The European Film Market (EFM), held during the 76th Berlin International Film Festival from 12-18 February, has concluded its 2026 edition on an upward trajectory, recording a 5% increase in participants, and notable growth across its venues and industry activities. With more than 12,500 professionals attending, the market reaffirmed its role as one of the year’s key meeting points for the global audiovisual sector.

The USA remained the second-largest national group after Germany, followed by France, the UK and Italy, while participation from China and India saw a slight decrease. A total of 606 films were screened during the market, surpassing last year’s figure, with an 83.17% market-premiere rate. The screenings attracted 1,794 buyers, underlining the EFM’s continued relevance for international distribution and acquisition.

Industry momentum was evident from the outset, with a 20% increase in screening-guest scans on the first day. Visitor numbers rose between 10% and 18% across all major venues, including the Gropius Bau, the Berlin Marriott Hotel and the Documentation Centre for Displacement, Expulsion, Reconciliation. Digital engagement also expanded, with 4,500 new social-media followers in the 30 days leading up to the market and the successful rollout of the EFM app.

Programme expansion proved central to this year’s edition. The Producers Hub and Innovation Hub once again drew strong attendance, with exhibitors highlighting the EFM as a key platform for long-term investor and technology partnerships. Newly introduced strands such as the EFM Animation Days and the Games IP Pitching Sessions generated significant interest, while EFM Beyond’s Cross-IP Accelerator and Immersive Zone recorded fully booked VR sessions throughout the market.

The expanded industry programme featured 369 international speakers across more than 100 master classes, workshops and panels, addressing topics ranging from virtual production workflows to AI-supported audience strategies. The DocSalon programme registered a 10% attendance increase at the Documentation Centre compared to 2025. The inaugural Berlinale Film School Summit welcomed over 120 students from 18 film schools across 13 countries, signalling a strengthened commitment to emerging talent.

Awards also played a prominent role. The Distributor Award, sponsored by Fintage House, returned for its second iteration and was presented to Romanian arthouse distributor Bad Unicorn (see the news). Two new prizes were introduced: the EFM StartUps Award, in partnership with Screen International, went to Veronika Gamper, CEO of WeDaVinci, for her AI-based storyboard solution, while the Berlinale Series Market honoured Cláudio Torres, Márcio Maranhão and Andrucha Waddington with the Studio Babelsberg Production Excellence Award for the series Emergency 53 (see the report).

Berlinale Series Market Selects showcased 17 scripted and three documentary series, and launched a new collaboration with Iberseries & Platino Industria through Series Match, a dedicated meeting format connecting companies from both regions.

As this year’s Country in Focus, Morocco maintained a strong and visible presence throughout the market, with a well-attended pavilion at the Gropius Bau. The country highlighted both its creative output and its production infrastructure, positioning itself as a competitive hub for international shoots.

The EFM also hosted live podcast recordings in partnership with PUBLIKUM, to be released as a special edition of the EFM Industry Insights podcast following the market.

The European Film Market forms part of Berlinale Pro, alongside the Berlinale Co-Production Market, Berlinale Talents and the World Cinema Fund, and it continues to position itself as a comprehensive industry infrastructure spanning development, production, sales and distribution.