DIE BERLINALE

Berlin - a cosmopolitan, exciting capital, a city of culture with international appeal. In the middle of it all: the Berlinale – not only the city’s largest cultural event, but also one of the most important dates on the international film industry’s calendar

Founded in 1951, the festival has been celebrated annually in February since 1978. With 230,000 tickets sold and over 430,000 admissions it is considered the largest publicly-attended film festival worldwide.Up to 400 films are shown in several sections, representing a comprehensive array of the cinematic world. Around twenty films competing for the awards called the Golden and Silver Bears.

More than 19,000 film professionals from 120 countries, including 4,000 journalists, are accredited for the Berlin International Film Festival every year. The Berlinale is truly a mega event. At the same time, it is a festival of encounters and discussions. With more than 200,000 tickets sold, the Berlinale is not only a film industry meeting. It also enjoys by far the largest audience of any film festival in the world. For two weeks, art, glamour, parties and business meet at the Berlinale.

Artists from around the world are attracted to Berlin and many consider Berlin the unofficial capital of German film. It is home to a rich cinema scene and a diverse, discerning public. Last but not least, Berlin has captured the imagination of countless filmmakers. Over and over again, the city has served as the backdrop for great silver screen productions, often becoming itself the secret protagonist of the movie. Think “film” and “Berlin” is bound to spring to mind. For two weeks every year Berlin is totally enraptured by the Berlinale.

Once again, the Berlinale is getting ready for a summer tour: film lovers in Berlin, Cologne and Düsseldorf will have the opportunity to watch a selection from this year's festival programme under wide open summer skies. The "Summer Berlinale" will kick off in Berlin, hosted for the sixth time by the Friedrichshain Open Air Cinema (July 17 -20). Like last year, Berlinale films will subsequently be presented in Cologne in the old velodrome, while in Düsseldorf the event will be hosted by Open Air Cinema "Vier Linden". If you would like to be part of this incredible event , check out apartments in Berlin.