Since 1978, the Berlinale has devoted a section to children and young people: Generation. In two competitions, Generation Kplus and Generation 14plus, discoveries from state of the art world-cinema and on a par with young people are presented and the most outstanding of these are awarded the Crystal Bears. Every year, about 60,000 visitors attend the screenings in four venues. Since 2011, Generation’s festival centre has been the Haus der Kulturen der Welt where all of the section’s premieres take place.
Generation integrates children and youth into the festival’s film-aesthetic discourse. At the same time the section is a place for encounters between people of all ages. Discussions in the cinemas offer young audiences, filmmakers and professional guests an opportunity to share their enthusiasm and discovering new perspectives through a critical approach to film.
