berlinale generic richard hubner

Source: Richard Hubner

Berlinale Palast

Ticket sales for this year’s Berlinale totaled 320,000 by the time the festival closed on Sunday (February 26).

This figure is close to pre-pandemic levels where the 2020 edition reached 330,000 tickets.

Sales were up 105% from last year’s festival which sold 156,472 tickets – though seating capacity was reduced by 50% due to Covid-19 restrictions.

Berlinale also confirmed the 74th edition will take place February 15-25, 2024.

In addition to the public, this year’s festival saw 20,000 accredited professionals from 132 countries in attendance, including 2,800 media representatives, while the Berlinale Co-Production Market organised 1,500 meetings.

The European Film Market (EFM), which finished on February 22, reported a record number of attendees at 11,500.

“Full cinemas, moving moments, many prominent guests and a curious audience characterised the Berlinale 2023,” said Berlinale co-directors Mariëtte Rissenbeek and Carlo Chatrian in a joint statement.

“We see this as living cinema culture in all its diversity. The focus was on enjoyment and shared experiences. We hope that this enthusiasm for cinema will continue after the festival.”

The festival closed with Nicholas Philibert’s On the Adamant which was also awarded the festival’s Golden Bear.