Press Release
Sophoan Sorn Moves on After 16 Years as Director of San Francisco’s Berlin & Beyond Film Festival
PRESS CONTACT
Catalina Langer, PR & Communications, Goethe-Institut San Francisco
catalina.langer@goethe.de
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(September 22, 2026, San Francisco) The Berlin & Beyond Film Festival, presented by the Goethe-Institut San Francisco, announces that Sophoan Sorn is stepping down from his role as Festival Director after 16 annual editions.
Statement from Sophoan Sorn: “These 16 years with the Berlin & Beyond Film Festival has been and will remain a special part of my life. Since joining in 2010 for the 15th anniversary, I have had the honor and treasure of collaborating and working together with so many adventurous, creative, talented, and spirited individuals to foster and produce this unique, international film festival. Through these years, getting to know the rich cinematic traditions and independent filmmaking scenes of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Luxembourg, and beyond, have profoundly shaped my perspective on cinema and humanity. As we have been able to reach our landmark 30th anniversary, I feel that this is an opportune time for me to move forward in my next chapter. Vielen Dank and thank you so very much: to our steadfast and devoted audience and community for attending our programs with your curiosity and enthusiasm; to our generous and highly supportive sponsors and volunteers; to all the filmmakers, actors, producers, and talent agencies for sharing your impactful art and stories with us; to the Board of Directors and our festival team for believing and collaborating in our shared vision to bring each festival to fruition.”
Statement from Dr. Alexander Behrmann, Board President of Berlin & Beyond and Director of the Goethe-Institut San Francisco: “I can only thank Sophoan a thousand times over for his tireless dedication throughout the years. After Ingrid Eggers founded the festival 30 years ago and led it for 14 years, hardly anyone has shaped Berlin & Beyond as much as Sophoan. It is also thanks to him that the festival is what it is today: the largest German-language film festival in the United States. That is a remarkable achievement, and one worth pausing on. Over the years, Sophoan welcomed some of the most renowned and celebrated figures of German and global cinema to San Francisco. There are far too many highlights to list here, but his steering of the festival through the pandemic cannot be praised highly enough. For Sophoan, Berlin & Beyond was never just a job; it was a calling. Thank you, Sophoan, and on to new horizons!”
Over the years, Sophoan Sorn has brought many of the most celebrated names in German and international cinema to San Francisco, from Mario Adorf, Doris Dörrie, and Hannelore Elsner to Lars Eidinger, Dan Stevens, Michael Verhoeven, and Simon Verhoeven. He bestowed the festival’s Spotlight Award in Acting to Tom Schilling, Julia Jentsch, Ronald Zehrfeld, and Mala Emde, and the Career Achievement Award to Maria Schrader, Andreas Dresen, and Caroline Link. Mario Adorf and Hannelore Elsner were honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award, respectively.
He consistently championed underrepresented voices, including people of color and LGBTQ+, immigrant, and diaspora communities, and showcased international co-productions spanning 30 countries.
In a joint creation with the Goethe-Institut’s Step Into German initiative, Youth 4 German Cinema, now in its 13th edition, has welcomed student jurors from across North and Central America and reached more than 7,000 Bay Area students. Sorn expanded the festival to new audiences in Berkeley, El Cerrito, Palo Alto, Mountain View, San Jose, and even Honolulu. With the Autumn Showcase that began in 2014, he highlighted Awards Season frontrunners and special previews of new releases. He navigated the COVID-19 pandemic through innovative drive-in programs at Fort Mason and interactive, multi-platform virtual broadcasts.
SOPHOAN SORN
Sophoan Sorn is a Cambodian-American film festival director, curator, and programmer. Born in a Cambodian refugee camp in 1985, he emigrated to the US with his family in 1991. In a cultural programming and events career that began in 2005, his film festival and series productions have welcomed over 100,000 attendees. He was also the Founder and Director of all 10 editions of the San Joaquin International Film Festival (2008-2018) in Stockton. He was Advisor and Production Partner for the first 10 programs (2013-2020) of Cinema Italia San Francisco, which were homage series to Italian directors and actors. Through the years, he has worked as a portrait photographer, documentary videographer, graphic designer, and consultant to film exhibition programs. He studied cinematography, is an avid flower gardener and horticulture enthusiast, plays the piano, and has traveled extensively to nearly 90 countries and territories around the world.
BERLIN & BEYOND FILM FESTIVAL
Curated and produced in San Francisco, the Berlin & Beyond Film Festival has been presenting the leading and largest German-language film festival in North America since 1996, including red carpet premieres, lauded works, film talents in person for on-stage Q&A, and award tributes. Through 30 years, over 500 motion pictures from German-speaking countries, produced in over 30 different countries, have screened to over 150,000 attendees at Berlin & Beyond. The festival has welcomed to San Francisco many renowned film talents, including Mario Adorf, Daniel Brühl, Hannelore Elsner, Bruno Ganz, Barbara Sukowa, and Wim Wenders – and at the 2026 festival: rising stars Mala Emde and Thomas Prenn. The 30th Anniversary opened at the newly restored and renovated Castro Theatre, where the festival had previously held 25 editions since its 1996 inauguration. Other 2026 venues included SFMOMA’s Phyllis Wattis Theater, The Vogue, and Rialto Cinemas Elmwood in Berkeley.
Official Website: berlinbeyond.com
Social Media: @berlinbeyond #BerlinBeyond2026 #BerlinBeyond30
THE GOETHE-INSTITUT
The Goethe-Institut is Germany’s globally active cultural institute, comprising 154 institutes in 100 countries. The Goethe-Institut is committed to fostering understanding between Germany, Europe, and the world. It enables international cultural exchange to take place, promotes access to the German language and supports the unimpeded development of culture and science. The San Francisco branch has promoted 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: @goetheinstitut.sanfrancisco
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