Achtung Berlin - New Berlin Film Award is a film festival dedicated to contemporary German films created, or partially created, in Berlin and Brandenburg. It is the third-largest film festival in Berlin, showing over 80 films in nine venues across the German capital for a week each year.

Established in 2004, the festival presents feature-length films and documentaries, as well as short and medium-length films before their official release. Achtung Berlin is known to feature the work of both famous directors and up-and-coming filmmakers. It is centred around the Babylon Kino, with some viewings also taking place at several other cinemas dotted around Berlin.

Achtung Berlin film categories

A common misconception about Achtung Berlin is that all entries are either shot entirely in the capital region or deal with it as a subject matter, but this is not always the case! Rather, the festival seeks to showcase the attractiveness and creativity of Berlin’s film community by allowing entries that fulfil one of three criteria.

The first category consists of films that are at least partly shot in the city or which contain a thematic reference to Berlin, for example by showing some of its monuments and memorials or delving into the techno scene.

The second requires the involvement of a production company from the Berlin-Brandenburg region, although international companies are also welcomed to collaborate. The third category consists of films with a director or producer who resides in the capital region.  

What to expect at Achtung Berlin

Because of the intentional vagueness of these requirements, Achtung Berlin is known for showing an incredible variety of films. With everything from features to documentaries and short films, Achtung Berlin will show works from a diverse slate of directors both famed and previously undiscovered, and studios large and small.

Over 25.000 euros in prize money will be allocated both by an expert jury and the audience, with the stakes giving an added level of excitement for all participants.

One of the high points of the festival is the day the jury announce the award-winning films. Along with the ceremony, the prize-winning films are shown at the Babylon Kino. The film festival is also a time for mingling and there will be parties, talks, presentations and workshops to complement the programme of films.

Achtung Berlin participating cinemas

The cinemas in which you’ll find films during Achtung Berlin usually include:

• Colosseum Berlin
• Babylon Kino
• fsk Kino
• City Kino Wedding
• ACUDkino
• Kino International
• Filmtheater Friedrichshain
• Neue Kammerspiele
• Delphi Lux

Get your tickets

For a complete list of participating cinemas, directions by public transportation, and more, please visit the official Achtung Berlin website.