Established in 1951, the Berlin Film Festival, or Berlinale, has cemented its place in the annual calendar of the European and international film industry. Each year, it draws stars from both in front of and behind the camera—along with film enthusiasts and the press—to the vibrant backdrop of the German capital. Beyond doling out the prestigious Golden Bears, which honor outstanding cinematic accomplishments, the festival also prioritizes the nurturing of filmmakers and the fostering of emerging talent.
This year’s Berlinale was the first European festival to take place since the end of the Hollywood actors and screenwriters strikes, during which many international releases were temporarily postponed. (At the Venice Film Festival last September, for example, the strikes meant a drastically reduced line-up of international film stars on the Lido.)
In the aftermath of last year’s edition, the Berlinale management conducted a comprehensive review and restructured the festival to enhance sustainability. The primary goal was to streamline the program, making it more focused on the future. As an example, the total number of films featured in the 2024 lineup was reduced to 200, a notable decrease from the 287 showcased last February. Commenting on these changes, festival management emphasized the imperative to address significant cost increases faced by cultural institutions and festivals. They stressed the necessity of implementing structural adjustments to secure a robust budget for organizing and executing future iterations of the Berlinale. For further details on the 2024 Berlin Film Festival, please refer to the comprehensive information provided below.
When and where did the 2024 Berlinale take place?
The Berlinale 2023 ran from February 15 to 25, 2024. The main venue of the Berlinale has been the Theater am Potsdamer Platz since 2000. Fifteen move theaters were part of the official screening venues, though the heart of the festival remained the Berlinale Palast, which presented the Competition films and Berlinale Special Gala films—and also hosted the red carpet on its doorstep.
Who was the jury president of the Berlinale 2024?
As announced on December 11, 2023, Lupita Nyong o was president of the Jury of the 74th Berlin International Film Festival, following in the footsteps of people like Isabella Rossellini (2011), Wong Kar-Wai (2013), Meryl Streep (2016), Juliette Binoche (2019), and, most recently, Kristen Stewart (2023).
“Lupita Nyong’o embodies what we love about cinema: the versatile approach to different projects, the appeal to different audiences, and at the same time a consistency that is clearly visible in her roles, as different as they may be. We are happy and proud that she has accepted our invitation to be the Jury President of the 74th Berlinale,” announced Berlinale directors Mariëtte Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian.
Who else was on the International Jury?
On February 1, the Berlinale 2024 announced its International Jury, responsible for awarding the Golden and Silver Bears. On it was actor and director Brady Corbet (USA), director Ann Hui (Hong Kong, China), director Christian Petzold (Germany), director Albert Serra (Spain), actress and director Jasmine Trinca (Italy), and writer Oksana Zabuzhko (Ukraine).
Who won prizes at the Berlinale 2024?
Golden Bear for Best Film: Dahomey by Mati Diop, produced by Eve Robin, Judith Lou Lévy, Mati Diop
Silver Bear, Grand Jury Prize: Yeohaengjaui pilyo (A Traveler’s Needs), dir. Hong Sangsoo
Silver Bear, Jury Prize: L’Empire (The Empire), dir. Bruno Dumont
Silver Bear for Best Director: Nelson Carlos De Los Santos Arias for Pepe
Silver Bear for Best Acting in a Leading Role: Sebastian Stan for A Different Man, dir. Aaron Schimberg
Silver Bear for Best Acting in a Supporting Role: Emily Watson for Small Things Like These, dir. Tim Mielants
Silver Bear for Best Screenplay: Matthias Glasner for Dying, dir. Matthias Glasner
Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Achievement: Martin Gschlacht for his work as D.P. of The Devil’s Bath, dir. Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala
Honorary Bear for Martin Scorsese: One winner was announced ahead of the award ceremony this weekend: Director, producer, and screenwriter Martin Scorsese was awarded the Honorary Golden Bear for his lifetime achievement. His thriller Departed was shown after the award ceremony in Berlin.
In addition, the arthouse cinema association AG Kino - Glide e.V. awarded the Guild Film Prize to the best film in the international film competition for the 34th time, which this year went to Dying by Matthias Glasner.