Berlin Film Festival Berlinale is one of the most respected international film festivals, comparable in importance to the Cannes Film Festival. Since 1951, it has been held annually in Berlin in February for 10 days (until 1978 the festival was held in the summer). The first day of the festival is usually the Thursday of the first or second week of February. All main shows of the festival take place in the Berlinale Palace (in the theater building on Potsdamer Platz).
The main prize that festival participants can receive is a golden bear, which is given for the best film. The festival also awards silver bears to the best director, actors and actress, a prize for the best soundtrack, and other prizes. During the festival, about 350 films are shown at the Berlinale, and more than 200 thousand people visit the city’s cinemas showing films from the festival program!
Unlike the American Oscars, the Berlinale features films from all over the world.
