Wim Wenders Appointed Jury President of the Berlinale 2026

The Berlin International Film Festival has announced that Wim Wenders will serve as President of the International Jury of its 76th edition. The festival, scheduled to run from February 12 to 22, 2026, will see one of Germany’s most internationally recognised filmmakers return to his hometown in an official role central to the Competition.

Commenting on the appointment, Berlinale Director Tricia Tuttle stated, “Wim Wenders is one of the most influential voices in international cinema. For six decades, he has made films that move and delight us with their humanity and sense of wonder. His insatiable curiosity and deep mastery of film language are evident in every work, whether he is exploring the gifts of other artists or illuminating our own search for meaning and connection. To say we are proud of this homegrown polymath is an understatement, and we cannot wait to see where jury president Wim Wenders leads our jury in picking the Golden and Silver Bear winners of the 76th Berlinale”.

A Career Shaping Contemporary Cinema

Emerging in the early 1970s as a key figure of New German Cinema, Wim Wenders helped redefine German film’s identity at a crucial historical moment. Early works such as The Goalkeeper’s Fear of the Penalty (1972), Alice in the Cities (1974), Kings of the Road (1976) and The American Friend (1977) established a new cinematic language, grounded in movement, geography and existential inquiry.

In parallel with his filmmaking activity, Wenders played a structural role in the industry. In 1971, he co-founded Filmverlag der Autoren, and in 2003, he became a founding member of the German Film Academy. His involvement with the European Film Academy, which he co-founded and later presided over for more than twenty years, further positioned him as a central figure in European cinema.

International Milestones and Artistic Curiosity

Wim Wenders’ filmography includes several landmarks of world cinema, from Paris, Texas, winner of the Palme d’Or at Cannes in 1984, to Wings of Desire (1987), a film inseparably linked to Berlin. Titles such as Until the End of the World (1991), Faraway, So Close! (1993) and the documentary Buena Vista Social Club (1999) illustrate the breadth of his work across genres and continents.

More recently, Wenders returned to critical and public attention with Perfect Days (2023), which earned an Academy Award nomination, and Anselm (2023), a 3D documentary portrait of artist Anselm Kiefer. His continued exploration of new technologies was already evident in Pina, which premiered in Competition at the Berlinale in 2011 and was awarded Best Documentary at the German Film Awards.

A Longstanding Relationship with the Berlinale

Wenders’ connection to the Berlinale is longstanding and multifaceted. Beyond Pina, he has presented several films at the festival, including The Million Dollar Hotel, which opened the 2000 edition, and Everything Will Be Fine (2015). He was also actively involved in the early years of the Berlinale Talent Campus, now Berlinale Talents.

In 2015, the festival honoured him with the Honorary Golden Bear for lifetime achievement, accompanied by the screening of seven restored versions of his films.

Wenders on His Role as Jury President

Reflecting on his appointment, Wim Wenders said: “It never hit me to even remotely think about being jury president in my hometown until Tricia Tuttle asked me. And then I realised: Wow! That’ll be a whole new way to see films at the Berlinale, for once watch each and every one in the Competition and discuss them all in-depth with a group of intelligent and movie-loving people. How good can it get? I’m grateful to Tricia to invite me to this rare experience.”

Towards the 76th Berlinale

As Jury President, Wim Wenders will chair the International Jury, which will award the Golden and Silver Bears. The Award Ceremony will take place on February 21, 2026, concluding a Berlinale edition that places continuity, cinematic heritage and international dialogue at its core.