Press Release
Announcing San Francisco’s 30th Anniversary Berlin & Beyond Film Festival 2026 Venues and Special Film Preview
PRESS CONTACT
For all interviews, requests and questions, please contact Steve Indig:
steve@steveindigpr.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(December 19, 2026, San Francisco) The 30th Anniversary Berlin & Beyond Film Festival, presented by the Goethe-Institut San Francisco, announces the cinema venues and a special preview of noteworthy films that will play at the festival during March 19-23, 2026. The 30th Festival will open at San Francisco’s iconic movie palace, The Castro Theatre, on Thursday, March 19, 2026, followed by The Vogue Theatre, SFMOMA’s Phyllis Wattis Theater, and Rialto Cinemas® Elmwood in Berkeley.
VENUES AND DATES
Thursday, March 19, 2026
The Castro Theatre
429 Castro Street, San Francisco
Friday, March 20, 2026
The Vogue Theatre
3290 Sacramento Street, San Francisco
Saturday, March 21, 2026
SFMOMA’s Phyllis Wattis Theater
179 Minna Street, San Francisco
Sunday, March 22, 2026 and Monday, March 23, 2026
Rialto Cinemas® Elmwood
2966 College Avenue at Ashby, Berkeley
Select special events and details will be announced during January 2026.
The full festival program will be unveiled on February 19, 2026.
Updates will be posted at https://berlinbeyond.com/2026/
OFFICIAL STATEMENTS
Alexander Behrmann (he/him), Director of the Goethe-Institut and Board President of Berlin & Beyond: “We are proud to present the 30th anniversary edition of the Berlin & Beyond Film Festival at four beloved Bay Area cultural centers, including a special return to the iconic Castro Theatre, where the festival had been for many years, including its first program in 1996. As the globally active cultural institution of Germany, the Goethe-Institut believes in the potential of international cultural exchange. Is there a more beautiful form of cultural exchange than going to the cinema together, laughing, crying, and broadening your horizons? A movie theater is the place we share with others in the dark to travel through stories. Movie Theaters like The Castro, The Vogue Theatre, SFMOMA Phyllis Wattis Theater, and Rialto Cinemas Elmwood in Berkeley therefore also are a place of encounter. Even if everyone watches past each other towards the screen, cinema still creates a sense of community. And we need that today more than ever.”
Sophoan Sorn (he/him), Director of the Berlin & Beyond Film Festival: “We are proud to showcase the latest works of renowned German film auteurs Fatih Akin and Christian Petzold, whose films have captivated our audiences through the years. The soul-stirring, coming-of-age tale ‘Amrum,’ of a boy’s life on a remote North Sea island during WWII, is based on the childhood memories and novel of the late German director and screenwriter Hark Bohm, who recently passed. Through the decades, our festival has brought to the San Francisco Bay Area big screen every Petzold cinematic story. The Berlin School leading light’s fifth collaboration with Paula Beer, ‘Miroirs No. 3’ is a complex and intriguing gothic fairytale. Directed by New York City-based Director Ido Fluk, ‘Köln 75’ is a fascinating true story of how teenager Vera Brandes (played by Mala Emde) produced the famous concert by pianist Keith Jarrett, which ultimately became the best-selling piano performance recording of all time. We hope that this preview builds excitement and curiosity for what’s to come at our momentous 30th Anniversary Berlin & Beyond Film Festival.”
2026 OFFICIAL SELECTIONS PREVIEW
AMRUM
Northern California Premiere
Directed by Fatih Akin
Starring Diane Kruger, Laura Tonke, Jasper Billerbeck, Lisa Hagmeister
“It is the Spring of 1945 on the German island of Amrum, a remote outpost in the North Sea. The front is far away, and 12-year-old Nanning (newcomer Jasper Billerbeck) spends his days working the nearby farm and his nights fishing, helping his mother to feed their family. Despite the hardship, life on the beautiful, windswept isle seems idyllic. When their anti-fascist neighbor Tessa (Diane Kruger) mentions to Nanning that the war will soon be over, the boy – too young to understand the political implications – is pleased to imagine that his father, a Nazi officer, might soon be coming home. But his mother Hille (Laura Tonk) is a true believer, and word of Germany’s imminent defeat sends her into decline. One day from her sick bed, she wishes for white bread, butter and honey, near impossible luxuries on Amrum which Nanning innocently tries to find for her. But as he sets off on his quest, he learns from his neighbors that the enemy is far closer than he imagined. From Golden Globe Award-winning filmmaker Fatih Akin (In the Fade, Head-On), Amrum is a tender coming-of-age tale about the loss of innocence set against the waning days of the Second World War.” World Premiered in the Official Selections of the 2025 Festival de Cannes.
US Distribution: Kino Lorber (93 min. Germany / 2025. In German with English subtitles)
View Trailer
KÖLN 75
San Francisco Premiere
Directed by Ido Fluk
Starring Starring Mala Emde, John Magaro, Michael Chernus, Alexander Scheer, Ulrich Tukur, Jördis Triebel
“Keith Jarrett’s legendary performance in January 1975 nearly didn’t happen. Based on a true story, Köln 75 follows how the concert was conceived and orchestrated by the efforts of a teenage up-and-coming concert promoter, Vera Brandes, (played by Mala Emde). Her enthusiasm set her to multitasking – from organizing the concert venue (the Cologne Opera House), promoting the event, and selling the tickets, to convincing Jarrett to perform when he almost dropped out when the Bösendorfer Imperial Grand piano he was promised was nowhere to be found. John Magaro plays Jarrett with his own intensity, a sublime counterpoint to Mala Emde’s joyful portrayal of the enthusiastic and unstoppable Vera. Köln 75 captures the compelling, entertaining and, until now, unknown backstory about Jarrett’s one-hour, entirely improvised concert, which became the best-selling solo album in jazz history.” World Premiered at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival Special Gala.
US Distribution: Zeitgeist Films in association with Kino Lorber (116 min. Germany, Poland, Belgium / 2025. In German and some English with English subtitles)
View Trailer
MIROIRS NO. 3
Northern California Premiere
Directed by Christian Petzold
Starring Paula Beer, Barbara Auer, Matthias Brandt, Enno Trebs
“During a weekend trip to the countryside, Laura, a young piano student from Berlin, miraculously survives a shocking car crash. Awakening in a nearby house, Laura finds herself in the care of a local woman, who tends to her with motherly devotion. As she recuperates, Laura begins to integrate herself into the lives of the woman and her initially reluctant husband and son. By turns haunted and hopeful, Laura and her adopted family reawaken to the world and come to find a strange harmony together. However, they cannot outrun the ghosts of the past, which begin to stir, as acclaimed director Christian Petzold (Phoenix, Transit) spins a modern gothic fairytale about the lies we tell ourselves and the strange ways that grief, connection, and humanity bind and sustain us.” World Premiered in the Directors’ Fortnight section of the 2025 Festival de Cannes and screened this autumn at the Toronto and New York film festivals.
US Distribution: 1-2 Special (86 min. Germany / 2025. In German with English subtitles)
View Clip
BERLIN & BEYOND FILM FESTIVAL
Since 1996, the Berlin & Beyond Film Festival has been the leading festival of contemporary German cinema in the Americas, and has presented over 500 motion pictures to over 200,000 attendees, along with the presence of celebrated and distinguished figures, including Fatih Akin, Moritz Bleibtreu, Hark Bohm, Daniel Brühl, Doris Dörrie, Lars Eidinger, Hannelore Elsner, Anke Engelke, Florian David Fitz, Bruno Ganz, Werner Herzog, Frederick Lau, Maria Schrader, Ronald Zehrfeld, Dan Stevens, Peter Kurth, Christiane Paul, Tom Schilling, Michael Steiner, Barbara Sukowa, Michael Verhoeven, Wim Wenders, and Ronald Zehrfeld.
Official Website: berlinbeyond.com
Social Media: @berlinbeyond #BerlinBeyond2026
THE GOETHE-INSTITUT
The Goethe-Institut is Germany’s official cultural center comprised of 150 institutes in 99 countries. The Goethe-Institut exists to promote art and films from Germany, the study of the German language, and encourage the international cultural exchange with Germany. Having celebrated its 50th Anniversary in 2017, the San Francisco branch has been promoting German culture and language since 1967. Its year-round cultural activities include art exhibitions, film screenings, and special events with local cultural institutions.
Official Website: goethe.de/sf
Social Media: @sfgoethe
THE CASTRO THEATRE
Statement from Another Planet Entertainment about The Castro Theatre: “Under APE’s stewardship, the century-old venue has undergone a comprehensive renovation, restoring its architectural splendor while upgrading mechanical systems, accessibility, acoustics, and patron amenities. The refreshed neon blade and marquee, decorative ceiling, and restored chandelier signals the reborn destination for cultural life in the Castro neighborhood and beyond. Inside, the sloped auditorium floor has been reimagined with new telescoping tiers that allow for flexibility between seated shows, film screenings, and standing-room events. Meanwhile, upgraded HVAC, sound, lighting, video systems, additional public restrooms, and expanded ADA accessibility will enhance both the fan and artist experience. The reopening of The Castro Theatre is poised to deliver meaningful economic gains to the surrounding neighborhood — especially for restaurants, retail, cafés, and bars that rely on cultural foot traffic. APE projects the venue will draw 200,000+ visitors annually, reenergizing business corridors and stimulating local employment.”
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PRESS INFORMATION
Press images will be available soon. Screeners for select films will be available for the press. Select films with US distribution and under territorial sales negotiations will have hold review restrictions.
For all requests / questions, please contact Steve Indig:
steve@steveindigpr.com
