1st Berlin International Film Festival 1st Berlin International Film Festival The 1st annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 6 to 17 June 1951. The opening film was Alfred Hitchcock's "Rebecca". At this very first Berlin Festival, the Golden Bear award was introduced, and it was awarded to the best film in each of five categories: drama, comedy, crime or adventure, music film, and documentary. This system disappeared already the following year, partly because films that year were voted on by the audience. The following people were announced as being on the jury for the festival: The following films were in competition for the
50th Berlin International Film Festival 50th Berlin International Film Festival The 50th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from February 9 to 20, 2000. The festival opened with "The Million Dollar Hotel" by Wim Wenders. "Bossa Nova" by Bruno Barreto, screened out of competition was the closing film of the festival. The Golden Bear was awarded to American film "Magnolia" directed by Paul Thomas Anderson. The retrospective titled "Artificial People" and dedicated to artificial beings and machines in the films was shown at the festival, screening films like Der Golem and The Terminator. On its 50th anniversary the premieres of the films in competition