Film und Medien Stiftung NRW➝News➝News➝Strong NRW Presence at the Berlinale 2026: Eleven Funded Productions in the Programme – Two in Competition

Strong NRW Presence at the Berlinale 2026: Eleven Funded Productions in the Programme – Two in Competition

With a total of eleven productions funded by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, North Rhine-Westphalia will have a strong presence at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival (12–22 February 2026). Two funded films will celebrate their premieres in the Berlinale Competition. Further productions have been invited to the sections Berlinale Special Gala, Panorama and Retrospective. In addition to the eight productions in the official Berlinale programme, the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW is also pleased to see two series presentations as part of the Berlinale Series Market.

Walid Nakschbandi, CEO of the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, said:

“Eleven films and series from North Rhine-Westphalia are shaping Berlinale 2026 – with strong, innovative artistic voices, boldly gripping narratives and great social relevance. We are particularly delighted that two films funded by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW have been invited to the Berlinale Competition. They stand for a cinema that captures the spirit of the times and resonates beyond borders. We wish Tricia Tuttle, her team, all those involved and the audience a thrilling Berlinale full of discoveries and films that linger.”

A special highlight links the Berlinale 2026 programme with the funding work of Film- und Medienstiftung NRW: Shahrbanoo Sadat, director of the Berlinale opening film “No Good Men”, received the Baumi Script Development Award in 2021 for the script development project Kabul Jan — the film’s working title at the time. The award founders Pandora Film, the Baumgartner family and the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW, supported by an annually rotating guest juror, present the award in memory of producer Karl ‘Baumi’ Baumgartner.

Competition

With “Rose” by Markus Schleinzer and “Rosebush Pruning” by Karim Aïnouz, two productions funded by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW have been selected for the Berlinale Competition.

In “Rose”, a single woman in early 17th-century Germany struggles to find her place in a society undergoing profound change after the Thirty Years’ War. With no prospects, she disguises herself as a man and war veteran in order to take over an abandoned estate – a risky step toward a new existence. The film is produced by ROW Pictures in co-production with Schubert; ZDF and ARTE are broadcasting partners. The Film- und Medienstiftung NRW supported the production with €450,000.

“Rosebush Pruning” by award-winning director Karim Aïnouz is a biting contemporary satire on the absurdity of the traditional patriarchal family.
In a lavish villa under the Catalan sun, American siblings Jack, Ed, Anna and Robert revel in seclusion and inherited wealth, ignoring the demands of their blind father and seeking love and validation in one another and in their latest designer clothes. When the eldest brother Jack announces that he is moving in with his girlfriend, blood ties begin to unravel and long-suppressed truths come to light.
The film is produced by Match Factory Productions in co-production with Kavac Film and CryBaby Films, distributed by MUBI; world sales are handled by The Match Factory. The Film- und Medienstiftung NRW supported the project with €300,000.

 

Berlinale Special Gala Premiere

Die “Blutgräfin” by Ulrike Ottinger will celebrate its premiere in the Berlinale Special Gala. In collaboration with Elfriede Jelinek, the film blends vampire myth, historical fantasy and social satire into a highly distinctive cinematic universe. At its centre are the Blood Countess and her maid, who open a new dance of vampires in Vienna and embark on an absurd hunt for the red life essence, the buried history of their ancestors and a book that threatens to destroy their vampire realm.
The film is produced by Amour Fou Vienna in co-production with Heimatfilm and Amour Fou Luxembourg. ZDF, ARTE and ORF are broadcasting partners; Neue Visionen handles German distribution, with Magnify Films responsible for world sales. The Film- und Medienstiftung NRW supported the production with €200,000.

 

Panorama

Four productions funded by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW have been selected for the Panorama section.

With “Two Mountains Weighing Down My Chest”, director and writer Viv Li presents a feature-length documentary about identity, belonging and life between cultures. The 32-year-old filmmaker, born female in China and raised as a boy, now lives in Berlin’s sex-positive art scene. The film is a witty and humorous journey between Berlin and Beijing. It is produced by CORSO Film- und Fernsehproduktion in co-production with 100% Films (NL), with ZDF / Das kleine Fernsehspiel as broadcasting partner. The Film- und Medienstiftung NRW supported the film with €230,000.

The thriller “Staatsschutz” by Faraz Shariat explores structural violence and the entanglements of security agencies and the justice system. Following his award-winning debut Futur Drei and his work on the miniseries Zeit Verbrechen, the film marks Shariat’s return to feature filmmaking and will celebrate its world premiere at the Berlinale. The film was produced by Jünglinge Film in co-production with ZDF / Das kleine Fernsehspiel, with ARTE participating. The Film- und Medienstiftung NRW supported the production with €650,000.

With “The Education of Jane Cumming”, Sophie Heldman presents a historical drama based on true events. Scotland, 1810: Two young women establish a girls’ school with modest means and dream of a self-determined life – until social prejudice and a public scandal threaten their existence. The film is produced by Heimatfilm in co-production with Dschoint Ventschr Filmproduktion (CH) and Sylph Productions Ltd. (UK), with WDR and ARTE as broadcasting partners. The Film- und Medienstiftung NRW contributed €850,000 to the financing.

Also screening in the Panorama section is “Narciso” by Marcelo Martinessi. Set in Paraguay in 1958, the drama tells the story of a charismatic musician who returns from Buenos Aires and becomes both a musical sensation and a symbol of freedom within the confines of the military dictatorship. After his final concert, Narciso is found dead. The film is produced by La Babosa Cine in an international co-production with Pandora Film, Esquina Filmes, Outblaum Filmes, BTEAM, La Fabrica Nocturna Productions and Mutante Cine. Distribution is handled by BTEAM Pictures, with world sales by Luxbox. The Film- und Medienstiftung NRW supported the production with €55,000.

Retrospective

A special highlight for North Rhine-Westphalia as a film location is the inclusion of “Lola rennt” in the Berlinale Retrospective, which in 2026 will be dedicated to the theme “Lost in the 90s”. The retrospective focuses on films of the 1990s – a decade of upheaval, reorientation and aesthetic radicalism.

With Lola rennt, a key work of this era is represented, a film whose rhythm, visual energy and narrative consistency epitomise the international breakthrough of German cinema like few others. Directed by Tom Tykwer and produced by X Filme Creative Pool, the film was supported by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW with 950,000 Deutsche Mark at the time of its production.

Wim Wenders as President of the Berlinale 2026 International Jury

Another strong signal for North Rhine-Westphalia as a film location is the appointment of Wim Wenders as President of the International Jury of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival. The award-winning director, author and photographer has been closely connected to the NRW film scene for decades.

In cooperation with the Wim Wenders Foundation, the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW also awards the Wim Wenders Scholarship to support innovative cinematic storytelling. The scholarship is aimed at projects and talents distinguished by a strong artistic signature and creative radicalism.

Berlinale Series Market and Conference with Two Funded Productions

For the twelfth time, the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW is the main partner of the Berlinale Series Market (16–19 February 2026), which takes place as part of the European Film Market (EFM). As a key platform for international series projects, the Berlinale Series Market brings together producers, broadcasters, streamers and creatives from around the world. The Film Foundation thus once again underlines its long-term commitment to North Rhine-Westphalia as a series production hub and to international exchange.

The fantasy drama series “All Heroes Are Bastards” will be presented in the Berlinale Series Market Selects. Developed by Esra and Patrick Phul, the series tells the story of three social outsiders who gain superpowers through a mysterious artefact and must decide whether to protect their community or use their new abilities for personal gain. The series is produced by Picture Me Rollin’ GmbH and btf GmbH with ARD Degeto as broadcasting partner and was shot entirely in North Rhine-Westphalia. The Film- und Medienstiftung NRW supported the project with €1.3 million.

The thriller drama series “Westend Girl” will be featured in the Up Next: Germany presentation. Directed by Pola Beck and Stefan Schaller, the series tells of the sudden collapse of a privileged youth in Düsseldorf after the parents of 18-year-old Ronja Huck are arrested for organised drug trafficking. The series is produced by Flare Film and Cactus Films in co-production with WDR and ARTE. The Film- und Medienstiftung NRW supported the production with €900,000.

At the “Focus Germany stand” at the European Film Market in the Gropius Bau, the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW will once again present the location together with the other eight regional film funding bodies. Visitors to the European Film Market are warmly invited.

 

Overview: Productions Funded by the Film- und Medienstiftung NRW at the Berlinale 2026

A total of eleven funded productions, including two in Competition.

Competition

  • “Rose”
  • “Rosebush Pruning”

Berlinale Special Gala Premiere

  • “Die Blutgräfin”

Panorama

  • “Two Mountains Weighing Down My Chest”
  • “Staatsschutz”
  • “The Education of Jane Cumming”
  • “Narciso”

Retrospective

  • “Lola rennt”

Berlinale Series Market and Conference

Berlinale Series Market Selects

  • “All Heroes Are Bastards”

Up Next: Germany

  • “Westend Girl”