From February 13 to 18, Berlinale Talents will welcome 200 filmmakers hailing from 120 countries to Berlin for a series workshops, talks and public discussions under the theme “Creating (and) Confusion — Cinema, Chaos and the Power of Discomfort”. The 2026 edition also introduces an alumni lab, the new Dream Makers short film contest, and the sixth edition of Mastercard Enablement Programme.

Berlinale Talents is part of one of the world’s largest and most active film networks, with over 10,000 alumni worldwide. The Talents come from 15 fields of filmmaking, spanning directing, screenwriting, producing, cinematography, editing, sound, VR and animation, reflecting Berlinale Talents’ long-standing commitment to diversity, equality and international collaboration. This year’s participants (110 female, 81 male, three non-binary and six who preferred not to say) were selected from 3,438 applications, representing urgent contemporary issues, international recognition, activism and innovative storytelling approaches.

Highlighted Talents include Eiman Yousif, Sudanese actor, singer and activist who combines artistry with campaigns against HIV/AIDS and gender-based violence, known for her breakout role in Goodbye Julia [+lee también:
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entrevista: Laura Samani
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entrevista: Deepak Rauniyar y Asha Mag…
ficha de la película]. The complete selection of the 2026 Berlinale Talents can be found here.

The Talent Project Market will spotlight ten alumni projects seeking international co-production partners via the Berlinale Co-Production Market, reinforcing global collaboration and fostering the next generation of cinematic voices (see the news).

For the first time, Berlinale Talents will host the Berlinale Talents Lab, bringing back 20 alumni projects across fiction, documentary, animation and experimental forms. The Lab provides a collaborative environment for refining creative visions and accelerating production. Participants engage in tailored one-on-one and group mentoring sessions to strengthen story structures, explore new formats, and secure potential co-production or financing partners. The Lab concludes with public presentations for Talents, audiences, and industry representatives. All the projects can be found here.

Returning for its sixth edition, the Mastercard Enablement Programme supports sustainable, cinema-focused initiatives by alumni that positively impact their communities. The 2026 jury includes actor, writer, director, and producer Lamin Leroy Gibba (Dogfriend, Black Fruit), director and Berlinale Talents alumna Mala Reinhardt (The Second Attack, Familiar Places), and Maximilian Floegel, Vice President Marketing Communications, Mastercard DACH. The jury will select two fellows whose film-related initiatives, networks or platforms exemplify inclusivity and social impact.

New in 2026, The Dream Makers is an international short film contest by CUPRA in collaboration with Studio Babelsberg, Berlinale Talents and the Berlin International Film Festival, designed to support emerging filmmakers with full production funding (€180,000–€250,000), mentoring and festival access. The jury consists of actor Daniel Brühl, director and producer JA Bayona, Marcus Loges (Managing Director, Studio Babelsberg Motion Pictures), Ignacio Prieto (SEAT & CUPRA Chief Brand Officer) and Berlinale Festival Director Tricia Tuttle.

Berlinale Talents continues to be a key platform within Berlinale Pro, alongside the European Film Market, the Berlinale Co-Production Market and the World Cinema Fund, serving as an incubator and promoter of the global film industry across all stages of development, production, sales and distribution.