Berlin Festivals

Berlin has festivals for jazz, classical music, dance, literature, movies, photography, theatre, fashion, and so on. Many of these events fall under the organisation of the Berlin Festspiele, that has taken up the challenge to portray the ambitions of Berlin in all these artistic disciplines. Visit www.berlinerfestspiele.de for specific information. Their website is also available in English.

Berlin International Film Festival

German cinema is in a good state, with successes in the last decade including Gegen die Wand (Against the Wall) and Das Leben der Anderen (The Life of the Others). Thus, it is not surprising that Berlin is the proud host of one of the most appealing film festivals. First-class directors and actors are present. The yearly-awarded main prize is the precious Golden Bear. The festival has been around since the fifties and presently is the biggest film festival, even before Cannes and Venice. This is definitely a good place to spot the celebrities. Camera, light… and action!
Berlin International Film Festival, February.

JazzFest Berlin

The JazzFest Berlin is one of the most historic Jazz festivals in Europe. It dates back to 1964 and always manages to stage some big names in jazz. Musicians not only from the United States and Europe, but also from parts of the world where you maybe wouldn’t expect jazz, are happy to perform in Berlin. The festival takes place in the autumn at several theatres and concert halls in central Berlin.
JazzFest, November.

Musikfest berlin

The Musikfest is the most important appointment on the agenda of classical music in Berlin. German and foreign orchestras, ensembles and individual musicians travel to Berlin to show their talents. The festival takes place in September and its duration is almost three weeks. Because of the exceptional presence of eight symphony orchestras in the city and Berlins big operas and theatres, there is no better place than Berlin to host such an event.
Musikfest, September.