Berlinale Talents — Applications Close Sept 3, 2025 (Video)

If you’re looking to supercharge your network and sharpen your project with world-class mentors, Berlinale Talents is the one to circle in red. Running during the Berlin International Film Festival each February, the program gathers 200 creators across 15+ disciplines for a six-day ecosystem of talks, labs, and tightly curated project development. This isn’t a beginner workshop; it’s a professional springboard designed for filmmakers and creators with a track record who are ready to level up craft, community, and career.

📌 Deadline: Wednesday, September 3, 2025 at 12:00 CEST. Apply via the official portal and double-check lab-specific upload requirements before you hit submit.  

What you’ll find on the inside: discipline-specific labs (from Doc Station to Script Station to Short Form), high-impact peer exchange, and structured exposure to decision-makers orbiting the Berlinale, EFM, and the Co-Pro Market. The labs ask for tangible materials (e.g., treatment, script pages, work sample, financing plan), and the general application invites you to articulate your voice, practice, and what you bring to the cohort. That last piece matters—Talents is built on active contribution, not passive attendance.

Who should apply: directors, writers, producers, cinematographers, editors, sound designers, composers, designers, programmers/curators, distributors, sales agents, critics/journalists, and XR/series creators—especially those already moving projects forward and seeking a European industry footprint.

How to prepare fast: (1) Cut a 3-minute work sample with English subs. (2) Lock a 5–10 page treatment. (3) Update your bio/filmography and gather press or festival context. (4) Draft a crisp statement that clarifies your artistic concerns and what you’ll contribute to the group.

📌 Deadline: Wednesday, September 3, 2025 at 12:00 CEST. Apply via the official portal and double-check lab-specific upload requirements before you hit submit.  

Pro tip: If you’re bringing a finance-seeking feature (fiction, doc, or series), consider the Talent Project Market track (run with Berlinale Co-Production Market). It’s a separate layer inside the same application flow and can put you across the table from actual co-pro partners.  

Link: https://www.berlinale-talents.de/bt/page/c/apply