The Berlin International Film Festival was the brainwave of US military film officer based in Berlin after World War Two. In the 1950s, Oscar Martay formed a committee of members of the Berlin Senate and the German film industry. The group began to lay the groundwork for the festival, “a showcase of the free world”. The first was held in 1951, which culminated in Martay winning a Golden Bear for his realisation of Berlinale. Since its beginning, the festival has expanded to become the global phenomenon it is today.

Special Screenings and Alluring Presentations

Above all, the festival is a playground for cinephiles, a space for creative exploration and expression, for entertainment and enthralment. Its programme presents a unique spectrum of screenings and special presentations. Attendees are able to experience different cinematic genres, lengths and formats across many venues. Generation, boasts an array of films from and for younger cineastes. Meanwhile, Encounters is an alluring presentation of more daring works, both aesthetically and structurally, and is the festival’s most popular. The Berlin International Film Festival’s diverse programme offers something for every attendee, inviting them to come face-to-face with unexplored milieus and attitudes, to reignite their desire to become lost in the realm between traditional narrative structures and remarkable aesthetics.

The Star-Studded Berlinale Special Gala

The festival’s most prestigious slot, however, is the Berlinale Special Gala, comprised this year of 15 films from 12 different countries, 6 of which are documentaries and 9 feature films. Of the total 15 films, 12 are world premieres, thus offering attendees exclusive screenings before the rest of the world. The Special Gala features films intended for the widest public audience and is accompanied by filmmakers and their star-studded casts. Previous years have seen appearances from the likes of Helen Mirren and George Clooney. Among the celebrity attendees this year were Nick Cave and Emma Thompson. The Special Gala is held at the festival’s largest, grandest venue – the Friedrichstadt-Palast in the centre of Berlin.

The Friedrichstadt Palace

Of course, Berlinale’s predominant attraction is its diverse array of films. However, there are certainly other features to behold, to be enjoyed by the festival’s more casual film fans and affluent travellers. One of these is the Friedrichstadt-Palast itself. The awe-inspiring venue which welcomes star-studded audiences and also hosts the festival’s exclusive world premieres is the largest and most modern show palace in Europe. The venue exhibits a sleek, art-deco exterior. Its ivory-coloured stone walls and steps elevate the glamour of the Special Gala. The interior is no different. The palace’s high ceilings and towering pillars make it both a fitting space for the Gala and also a special attraction for Berlinale’s more luxury visitors.