Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for an Accreditation?

The precise steps for industry professionals can be found under Accreditation Process and for members of the press under Press Accreditation Process.

Payment

How can I pay for my accreditation?
You may pay for your accreditation only online by using a credit card (Mastercard, VISA, American Express) or PayPal. You will find the link to the online payment procedure in your Berlinale Account overview by clicking on "Order Confirmations / Accepted Applications / Payment".

Can I also pay the accreditation fee when I pick up my badge at the counter?
Payment at the accreditation counter is not possible. The accreditation must be paid for online in advance by January 30, 2025.

What happens if I have not paid the accreditation fee by January 30, 2025?
Late payments may lead to delays in collecting the accreditation badge and in gaining access to the Online Ticket Shop and/or the EFM Online Services. The Early Bear / Regular rate for Market Badges, Online Market Badges and Festival Accreditations only applies until January 30, 2025. As of January 31, 2025, these orders will be charged the rate valid on the date of payment (exception: Press Accreditation).

Will I receive an invoice?
After completing your payment, you will receive an invoice by email. You may also download this invoice via your Berlinale Account by clicking on "Invoices" in your account overview. If you wish to change your billing address, you may submit a request to change the billing address.  For doing so, please click on the pencil icon at the end of the line of the respective invoice in the table listing your invoices. You will be notified as soon as this request has been processed.

How can I cancel my accreditation?
Press, Student and Festival Accreditations that have already been paid for may be cancelled and reimbursed until January 30, 2025 upon sending a written notice of cancellation to .
Market Badges and Online Market Badges, however, cannot be cancelled after payment.

Why does PayPal show that my payment is going to KBB GmbH?
The Berlinale is a division of Kulturveranstaltungen des Bundes in Berlin GmbH (Cultural Events of the Federal Government in Berlin Ltd), KBB for short. Payments are therefore made to the KBB GmbH account. The PayPal address for the Berlinale is still, nonetheless, paypal@berlinale.de.

Online Service

I am unable to access the Berlinale online services (e.g. Attendee List). What should I do?
For technical reasons, it takes a few minutes after your payment has been received before you can gain access to the online services. If you are still unable to gain access after ten minutes, please contact our Web Support team:

I am unable to access the EFM online features.
Holders of a Market Badge or Online Market Badge only receive access to the EFM Online Services as they become available only after payment has been received.

Ticketing / Cinema Access

Who has access to online ticketing?
Holders of paid-for or free-of-charge festival accreditations, student and press accreditations will receive their personal login to the separate online ticket shop by e-mail, approximately  one week before the start of the Festival. Accredited participants who have only acquired a Market Badge or Online Market Badge will not be granted access to the online ticket shop.

For which screenings can I book a ticket?
For festival screenings in every section - but not for every time slot nor for every venue - as well as for the public events of Berlinale Talents. In the online ticket shop, you will only be offered tickets for films to which you have access in accordance with your accreditation.

Where do I book my free tickets?
In a separate online ticket shop for accredited visitors. The email address used to log in to your Berlinale account also serves as a login for the online ticket shop for accredited persons. Your personal login to the online ticket shop will be activated approximately one week before the start of the Berlinale. Activation will only take place once the fee for the respective accreditation has been paid. Accreditation fees should be paid by January 30, 2025 at the latest to avoid delays in activating the login.
The first time you log in, a new password must be generated using the “Set / Forgot password” function. An email will be sent containing a “Set / Change password” link. You can use this link to set a password and continue logging in.

Can I change the email address for the login to the online ticket shop for accredited persons?
Until the end of January, the login email address for the online ticket shop can also be changed by changing the login to your Berlinale account. After the login to the online ticket shop for accredited persons has been activated – at the beginning of February – the email address used for the login can only be changed on the “My Profile” page of the online ticket shop. The email address used for login is also the one to which booked tickets will be sent.

How many tickets can I book?
A maximum of one ticket is issued per film and time slot. There is no guarantee of tickets for a certain screening or a specific total number of tickets. All accredited tickets are issued according to availability on a first-come, first-served basis.

How can I cancel my ticket? 
Accredited persons are not permitted to allow their tickets to go unused. Tickets that have already been booked but cannot be used must be cancelled online at least 60 minutes (for press screenings 30 minutes) before the start of the screening.

Can I use my account to book tickets for colleagues?
No. Tickets are exclusively for your personal use and are only valid in combination with your accreditation badge.

Can I attend EFM screenings without a ticket?
Yes. You will just need to present your Market or Buyers Badge at the entrance to gain access to EFM screenings.

Are there any online screenings at the festival?
No, festival and press screenings will only take place physically in the Berlinale cinemas.
Only the EFM offers industry visitors with an (Online) Market Badge access to the online market screenings. You can find more information at our badge types page.

During the Festival

When and where can I collect my badge?
That depends on the type of accreditation. About one week before the festival starts, you will receive an e-mail containing all the relevant information about how and when to pick up your accreditation. The badge may only be collected if it has already been paid for online in advance. 

Are group collections possible for members of the same company?
Group collection is only possible for groups of at least ten people. Please contact your designated accreditation office for further information.

What do I do if I have lost my accreditation badge?
Please immediately report the loss of your accreditation badge to the office that issued your accreditation. The reissue of your badge will cost €30 and may take up to 24 hours.

I have experienced/witnessed abusive or discriminatory behaviour at the Berlinale, what can I do?
During and shortly after the Berlinale, additional Awareness Teams are available to offer preliminary advice to any visitors or employees who observe, experience or are affected by discrimination in connection with the festival. The availability of the Awareness Teams for the next Berlinale will be announced in the run-up to the festival.

The Awareness Teams are there to listen, understand and advise people in a supportive, confidential and initially strictly anonymous manner. At the request of the person seeking advice, the Awareness Team will inform the Berlinale and will consult it about possible measures to be taken. The implementation of these measures is the responsibility of the Berlinale. The Berlinale is grateful for your active collaboration and encourages all witnesses and those affected to contact our Awareness Teams should such incidents occur.

Practical Information and Miscellaneous

I am an invited guest of the Berlinale/member of a film crew. How can I gain access to the EFM?
A festival accreditation grants limited access to the stands in the EFM locations (Gropius Bau and Marriott Hotel) as follows: February 13 all day; February 14–17 from 5 pm; February 18 and 19 all day. To gain unrestricted access to the EFM venues, Market Screenings, Industry Sessions and the EFM online features, please order an additional Market Badge (which you will have to pay for) via .

I was invited as a guest of the EFM. How can I also take part in the festival?
To get access to tickets for public festival screenings, you can either order a festival accreditation (which you will need to pay for) via  or alternatively try to purchase tickets via the Berlinale's public ticket sale.

What is the Berlinale doing to protect my data?
The Berlinale takes great care in handling your private data. See the Privacy Policy for all relevant information on what happens to your data. For further questions regarding data protection, please contact the data protection officer at .

Does the Berlinale provide any support for visa applications?
Participants who require a visa to enter Germany can request support from the respective festival departments (Professionals & EFM or Press) as soon as their accreditation application has been approved. They will then receive an official “Confirmation of Accreditation” from the Berlinale and, from mid-December, the Berlinale will inform the respective German diplomatic mission abroad about their participation in the festival in order to ease the visa application process.
Embassies and consulates have specific deadlines for making appointments and for visa processing. Please book an appointment as early as possible with the relevant German embassy/consulate (or via an external service provider). Please check their websites to find out which documents are required for a Schengen visa and submit them together with the Berlinale’s official “Confirmation of Accreditation”. A valid passport is required in all cases.

Accreditation Process

How long does it take to receive a confirmation of my accreditation application?
Applications are processed as quickly as possible in the order of their arrival. Processing can take up to ten workdays, especially for accreditation applications received just before the end of one of the deadlines. If you applied for an accreditation more than two weeks ago and have not yet received an email, please contact the accreditation office.

The accreditation office has not yet processed my application and the Early Bear or Regular rate period is shortly due to expire. Will I have to pay the higher amount?
No. The date on which the accreditation application is submitted determines the amount to be paid. Please note, however, that payment of the Early Bear or Regular rate must be made by January 30, 2025 at the latest since this is when the favourable rate expires and the rate charged will be the one valid on the day.

How do I know if I’ve been granted a Buyers status?
From mid-January onward, you will be able to see in the EFM Participants Guide who was granted a Buyers status.

When is the application deadline for festival accreditations?
The official application period ends on January 23, 2025. However, subject to availability, we may grant further festival accreditations even after this date. At the latest three weeks before the festival starts, it will no longer be possible to register for a Festival Accreditation. We therefore strongly recommend that accreditation applications are submitted within the deadline. The supply of accreditation badges is limited and may be discontinued at any time after the deadline. In addition, we ask you to take into account the processing time (e.g. for the application assessment and - following payment - the activation of the online ticket shop for accredited visitors) if making a late application.

When is the deadline for Market Badge applications?
We are planning to make Market Badges available until the end of the EFM. However, we recommend visitors to submit their accreditation application as early as possible since the number of badges available may be limited. In addition, we ask you to take into account the processing time (e.g. for the application assessment and - following payment - the activation of your access to the EFM online events and information) if making a late application.
An application for an Online Market Badge can be submitted until the end of the EFM. Enquiries made in the immediate run-up to or during the EFM will be processed as quickly as possible. Nevertheless, you should plan on a processing time of at least 24 hours until the full payment and activation of the EFM online content has been completed (depending on your time zone and application date).

How can I apply for Festival Accreditation and/or a Market Badge for someone else?
Due to changes in our internal software systems and processes, the accreditation process for the 2025 Berlinale is changing. The new software system will continue to be developed over the upcoming festival editions. For this reason, the function of applying for an accreditation for someone else is not currently available. We thank you for your understanding and apologise for any inconvenience this may cause.

I am an exhibitor at the EFM. Do I also need to submit an application for accreditation?
Yes. EFM exhibitors also have to complete the accreditation process and submit an application.

As an exhibitor, do I necessarily require a Market Badge?
No, not necessarily. Under certain conditions, a simple Festival Accreditation grants access to the EFM stands. For more information, please contact directly.

Berlinale Co-Production Market

I would like to present my project at the Berlinale Co-Production Market. What should I do?
The purchase of an accreditation does not grant you full participation (including the Co-Pro Series Pitch and networking events) in the Berlinale Co-Production Market. You are required to apply via a separate selection process by the respective deadline. You can find more information on the Berlinale Co-Production Market website.

I am a producer/financier looking for new projects to co-produce or co-finance at the Berlinale Co-Production Market. Which accreditation do I need?
Full participation in the Berlinale Co-Production Market (including the Co-Pro Series Pitch and networking events) requires a separate registration directly with the Berlinale Co-Production Market. This process takes place in November and December.
Before registering in the Berlinale Co-Production Market, please ensure you have already applied for a Market Badge and/or Festival Accreditation.

Which part of the Berlinale Co-Production Market can I access with my Market Badge or Festival Accreditation?
Market Badge holders have access to  selected talks of the Berlinale Co-Production Market. Full participation in the Berlinale Co-Production Market (including the Co-Pro Series Pitch and networking events) requires a separate registration directly with the Berlinale Co-Production Market.

Networking

Is there a list of everyone participating in the Berlinale?
The Attendee List is a directory which contains all the industry professionals, members of the press and students accredited for the festival.
The EFM Participants Guide (only accessible to Market Badge or Online Market Badge holders) offers a comprehensive overview and contains all the contact details of the EFM exhibitors, buyers and other EFM participants.

Will my contact details be published in the Attendee List or the EFM Participants Guide?
Yes. Your contact details will be published in the Attendee List and, if applicable, in the EFM Participants Guide (only for Market Badge and Online Market Badge holders) for professional networking purposes. In the accreditation form, you can voluntarily provide an email address and a telephone number for publication. From early January 2025, you can edit your details for the Attendee List and, if applicable, in the EFM Participants Guide via your Berlinale account.

Why can’t I view the complete EFM Participants Guide, including contact details?
The full version of the Guide, including contact details, is only available if you are registered for the EFM with a Market Badge or an Online Market Badge and have completed your payment. You also need to be logged into “your Berlinale Account” to access the guide.

Cinema Access with Student Accreditation

Can I access all festival screenings with my Student Accreditation?
The Student Accreditation grants access to festival screenings of each section, though not at all times or at every venue as well as to the public events of Berlinale Talents. In the Online Ticket Shop, you will only be offered tickets for films to which you have access based on your type of accreditation. This excludes, for example,  public screenings at the Berlinale Palast (incl. Opening and Closing Ceremony). Please note that access to festival screenings is only possible with pre-booked online tickets.

How do I book a ticket?
Further information can be found at Online Ticket Info.