A NEW KIND OF FILM FESTIVAL.
A FIRST EDITION WITH SOMETHING TO OPEN.
Some stories begin with a camera. Others begin with a page.
All begin with a person who believes the work deserves to go further.
Born in Berlin and open internationally, Berlin Gate International Film Festival brings independent films, screenplays and stage plays into a new festival journey. Our ambition is to connect distinctive work with audiences, recognition and a growing creative community — and to make the next step clear to the people who create it.
TALENT SHOULD HAVE A WAY IN
A powerful story should not be left outside because its maker cannot afford an entry fee.
Pre-registration for the main film and writing competitions on Festhome is free of a BGIFF submission fee. If your work passes our initial review, you can complete and sign your entry for free, with one competition section included. Festhome may apply an independent platform or file-handling charge under its own terms.
Further eligible sections and separate services are optional. You can take part through your included section. Purchases never influence a jury decision.
FROM THIS REGISTRATION TO YOUR PERSONAL PAGE
Submit in the Festhome category that best describes the work itself. We use it to route the registration; the final choice of BGIFF competition sections takes place on your personal page.
Every registered work receives an initial review. If eligible, you receive a personal invitation link to bgiff.com: check your details, choose your included section, review any optional additions and sign before the personal deadline shown.
Registration here is the first step. A completed entry and Official Selection are separate steps, each with its own meaning. Your personal page brings together your work's progress, documents, purchases and next action.
FILM AND WRITING, EACH WITH ITS OWN PATH
Films are considered in the sections chosen for them. Screenplays and stage plays are reviewed independently in the included section and every further section added; selection in one does not stop review in another.
Other creative formats accepted through platform categories have separate routes. They are not automatically entered in the main film or writing competition.
A FESTIVAL COMMUNITY IN THE MAKING
Berlin Gate begins with a First Edition and a larger ambition: a lasting connection between stories, their makers and the people ready to discover them.
The next chapter of our festival journey is revealed on 24 November 2026. The published calendar and your personal page show the steps already announced.
Bring the work you believe in. Let its next chapter begin.
Official information: https://bgiff.com
Sections: https://bgiff.com/sections
Calendar: https://bgiff.com/key-dates
