Berlinale 2026: Meet the Festival’s Juries

Wim Wenders to preside over an international jury as the 76th Berlinale sets its course.

The Berlinale – Berlin International Film Festival has confirmed the full jury line-up for its 76th edition, taking place from 12–22 February 2026. The awards will be presented at the Berlinale Palast on 21 February.

Berlinale 2026: International Jury

German director, author and photographer Wim Wenders will serve as president of the International Jury. Joining him are Nepali director and producer Min Bahadur Bham, a leading figure in Nepal’s cinema industry whose Shambhala competed for the Golden Bear in 2024; South Korean actress Bae Doona, known for collaborations with Bong Joon-ho, Park Chan-wook and Hirokazu Kore-eda, as well as international projects such as Cloud Atlas and Sense8; Indian director, producer and archivist Shivendra Singh Dungarpur, founder of the Film Heritage Foundation; US filmmaker Reinaldo Marcus Green (Monsters and Men, King Richard, Bob Marley: One Love); Japanese director, writer and producer HIKARI, whose Berlinale Panorama title 37 Seconds won the Audience Award in 2019; and Polish producer Ewa Puszczyńska, whose credits include Ida, Cold War and The Zone of Interest.

Berlinale Documentary Award Jury

The Berlinale Documentary Award will be presented to one of 16 nominated documentaries across the Competition, Berlinale Special, Panorama, Forum and Generation sections. The three-member jury consists of Berlin-based filmmaker and visual artist Lemohang Mosese (This Is Not a Burial, It’s a Resurrection), US scholar and critic B Ruby Rich, a key figure in feminist and queer film theory, and Indian filmmaker Shaunak Sen (All That Breathes). The award carries prize money of €40,000, shared equally between the director and producer.

The Perspectives Jury

The Best First Feature Award will be decided by a three-member jury comprising Moroccan filmmaker Sofia Alaoui (Animalia), German writer-director Frédéric Hambalek (What Marielle Knows), and Polish-Canadian curator Dorota Lech. The same jury will also award the GWFF Best First Feature Award in the Perspectives section, dedicated to debut features. Endowed with €50,000, the prize is split between the director and producer and will be presented at the official awards ceremony on 21 February.

Berlinale Shorts 2026: International Short Film Jury

The International Short Film Jury for Berlinale Shorts includes Syrian director Ameer Fakher Eldin, Austrian cultural journalist and film critic Stefan Grissemann, and German artist and author Gabriele Stötzer. From 21 nominated films, the jury will award the Golden Bear for Best Short Film, the Silver Bear Jury Prize (Short Film), and select the Berlin Short Film Candidate for the European Film Awards. In addition, the jury will present the Berlinale Shorts CUPRA Filmmaker Award, endowed with €20,000. CUPRA is an official partner of Berlinale Shorts.

International Jury and Children’s and Youth Jury of Generation

The Generation section has also announced its juries. The Generation International Jury consists of Indonesian filmmaker Khozy Rizal, US programmer Kim Yutani, and German actress Lena Urzendowsky. They will award the Grand Prix for Best Film and the Special Prize for Best Short Film in both the Kplus and 14plus competitions.

In parallel, a Children’s Jury and a Youth Jury will determine the Crystal Bear winners, continuing the Berlinale’s longstanding commitment to young audiences and emerging voices.

The Generation Kplus Children’s Jury, made up of members aged 12 to 14, includes Walter Moritz Arndt, Gustav Arnz, Thabani Dabulamanzi, Rosa Sophie Krasznahorkai, Vera Marsh, Emir Efe Özeren, and Alma Sofia Villanueva Bullemer.

The Generation 14plus Youth Jury, comprising members aged 14 and over, includes Lorin Aktaş, Sherwin Lo-Kuo, Minou Monfared, Elda Pfäfflin, and Curt Willemeit.