The Berlin International Film Festival has announced that German director, author and photographer Wim Wenders will lead the International Jury of the 76th Berlinale.
“Wim Wenders is one of the most influential voices in international cinema,” said Berlinale director Tricia Tuttle.
“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.”
Wenders added: “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 for inviting me to this rare experience.”
Wenders’ career spans six decades. Most recently, Wenders impressed audiences and critics with Perfect Days (2023), which earned an Oscar nomination, and with the 3D documentary Anselm (2023) about artist Anselm Kiefer.
BIFF added: “He is among the most significant representatives of New German Cinema and has been a global presence since the 1970s. His work, both fiction and documentary, has inspired generations of filmmakers and captivated audiences worldwide.
“With his early films 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), he shaped a new cinematic language and redefined the image of German film.”
In 1971, he co-founded Filmverlag der Autoren, a key institution for New German Cinema, and in 2003 he was one of the founding members of the German Film Academy.
Wenders is also a co-founder of the European Film Academy and served as its president for more than two decades.
With his foundation – the Wim Wenders Stiftung – he is committed to supporting film heritage, as well as the next generation of filmmakers and film education.
Wenders has long been closely connected to the Berlinale: In addition to Pina, The Million Dollar Hotel (Opening Film 2000) and the 3D feature Everything Will Be Fine (2015), he has presented numerous works in the festival programme.
He was a strong supporter and contributor in the founding years of the Berlinale Talent Campus (now Berlinale Talents). In 2015, he was honoured with the Berlinale’s Honorary Golden Bear for his outstanding achievements in film and cinema, and seven of his films were screened in restored versions.
The 76th Berlinale will take place from 12 to 22 February 2026. The International Jury, chaired by Wim Wenders, will decide on the Golden and Silver Bears in the Competition.
The Award Ceremony will be on 21 February 2026.
