Berlinale
- 10 February 2027 – 21 February 2027
- Berlin, Berlin
One of the world's leading film festivals, with red carpet premieres and the Golden Bear as its top prize. Public screening tickets often sell out fast, so booking a central hotel early is worthwhile.
Source: https://www.berlinale.de/en/2027/news-press-releases/278428.html · Checked 2026-10-08
What the Berlinale is
The Berlinale, the Berlin International Film Festival, is one of the most important film festivals in the world. Its top prize is the Golden Bear, and the programme combines competition screenings, red carpet premieres and a large public programme in cinemas across the city. The 2027 edition is listed in our event data as confirmed, from Wednesday 10 February to Sunday 21 February 2027, 12 days in total.
The festival was first held in 1951, and its identity is closely linked to Berlin's history as a divided and reunited city. The Berlinale is also one of the few top-level festivals where the public can buy tickets for most screenings, not only industry guests. The dates are confirmed, but programme, ticket sales and venues are published by the organiser, so use the official site for current details.
Dates and calendar in 2027
The festival opens on a Wednesday, 10 February 2027, and closes on Sunday 21 February. This includes two full weekends: 13 and 14 February, and 20 and 21 February. The final weekend is traditionally when the prizes are presented and the winners are shown in public screenings.
Berlin has no public holiday in February, so all eight weekdays (Wednesday 10 to Friday 12, and Monday 15 to Friday 19 February) are ordinary working days. The festival is also held in deep winter, so plan for cold weather, and bring warm clothing for waiting in queues outside cinemas.
Character and what to see
The festival is spread across the city. The main hub is around Potsdamer Platz, where the Berlinale Palast hosts the premieres, but screenings also take place in cinemas in other districts. Besides the main competition, the programme includes sections for first films, children and young people, documentaries and experimental work, so there is something for different tastes.
Public screenings are the most accessible part. You can pick several films across different sections, and in many cases the director or cast take part in a discussion afterward. Besides the cinema programme, Berlin's museums, such as the Museum Island, the Gemäldegalerie and the Deutsche Kinemathek's Museum für Film und Fernsehen at Potsdamer Platz, provide a good complement.
Food, tickets and planning
Ticket sales for public screenings usually start a few days before the festival, and popular screenings sell out quickly. We do not quote prices. Check the official ticket shop for the sales dates and the rules for collecting tickets, and have a backup plan for each time slot.
Berlin food is varied: Currywurst, Döner, bakery snacks and international restaurants are easy to find, and Potsdamer Platz has cafés and restaurants close to the main venues. In February, a warm lunch between screenings is a sensible plan, as queues for cinemas can be long.
Getting there and where to stay
Berlin has one of Germany's largest rail hubs, with direct links to Hamburg, Munich, Frankfurt, Leipzig and Dresden, and an international airport at Berlin Brandenburg. Within the city, S-Bahn, U-Bahn, trams and buses reach most cinemas. Potsdamer Platz has its own rail and subway stations.
Central hotels around Potsdamer Platz, Mitte and Charlottenburg are in demand during the festival, so book early. Staying in a quieter district with a good U-Bahn connection can lower the cost, as long as you plan late-evening returns.
Public holidays and vacation days in Berlin
There are no public holidays in Berlin during the Berlinale in 2027. The opening is on a Wednesday, so a trip that begins on opening day and ends on the final Sunday takes 8 vacation days (Wednesday 10 to Friday 12 February is 3, plus Monday 15 to Friday 19 February is 5). A shorter visit across the first weekend, Friday 12 to Sunday 14 February, costs 1 vacation day.
The final weekend, Friday 19 to Sunday 21 February, also costs 1 vacation day and is ideal for the prize winners' screenings. If you work in Berlin, you can attend evening screenings on weekdays without taking leave, which is a good way to combine work and festival. The next public holiday in Berlin after the festival is International Women's Day on Monday 8 March 2027.
Tips and who it suits
The Berlinale suits film lovers, students of cinema and visitors who enjoy cultural events in a big city. It is less suitable if you dislike queues, since popular screenings require early ticket planning. Check subtitles in advance: many films are shown in the original language with English subtitles, and some with German subtitles.
Plan travel times between venues, since screenings are spread over the city, and leave a buffer between films. Bring warm clothes, a water bottle and a small snack, and keep your ticket confirmation on your phone.
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Written and maintained by Basaveswara Rao. Last reviewed on October 10, 2026.