EnglischThe Berlin Kurdish Film Festival was founded in 2002 under the patronage of the then Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit and was the first festival of its kind in the world. Since then, it has been a champion of the international visibility of Kurdish cinema and the promotion of cultural diversity in the heart of Europe.
The Berlin Kurdish Film Festival was founded in 2002 under the patronage of the then Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit and was the first festival of its kind in the world. Since then, it has been a champion of the international visibility of Kurdish cinema and the promotion of cultural diversity in the heart of Europe.
Emerging from a historical context in which the Kurdish language and culture were banned or politically suppressed across the four parts of Kurdistan for decades, Berlin became a place of free artistic expression. In a city that stands for openness, migration and cultural diversity, the festival developed into a platform for democratic public discourse, self-representation and transnational dialogue.
The ongoing financial support from the Berlin Senate has been and remains of central importance. It has not only enabled the festival to establish itself in the long term, but also underlines Berlin’s cultural policy ethos: to promote diversity, give visibility to marginalised perspectives and strengthen international cultural networks. Without this support, the festival’s sustainable development would scarcely have been possible.
The 16th edition will take place at Babylon Mitte from 25 September to 1 October 2026. Around 60 feature films, documentaries and short films will be screened, alongside a diverse supporting programme featuring discussions, panels and encounters between filmmakers and the audience.
The 2026 festival theme – “Kurds in the Soviet Union – Between Memory, Identity and Renewal” – explores a little-told story. It examines how Kurdish identity took shape and evolved under the political conditions of the Soviet era – caught between repression and support, between cultural self-assertion, memory and artistic expression.
