The Berlinale has announced an expanded lineup for its 2026 festival, highlighting a significant focus on television and episodic content. Alongside this, the Forum and Forum Expanded programs will continue to showcase a diverse array of political, documentary, and experimental work.
Highlights of the Berlinale Series Market
The Berlinale Series Market, a key platform for serial content within the European Film Market, will take place from February 15 to 18. This year, the market will present its 12th edition, featuring 17 scripted series and three docuseries from various genres and countries. Among the notable entries is the Brazilian drama Emergency 53, which explores the challenges faced by a mobile emergency service unit. Another standout is The Marquise, a romantic period piece set in 18th century Europe, centered around themes of love, art, and revolution. Additionally, the Bosnian mystery series Kovar delves into the mysterious disappearance of a group of travelers in the Komar mountains.
Morocco will be highlighted as the Country in Focus at the 2026 European Film Market. This dedicated showcase will provide insights into upcoming Moroccan series projects and detail the country’s cash rebate system, enhancing its appeal as a co-production partner.
The festival’s commitment to episodic content is further evidenced by the new Berlinale Special Series category, where all episodic titles will be featured. Six new series are set to screen in 2026, including the sci-fi project The Dark Ones, concerning an alien invasion, and 4 Blocks Zero, a German-language prequel to the acclaimed gangster drama 4 Blocks. The docuseries Clangold will examine the notorious heist of a massive gold coin from Berlin’s Bode Museum in 2017.
The Berlinale Co-Production Market will introduce its Co-Pro Series strand, showcasing 10 international projects actively seeking co-production partners and funding. Among these are the Spanish heist series Robbery, Beating and Death, the Dutch true-story project Jomanda!, Romania’s post-World War I drama Angelmaker, and Hedgehogs in the Haze, directed by Danis Tanović from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Forum’s Emphasis on Political and Experimental Work
In addition to television, the Forum section will present a selection of avant-garde cinema in 2026, featuring debut features from countries including Brazil, Colombia, China, India, Japan, and Germany. This year’s program will focus on politically engaged fiction and a range of documentaries that address crucial issues such as colonial history, war, racism, and social change.
Among the long-form documentary projects is Black Lions — Roman Wolves, a nearly ten-hour film by Haile Gerima. Other highlights include AnyMart, a horror feature from Japan directed by Yusuke Iwasaki, and Ghost in the Cell, an Indonesian horror-comedy from Joko Anwar. The Belgian art project Joy Boy: A Tribute To Julius Eastman will also be featured, where a transnational artist collective pays homage to the iconic African American composer.
The full lineup for the Berlin Film Festival will be announced on January 20, 2026, promising a rich array of cinematic experiences for attendees and participants alike.
