Berlinale to move Generation Crystal Bear awards to main ceremony

To mark the 50th anniversary of its Generation programme in 2027, the Berlinale is implementing structural changes to increase the visibility of its youth-focused cinema section. A key update includes moving the presentation of the Crystal Bear awards to the main awards ceremony at the Berlinale Palast.

The refreshed programme aims to better engage children, teenagers, and families throughout the festival. While the core competition for the Crystal Bears—consisting of twelve to fourteen international feature films—remains, the awards will continue to be decided by young juries, specifically the Generation Kplus and Generation 14plus juries.

Berlinale Director Tricia Tuttle stated that bringing the awards to the festival’s largest stage honors the filmmakers and young jurors. Section Head Sebastian Markt emphasized the program's long-standing mission to provide ambitious cinema for young audiences, noting that they are audiences of today rather than just the future.