The 76th Berlin International Film Festival will take place from February 12 to 22. Nearly forty French films will be presented across all sections at this year's event, supported by Unifrance.
The Berlinale Competition will present a broad overview of French productions, with eight majority- and minority-French feature films (out of 24 in the selection), including new films by Alain Gomis (Dao), Leyla Bouzid (In a Whisper), and Mahamat-Saleh Haroun (Soumsoum, la nuit des astres). Gormis won the Silver Bear in 2017 for Félicité, but this is the first time at the Berlinale for the other two filmmakers.
All three will be championing diversity at this year's festival, where French production will also be represented by five minority-French films in Competition, directed by Emin Alper, Angela Schanelec, Ilker Çatak, Dominik Locher, Hidetoshi Shinomiya, and Hanna Bergholm.
In the Panorama and Panorama Dokumente strands, notable entries include new films by Danielle Arbid, an intergenerational love story shot in Lebanon (Only Rebels Win), and Patric Chiha, who filmed the daily life of a group of Russian friends during wartime in A Russian Winter. Rithy Panh will present We Are the Fruits of the Forest, a documentary focusing on Cambodia's indigenous communities, in the Forum strand.
In Forum Special, we would like to highlight the presentation of Mona Achache television documentary When you listen to this song, A Night at Anne Frank’s, adapted from Lola Lafon's book, a story that intertwines the life of Anne Frank, the writer's journey of identity, and the memory of a teenager who was a victim of the Cambodian genocide.
On the short film front, five French shorts will be presented in International Competition, including the latest work directed by Yolande Zauberman, Les Juifs riches.
At the invitation of the Teddy Awards and to mark their 40th anniversary, Céline Sciamma, whose Tomboy reaped the award at the Berlinale in 2011, has re-edited the film to offer a new version. This will be previewed at a special screening in the presence of the director, who will receive an honorary Teddy Award in recognition of her cultural and artistic impact.
Delegation and events
Many filmmakers and artists will be attending this year's festival, including (subject to change): Leyla Bouzid, Eya Bouteraa, Hiam Abbass, and Marion Barbeau (for In a Whisper); Alain Gomis, Katy Correa, D'Johé Kouadio, Samir Guesmi, Fara Baco Gomis, and Poundo Gomis for Dao; Mahamat-Saleh Haroun, Achouackh Abakar Souleymane, Ériq Ebouaney, and Maïmouna Miawama for Soumsoum, la nuit des astres; Danielle Arbid and Hiam Abbass for Only Rebels Win; Patric Chiha; Rithy Panh...
On the evening of February 13, Unifrance will host its traditional cocktail reception for the festival and EFM, for French distributors, sales agents, and delegations (by invitation only).
On February 16, during the Soirée Française du Cinéma at the Ambassade de France in Germany, François Delattre, Ambassadeur de France to Germany, will award the insignia of Officer of the Legion of Honor to Daniela Elstner, Executive Director of Unifrance.
Club Unifrance
For the second year running, Unifrance will be operating the Club Unifrance during the Berlinale from February 13 to 17. Located just a few minutes from Potsdamer Platz, this space is dedicated to welcoming French film crews from all strands and selections for their meetings with the international press and for recording interviews.
This initiative, designed to boost media coverage of French films, has been made possible thanks to increased support from the CNC for 2026 and the patrons of the Unifrance Endowment Fund (Accor – Grand Patron, BNP Paribas – Patron, and Maison Pommery & Associés – Patron). It should also be noted that Unifrance plans to provide specific support for documentaries in partnership with La Scam.
Unifrance at the EFM
Many French sales agents will also be attending the EFM. A total of 16 French international sales companies, as well as the CNC and Le Marché du Film / Cinando, will be hosted at the Unifrance stand (No.36):
- Alfama Films Production
- Artedis
- Coproduction Office
- France tv distribution
- Le Pacte
- Loco Films
- Losange Films
- Luxbox
- Mediawan Rights
- MPM Premium
- Octopolis
- Pyramide International
- Salaud Morisset
- The Bureau Sales
- Urban Sales
- WTFilms
Gen Z Audience Award
Unifrance is once again joining forces with the EFM, OFAJ (Office Franco-Allemand pour la Jeunesse), and Université Paris 8 Vincennes – Saint-Denis, for the 2nd Gen Z Audience Award.
Two students from Paris 8, selected by Unifrance in collaboration with Université Paris 8 Vincennes – Saint Denis and the OFAJ, will participate in a Franco-German jury (composed of five students in total) which will award, from among the selection of the Berlinale Co-Production Market, a feature film project in the development or financing phase that is particularly aimed at young people and promises to reach and move a wide audience in this segment.
The Gen Z Audience Award comes with a €5,000 grant from the OFAJ.
From short to long
As part of its strategy to support emerging producers and talent, Unifrance is once again partnering with EFM Toolbox, which has selected producer Khir-Din Grid (Nouvelle Toile), to participate in the program's activities with Unifrance's support.
Press screenings
Ahead of the festival, Unifrance will, as it does every year, organize press screenings of some of the French titles presented during this edition, for the benefit of international journalists based in Paris.
The 10 to Watch 2026 in the spotlight
The Unifrance 10 to Watch 2026 talents will be showcased at Unifrance's EFM stand via a dedicated display. This initiative will also be the subject of a feature by Screen International as part of its Berlinale dailies.
Shooting Stars 2026
Salif Cissé, a member of Unifrance's 10 to Watch 2026, will represent France—with the support of Unifrance—as part of the European Shooting Stars. program. Initiated by the EFP, this program invites ten promising new talents from European cinema to the Berlin Film Festival each year to help them make themselves known to the international press and public and to build a network in the international film industry.
All the French films at the 76th Berlinale
Competition
- In a Whisper by Leyla Bouzid
- Dao by Alain Gomis
- Soumsoum, la nuit des astres by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun
- A New Dawn by Yoshitoshi Shinomiya (minority-French co-production)
- Nightborn by Hanna Bergholm (minority-French co-production)
- Salvation by Emin Alper (minority-French co-production)
- Thomas Le Fort by Angela Schanelec (minority-French co-production)
- Yellow Letters by Ilker Çatak (minority-French co-production)
Panorama
- Only Rebels Win by Danielle Arbid
- Enjoy Your Stay by Dominik Locher (minority-French co-production)
- Isabel by Gabe Klinger (minority-French co-production)
- Narciso by Marcelo Martinessi (minority-French co-production)
- Paradise by Jérémy Comte (minority-French co-production)
Panorama Dokumente
- The Hidden Face Of The Earth by Arnaud Alain
- Enough Is Enough by Elisé Sawasawa
- A Russian Winter by Patric Chiha
- Douglas Gordon by Douglas Gordon by Finlay Pretsell (minority-French co-production)
- Jaripeo by Efrain Mojica and Rebecca Zweig (minority-French co-production)
- The Other Side of the Sun by Tawfik Sabouni (minority-French co-production)
Forum
Berlinale Special
Retrospective
- 新ドイツ零年 by Jean-Luc Godard
- From the East by Chantal Akerman
- The Double Life of Véronique by Krzysztof Kieslowski
Berlinale Classics
Forum Special
Perspectives
- Chronicles From the Siege by Abdallah Al-Khatib (minority-French co-production)
- Filipiñana by Rafael Manuel (minority-French co-production)
- Forêt ivre by Manon Coubia (minority-French co-production)
- Truly Naked by Muriel d'Ansembourg (minority-French co-production)
Generation 14Plus
- Chicas tristes by Fernanda Tovar (minority-French co-production)
Teddy 40
Short Film - International Competition
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