The federal government increases the budget for the anniversary edition

The federal government will support this year’s Berlinale, which is taking place for the first time under the direction of Tricia Tuttle, with up to 1.9 million euros. This was announced by a spokesman for Minister of State for Culture Claudia Roth (Greens).

This will increase the subsidy to the film festival’s budget from 10.9 million to up to 12.8 million. The additional funds are intended to strengthen the 75th edition and the work of the new director, it was said. If you take a closer look, the Berlinale isn’t exactly swimming in subsidies. In 2023, the standard funding of 10.7 million euros was increased with one-off special funds amounting to 2.2 million euros. When these were canceled in 2024 – to which the then management Carla Chatrian and Mariette Rissenbeek responded by significantly cutting the program – the state of Berlin joined the Berlinale for the first time, with a subsidy of 2 million euros. These were immediately cut again by 1 million as part of the cultural budget cuts for 2025, after there was initially talk of the state subsidy being completely eliminated again. One million less from the state, but more money from the federal government: the bottom line is that the Berlinale can operate with around one million euros more in government subsidies.

With a total budget of around 34 million euros, which otherwise comes from own resources such as ticket revenue and contributions in kind from sponsors, this should be enough for the bare essentials given inflation and increased energy prices. However, there is no cause for concern: the festival announced in November that balanced financing would be secured by the end of March.

With the American Tricia Tuttle, a woman is at the helm of the Berlinale for the first time, the anniversary edition of which takes place from February 13th to 23rd.