The Berlin International Film Festival, commonly known as the Berlinale, is an annual film festival held in Berlin, Germany. Founded in 1951, it takes place every February and is considered one of the "Big Three" European film festivals alongside Venice and Cannes, and one of the "Big Five" most prestigious film festivals globally. The festival screens approximately 400 films across various sections, with around twenty films competing for its top awards, the Golden Bear and Silver Bears. It attracts tens of thousands of visitors and nearly 16,000 film industry professionals from 130 countries annually.