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UNIC at Berlinale 2026

UNIC attended the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival. The Berlinale invariably provides a platform for industry engagement and contributes to discussions shaping the film sector.

On 13 February, UNIC organised a get together for mentors and mentees of its Women's Cinema Leadership programme. A guided visit to the refurbished Kino International took place and was followed by lunch. In the afternoon, UNIC engaged with colleagues from the industry such as the Independent Film & Television Alliance and also with institutional colleagues such as the Centre National du Cinéma et de l'Image Animée (CNC). 

On 14 February, UNIC attended a panel session organised by Kids Regio on Growing Stories across Borders, which focused on European co-productions in children's film. This was followed by a panel convened by MEDIA, the European Union’s dedicated programme for the film industry. The European Commission presented the results of an in-depth evaluation of the Creative Europe MEDIA programme and the lessons learned for future EU funding to the sector. This was followed by a panel discussion among industry representatives. All talked about the power of cinema exhibition and how it remains a cornerstone of the ecosystem. The day also featured a number of meetings with colleagues from the sector. 

On 15 February, UNIC and HDF Kino hosted Cinemas Meet Berlinale. The event was an informal get-together for colleagues from the European and German film sector and for politicians. UNIC and HDF delivered a short opening speech, highlighting the crucial role of cinemas in the value chain as well as their economic, social and cultural contributions. 

And on 17 February, UNIC joined an insightful event organised by the Lux Audience Award of the European Parliament about European cultural diversity, artistic freedom and competitiveness in the platform era. After some opening remarks by Sabine Verheyen, Vice President of the European Parliament and MEP Zoltan Tarr, a panel discussion took place involving VP Verheyen, Ada Solomon, President of the European Film Academy, Olivier Henrard, Director General of CNC, Darius Jablonski, President of the European Producers' Club and Sonia Ragone from UNIC. Panelists discussed how to support European cultural diversity in a period where most of the European investment efforts are focused on defense and economic development and how to regulate the growing power of global streaming platforms to keep a level playing field in Europe' s cinema ecosystem. The panel was followed by a networking cocktail.