Wim Wenders Appointed Jury President of the 2026 Berlin International Film Festival

According to CinemaDrame News Agency, German filmmaker Wim Wenders, director of Perfect Days, has been named President of the Jury for the 76th Berlin International Film Festival. The 80-year-old director is best known for films such as Wings of Desire, Paris, Texas, and Pina, and in recent years has enjoyed a major resurgence with Perfect Days and the 3D documentary Anselm.

In a statement, Berlinale Executive Director Tricia Tuttle described Wenders as “one of the most influential voices in international cinema,” saying that the “humanity and sense of wonder” in his work have delighted audiences for six decades. She praised his “insatiable curiosity and profound mastery of the language of film,” adding: “To say we are proud of this fellow citizen of the world would be an understatement.”

Wenders said:
“It never even crossed my mind that I might become jury president in my own city—until Tricia Tuttle asked me. And then I realized: wow! This will be a new way of experiencing the Berlinale. For once, I will watch every single film in the Competition and engage in deep discussions about all of them with a group of intelligent people who truly love cinema. Could it get any better than that? I am grateful to Tricia for inviting me to this rare experience.”

Wenders is a member of the German Film Academy and one of the founding members of the European Film Academy. Through the Wim Wenders Foundation, he supports the preservation of cinematic heritage as well as new generations of filmmakers and film education. He has maintained close ties with the Berlinale for many years. The festival screened Pina in 2011, The Million Dollar Hotel in 2000, and Everything Will Be Fine in 2015. In 2015, Wenders received an Honorary Golden Bear from the Berlinale.

The 76th Berlin International Film Festival will take place from February 12 to 22, 2026.