Nikola Joetze and Tobias Pausinger, interview with the project manager and programme manager of the Berlinale Talents 2026

The Berlinale Talents 2026, running from 13 to 18, 2025  will mark the 24th edition of the talent development programme, under the hat of Berlinale Pro* .

Project Manager Nikola Joetze and Programme Manager Tobias Pausinger, the Berlinale Talents management duo, talk about the challenges of this past year and the achievements of this year’s edition.

“Creating (and) Confusion – Cinema, Chaos and the Power of Discomfort.”

Every year, Berlinale Talents chooses a theme under which every activity, workshop, lab, meeting gets inspired by. Following last year’s “Listen Courageously – Cinematic Narratives in Times of Dissonance”,  Nikola Joetze and Tobias Pausinger said: “Last year’s journey into the art of listening revealed a truth we cannot ignore: our world resounds with noise, a chorus of clashing voices, opinions, and messages that can at times overwhelm. It feels only natural, then, to carry that exploration forward into the realm of confusion”. For this reason, for Berlinale Talents 2026, the theme will be “Creating (and) Confusion – Cinema, Chaos and the Power of Discomfort.” Confusion will be a state to embrace with no apprehension, but with optimism and creativity.

The House of talents

After many hears dislocating activities all along the city, the 2026 edition will take place in a new venue: Berlin’s Radialsystem, situated at the heart of Berlin. “For the first time, our entire programme will unfold under one roof” Joetze & Pausinger said. There will be finally a House of talents to welcome 200 filmmakers, selected from 3,438 applications from 120 countries.

The Berlinale Talents’ big family

Over its 24 editions, Berlinale Talents has become a big family where their members choose to come back sharing their new projects or giving lectures. The Berlinale Talents Lab this year will host 20 alumni projects spanning fiction, documentary, animation and experimental forms, creating a collaborative space to refine creative visions and accelerate production. The Talent Project Market will also spotlight alumni, presenting ten projects seeking production partners within the Berlinale Co-Production Market, reinforcing international partnerships and shaping the future of cinema.