Berlinale 2026: industry events, showcases and networking
With the Berlinale returning from 12–22 February 2026, BIMM Berlin is supporting students with access to a wide range of Berlinale-week opportunities, from exclusive industry events and public talks to sustainability panels, talent showcases and key networking spaces.
Some events are free, while others require paid entry. All offer students exclusive access to Berlin’s film industry during Berlinale, including professional events and spaces they would not otherwise be able to access, providing insight, inspiration and direct industry contact throughout the festival.
See our round-up of events MetFilm School students will be attending:
Games Meets Film – Berlinale Edition – Thu 12 Feb, BIMM Berlin, House of Music
BIMM Berlin hosts the Berlinale Edition of Games Meets Film, organised by medianet. As partners, we have access to a limited number of tickets for students to join a curated mix of film, games and tech professionals alongside international festival and market visitors.
The event features an English-language panel on how cinematic storytelling and interactive worlds are increasingly converging, including virtual production and sustainable collaboration, followed by networking designed for genuine conversation and practical connections.
European Shooting Stars – Berlinale HUB – Mon 16 Feb, Berlinale HUB 76
European Shooting Stars spotlights 10 emerging actors from across Europe in a relaxed live format that combines conversation and clips. It’s a chance to meet the artists behind the performances and to get a feel for the creative voices shaping the next wave of European cinema.
For acting, directing and producing students, it’s a valuable window into contemporary screen talent and the broader industry conversation around casting, career momentum and on-screen presence.
VTFF Green Tec Day – Sustainability in International Co-Productions – Mon 16 Feb, Berlin-Brandenburg Academy of Sciences and Humanities
VTFF Green Tec Day brings sustainability into focus with an afternoon programme that frames Germany’s production landscape before moving into the main English-language panel: ‘Green Without Borders? – Sustainability in International Co-Productions’ (17:00–18:30).
The session explores the practical challenges of implementing ecological standards across international co-productions, where regulations, budgets and expectations can differ, and highlights approaches being developed across Europe.
Revolver – Berlinale Party – Mon 16 Feb, Südblock
A long-running Berlinale staple, the Revolver party is one of the festival’s best-known informal networking events, bringing together filmmakers, actors, producers and festival guests in a relaxed, unpretentious setting.
For students, it’s a chance to experience the social side of the festival and see how relationships and creative networks often form outside official panels, markets and pitch rooms.
T-Port Talent Bridge – Berlinale workshop for short filmmakers – Tue 17 Feb, ZK/U
Led by Amos Geva (T-Port), this half-day workshop focuses on what comes after finishing a film, including goal-setting, pitching, understanding the festival circuit and planning next steps with intention.
The fee includes entry to the wider Encourage Talents networking event, adding extra opportunities to meet fellow filmmakers and industry guests. Fee waivers are available for those facing financial difficulty.
BIPoC Alliance Berlinale Party – ACCESS GRANTED: SILK & SWEAT – Tue 17 Feb, Prince Charles
Founded during Berlinale 2024, the BIPoC Alliance is a major coalition of BIPoC filmmakers in the German-speaking region, focused on representation, visibility and long-term network building. Their signature party is designed as a safe, inclusive community space with real intention behind the connections it creates.
Masterclass with MetFilm alum Assaf Machnes – Fri 20 Feb, Kino/Molecule Studios
Director, writer and MetFilm School London graduate Assaf Machnes joins us for a masterclass on the journey from film education to festival premiere. His debut feature, Where To?, will have its world premiere at Berlinale 2026 in the Perspectives section.
The session explores development, writing/directing practice and professional momentum, with selected filmmaking students also being invited to attend festival screenings (17–22 Feb) in preparation for the discussion.
Berlinale Talents 2026 – 13–18 Feb, Radialsystem
Berlinale Talents brings together 200 emerging creatives across disciplines and offers a public programme of talks, workshops and debates at Radialsystem. The 2026 theme, ‘Creating (and) Confusion – Cinema, Chaos and the Power of Discomfort,’ focuses on creativity and industry realities in a changing landscape.
For students, Talents is a rare chance to learn directly from international practitioners and engage with current craft and industry conversations beyond the screenings.
TEDDY Award 2026
An official Berlinale prize founded in 1987, the TEDDY Award celebrates queer cinema and its cultural impact through a week-long programme of talks, panels and industry gatherings – spanning programme introductions, directors’ exchanges, talent sessions and market-facing events.
The programme culminates in the TEDDY After Show Party at Volksbühne on Friday 20 February, one of the festival’s most vibrant and inclusive meeting points for filmmakers, performers and international guests.
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