Frequently Asked Questions

How do I apply for an Accreditation?

For a detailed guide see: Accreditation Procedure.

What do I do if I've forgotten my user name for the "My Account"?

For data protection reasons, user names may not be provided. You will find your user name in the email confirming the creation of your account and in the email confirming your accreditation. For further questions, please contact .

Payment

How can I pay for my accreditation?
You can only pay online for your accreditation. All payment options are listed in the Payment section.

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 February 1, 2024.

What happens if I have not paid the accreditation fee by February 1, 2024?
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 (Online) Market Badges and Festival Accreditations only applies until February 1, 2024. From February 2, 2024 onwards, these orders will be charged at the currently applicable rate (except Press Accreditation).

Will I receive an invoice?
After completing your payment, you will receive an invoice by e-mail. You can also download this invoice at any time via the “My Accreditation” button in “My Account”. Before making your payment, you will have the opportunity to edit the billing address. Please note that it will not be possible to make any changes to the billing address after payment.

How can I cancel my accreditation?
Refunds for Press, Student and Festival Accreditations that have already been paid for are only possible until February 1, 2024, and only if a written notice of cancellation is sent to .
It is not possible to cancel an (Online) Market Badge once it has been paid for.

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.

Online Service

I am unable to access the Berlinale online services (Attendee List, Hotel Booking). 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 once payment has been received.

I am an invited guest of the Berlinale and would like to use the Berlinale Attendee List. How does this work?
If you don’t yet have an account on the Berlinale website, please create one via “My Account”. Then send an e-mail to the Web Support team () with your account name and full name stating that you are already accredited as an invited guest and would like to have access to the Berlinale Attendee List via “My Account”. The Web Support team will check your request and notify you as soon as the access rights have been activated.

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 (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 or 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. In order to gain personal access to the online ticket shop before the festival, you must pay the accreditation fee by February 1, 2024. Your personal login to access the separate online ticket shop for accredited visitors will be emailed to you approximately one week before the start of the Berlinale.

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 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?
About one week before the festival starts, you will receive an e-mail containing information about how to pick up your accreditation. The pick-up document attached to this e-mail must be presented (digitally or in printed form) at the accreditation counter when picking up your badge, in combination with a valid ID. The badge can only be collected if it has already been paid for online in advance. 

Can I appoint someone else to collect my accreditation?
If you wish to entrust a third party with the collection of your accreditation, this person is required to present your badge pick-up document as a form of authorisation

Are group collections possible for members of the same company?
Group collection is only possible for groups of ten or more 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?
To implement the Berlinale’s Anti-Discrimination Code of Conduct, an Awareness Team of trained anti-discrimination advisers from the - Association for Anti-Discrimination and Educational Work (BDB e.V.) and the Berlin State Association for Self-Help (LV Selbsthilfe Berlin e.V.) is available by telephone and email in German and English both during and following the festival. The ways in which the Awareness Team can be contacted during the upcoming festival will be published on this page and in the Berlinale programme booklet by February.

The Awareness Team is there to listen, understand and advise people confidentially and, in the first instance, always anonymously. 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 service is aimed at anyone who, during the Berlinale, witnesses, experiences or is affected by discrimination as laid out in the festival’s Code of Conduct. We are very grateful for your active assistance and encourage all visitors, guests, partners and employees to report any incidents to the Awareness Team. The Berlinale aims to create a safe, sustainable and inclusive environment in which everyone is treated with respect and as equals.

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?
Access to the exhibitors within the EFM locations (Gropius Bau & Marriott Hotel) will be restricted. Access with a Festival Accreditation will be permitted on the following dates: February 15 all day, February 16 to 19 from 5 pm and on February 20 and 21 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 via .

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 travel to Germany should contact the German Embassy responsible for their place of residence as soon as possible. More information and visa application forms can be found on the German Federal Foreign Office website. From mid-December onward, the Berlinale will inform the respective German Embassy or Consulate General of your participation in the festival to facilitate your visa application.

Covid-19 Information

Which rules and regulations do I have to observe?
There are currently no Covid-19 regulations in force in Germany. The festival nevertheless asks accredited visitors to keep themselves informed about any applicable regulations and to check whether they meet the current requirements.

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 in which we receive them. Processing can take up to two weeks, especially for accreditations received just before one of the deadlines. As soon as your application has been processed, you will receive an e-mail from the accreditation office. If you applied for an accreditation over two weeks ago and have not yet received an e-mail, 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?
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 February 1, 2024 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. The Buyers status is not for sale but will be granted in limited number by the EFM. You are considered if you order a (Online) Market Badge and select "Acquisitions (…)" as your "Field of Activity" on the application form.

When is the application deadline for festival accreditations?
The official deadline is January 9, 2024. However, depending on availability, it may be possible for us to issue further festival accreditations after this date. Applications for festival accreditation will close three weeks before the start of the festival at the latest. We therefore strongly recommend that accreditation applications are submitted within the deadline. The supply of accreditation badges is limited and can 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 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 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 expect 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).

Can I buy a Day Pass on site?
The Day Pass is subject to availability and obtainable for the current day in the Access Container at the Gropius Bau. Especially on the highly frequented market days (Fri-Mo) a limited or discontinued sale is to be expected. The EFM Day Pass entitles the holder to visit the EFM stands at the Gropius Bau & Marriott Hotel for one market day. Depending on capacity, buyers and exhibitors have priority access.

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

As an exhibitor, do I necessarily require a Market Badge?
No, not necessarily. In some circumstances, 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.

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 “My 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 the festival screenings is only possible via a pre-booked online ticket.

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