75th Berlinale 2025
Film Art, Debate Culture and a New Female Boss

For the 75th anniversary of the Berlinale, Tricia Tuttle is relying on a tried-and-tested mix of arthouse cinema and international stars. But it's not just films – political debates are also part of the festival's DNA.

Expectations are high for the new director Tricia Tuttle. The 54-year-old is tasked with securing the future of the Berlinale and consolidating its role in the league of A-list film festivals – no easy task. In April 2024, Tuttle took over from Mariette Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian, who had been sharing the organisational and artistic direction. She barely had a transitional period to prepare for the 75th anniversary of the International Film Festival, as the Berlinale is officially known. But the US-American has the ideal qualifications: She has an international network, favours teamwork and has decades of festival experience. The challenge is great, but Tuttle's expertise gives hope that she will position the Berlinale as a relevant venue for film art and debate.

In Search of Meaning and Normality

In the International Competition, 19 films from 26 countries are competing for the Golden and Silver Bears. Thematically, many productions revolve around everyday life and the private sphere, around questions of meaning and belonging. Films such as Hot Milk by Rebecca Lenkiewicz or the Austrian production Mother's Baby by Johanna Moder shed light on complex mother-child relationships. In the French road movie Ari, Léonor Serraille sends a young teacher on a search for himself. Two women and a kidnapped girl are at the centre of the Chinese thriller Girls on Wire by Vivian Qu. One of the few entries to deal with a current political conflict comes from Ukraine: Timestamp by Kateryna Gornostai. It is the only documentary film in the competition that vividly depicts the everyday lives of teachers and pupils at war.

Main Programme With Plenty of Arthouse Cinema

Two German productions could offer solid arthouse cinema: Yunan by Ukrainian-born Ameer Fakher Eldin centres on a world-weary Arab exile. What Marielle Knows, the second feature film by Frédéric Hambalek, is a tragicomic family story with Julia Jentsch and Felix Kramer in the leading roles. More than 400 films were submitted for the competition, but there are no major Hollywood productions. The festivals in Cannes and Venice seem to be more attractive for the studios than the one in wintry Berlin. This is another reason why Tuttle is relying on a tried and tested strategy: the main programme offers a strong arthouse presence as well as a balanced mix of new discoveries and established directors. Names such as the experimental Romanian Radu Jude, the American Richard Linklater and the Korean Hong Sang-soo (What Does That Nature Say to You) are attracting international attention. Jude, who won the Golden Bear in 2021 for his biting social satire Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn, turns his attention to moral conflicts in Kontinental ‘25. Blue Moon by Richard Linklater about the songwriter Lorenz Hart also brings world stars to Berlin: Ethan Hawke and Margaret Qualley.

From Tilda Swinton to Benedict Cumberbatch: Stars Visit Berlin

As an experienced festival organiser, Tuttle knows about the pull of international stars. Film fans and autograph hunters can therefore look forward to the following: Jessica Chastain is travelling to Berlin with the Mexican competition entry Dreams (director: Michel Franco). Tilda Swinton will be present at the opening because she is receiving the Honorary Bear for her lifetime achievement. Timothée Chalamet will bring his Bob Dylan portrait Like A Complete Unknown (director: James Mangold) with him and provide glamour outside the competition. Robert Pattinson (Mickey 17, directed by Bong Joon-ho) and Benedict Cumberbatch (The Thing with Feathers, directed by Dylan Southern) are also coming to Berlin for gala screenings.

Newly Introduced: The Perspectives Section

A good 200 films will be screened at this year's festival, meaning that Tuttle is maintaining a lean programme line-up. The new “Perspectives” competition for feature film debuts, in which 14 productions will compete, is eagerly awaited. Tuttle has cancelled the “Encounters” competition for innovative productions introduced by Carlo Chatrian. Although the promotion of new talent is part of a festival's remit, the question arises: does it need its own section?

Always a Stage for Debate

Founded in 1951 as a “window to the free world”, the Berlinale has always been more than just a film festival – it was a political signal in the midst of the Cold War, a cultural bridge builder. To this day, the Berlinale sees itself as a stage for social debates and a reflection of global conflicts. This claim always brings with it challenges.

In its 75-year history, the festival has often been the scene of political disputes – from the escalation surrounding Michael Verhoeven's o.k. in 1970, which led to the first and only cancellation of the festival, to the controversies surrounding the most recent edition in 2024, when statements about the Israel-Gaza war triggered a discussion about anti-Semitism. These tensions show: Being a festival also means finding a balance between freedom of expression and respectful discourse.

First and Foremost: The Films

At this year's programme conference, Tricia Tuttle emphasised that her team had put a lot of energy into calming the waves without jeopardising the festival's openness: “The Berlinale must remain a place where different perspectives on political conflicts can be discussed.” At the same time, she warns not to lose sight of the essentials: the films. After all, they are the ones who capture social realities, open up new perspectives – and ultimately make the Berlinale what it is. The coming days will show whether the festival masters this balancing act: on the screen, in the debates and in the question of how far art, freedom of expression and politics can be negotiated with each other.