İlker Çatak’s ‘Gelbe Briefe’ Wins Golden Bear at Berlinale 2026, Marking a Historic German Win

The 2026 Berlinale concluded with a significant moment for German cinema as Berlin director İlker Çatak won the coveted Golden Bear for his political drama 'Gelbe Briefe'. This victory marks the first time in over two decades that a German director has received the Golden Bear, the previous win being Fatih Akin’s 'Gegen die Wand' in 2004. 'Gelbe Briefe' poignantly tells the story of a Turkish artist couple in Ankara who face job loss and financial hardship due to their outspoken political opinions.

Accompanying this major win, actress Sandra Hüller was awarded the Silver Bear for Best Actress for her role in 'Rose', where she portrays a woman disguising herself as a man in a 17th-century setting. This marks Hüller’s second Silver Bear, having first won in 2006 for her role in 'Requiem'.

The Grand Jury Prize was given to Turkish filmmaker Emin Alper for 'Kurtuluş', a film depicting a violent feud between two village communities in a manner reminiscent of a Western. Lance Hammer’s American film 'Queen at Sea', dealing with dementia, received two awards including the Jury Prize, with Anna Calder-Marshall and Tom Courtenay winning Silver Bears for their supporting roles.

Additionally, the festival recognized new talent by awarding the Best Debut to Syrian-Palestinian director Abdallah Alkhatib for 'Chronicles From the Siege'. The Berlinale’s diverse selection this year highlights a broad spectrum of cultural narratives and storytelling.

This year’s awards underscore the Berlinale’s continued commitment to showcasing powerful political and social stories, while also celebrating outstanding performances and emerging filmmakers.