Berlin, 2 February 2015 Film lovers, journalists, and Hollywood celebrities will be gathering in

Berlin for the 65th Berlinale international film festival from 5 to 15 February. The festival is an

important mainstay in Berlin’s cultural calendar and has a corresponding positive effect on

tourism and the city’s global image. Premières, visitors from around the world, and an array

of stars on the red carpet put Berlin in the international media spotlight. Stars such as Cate

Blanchett, Christian Bale, Helen Mirren, and Robert Pattinson have announced that they plan

to attend the world’s largest film festival open to the public. Juliette Binoche will be opening

the Berlinale with the world première of “Nobody Wants the Night”. The team behind festival

film “Fifty Shades of Grey” is also expected to attend. Berlin actor Daniel Brühl is on this

year’s jury, chaired by director Darren Aronofsky. This year’s festival themes focus on films

about strong women, new television drama series, and the movies of the Technicolor era.

Berlin in a starring role

Even the city will be in the spotlight. Many productions are filmed here. The Berlin-drama

series “Blochin” with Jürgen Vogel will have its première at the Berlinale, while Tom Tykwer

will be presenting his current project, the crime series “Babylon Berlin”. Festival films shot in

Berlin include the current drama “Elixir”, featured in the German Cinema series, “B-Movie:

Lust & Sound in West-Berlin”, and “Wings of Desire” by this year’s honorary Golden Bear

winner Wim Wenders. Once again under the slogan “Berlinale Goes Kiez”, the film festival will

be spreading out to the small art house cinemas around the city’s many neighbourhoods.

Four exhibitions during the Berlinale are also addressing the medium of film: In “Blow-Up”,

C/O Berlin is featuring Michelangelo Antonioni’s classic film and its connection to

photography. And especially for the Berlinale, C/O Berlin is also featuring photos of this year’s

festival by young photographers in “Close Up!” 50 historic film posters will also be on display

at Haus der Berliner Festspiele. The Deutsche Kinemathek is featuring the works of film

production designer Ken Adam in a show entitled “Bigger Than Life”.

The visitBerlin Berlinale service

Cinema tickets without queuing for hours: Book your tickets at the Berlin Service Center by

calling +49 (0)30 25 00 25 as well as at the six Berlin Tourist Information Offices. Sales begin

three days in advance of the showing, while supplies last.

Film as driver of tourism

More than 100,000 members of the public and 20,000 trade visitors and journalists from

Germany and abroad come to the Berlinale each year, which represents an additional €80

million in revenue for the city, according to a study by Investitionsbank Berlin. However, the

impact of Berlin’s role in the film industry extends well beyond the festival: Films and series

shot in Berlin attract a significant number of visitors to Berlin each year. Ten per cent of all

Berlin visitors admit to being inspired by media coverage to come to Germany’s capital. Tourism driven by the film industry as a result of productions such as Steven Spielberg’s

upcoming drama “St James Place”(to be released in autumn 2015) generate an additional

€134 million in revenue according to a study by Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg.