Access, Support & Equality

Since our founding over twenty years ago, Berlinale Talents has always aimed to diminish the financial barriers for participants who are in need of financial assistance. We have a number of measures in place to provide support for those participants, ensuring that Berlinale Talents is equally accessible to all. This ensures that artistic and creative values are the only relevant criteria for selection, and upholds our core values of inclusivity and equality.

No Participation Fee

Berlinale Talents is unique in lots of ways; in the scope of film professions welcomed, the depth and breadth of the programme, the meeting of film professionals and public audiences, and more, but perhaps one of the most important distinctions is that there is no participation fee for the selected Talents. The 200 filmmakers take part in six days of workshops, talks, discussions and networking, with invaluable access to industry experts and leaders, free of charge.

Solidarity Pact

Berlinale Talents is an initiative funded by public entities, partners from the industry and its own communities. In order for us to be able to continue to be able to offer our programme, we ask that all applications contribute a service fee for their first application. This is the only fee anyone applying to or participating in Berlinale Talents is asked to pay, and automatically includes a second application within the following five years, in the instance that your first application is not successful or if you want to join our Talents Labs as an alumni.

The service fee Standard Rate is 20 Euro per application. This rate covers part of the technical costs involved in keeping our system running.
The Solidarity Rate of 25 Euro or more can be paid by those who can afford it, and the additional costs goes towards the costs of those who may need financial assistance.
The Reduced Rate of 15 Euro is made possible by those who pay the Solidarity Rate, and is available to those who may be under financial strain.

At Berlinale Talents, our entire ethos is based on our community supporting one another in whatever way we can, and this is one more practical way to do so. The decision of what rate applicants pay is entirely up to them, with no proof of income required, and has no influence on their chance of being selected. It is a community- and trust-based Solidarity Pact.

Hardship Fund

The hardship fund is our way to provide practical financial assistance to participants from low capacity countries that do not have a local film institute or other supporting organisations. It is funded in two ways:

Partner Donation: Each year we appeal to our partners to contribute to the hardship fund in order to facilitate the participation and professional development of skilled filmmakers who may otherwise not be able to join Berlinale Talents.
Last year, Warner Bros. Discovery's donation covered the cost of flights to Berlin for six selected talents in need of financial support.

Berlinale Talents Circle of Friends: The saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child, and we believe it takes a village to nurture talent too. Our biggest strength is our community and this is where we ask for their assistance in supporting our future Talents by contributing whatever they can.
We would like to thank those who have already joined the Circle of Friends.
Learn more and make your contribution.

The money collected from both of these sources goes directly into the Hardship Fund, which is then divided between the specfiic Talents, generally going towards travel costs.

Regional Support

We work closely with embassies and film commissions from all over the world to see what funding they can provide for Talents from their region. This year we would like to thank the following bodies for their cooperation with us and support for our Talents.

If you have questions regarding any of the above, please feel free to get in touch with us on [email protected] and we will be happy to answer your queries.