76th Berlinale 2026
Big Questions, Little Stories

The Berlinale sharpens its profile: the competition tells stories of love, power and dependency – while striving for international visibility.

By Ula Brunner

When Berlin becomes the cinema capital every February, it is no longer just about films. From 12 to 22 February 2026, 22 productions from 28 countries will compete against each other – 20 of which will celebrate their world premiere. In an increasingly competitive festival landscape, this is not only a strong signal of artistic self-confidence, but also a quiet struggle for relevance and resonance.

For artistic director Tricia Tuttle, this is the second Berlinale under her leadership. After a first year marked by political debates and their institutional aftermath, the focus is now noticeably shifting to cinema itself. The competition is thematically cohesive, driven by an attempt to tell social stories more powerfully through storytelling.

Private Stories, Social Issues

This year's crop of films focuses less on big names and more on the power of fresh perspectives. There is a striking emphasis on intimate narratives: love stories, family constellations, issues of dependency and self-determination dominate the competition. Social conflicts and political constellations are often negotiated through personal relationships.

In Nightborn, Finnish director Hanna Bergholm uses the horror genre to bring motherhood and patriarchal expectations into conflict with each other. Emin Alper's Salvation paints a picture of repressive power structures in Turkey in a story about rival mountain villages.

The USA is not represented by any Hollywood productions, but it does have three unusual works in the competition: independent filmmaker Lance Hammer's Queen at Sea deals with dementia, ageing and intimacy. American arthouse cinema is represented by Beth de Araújo's thriller Josephine, as well as the only documentary film in the main section: YO (Love Is a Rebellious Bird) by Anna Fitch and Banker White. The competition also has two surprising nominations to offer: Warwick Thornton's Australian outback western Wolfram and the Japanese animated film A New Dawn by Yoshitoshi Shinomiya.

German Cinema With Distinctive Styles

German cinema is presenting three distinctive styles this year. Ilker Çatak, who has been closely followed since his Oscar nomination for The Teacher's Room, is entering the race with Yellow Letters, an artist drama about state arbitrariness. Eva Trobisch makes her debut in the competition with Etwas ganz Besonderes (Something Very Special), a multi-layered family portrait from Thuringia. Director Angela Schanelec has already been a guest twice in the competition for a Bear trophy. In 2026, she returns with Meine Frau weint (My Wife is Crying). The German profile is complemented by co-productions such as Markus Schleinzers historical black-and-white drama Rose, starring Sandra Hüller, and Karim Aïnouz's Rosebush Pruning, featuring Callum Turner, Pamela Anderson and Riley Keough.

International, but Not Ubiquitous

The number of international co-productions is striking – a reflection of shrinking public funding. And, as is so often the case, the big-name directors who usually attend Cannes and Venice are missing this year. But this is precisely where the Berlinale draws its programmatic strength: the competition presents itself as a carefully composed mix of debuts and works by renowned filmmakers. The thematic and formal diversity offers an exciting overview of the international film scene. “Every single film is artfully crafted and fulfils its own artistic promise,” emphasised Tricia Tuttle at the programme conference. At the same time, gaps are becoming apparent: productions from Iran, Eastern Europe – with the exception of Kornél Mundruczó's At the Sea – and Ukraine are almost completely absent, with only a few exceptions in the side sections.

Stars, Glamour and Jury Decisions

Of course, the Berlinale still manages to attract attention. Global stars such as Pamela Anderson, Juliette Binoche, Russell Crowe and pop star Charli xcx are expected to attend, and their appearance will enhance the festival's international appeal. With the presentation of the Golden Honorary Bear to Michelle Yeoh, a prominent jury headed by Wim Wenders and, last but not least, the opening film No Good Men by award-winning Afghan director Shahrbanoo Sadat, the Berlinale once again underlines its self-image as a forum for a global understanding of cinema. The Perspectives section, the international competition for debut feature films, is entering its second year and remains a key project for the future. Discounted tickets for young visitors and the Lost in the 90s retrospective are intended to attract new audiences.

Festival Under Scrutiny

Global politics cannot be completely ignored anywhere at the moment. This also applies to the Berlinale – even if decidedly political topics tend to be found in side sections, such as in the documentary Traces about sexual violence perpetrated by Russian troops against Ukrainian women. The Berlinale remains a stage for controversial debates – and is therefore under particular scrutiny. After the scandals of recent years, the festival management is striving for de-escalation, transparency and clear rules for public appearances. Financially, the film festival is stable – not a matter of course in times of shrinking subsidies. In terms of content, however, the challenge remains: the Berlinale must hold its own in the global festival circus without losing itself in the shadow of the Cannes or Venice film festivals. The 76th Berlinale focuses on stories rather than glamour, on diversity rather than big names. Film enthusiasts from many countries and international film critics will be able to see for themselves how effective this programme is for ten days, almost around the clock.