteen years after surviving an attempted femicide, filmmaker Daniela Magnani Hüller returns to the defining moments and people from that time. Conversations and reflective observations open up a profound inner perspective.
Image 1: still from the film
2: Photo by Dario Lehner during the Q&A for the film in Cinema Paris.
@magnanima.f@bildersturm.filmproduktion
The new Arsenal cinema is opening in Berlin-Wedding and of course Forum is part of it.
AUSLANDSREISE (Germany 2026) by Ted Fendt is shown at the opening program on Monday, May 4 at 8.30 pm. The whole program is called "Making space" – as befitting a new cinema and examines film scholar Heide Schlüpmann's dictum: "At the cinema, a private space where nobody and everybody feels at home."
You can find out more about the program on the Arsenal website (link is in bio)
With Ted Fendt’s AUSLANDSREISE, we venture into the urban space, into the area around Berlin’s Chamissoplatz. A group of people who are on friendly terms with one another. We don’t learn much about them—very much like in the cinema we know some people without knowing much about them. A reading group works its way through the texts of Anna Maria Ortese. People read in streets and parks, on the bed and in the kitchen, alone, in pairs, in groups of four. And there are also conversations about looking for an apartment, moving to another country, motherhood. Ortese’s books serve as points of escape in shared reflections on everyday life and literature.
Kino Arsenal is in Plantagenstr. 30 in Berlin Wedding. If you are in Berlin, we hope you can make it!
@ dollywordpodcast tarafından dünya prömiyerimiz sırasında kayda alınmış değerli görüntüler. Teşekkür ediyoruz.
#günyüzü #günyüzüfilm #berlinale #berlinfilmfestivali HearTheYellow
An extra day of Berlinale 2027!
Preparations are now underway for the 77th Berlin International Film Festival, which will take place from February 10–21, 2027.
The festival will therefore begin on Wednesday, February 10, 2027 – one day earlier than in previous years, with the Official Awards Ceremony held on the second Friday (February 19, 2027).
The changed start date opens up additional space to introduce the first ever two Audience Days (“Berlinale Publikumstage”) taking place on February 20 and 21, 2027.
Festival Director Tricia Tuttle comments: “Berlinale’s not-so-secret weapon is our wonderful audience; this change allows us to better serve them, while also responding to increasing demand from attendees at our highly successful European Film Market. We are already planning for the 77th Berlinale with much excitement.”
👉 European Film Market: Feb 10 - 16
👉 Berlinale Co-Production Market: Feb 13 - 16
👉 Berlinale Talents: Feb 12 - 17
🔗 Find out more via the link in bio.
Best Director Award for LUST
"For the stoicism with which she defends her vision, in a world with no vision for anything, a world which tries on a daily basis to simplify and diminish all notions of self-respect and the acceptance of those who are different among us."
#sofiafilmfest #berlinaleforum #berlinale2026 @sofiafilmfest@sofiameetings@berlinaleforum@berlinale@noisefilmtv
Some impressions of this year’s Berlinale Short Film Get-Together in collaboration with ARTE - the first ever cross-sectional edition!
Together with Generation and Forum Expanded the event that took place in the Haus der Kulturen der Welt brought together all the wonderful short film makers of Berlinale 2026 as well as key players in the world of short film and members of the press.
Big thank you to ARTE and everyone who joined us there!
📷 Diego Castro @itsnotanothershot
#Berlinaleshorts2026 #Berlinaleshorts #BerlinaleGeneration #Forum #Berlinale
Our favourite impressions of the 76th Berlinale! 📸
To our audiences, fans, and film teams: thank you for being a part of it and making it so special! 🫶
Let’s take a look at some highlights of Berlinale Forum! 📸🐻
1. Director Yusuke Iwasaki at the ”AnyMart” premiere at Cinema Paris.
2. Actor Johanna Wokalek, one of the lead characters in ”Women as Lovers”.
3. The film team The Critics of the documentary film ”Crocodile”.
4. Nao Yoshigai, writer-director of ”Masayume”, presenting her film .
5-6. A detailed look inside Delphi Filmpalast.
7. Berlinale Camera winner Haile Gerima at the guest book signing.
8. Actor Snejanka Mihaylova at the ”Lust” premiere at Colosseum.
9. Filmmaker Joko Anwar sharing a moment with section head Dr. Barbara Wurm.
10. Xinyang Zhang, who wrote and directed ”Panda” with the cast and crew in front of Berlinale Palast.
11. Protagonists of ”Women as Lovers”: Jasmin Artosha Mokhtare, Ilenia Müller, Ceren Sengülen (f.l.t.r.)
12. Charles Burnett at the Q&A for his digitally restored film ”My Brother’s Wedding”.
13. The ”Members of the Problematic Family” cast and crew at the world premiere of their debut film.
14. ”Gemstones” director Simón Vélez and Barbara Wurm.
15. The cast and crew of ”River Dreams”, winner of one of the prizes of the Ecumenical Jury.
16. Q&A for ”Everything is Fine” with writer-director Nicolás Pereda.
17-18. Chung Ji-young and his team at the photo call for the world premiere of ”My Name”.
19. Rania Rafei, the director of ”The Day of Wrath: Tales from Tripoli”, answering questions about her film.
