Germany: 75th Anniversary of International Film Festival Berlinale Features on New €20 Silver Coins.

2025 marks 75 years of Berlinale - the country’s most prestigious film Festival. Founded in 1951 at the beginning of the Cold War, the event was meant as a ‘showcase of the free world’ for all Berliners. Since its early inception, the Berlinale has become one of the largest public festivals in the world, attracting tens of thousands of visitors every year. The turbulent post-war period and Berlin's status as a divided city led to the Berlinale becoming a place for intercultural encounters and a critical examination of social issues. For the film industry and the press, the Berlinale is one of the most important events in the annual calendar and an indispensable trading centre. To this day, the Berlinale is considered the most political of all major film festivals. Many stars of international cinema come to Berlin, talents are discovered and promoted, filmmakers from all disciplines are given a place on the international stage and are in the spotlight. Every year, the programme includes around 200 films of all genres, formats and lengths, from feature films to documentaries and artistic experiments. The Berlinale invites audiences to get to know new milieus, ways of life and attitudes, to question their own pre-judgements and to experience seeing and perceiving in a new way between classic narrative forms and unusual aesthetics. The festival thrives on intensive dialogue with the audience and enables active participation in the festival with a variety of events.

The obverse design by artist Anna Steinmann, includes an familiar motif element which includes the view from the cinema audience and rows of seats to view onto a screen with a colourful Berlinale 75 commemorative logo shown in red. The bear and the number 75 shine in the spotlight, while the stylised BERLINALE lettering is placed in a vertical direction alongside the Berlin bear. The reverse side depicts a stylised eagle which is centred. The issuer BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND is placed long the upper rim and the additional text SILBER 925 is seen just above the eagle. The denomination 20 EURO is positioned just below the eagle along with two groups of six five-pointed stars on either side of the denomination. To the lower right of the eagle is the A mintmark denoting the Berlin Mint. The coins include an incused inscription on the edge which reads FESTIVAL IN BEWEGUNG ●

Available from the 23^rd January, the Brilliant Uncirculated pieces are available for their face value at leading commercial banks and post office counters. The proof-quality collector’s edition is encapsulated and presented in a folder which is available by visiting the e-webshop of Munze Deutschland.

*Towards the end of the year, the entire €20 coin collection consisting of all issued 2025-dated pieces will be available in proof quality and as a complete set presented in an official blister-pak type folder.