Berlin International Film Festival 110 countries. At some high-profile feature film premieres held during the festival, movie stars and celebrities are present on the red carpet. The Berlin International Film Festival was founded in West Berlin in 1951, with film historian Dr. Alfred Bauer as its first director, a position he would hold until 1976. Alfred Hitchcock’s "Rebecca" opened the first festival which ran from June 6-17th. Bauer was succeeded by film journalist Wolf Donner in 1976. After his first Berlinale in June 1977, he successfully negotiated the shift of the festival from the summer to February (February 22nd - March 5th 1978), a
8th Venice International Film Festival (1940) 8th Venice International Film Festival (1940) The "8th" annual (void) Venice International Film Festival was held from September 1 to September 8, 1940, less than three months after Italy had belatedly entered the Second World War as Germany’s ally. Together with the 1941 and 1942 it is 'considered void- as if they did not happen'. The events were held in places far away from the Lido, and very few countries participated due to World War II and directors that were members of the Rome-Berlin axis. In fact the Festival lost its ‘international’ designation that year, as the war had reduced