İlker Çatak’s “Yellow Letters” has been named the best film of the 2026 Berlin Film Festival, a jury headed by Wim Wenders announced at the awards ceremony on Saturday.
“Yellow Letters” stars Özgü Namal and Tansu Biçer as an artist couple who move to Istanbul after their latest play makes them a target of the state. Çatak is a German-born director whose last film, “The Teacher’s Lounge,” was nominated for an Oscar for Best International Feature Film in 2024.
Emir Alper’s “Salvation” won the Grand Jury Prize, while Lance Hammer’s “Queen at Sea” won the Jury Prize.
Acting awards went to Sandra Hüller for “Rose” and Anna Calder-Marshall and Tom Courtenay for “Queen at Sea,” while the Best Director prize went to Grant Lee for “Everybody Digs Bill Evans.”
The festival screened 22 films in the main competition.
The complete list of winners:
GOLDEN BEAR FOR BEST FILM “Yellow Letters,” İlker Çatak
SILVER BEAR FOR GRAND JURY PRIZE “Salvation,” Emir Alper
SILVER BEAR FOR JURY PRIZE “Queen at Sea,” Lance Hammer
SILVER BEAR FOR BEST DIRECTOR Grant Lee, “Everybody Digs Bill Evans”
SILVER BEAR FOR BEST LEADING PERFORMANCE Sandra Hüller, “Rose”
SILVER BEAR FOR BEST SUPPORTING PERFORMANCE Anna Calder-Marshall and Tom Courtenay in “Queen at Sea”
SILVER BEAR FOR BEST SCREENPLAY Geneviève Dulude-de Celles for “Nina Roza”
SILVER BEAR FOR OUTSTANDING ARTISTIC CONTRIBUTION “Yo (Love is a Rebellious Bird)” by Anna Fitch and Banker White
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