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
2nd Berlin International Film Festival 2nd Berlin International Film Festival The 2nd annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 12 to 25 June 1952. The FIAPF prohibited the festival from awarding any official prizes by a jury (which only Cannes and Venice were qualified to do so), instead awards were given by audience voting. This was changed in 1956 when the FIAPF granted Berlin "A-Status" during that year. Golden Bear was awarded to Swedish film "Hon dansade en sommar" by audience vote. Orson Welles's "Othello" was banned from the festival due to his alleged anti-German remarks. The festival held a retrospective on silent films.