Just before they unveil the titles competing for the Golden Bear, we now have a proper overview of some of the other savoury items in the sidebar sections such as the Panorama and Generation Kplus/14plus programmes. Among the highly anticipated world premieres highlighted as Berlinale Special Galas we find Teodora Ana Mihai‘s Heysel 85 and Ulrike Ottinger’s Blood Countess. Heysel 85 is about the real-life tragedy at the European Cup Final at Brussels’ Heysel Stadium, killing 39 people, the mayor’s daughter and a journalist are drawn into the heart of the tragedy, caught between professional duty, family loyalty and moral responsibility. The Blood Countess stars Isabelle Huppert along with Birgit Minichmayr, Thomas Schubert, Lars Eidinger and André Jung. This is about The Blood Countess and her maid embark on a quest for the red elixir of life and a book that threatens the vampire realm. Hot on their heels are a police inspector, two vampirologists, a vegetarian nephew and his therapist.
Berlinale Special Galas
Among the Panorama titles we find Hong Sangsoo with The Day She Returns with Song Sunmi, Cho Yunhee and Park Miso. She has just finished the shoot of an independent film and now has to give three interviews about it. Afterwards, in her acting class, her teacher asks her to reenact the interviews. But for some reason, she is unable to remember them. We have long-awaited return of Gabe Klinger with Isabel. Starring Marina Person, Caio Horowicz and John Ortiz, this is about Isabel, a sommelière in São Paulo, dreams of escaping her boss and opening her own bar. When plans do not go as expected, she must decide whether to halt everything or take bold steps to uncork her fate on her own terms. After wowing us with his masterwork short Fauve (2018), we finally have the launch of Jérémy Comte‘s directorial debut in Paradise – this is about an enigmatic captain of a burning cargo ship binds together the fates of two families; one in the bustling Ghanaian city of Accra, the other in a quiet Canadian town. The Heiresses filmmaker Marcelo Martinessi returns with Narciso. Populated by Diro Romero, Manuel Cuenca, Mona Martinez and Nahuel Perez Biscayart, this is set in Paraguay, 1958. The charismatic Narciso returns from Buenos Aires with rock ’n’ roll in his veins. Under the suffocating military regime, he becomes a music sensation and a symbol of freedom. But then, after his final show, he is found dead. Here are the selections below:
Die Blutgräfin (The Blood Countess)
by Ulrike Ottinger | with Isabelle Huppert, Birgit Minichmayr, Thomas Schubert, Lars Eidinger, André Jung
Austria / Luxembourg / Germany 2026
Berlinale Special Gala | World premiere
The Blood Countess and her maid embark on a quest for the red elixir of life and a book that threatens the vampire realm. Hot on their
heels are a police inspector, two vampirologists, a vegetarian nephew and his therapist.
Good Luck, Have Fun, Don’t Die
by Gore Verbinski | with Sam Rockwell, Juno Temple, Haley Lu Richardson, Zazie Beetz, Michael Peña
Germany 2025
Berlinale Special Gala | European premiere
A man from the future enters a diner in Los Angeles. He has to recruit exactly the right combination of people from the customers
present for a nighttime mission to save the world.
Heysel 85
by Teodora Ana Mihai | with Violet Braeckman, Matteo Simoni, Josse De Pauw, Fabrizio Rongione, Paolo Calabresi
Belgium / Netherlands / Germany 2026
Berlinale Special Gala | World premiere
When violence erupts before the 1985 European Cup Final at Brussels’ Heysel Stadium, killing 39 people, the mayor’s daughter and a
journalist are drawn into the heart of the tragedy, caught between professional duty, family loyalty and moral responsibility.
House of Yang
by Stefanie Ren (Showrunner, Creator), Mia Spengler (Director) | with Elisa Hofmann, Purnima Grätz, Andrea Guo, Emma Bading,
Vladimir Burlakov
Germany 2026
Berlinale Special Series | World premiere | Series
In 1949, a girl disappears from an isolated house in the Black Forest. Fifty years later, another girl disappears. Now, in the present, the
ghosts of the past step out of the shadows once more in this six-part mystery series.
La casa de los espíritus (The House of the Spirits)
by Francisca Alegría (Showrunner, Director), Fernanda Urrejola (Showrunner), Andrés Wood (Showrunner, Director) | with Alfonso
Herrera, Dolores Fonzi, Nicole Wallace, Fernanda Castillo, Antonia Zegers
Chile 2026
Berlinale Special Series | World premiere | Series
Based on Isabel Allende’s book, “The House of the Spirits”, the series follows three generations of the revolutionary and resilient
Trueba women through a remote and conservative South American nation of upheaval, disaster and magic.
Lord of the Flies
by Marc Munden (Director) | with Winston Sawyers, Lox Pratt, David McKenna, Ike Talbut
United Kingdom 2026
Berlinale Special Series | European premiere | Series
Innocence descends into savagery when a group of English schoolboys become desert island castaways in the first television
adaptation of William Golding’s landmark dystopian classic.
Mint
by Charlotte Regan (Creator, Director) | with Emma Laird, Ben Coyle-Larner, Sam Riley, Laura Fraser, Lindsay Duncan
United Kingdom 2026
Berlinale Special Series | World premiere | Series
A love story about a crime family. And not your usual gangster series – no shootouts or drug deals. Instead, the story is told through
the eyes (and the imagination) of the family’s daughter, who is desperately searching for love.
Monster Pabrik Rambut (Sleep No More)
by Edwin | with Rachel Amanda, Lutesha, Iqbaal Ramadhan, Didik Nini Thowok, Sal Priadi
Indonesia / Singapore / Japan / Germany / France 2026
Berlinale Special Midnight | World premiere
The world is forcing humans into excessive work. For the sake of the future and their loved ones, they sacrifice sleep to keep on
working. It is at this moment that a dark figure appears and takes possession of their bodies.
Ravalear (Ravalear: Not For Sale)
by Pol Rodríguez (Creator, Director), Isaki Lacuesta (Director) | with Enric Auquer, María Rodríguez, Sergi López, Quim Ávila, Francesc
Orella
Spain 2026
Berlinale Special Series | World premiere | Series
In Barcelona’s Raval neighbourhood, the family-run restaurant “Can Mosques” faces eviction after an investment fund buys the
building. The family’s fight to survive escalates, pushing them to cross any and all boundaries.
Saccharine
by Natalie Erika James | with Midori Francis, Danielle Macdonald, Madeleine Madden, Robert Taylor, Showko Showfukutei
Australia 2025
Berlinale Special Midnight | European premiere
Hana, a lovelorn medical student, becomes terrorised by a sinister force after taking part in an obscure weight-loss craze: eating
human ashes.
The Ballad of Judas Priest
by Sam Dunn, Tom Morello | with Judas Priest
USA 2026
Berlinale Special Midnight | World premiere | Documentary form
The Ballad of Judas Priest follows heavy metal pioneers Judas Priest and their half-century journey from working-class origins in England
to their recent induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
The Only Living Pickpocket in New York
by Noah Segan | with John Turturro, Steve Buscemi, Giancarlo Esposito, Will Price, Tatiana Maslany
USA 2026
Berlinale Special Gala | International premiere
Harry is an ageing pickpocket struggling in a changed New York City. When he unwittingly steals a valuable USB stick, he finds himself
in a race against time to return the loot or face the rage of a vengeful crime family.
The Story of Documentary Film
by Mark Cousins (Director)
United Kingdom 2026
Berlinale Special Series | Documentary form | Series
From Mark Cousins (The Story of Film) comes a definitive history of documentary: tracing the evolution of the genre across time,
encompassing landmark works and hidden treasures, while revealing how the form has helped us to see and make sense of our world.
The Testament of Ann Lee
by Mona Fastvold | with Amanda Seyfried, Lewis Pullman, Thomasin McKenzie, Matthew Beard, Christopher Abbott
USA / United Kingdom 2025
Berlinale Special Gala | German premiere
The extraordinary true legend of Ann Lee, founder of the Shakers, who preached gender and social equality. Revered by her followers,
her rapturous quest to build a utopia comes to life through song and movement.
The Weight
by Padraic McKinley | with Ethan Hawke, Russell Crowe, Julia Jones, Austin Amelio, Avi Nash
Germany / USA 2026
Berlinale Special Gala | European premiere | Debut film
Oregon, 1933. Samuel Murphy is torn from his daughter and sent to a brutal work camp. Warden Clancy tempts him with early release
if he smuggles gold through the deadly wilderness. How far will Murphy go to see his child again?
TUTU
by Sam Pollard
United Kingdom 2026
Berlinale Special Presentation | World premiere | Documentary form
Through never-before-seen archival footage and first-hand accounts of those who knew him best, the film traces Archbishop Desmond
Tutu’s rise as the voice of the oppressed, guided by faith, hope and an understanding of the power of forgiveness.
Un hijo propio (A Child of My Own)
by Maite Alberdi | with Ana Celeste, Armando Espitia, Ángeles Cruz, Mayra Sérbulo Cortés, Luisa Guzmán
Mexico 2026
Berlinale Special Presentation | World premiere | Documentary form
The profound desire to become a mother and pressure from her surroundings drive Alejandra to fake a pregnancy. What begins as a
simple lie turns into a complex charade and unleashes a media scandal that makes it impossible for her to continue the pretence.
WAX & GOLD
by Ruth Beckermann
Austria 2026
Berlinale Special Presentation | World premiere | Documentary form
Starting from a hotel in Addis Ababa built by Emperor Haile Selassie, Ruth Beckermann explores a place both familiar and foreign to
her. Archive footage and conversations on the ground combine personal reflections with the histories of Ethiopia and Europe.
Who Killed Alex Odeh?
by Jason Osder, William Lafi Youmans
USA 2026
Berlinale Special Presentation | International premiere | Documentary form
The assassination of a beloved Palestinian American activist in Southern California ignites a 40-year quest for justice that uncovers the
roots of a dangerous political movement that still thrives today.
Panorama
Allegro Pastell
by Anna Roller | with Sylvaine Faligant, Jannis Niewöhner, Haley Louise Jones, Luna Wedler, Martina Gedeck
Germany 2026
Panorama | World premiere
Novelist Tanja and web designer Jerome, both in their thirties, have perfected a balance of intimacy and separation in their long-
distance relationship. When Tanja catches a glimpse of a settled future together, she wonders if it is really what she wants.
Árru
by Elle Sofe Sara | with Sara Marielle Gaup Beaska, Simon Issát Marainen, Ayla Gáren Nutti, Mikkel Gaup
Norway / Sweden / Finland 2026
Panorama | World premiere | Debut film
Sámi reindeer herder Maia fights to protect her ancestral lands from a looming mining project. Amid the growing protests, she is also
confronted with deeply buried family traumas. Maia is forced to make a decision.
Bucks Harbor
by Pete Muller
USA 2026
Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Debut film | Documentary form
Boys in Downeast Maine are shaped by the brutal winters, their harvesting of the ocean’s bounty and the rigid codes of their fathers.
Bucks Harbor explores growing up in a community where a man’s worth is often defined by the strength of his back.
Douglas Gordon by Douglas Gordon
by Finlay Pretsell | with Douglas Gordon
United Kingdom / France 2026
Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Documentary form
An intimate portrait of the Turner Prize-winning artist. As the boundary between reality and performance blurs, the shifting relationship
between filmmaker and subject calls into question who is actually making the film.
El jardín que soñamos (The Garden We Dreamed)
by Joaquín del Paso | with Nehemie Bastien, Faustin Pierre, Kimaëlle Holly Preville, Ruth Aicha Pierre Nelson, Carlos Esquivel
Mexico 2026
Panorama | World premiere
In a land not their own, amid a dwindling forest, a family carves out a fragile bubble of tenderness – a fleeting garden of hope where
love can still take root.
Enjoy Your Stay
by Dominik Locher, Honeylyn Joy Alipio | with Mercedes Cabral, Alexis Manenti, Anna Luna, Hasmine Killip
Switzerland / France / Philippines 2026
Panorama | World premiere
To avoid losing custody of her six-year-old daughter in Manila, Luz, an undocumented Filipina cleaner working in a luxury Swiss ski
resort, must earn money at any cost – even if it means transgressing her own moral limits.
Geunyeoga doraon nal (The Day She Returns)
by Hong Sangsoo | with Song Sunmi, Cho Yunhee, Park Miso
South Korea 2026
Panorama | World premiere
She has just finished the shoot of an independent film and now has to give three interviews about it. Afterwards, in her acting class,
her teacher asks her to reenact the interviews. But for some reason, she is unable to remember them.
Ich verstehe Ihren Unmut (I Understand Your Displeasure)
by Kilian Armando Friedrich | with Sabine Thalau, Nada Kosturin, Werner Posselt, Sadibou Diabang, Nigyar Velagich
Germany 2026
Panorama | World premiere
Heike, a customer service manager at an understaffed cleaning company, must secure more working hours and revenue for a
subcontractor after she is caught trying to poach an employee from his company.
Im Umkreis des Paradieses (Around Paradise)
by Yulia Lokshina
Germany 2026
Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Documentary form
In Caazapá, the “city of magic and legends”, two Paraguayan students are searching for happiness, gold and a magic bird. Their
European dropout neighbours are hoping for freedom, healing and salvation from Armageddon. Everything has its price.
Isabel
by Gabe Klinger | with Marina Person, Caio Horowicz, John Ortiz
Brazil / France 2026
Panorama | World premiere
Isabel, a sommelière in São Paulo, dreams of escaping her boss and opening her own bar. When plans do not go as expected, she must
decide whether to halt everything or take bold steps to uncork her fate on her own terms.
Iván & Hadoum
by Ian de la Rosa | with Silver Chicón, Herminia Loh
Spain / Germany / Belgium 2026
Panorama | World premiere | Debut film
In a greenhouse in southern Spain, Iván falls in love with his newly hired co-worker, Hadoum. But his long-awaited promotion interferes
with their relationship, forcing Iván to decide what kind of person he wants to be.
Jaripeo
by Efraín Mojica, Rebecca Zweig
Mexico / USA / France 2026
Panorama Dokumente | International premiere | Debut film | Documentary form
A journey to the hypermasculine rodeos of Michoacán state in Mexico delves into the subconscious of memory, queer desire and
longing, leading to a reckoning with the wounds and beauty of a home left behind.
Lady
by Olive Nwosu | with Jessica Gabriel’s Ujah, Amanda Oruh, Tinuade Jemisey, Seun Kuti, Bucci Franklin
United Kingdom 2026
Panorama | European premiere | Debut film
In the sprawling African metropolis of Lagos, a fiercely independent young female taxi driver meets a band of flamboyant sex workers
whose sisterhood pulls her into both danger and joy, setting her on a journey toward her own transformation.
La Face cachée de la Terre (The Hidden Face of the Earth)
by Arnaud Alain | with Dimitri Jean, Pierre Marragou
France 2026
Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Debut film | Documentary form
Dimitri loves photographing friends, strangers, lovers. Over the years, images have slipped away from his sight. Behind his camera, he
gathers light and bodies, inviting us to gaze toward the hidden face of the Earth.
Lali
by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat | with Mamya Shajaffar, Channan Hanif, Rasti Farooq, Farazeh Syed, Mehr Bano
Pakistan 2026
Panorama | World premiere
Bound by love and haunted by fate, Zeba and Sajawal spiral through feelings of desire, superstition and fear in Lali, a darkly comic tale
where the living share a restless world with the ghosts.
London
by Sebastian Brameshuber | with Bobby Sommer
Austria 2026
Panorama | World premiere
Bobby drives back and forth between Vienna and Salzburg, giving lifts to strangers on the way, sharing conversations that drift from
the mundane to the deeply personal. In this tender portrait of today’s Europe, anonymity and warmth still go hand in hand.
Mouse
by Kelly O’Sullivan, Alex Thompson | with Sophie Okonedo, Katherine Mallen Kupferer, Chloe Coleman, David Hyde Pierce, Iman Vellani
USA 2026
Panorama | World premiere
Callie and Minnie’s relationship is suddenly upended at the start of the summer before their senior year of high school. Left rudderless
without her charismatic best friend, Minnie starts to form a complicated friendship with Callie’s mother.
Narciso
by Marcelo Martinessi | with Diro Romero, Manuel Cuenca, Mona Martinez, Nahuel Perez Biscayart
Paraguay / Germany / Uruguay / Brazil / Portugal / Spain / France 2026
Panorama | World premiere
Paraguay, 1958. The charismatic Narciso returns from Buenos Aires with rock ’n’ roll in his veins. Under the suffocating military regime,
he becomes a music sensation and a symbol of freedom. But then, after his final show, he is found dead …
Only Rebels Win
by Danielle Arbid | with Hiam Abbass, Amine Benrachid
France / Lebanon / Qatar 2026
Panorama | World premiere
Suzanne and Osmane meet in crisis-ridden Beirut. Osmane is a young Sudanese man without papers, searching for a better future;
Suzanne is a widow with Palestinian roots more than twice his age. Against all odds, they fall in love.
Paradise
by Jérémy Comte | with Joey Boivin Desmeules, Daniel Atsu Hukporti, Evelyne de la Chenelière
Canada / France / Ghana 2026
Panorama | World premiere | Debut film
The enigmatic captain of a burning cargo ship binds together the fates of two families; one in the bustling Ghanaian city of Accra, the
other in a quiet Canadian town.
Roya
by Mahnaz Mohammadi | with Melisa Sözen, Maryam Palizban, Hamid Reza Djavdan, Mohammad Ali Hosseinalipour, Bacho Meburishvili
Germany / Luxembourg / Czechia / Iran 2026
Panorama | World premiere
Roya, an Iranian teacher imprisoned for her political beliefs, is faced with a choice: make a forced televised confession, or remain
confined to her three-square-metre cell.
Rumaragasa (Raging)
by Ryan Machado | with Elijah Canlas, Ron Angeles, Reynald Raissel Santos, Glenn Sevilla Mas, Rodney Galicha
Philippines 2025
Panorama | International premiere
The mid-1990s on the Filipino island of Sibuyan. After he has been raped, a young man retreats into a world of silence and isolation.
Then he witnesses a plane crash and embarks on a quest for justice.
Safe Exit
by Mohammed Hammad | with Marwan Waleed, Noha Foad, Hazem Essam
Egypt / Libya / Tunisia / Qatar / Germany 2026
Panorama | World premiere
A psychological thriller following Samaan, a young security guard who, like many of his generation, is struggling with trauma. His
parents were murdered in the religious and ethnic violence that has been unfolding in the Arab region for decades.
Se eu fosse vivo… vivia (If I Were Alive)
by André Novais Oliveira | with Conceição Evaristo, Norberto Novais Oliveira, Jean Paulo Campos, Tainá Evaristo
Brazil 2026
Panorama | World premiere
Gilberto and Jacira promised to grow old together – for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health. Till death them
do part.
Shanghai Daughter
by Agnis Shen Zhongmin | with Liang Cuishan
People’s Republic of China 2026
Panorama | World premiere | Debut film
A Shanghai woman journeys alone to a rubber plantation in southwest China, where her late father was sent during the Cultural
Revolution. As she searches for a mysterious woman, some strangers unexpectedly drift into her path.
Shibire (Numb)
by Takuya Uchiyama | with Takumi Kitamura, Rie Miyazawa, Tsukasa Enomoto, Anji Kato, Masatoshi Nagase
Japan 2025
Panorama | International premiere
A boy who no longer speaks, shaped by a tyrannical father and a mother he both resents and loves, grows up on Japan’s northern
coast. With nowhere to belong, he returns to seek his father and sets his fate in motion.
Siri Hustvedt – Dance Around the Self
by Sabine Lidl | with Siri Hustvedt, Paul Auster, Sophie Auster, Katerina Fotopoulou, Liv Hustvedt
Germany / Switzerland 2026
Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Documentary form
Sabine Lidl presents Siri Hustvedt’s journey from her first novel to being a leading voice in contemporary literature – a film about
feminist perspectives, Hustvedt’s soulmate Paul Auster, and the power of thought.
Staatsschutz (Prosecution)
by Faraz Shariat | with Chen Emilie Yan, Julia Jentsch, Alev Irmak, Arnd Klawitter, Sebastian Urzendowsky
Germany 2026
Panorama | World premiere
After surviving a racist attack, state prosecutor Seyo Kim takes her own case to court – confronting both the perpetrators and a justice
system that turns a blind eye to right-wing extremism.
The Education of Jane Cumming
by Sophie Heldman | with Flora Nicholson, Clare Dunne, Mia Tharia, Fiona Shaw, Sadie Shimmin
Germany / Switzerland / United Kingdom 2026
Panorama | World premiere
Edinburgh, 1810. Two female teachers find themselves at the centre of a scandal when one of their pupils accuses them of having a
love affair. A drama about prejudice, survival and the courage to stand up for the truth.
The Moment
by Aidan Zamiri | with Charli xcx, Alexander Skarsgård, Rosanna Arquette, Hailey Benton Gates, Jamie Demetriou
USA / United Kingdom 2026
Panorama | International premiere | Debut film
A mockumentary about the highs and lows of success. Charli xcx does battle with immense expectations – both from others and herself
… Aidan Zamiri presents the musician in her most personal role yet.
The Other Side of the Sun
by Tawfik Sabouni | with Tawfik Sabouni, Mahmoud Kadah, Abdelkafi Alhaj, Mohammad Hamki, Abdelhamid Jadou
Belgium / France / Saudi Arabia 2026
Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Debut film | Documentary form
After the fall of Assad’s regime, five survivors return to the former torture prison of Saidnaya to reenact what they experienced there
during their incarceration. They reclaim their voices and bear witness for those who can no longer speak for themselves.
Traces
by Alisa Kovalenko, Marysia Nikitiuk | with Iryna Dovhan, Tetiana Vasylenko, Liudmyla Mefodiivna, Galyna Tyshchenko, Olha Cherniak
Ukraine / Poland 2026
Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Documentary form
Despite the deep traces of trauma caused by sexual violence and torture at the hands of Russian troops, Ukrainian women survivors
are uniting to break stigma and silence, transforming their testimonies into a powerful form of resistance.
Tristan Forever
by Tobias Nölle, Loran Bonnardot
Switzerland 2026
Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Documentary form
For 30 years, a doctor from Paris has maintained a friendship with a fisherman on Tristan da Cunha, the most isolated inhabited island
in the world. Now he travels back one more time, with the plan to stay there for good.
Trop c’est trop (Enough is Enough)
by Elisé Sawasawa
France / Democratic Republic of the Congo 2026
Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Debut film | Documentary form
Thirty years of war, seven million displaced, ten million dead. Trop c’est trop is a plunge into the chaos of the city of Goma, capital of
North Kivu in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Two Mountains Weighing Down My Chest
by Viv Li
Germany / Netherlands 2026
Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Debut film | Documentary form
A Chinese wannabe artist drifts between Berlin’s overwhelming alternative scene and her traditional family in Beijing. With wit and
insight, the film follows her search for identity and belonging in a globalised but polarised world.
Un hiver russe (A Russian Winter)
by Patric Chiha
France 2026
Panorama Dokumente | World premiere | Documentary form
After the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Margarita, Yuri and their friends are pushed into exile from Russia as they refuse to comply with
the regime. Suspended between countries, they have nowhere to return, and nowhere they feel truly welcome.
Vier minus drei (Four Minus Three)
by Adrian Goiginger | with Valerie Pachner, Robert Stadlober, Stefanie Reinsperger, Hanno Koffler
Austria / Germany 2026
Panorama | World premiere
Barbara and Heli are professional clowns, living out their dream of an alternative, joy‑filled life with their two children. But when Heli
and the children die in a car crash, Barbara’s faith in humour, hope and humanity is put to the ultimate test.
Generation
Abracadabra
by Amay Mehrishi | with Advay Pradhan, Arsh Victor Suri, Anvishaa Tyagi, Ira Chitalia, Supriya Sawant
United Kingdom / India 2026
Generation Kplus | World premiere | Short film
On a school bus ride that feels both endless and fleeting, Agastya wrestles with identity, guilt and unspoken emotions when his best
friend chooses to sit elsewhere.
A Fabulosa Máquina do Tempo (The Fabulous Time Machine | Die fabelhafte Zeitmaschine)
by Eliza Capai | with Manuellinha, Manu, Sophia
Brazil 2026
Generation Kplus | World premiere | Documentary form
In the arid Brazilian hinterland, girls play poised between their mothers’ difficult pasts and fantastic dreams for the future. In a place
where men are still seen as giants compared to women, the girls cross the threshold from childhood into adolescence.
A Family
by Mees Peijnenburg | with Finn Vogels, Celeste Holsheimer, Carice van Houten, Pieter Embrechts
Netherlands / Belgium 2026
Generation 14plus | World premiere
Caught in the crossfire of their parents’ divorce, Nina and Eli are torn between loyalty, anger and a longing to be seen. Through their
mirrored perspectives the same story unfolds, revealing how love can fracture and still find its way.
Allá en el cielo (Nobody Knows the World)
by Roddy Dextre | with Ransés Naranjo Franco, Gabriel Merino Dorival, Kenyi Farfán Baique, Santiago Solórzano Zevallos
Peru 2026
Generation 14plus | World premiere | Short film
In the outskirts of Lima, eleven-year-old Chito cares for the carrier pigeons used in his brother’s drug trade. After violence shatters his
childhood, grief and a fragile gesture of humanity open the possibility of another destiny.
Atlasul universului (The Atlas of the Universe | Der Atlas des Universums)
by Paul Negoescu | with Matei Donciu, Marin Grigore, Andreea Gramosteanu, Carol Alupoaiei, Andrei Mateiu
Romania / Bulgaria 2026
Generation Kplus | World premiere
After mistakenly buying two right-footed shoes, a ten-year-old boy sets off across the countryside to find the missing left one. An
unexpected journey of courage, friendship and self-discovery.
Bats & Bugs (Nachtschwärmer)
by Lena von Döhren
Switzerland 2026
Generation Kplus | World premiere | Animation | Short film
When a streetlamp lights up on a country road in the jungle, a group of insects goes crazy – which proves to be handy for the hungry
bats in a nearby cave.
Black Burns Fast
by Sanduela Asanda | with Esihle Ndleleni, Muadi Ilung
South Africa 2025
Generation 14plus | International premiere | Debut film
Adorkable Luthando is on track for an ordinary year at the prestigious boarding school she attends on scholarship – until the arrival of a
new girl in her class ignites Luthando’s suppressed desires and threatens her self-image and relationships.
C’est ma soeur (That’s My Sister)
by Zoé Pelchat | with Florence Saint-Yves, Anne Florence, Stéphane Jacques, Pascale Desrochers, Alexandre Bergeron
Canada 2026
Generation 14plus | World premiere | Short film
When Camille, a teenager with Down’s syndrome, auditions for a dance troupe, her sister Agathe discovers the quiet cruelty of
prejudice – and the fierce love that fights back.
Chicas Tristes (Sad Girlz)
by Fernanda Tovar | with Rocio Guzmán, Darana Álvarez, Tatsumi Milori, Tomás García Agraz, Mónica del Carmen
Mexico / Spain / France 2026
Generation 14plus | World premiere | Debut film
La Maestra and Paula are inseparable friends and the strongest swimmers on their team, until an incident at a party forces them to
choose between silence and speaking out, testing the limits of their friendship.
Cuando llegue a casa (When I Get Home)
by Edgar Adrián | with Ricardo Martínez, María Rojo, Alise Cortéz, Zahid Estrada, Antonio Venegas
Mexico 2026
Generation 14plus | World premiere | Short film
Paco, a teenager from Guadalajara, explores his identity through his friendship with Andrea and his attraction to Mario. This tests his
bond with his grandmother as he prepares for the feast of the patron saint.
En Route To
by Yoo Jae-in | with Sim Su-bin, Lee Ji-won, Jang Sun
South Korea 2025
Generation 14plus | International premiere | Debut film
Following the disappearance of her teacher, the pregnant pupil Yun-ji is left all alone. To pay for an abortion, she steals the savings of
her roommate, Kyung-sun. A film about the rights over one’s own body, about society and community.
En, ten, týky! (Eeny, Meeny, Miny, Moe! | Ene, mene, muh!)
by Andrea Szelesová
Czechia 2026
Generation Kplus | World premiere | Animation | Short film
Yios, a lonely mythical boy whose head shines like the sun, struggles to make friends in the clouds. After an unfortunate prank sends
him down to Earth, an unexpected encounter challenges the way he sees himself.
Entotsumachi no Poupelle – Yakusoku no Tokeidai (Chimney Town: Frozen in Time)
by Hirota Yusuke | with Nagase Yuzuna, Megumi, Kubota Masataka
Japan 2026
Generation Kplus | World premiere | Animation
After losing his friend Poupelle, young Lubicchi wanders into a mysterious realm where a clock in a tower is frozen at 11:59. To return
home, he must restart it – and find the courage to believe again.
Feito Pipa (Gugu’s World | Gugus Welt)
by Allan Deberton | with Yuri Gomes, Teca Pereira, Lázaro Ramos, Carlos Francisco, Georgina Castro
Brazil 2026
Generation Kplus | World premiere
Gugu, an almost-twelve-year-old boy with football dreams, is raised in the accepting care of his grandmother, Dilma. As she becomes
increasingly frail and their world shifts, he struggles to protect the place where he is free to be who he is.
Ghost School (Geisterschule)
by Seemab Gul | with Nazualiya Arsalan, Samina Seher, Adnan Shah Tipu, Vajdaan Shah, Muhammad Zaman
Pakistan / Germany / Saudi Arabia 2025
Generation Kplus | European premiere | Debut film
Ten-year-old Rabia wants to know why her school has suddenly closed. Rumours are rife in the village and the authorities are no help.
Courageously setting out to find the truth, Rabia navigates rural superstitions, local corruption and a wall of silence.
Hotel Oblique
by Merlin Flügel
Germany 2026
Generation 14plus | World premiere | Animation | Short film
A budgie finds itself in a luxurious wellness hotel that promises stressed birds peace and relaxation. But between the lulling sound of
the fountains and soothing massages, it longs only to return to the safety of its cage.
Imaginarni brojevi (Imaginary Numbers | Imaginäre Zahlen)
by Jelica Jerinić | with Goran Bogdan, Maša Radušin, Milica Janevski, Milica Trifunović, Aleksandar Milojević
Serbia / Croatia 2026
Generation Kplus | World premiere | Short film
Mirna and her father take the bus from their village to the city of Niš for her to participate in the national mathematics competition. It is
a big day: winning an award could gain her a place at a prestigious school and pave the way to a better future.
Jülapüin Yonna (The Dream of Dancing)
by Luzbeidy Monterrosa Atencio | with Luznery Epieyu, Margarita Barrios, Jose Vicente
Colombia 2026
Generation 14plus | World premiere | Short film
In the heart of the Alta Guajira, 15-year-old Weinshi, a girl from the Wayuu people whose name means “Time”, begins to hear an
ancestral calling in her dreams: the earth must be healed through her people’s sacred dance, the Yonna.
Lángbogár a zsebemben (Fire in My Pocket | Feuer in der Hosentasche)
by Janka Feiner
Hungary 2026
Generation Kplus | World premiere | Animation | Short film
A little boy, bored with building a bed, seeks something more exciting. A mischievous fire creature lures him into a magical mushroom
world, where anything is possible and adventure awaits – beyond his father’s reach.
Mambo Kids
by Emanuele Tresca | with Alessandro Nicola Bernardo, Flavio Condemi
Italy 2026
Generation 14plus | World premiere | Short film
On a quiet late-summer day, Alessandro and Flavio set out in search of the last secrets of their city. Sitting on the branch of a large
cherry tree, they wait for the night. A beer with friends, mopeds heading home, and a farewell.
Matapanki
by Diego “Mapache” Fuentes | with Ramón Gávez, Diego Bravo, Antonia McCarthy, Rosa Peñaloza, Rodrigo Lisboa
Chile 2025
Generation 14plus | European premiere | Debut film
After gaining alcohol-fuelled superpowers, Ricardo, a young punk from the outskirts, sets out to change society. But one brutal mistake
ignites an international conflict, with him at the heart of the storm.
Memories of a Window
by Mehraneh Salimian, Amin Pakparvar
USA 2026
Generation 14plus | World premiere | Documentary form | Short film
Following crackdowns on protests in Iran, civilians begin documenting the unrest from behind windows. When a woman is shot while
recording, a film student writes her a letter raising the question: Can revolution emerge from behind windows?
Ni chui do wo chui si (Tutti)
by Zhuang Rong Zuo | with Liu Rong Chen, Wu Shao Yu
Taiwan 2026
Generation Kplus | World premiere | Short film
Rong Chen would like to keep her place in the recorder group, Shao Yu wants to give up playing. She asks him for tips, and by
practicing together, they not only improve their skills, but also learn something much more important from each other.
Ni’er (The Girl)
by Yucheng Tan | with Wang Zhiyun, Hou Ruining
People’s Republic of China 2026
Generation 14plus | World premiere | Short film
Seventeen-year-old Ni’er feels trapped between her monotonous daily grind at a petrol station and the weight of family expectations. A
fleeting encounter with a female truck driver radiating freedom and self-determination sparks a quiet revolution within her.
No Salgas (Don’t Come Out)
by Victoria Linares Villegas | with Cecile van Welie, Gabriela Cortés, Camila Issa, Camila Santana, Mariela Guerrero
Dominican Republic 2026
Generation 14plus | World premiere
After her girlfriend’s death, Liz hides her true self until a weekend trip with friends awakens forbidden desires. The result is paranoia
and violence that consumes the group as Liz’s secret unleashes a deadly force.
Not a Hero (Kein Held)
by Rima Das | with Bhuman Bhargav Das, Sukanya Boruah, Mrinmoy Das
India / Singapore 2026
Generation Kplus | World premiere
Exiled from city comforts to his ancestral village, a boy meets his embittered aunt, befriends a horse and joins the local kids on wild
adventures, discovering the beauty of life and a courage he never knew he had.
Öömõtted (A Serious Thought | Nachtgedanken)
by Jonas Taul | with Harriet Toompere
Estonia 2026
Generation Kplus | World premiere | Animation | Short film
When a boy has trouble falling asleep at night, he begins to ponder his place in the world. If the Earth is just a small marble flying
through space, and he is only one child among many, what is the meaning of his existence?
Papaya
by Priscilla Kellen
Brazil 2025
Generation Kplus | International premiere | Debut film | Animation
Papaya, a tiny seed in the Amazon rainforest who is passionate about flying, must keep moving to avoid taking root. But when she
discovers the power of her roots, it triggers a revolution that transforms her world and fulfils her dreams in an unexpected way.
Quatro Meninas (Four Girls)
by Karen Suzane | with Alana Cabral, Ágatha Marinho, Dhara Lopes, Maria Ibraim
Brazil / Netherlands 2025
Generation 14plus | International premiere | Debut film
Four enslaved girls dream of freedom. When a turn of events puts their lives at risk, they decide to run away. To their surprise, their
mistresses discover the plan – and insist on going with them.
Riding Time (Reitend)
by Roopa Gogineni, Farhaan Mumtaz
United Kingdom / France 2025
Generation Kplus | International premiere | Documentary form | Short film
Horse-obsessed Jaleal comes of age on the West Yorkshire moors while carrying forward the ancient cavalry sport of neza bazi. Filmed
over three summers, this joyful portrait blows the dust off traditional tales of Empire, migration and belonging.
Scorching
by Wang Beidi | with Lv Jiaxin, Li Li, Li Xin, Xu Qinghe
People’s Republic of China 2026
Generation 14plus | World premiere | Short film
Li Yan’s life is as regimented as the production lines in the local poultry factory. Her grandmother is determined to get her a job there,
but Li Yan refuses. Obsessed with the mystery of life and creation, she secretly attempts to hatch a stolen egg.
Speedy!
by Oh Jiin | with Kim Gyuna, Lee Kyoung hoon, Hong Sung choon, Leem Seung-min, Ban Hae Young
South Korea 2025
Generation Kplus | International premiere | Short film
Seoul, 1989. Jung-min wants to become a speed-reading prodigy, just like Dong-hyun – the coolest guy in town who can finish an entire
book in just 60 seconds! But things do not go exactly as she expected.
Spî (White | Weiß)
by Navroz Shaban | with Rewan Nizar
Iraqi Kurdistan Region 2026
Generation Kplus | World premiere | Short film
In a small village classroom, a teacher often transforms the blackboard with a simple white sheet. When it is taken for a burial rite, the
children refuse to let their moment slip away – and set out to reclaim what they were promised.
Sunny Dancer
by George Jaques | with Bella Ramsey, Neil Patrick Harris
United Kingdom 2026
Generation 14plus | World premiere | Debut film
As if conquering cancer were not hard enough, 17-year-old Ivy’s parents sign her up to spend the summer at what she calls “chemo
camp”. Once there, she unexpectedly manages to find friends in a group of misfits and has a summer she will never forget.
Tegenwoordig heet iedereen Sorry (Everyone’s Sorry Nowadays | Heute heißen alle Sorry)
by Frederike Migom | with Lisa Vanhemelrijck, Laurence Roothooft, Sachli Gholamalizad, Lewis Hannes, Lewis Gérard
Belgium / Netherlands / Germany 2026
Generation Kplus | World premiere
On a sweltering summer day, Bianca feels unseen by her parents. Then an unexpected encounter with her favourite female actor, Billie
King, helps her to find herself. A tender, imaginative tale about dreams and carving out a space for yourself in life.
The lights, they fall
by Saša Vajda | with Mohammed Yassin Ben Majdouba, Flor Prieto Catemaxca, Mahira Hakberdieva, Safet Bajraj, Shanthi Philipp
Germany 2026
Generation 14plus | World premiere | Debut film
Sixteen-year-old Ilay drifts through the summer on the outskirts of Berlin while a palliative nurse accompanies his ailing mother during
her last days.
The Thread
by Fenn O’Meally | with Anaya Thorley, Tyrelle Boyce, David Gyasi, Lucy Phelps, Thea Butler
United Kingdom 2025
Generation 14plus | International premiere | Short film
Grace is born of dual heritage: she has a white British mother and a Black Jamaican father. As she reaches her early teens, Grace takes
her identity into her own hands and begins to navigate how to exist as a young woman, fully Black, fully white.
Under The Wave off Little Dragon (Unter der Welle vor Little Dragon)
by Jian Luo | with Wang Kexin, Jessica Dong
United Kingdom 2025
Generation Kplus | European premiere | Short film
When her goldfish dies, six-year-old Feifei sets off through a small Welsh seaside town in search of answers. Her journey leads her to
reimagine a folktale from her mother’s homeland – on her own terms.
Whale 52 – Suite for Man, Boy, and Whale (Wal 52 – Suite für Mann, Junge und Wal)
by Daniel Neiden | with Bruce Vilanch, Parker Allana Hughes
USA 2026
Generation Kplus | International premiere | Animation | Short film
A quiet boy and a silently grieving widower who volunteers at the boy’s school discover a magical pen and journal that enable them to
hear each other with a listening heart.
What Will I Become?
by Lexie Bean, Logan Rozos
USA 2026
Generation 14plus | World premiere | Debut film | Documentary form
Co-directors Lexie and Logan weave together the stories of two trans boys who died by suicide and their trans masculine+ community,
offering resources and imagination for a way forward.
Yercekimi (Gravity | Schwerkraft)
by Dalya Keleş | with Sudem Berin-Dinç, Mustafa Konak, İpek Çattım
Turkey 2026
Generation Kplus | World premiere | Short film
Deniz plays happily with her best friend Umut at their secret hideout. But at school, she is excluded by the boys and also fails to fit in
with the girls. Then, a childhood dream becomes true and takes on a new meaning.