Talks and Special Events

Talks and Berlinale Awards

The festival this year presents two talks centred around Berlinale awards guests.

One of these featured talks is a conversation with Academy Award-winning filmmaker Sean Baker and Honorary Golden Bear recipient Michelle Yeoh. As part of this event, the festival will host the world premiere screening of the short film Sandiwara that Sean Baker filmed for the self-portrait Residency. Sandiwara stars Michelle Yeoh and is an immersive celebration of independent Cinema.

Best Director Academy nominee, Chloé Zhao will join the Berlinale to present a Berlinale Camera to composer Max Richter before he takes the stage to talk about his work in film and television.

Talks at Berlinale Talents

With this year’s theme, “Creating (and) Confusion — Cinema, Chaos and the Power of Discomfort”, Berlinale Talents invites audiences to embrace the creative potential of uncertainty — to explore the possibilities that emerge when one dives into the unknown. The programme offers 14 public ticketed talks for Berlin audiences and accredited guests, alongside an extensive programme for the 200 invited Talents.

Berlinale Talents 2026 brings together an exceptional group of filmmakers and artists who embrace chaos, discomfort and creative risk to challenge dominant narratives. This years’ Academy Award–nominated directors Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni as well as Andrew Jarecki expose systems shaped by institutional failure, while production designers Francesca Di Mottola and Cora Pratz illuminate the craft of building visual coherence from script to screen. Director Aidan Zamiri explores identity and artistic pressure through his collaboration with Charli xcx and celebrated actor Hiam Abbass reflects on her expansive career across film, theatre and television. Joining the programme, Oscar‑winning and nominated filmmaker Chloé Zhao discusses her creative evolution, her instinct‑driven approach and her adaptation of Hamnet. Indigenous Australian director Warwick Thornton reframes erased histories through image and silence, while genre innovators Hanna Bergholm and Edwin explore empathy through horror and transformation. Abdallah Alkhatib, with collaborators Rana Eid and Talal Khoury, examines filmmaking under siege and choreographer Sasha Waltz traces the deep connections between movement and the camera. Alain Gomis reflects on cinema shaped across continents and the Teddy Talents Talks celebrate queer form as a radical space for insight. Composer Daniel Blumberg delves into improvisation as creative catalyst, while Olivier Bugge Coutté and Eskil Vogt, both Oscar‑nominated for Sentimental Value, close the programme by exploring discomfort as a source of artistic clarity.

All Talents Talks will be hosted at Berlin’s art and culture venue, Radialsystem and cover a wide range of cinematic disciplines.

Talks with the Programme Sections and Free Talks at the Berlinale HUB

Across the programme sections, Berlinale dives into ideas and themes emerging from the films which are screening at the festival. These events are hosted for public audiences and include topics such as Forum’s talk with two influential filmmakers of the Black film movement: Charles Burnett and Haile Gerima. Retrospective takes a close look at film preservation and the work of iconic German director Ulrike Ottinger.

Local crowds can take advantage of a free talk every morning of the festival at the Berlinale HUB at Marlene Dietrich Platz.

Please find below all Berlinale Talks in chronological order:

Tickets for the events are available at berlinale.de/en/programme where required.

February 13, 11.45 am, Zoo Palast

Berlinale Special: Academy Award winner Sean Baker (Anora) with this year’s recipient of the Honorary Golden Bear Michelle Yeoh
The brief talk will take place after the world premiere screening of Sean Baker’s short film Sandiwara, starring Michelle Yeoh. This will be followed by a screening of the film Everything Everywhere All at Once by Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, for which Michelle Yeoh won an Academy Award for Best Actress.
The talk is included in the ticket for the Special Screening. The event will be held in English.

February 13, 11.00 am, Berlinale HUB
Berlinale Film Talk: A German New Wave
A conversation with Faraz Shariat (Prosecution — Panorama) and Saša Vajda (The Lights, They Fall — Generation), moderated by Jenni Zylka (festival advisor).

February 13, 14, 17 and 18, 10.00 am, Berlinale HUB
Deutschlandfunk Kultur “Im Gespräch”: Radio Programme Recording
The recording of the conversations with prominent festival guests takes place in front of an audience. Tom Tykwer, Markus Schleinzer among the guests.

February 14, 10.00 am, Silent Green
Forum Expanded: Artist Talk: Unauthorised Versions
Artists participating in the Forum Expanded exhibition provide insights into their work and discuss historical continuities, incomplete historiography and the possibility of counter-narratives.
Event in English. Free admission.

February 14, 10.00 am, Radialsystem
Berlinale Talents: Chaos and Control: Exposing Systems That Thrive on Confusion
Academy Award–nominated filmmakers Sara Khaki and Mohammadreza Eyni (Cutting Through Rocks) as well as Andrew Jarecki (The Alabama Solution) examine how their documentaries confront abuses of state power and the erosion of trust in public institutions.
Event in English.

February 14, 11.00 am, Berlinale HUB
Berlinale Film Talk: The Fascination of Music: How Sound in Films Makes the Difference
A conversation with Freya Arde (Everyone’s Sorry Nowadays — Generation, Music) and Koxi (Women as Lovers — Forum), moderated by Katja Lucker (managing director of Initiative Musik and co-initiator of Musicboard Berlin).

February 14, 2.00 pm, Kinemathek
Retrospective: Lost in the 90s — Film Heritage in a Time of Upheaval
The Retrospective “Lost in the 90s” explores not only the aesthetics and zeitgeist of the decade but also the film heritage lost during the post-reunification years.
Event in English. Free admission.

February 14, 2.30 pm, Radialsystem
Berlinale Talents: Controlled Chaos: The Production Design Process
Production designers Francesca Di Mottola (The Moment — Panorama), Cora Pratz (The Weight — Berlinale Special Gala), Inbal Weinberg (Roofman) share their creative journey from early stages of pre-production to the final execution stage of bringing all of the elements together.
Event in English.

February 14, 5.00 pm, Radialsystem
Berlinale Talents: The Moment: Aidan Zamiri on Chaos, Brat and Creative Discomfort
Director Aidan Zamiri breaks down his long running creative partnership with Charli xcx and how it deepens his film’s playful discomfort, shaping a funhouse mirror world where authenticity and performance blur.
Event in English.

February 15, 11.00 am, Berlinale HUB
Berlinale Film Talk: Fashion x Film
With costume designer Bina Daigeler (Tár, Volver, All About My Mother)

February 15, 11.30 am, Radialsystem
Berlinale Talents: The Identity of a Voice: In Conversation with Hiam Abbass
Hiam Abbass (In a Whisper — Competition) addresses the process of how she selects her projects, how she gives her characters a voice and her collaborations with acclaimed directors, including Hany Abu-Assad, Annemarie Jacir, Steven Spielberg and Denis Villeneuve.
Event in English.

February 15, 2.00 pm, Kinemathek
Retrospective: Director’s Talk: Ulrike Ottinger
Ulrike Ottinger talks with art and film curator Doris Berger about her film Johanna d’Arc of Mongolia, a musical and travelogue that artfully weaves together fiction and documentary material.
Event in English. Free admission.

February 15, 2.00 pm, Radialsystem
Berlinale Talents: Love in Numbers: Creating a Short Film Canon Bottom Up
Short film lovers worldwide were invited to nominate ten films under 60 minutes that they consider the “greatest” ever. This resulted in a ranked list of 104 titles. But what now? A collective conversation about pros, cons and potentials of such a canon.
Event in English.

February 15, 5.00 pm, Radialsystem
Berlinale Talents: Con Fusion: Sasha Waltz on Creating Connecting Choreographies
Internationally renowned choreographer Sasha Waltz, who is based with her company Sasha Waltz & Guests at Radialsystem, makes her Berlinale debut by giving a lecture at Berlinale Talents.
Event in English.

February 16, 10.00 am, Berlinale HUB
Berlinale Film Talk: Teddy Director’s Exchange — Cinematic Inheritance: Pioneers and Emerging Voices
A conversation with Cheryl Dunye (The Watermelon Woman — TEDDY 40), Sophie Heldman (The Education of Jane Cumming — Panorama), Brydie O'Connor (Barbara Forever — Forum Special), moderated by Ana David (festival advisor).

February 16, 11.00 am, Berlinale HUB
Berlinale Film Talk: Teddy Director’s Exchange — Standing in the Way of Control
A conversation with Faraz Shariat (Prosecution — Panorama), Natalie Erika James (Saccharine — Berlinale Special Midnight) and Gaël Kamilindi (TAXI MOTO — Berlinale Shorts), moderated by Djamila Grandits (curator and festival programmer).

February 16, 12.00 noon, Radialsystem
Berlinale Talents: Reframing Stolen Narratives: The Cinema of Warwick Thornton
Premiering his new film Wolfram in Competition, Warwick Thornton joins Berlinale Talents to reflect on his work as both director and cinematographer.
Event in English.

February 16, 2.30 pm, Radialsystem
Berlinale Talents: Mixed Feelings: Empathy for the Monster in Genre
Berlinale Talents alumni Hanna Bergholm (Nightborn) and Edwin (Sleep No More) discuss their approaches to genre filmmaking and how they create empathy for their monsters.
Event in English.

February 16, 3.00 pm, Embassy of Canada
Forum Expanded: Augmenting Histories: Indigenous Approaches to XR Media Art
Cassandra Gardiner and Juan Mateo Menendez (“Land Invaders”) in discussion with Isabelle Ruiz (Indigenous Screen Office) about the use of immersive media by Indigenous artists and the critical potential of augmented reality. Presented in collaboration with the Indigenous Screen Office and with the kind support of the Embassy of Canada.
Registration required. Event in English. Free admission.

Feburar 16, 5.00 pm, Radialsystem
Berlinale Talents: Filming Under Siege
Filmmaker Abdallah Alkhatib (Chronicles From the Siege) and his team address their relationship built on trust, but also the current political state of their region, which has directly influenced some of their artistic and technical choices. 
Event in English.

February 17, 11.00 am, Berlinale HUB
Berlinale Film Talk: Perspectives Director’s Exchange — Visual Storytelling
A conversation with Kai Stänicke (Der Heimatlose — Perspectives), Dara Van Dusen (A Prayer for the Dying — Perspectives) and Rafael Manuel (Filipiñana — Perspectives), moderated by Jessica Kiang (member of the selection committee).

February 17, 11.00 am, Embassy of Canada
Berlinale Shorts: Let’s Talk About (Short) Films! Pluralistic Discourse in Film Criticism
With representatives of Talking Shorts, yanco, ARTE Kurzschluss, zeitgeschichte|online, “The Hollywood Reporter” and Seventh Row.
Moderated by Anna Henckel-Donnersmarck (section head of Berlinale Shorts). Registration required Event in English. Free admission.

February 17, 11.15 am, Radialsystem
Berlinale Talents: World Cinema Fund Talk: Alain Gomis
Co-hosted by the World Cinema Fund, Alain Gomis (Dao — Competition) joins to discuss his filmmaking practice shaped across borders, various languages and production contexts.
Event in English.

February 17, 11.15 am, Radialsystem
World Cinema Fund: WCF Day 2026 (in cooperation with Berlinale Talents)
Introduction: What does “World Cinema” mean today?
A reflection on the evolving perception of the films coming from WCF countries by Sata Cissokho, the new head of the World Cinema Fund.
Followed by Berlinale Talents: World Cinema Fund Talk: Alain Gomis (see above)

February 17, 1.45 pm, Radialsystem
WCF Day: Region in Focus: Southeast Asia
New currents of Southeast Asian Cinema — Producers Pushing the Boundaries
With WCF producers Cattleya Paosrijaroen (Thailand), Meiske Taurisia (Indonesia), Jeremy Chua (Singapore), Daniel Mattes (Cambodia) and Foo Fei Ling (Malaysia), moderated by Lorna Tee (producer, festival curator).
Event in English. Free admission. Registration recommended at

February 17, 2.00 pm, Delphi Kino
Forum: Rebellion Revisited — Haile Gerima and Charles Burnett in Conversation
A talk with two legends of Black Cinema about their work and their time as part of the L.A. Rebellion, about New Black Cinema and that of the present day, about Hollywood and cinema in the face of racism, colonialism and fascism — now and then. Event in English. Free admission.

February 17, 3.00 pm, Radialsystem
WCF Day: International Potential for Local Stories
Visibility and Sales Perspectives for Films Coming from WCF Regions
A conversation with international sales agents Virginie Devesa (Alpha Violet, France), Olivier Barbier (Lucky Number, France) and other guests.
Event in English. Free admission. Registration recommended at

February 17, 5.00 pm, Radialsystem
Berlinale Talents: Teddy Talents Talks: Confusion as Catalyst
Daniela Vega (A Fantastic Woman — TEDDY 40), Efraín Mojica and Rebecca Zweig (Jaripeo — Panorama Dokumente), Fallon Mayanja (Joy Boy: A Tribute to Julius Eastman — Forum) as well as Sarnt Utamachote (I Don’t Want to Be Just a Memory) explore how queer cinema harnesses ambiguity, resists categorisation and uses formal disruption to generate new ways of seeing from the margins.
Event in English.

February 18, 11.00 am, Berlinale HUB
Berlinale Film Talk: Berlinale Doc Talk
A conversation with Alisa Kovalenko and Marysia Nikitiuk (Traces — Panorama Dokumente), Anna Fitch and Banker White (Yo (Love is a Rebellious Bird) — Competition), Lexie Bean and Logan Rozos (What Will I Become? — Generation 14plus) as well as Sam Pollard (TUTU — Berlinale Special Presentation).

February 18, 12.00 noon, Radialsystem
Berlinale Talents: Chloé Zhao — In Conversation
Event in English.

February 18, 1.00 pm, Kinemathek
Retrospective: Introducing the Queer Cinema Archive!
The Deutsche Kinemathek and the Queere Kulturstiftung (queer cultural foundation) are working on a Queer Cinema Archive in Berlin, intended to become a place for lively debate. This is a first peek at developments and an invitation to dialogue.
Event in English. Free admission.

February 18, 2.00 pm, Radialsystem
Berlinale Talents: Composer’s Talk with Daniel Blumberg
Academy Award–winning composer Daniel Blumberg (The Brutalist) dives into his musical curiosity and shares his insights from his work on The Testament of Ann Lee.
Event in English.

February 18, 4.30 pm, Haus der Berliner Festspiele
Berlinale Talk: Berlinale Camera to Contemporary Composer and Artist Max Richter
The laudatory speech for Max Richter will be delivered by Oscar‑winning director Chloé Zhao (Nomadland). In the subsequent on‑stage conversation, Max Richter will offer insights into his creative processes and his collaborations with other artists in film and art, illustrated through practical examples.
Event in English.

February 18, 5.00 pm, Radialsystem
Berlinale Talents: The Power of Discomfort: Crafting Sentimental Value
Academy Award-nominated editor Olivier Bugge Coutté and Berlinale Talents alum Eskil Vogt discuss their collaboration with Joachim Trier, another alum of Berlinale Talents, on Sentimental Value. 
Event in English.

February 19, 10.00 am, Berlinale HUB
Berlinale Film Talk: Director İlker Çatak (Yellow Letters — Competition)

February 19, 11.00 am, Berlinale HUB
Berlinale Film Talk: John Turturro and director Noah Segan (The Only Living Pickpocket in New York — Berlinale Special Gala)

19. Februar, 2:00 pm, Haus der Berliner Festspiele
Berlinale Special Talk: Jafar Panahi: The Power of Storytelling

February 19, 2.00 pm, Kinemathek
Retrospective: Rewinding the 90s: Pop Culture, Music Videos & Visual Trends
In this pop culture rewind, host Jenni Zylka talks to Nico Beyer, Nilz Bokelberg and Laura Russ about the 90s’ aesthetic, formative music videos and visual codes around MTV, the rave and underground culture, and their aftereffects.
Event in German. Free admission.

February 19, 6.00 pm, Silent Green
Forum: Solidary AI?
Following the short film programme “AI Realisms” the panel “Solidary AI?” asks the participating filmmakers about their experiences and strategies for subversively using and questioning generative AI from within.
In English. Free admission.

February 20, 4.00 pm, Babylon (Rosa-Luxemburg-Straße 30, 10178 Berlin)
A Letter to David – The Complete Version
Cooperation Event
A Letter to David returns to Berlin after its premiere in last year’s Berlinale Special – now with a moving new epilogue to the documentary. The public screening at the Babylon cinema, with the protagonists and filmmakers in attendance, is organised by the Future Narrative Fund and Babylon, in cooperation with the Berlinale, Tom Shoval, Green Productions, and producer Nancy Spielberg. Tickets and details about the film are available at babylonberlin.eu.