The program:

Over 7,000 films from all over the world were submitted to the festival - that's almost 500 more than last year. 441 movies made it into the official Berlinale program, organized in 14 sections. They come from 72 countries - 32 more than in 2014.

The contestants:

The heart of the film festival is the competition. It includes 23 films, and 19 of them are vying for the Golden and Silver Bears. The most renowned directors in this year's race include Terrence Malick, Peter Greenaway, Kenneth Branagh and Jafar Panahi. For the first time, a selection from Guatemala will be shown in the competition: "Ixcanul," Jayro Bustamante's debut movie, delves into Mayan culture.

The topics:

Name any current global political issue and you'll find it in this year's Berlinale program: destruction of the environment, migration, torture, ethnic cleansing, natural disasters, globalization, financial crisis… Two films in the competition tackle religious issues: "El Club" from Chile reveals the dark secrets of Catholic priests, while "Aferim" tells the story of the persecution of Jews and Roma in mid-19th century Romania.

German productions:

It's a strong year for Germany, as 96 domestic films made it into the program. Five of them will be shown within the competition: Sebastian Schipper's "Victoria" plunges into Berlin's dark scene, Andreas Dresen's "Als Wir Träumten" (As We Were Dreaming) depicts Leipzig shortly after the Fall of the Wall, and Oliver Hirschbiegel's "Elser" is about an attempt to kill Hitler in 1939. Internationally renowned German directors are also on the list: Werner Herzog with his US production "Queen of the Desert," starring Nicole Kidman, and Wim Wenders with his 3-D movie "Everything Will Be Fine." Wenders will also be awarded an Honorary Golden Bear for his lifetime achievement.

Berlinale women:

Festival director Dieter Kosslick declared that there is a focus on "strong women in extreme situations." Bold women are not only on screen; they also produced 155 of the films in this year's program, directed 115 of them and were cinematographers for 26 selections. Spanish filmmaker Isabel Coixet's film opens the 65th International Film Festival - the second time a female director has had the honor in the festival's long history. "Nobody Wants the Night" stars Juliette Binoche as the daring Josephine Peary on an Arctic quest to find her husband, explorer Robert Peary.

Youngest director:

The Indonesian Wregas Bhanuteja is just 22 years young. He will be showing his film "Lembusura" in the Berlinale Shorts section.

Oldest director:

Marcel Ophüls, one of the world's most important contemporary filmmakers, is 87. The grand master will attend the Berlinale to show a restored version of "The Memory of Justice," his documentary about the Nuremberg trials and their consequences. In recognition of his work, Ophüls will be awarded a Berlinale Camera on February 11.

Shortest movie title:

"H." runs in "Forum," the Berlinale's most experimental section. Another Forum title is actually even shorter: "K" - without a period. The length of the film is normal, however: 86 minutes.

All inclusive:

The festival is for everyone, which is why the Berlinale also has different screenings with subtitles followed by podium discussions with sign language interpretation. Several films on the program also offer an audio description for the visually impaired.

The Berlinale souvenirs:

Berlinale bears are printed on T-shirts, baby body suits, pacifiers, notebooks, toiletry bags and smartphone cases. They dangle on key chains and will follow true fans right into their bath tub as bright yellow sponges. To conceal the toll taken by those long festival nights, trendy Berlinale sunglasses are a must.

Social media:

Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, LinkedIn: social media give a glimpse behind the scenes and reveal the latest about the movies, people and events. This year, the Berlinale has its own official social hub. "Berlinale Moments" shows a selection of the best posts with the hashtags #BerlinaleMoments and #Berlinale. Everyone can join.

The tastiest section:

The Culinary Cinema section has been part of the program for the last ten years. It shows the latest movies on nutrition and ecology, serves menus by top chefs and discusses the relationship between food, culture and politics. Tickets for this crowd favorite are always sold out quickly.

The most notable innovation:

With its Berlinale Special Series selection, the film festival will be also premiering TV series from Germany and other countries. The challenging and captivating narratives of the world's best series are definitely ready to hit the silver screen.