Welcome to the Festival

Dear friends and fellow film lovers,

Welcome to the 30th Anniversary Berlin & Beyond Film Festival, a milestone celebration. We are thrilled to open on March 19th, 2026 at San Francisco’s gloriously renovated and restored Castro Theatre. The cinematic adventure continues at the Vogue Theatre on March 20th, SFMOMA’s Phyllis Wattis Theater on March 21st, and at Rialto Cinemas® Elmwood in Berkeley on March 22nd and 23rd.

For 30 years, we have been sharing the best of contemporary cinema from the German-speaking countries, featuring vivid stories and courageous messages. We believe that platforms like this festival are necessary in these challenging times to voice and uphold our humanity, empathy, and openness to diverse ideas and perspectives. Through cultural exchange and shared cinematic experiences, we widen our horizons and build bridges of understanding. Furthermore, this festival fosters the German-American relationship, connecting our cinema and cultural scenes across borders. We need these transatlantic friendships today more than ever.

Our festival begins with the energizing “Köln 75,” directed and written by Ido Fluk, and starring Mala Emde, one of the most vibrant and creative actors of her generation. We will honor Mala Emde with the 2026 Spotlight Award in Acting. A true story, “Köln 75” reveals the hidden history behind Keith Jarrett’s legendary 1975 improvised concert, which became the best-selling solo jazz album in history.

We have a diverse array of boundary-pushing narratives: “No Beast. So Fierce.” is a visually atmospheric reimagining of Shakespeare’s “Richard III,” set in the modern Berlin underworld. The film’s exceptional director and storyteller, Burhan Qurbani, will join us in person for a special Goethe Forum conversation. Michael Kofler’s “A Land Within” is a familial drama amidst the South Tyrol separatist conflict in 1961, starring two-time Austrian Film Award winner Thomas Prenn. “KREATOR – Hate & Hope” chronicles 40 years of German thrash metal dominance. Albert Oehlen’s “Bad Painter” is a deconstruction of the artist’s portrait, starring the legendary Udo Kier, Charlotte Taschen, and Kim Gordon.

We will honor Udo Kier posthumously with the Lifetime Achievement Award, celebrating his dynamic career, which spans over six decades and more than 300 films, covering every genre, from independent masterpieces to mainstream action, horror, and television.

Chosen by our international youth jury from Canada, México and the U.S., the winning film of the 13th edition of Youth 4 German Cinema is “22 Lengths,” directed by Mia Maariel Meyer and based on the Caroline Wahl novel. It is about a teenager who escapes a volatile life through academic opportunity and romance.

The latest works of renowned filmmakers light up our big screen: “Amrum” by Fatih Akin is the late Hark Bohm’s coming-of-age, survival story on the North Sea island. Christian Petzold’s “Miroirs No. 3” is a modern gothic fairytale about grief, trauma, and the illusion of connection, starring Paula Beer. Swiss Film & Talks features “I’m Not Stiller,” Stefan Haupt’s adaptation of the Max Frisch 1950s identity mystery, starring Albrecht Schuch.

We thank our sponsors, partners, and friends from near and far, whose empowering support and generosity make this festival possible. As we celebrate our 30th anniversary, we recognize that as a non-profit community organization, we need your support now more than ever to meet our financial goals in this challenging economy. Please consider making a donation to help sustain Berlin & Beyond for the years to come.

We extend our gratitude to our hardworking festival team, volunteers, and collaborators. Special thanks to the filmmakers and industry professionals for sharing their work with us. Most importantly, thank you to our filmgoers for attending our festival for 30 years. Vielen, vielen Dank.

Respectfully,

Alexander Behrmann, PhD (he/him)
Director, Goethe-Institut San Francisco
President, Berlin & Beyond

Sophoan Sorn (he/him)
Director, Berlin & Beyond