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
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