Black and white picture of a couple, he is lying on the ground, she is holding him

Classics of the Silent Film Era

In the open air, in the heart of Berlin.

This year's program

UFA FILM NIGHTS: Silent Movie Magic in the Heart of Berlin

From August 26 to 28, 2026, Bertelsmann will present three evenings of silent-film classics under the stars, accompanied by live music and set against the spectacular backdrop of Berlin’s Museum Island. This year marks the 15th edition of the UFA Film Nights in Berlin, dedicated to a special theme: When UFA Came to Hollywood!

The 2026 edition of the festival pays tribute to the unique period of cinematic and cultural exchange between Germany and the United States that, nearly a century ago, produced some of silent cinema’s most enduring masterpieces. The three Hollywood films by Ernst Lubitsch, Paul Leni, and Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau will be accompanied live by different ensembles in what is perhaps Berlin’s most beautiful temporary open-air cinema.

Kolonnadenhof courtyard of Berlin’s Museum Island in the heart of the city a movie can be seen

Tickets now available

Link to ticket page
Presented by
Logo Bertelsmann
in cooperation with
Logo Ufa

Featured movies

Lady Windermere's Fan

August 26, 2026

The opening evening, Wednesday, August 26, celebrates the charm of the famous “Lubitsch Touch.” Ernst Lubitsch’s 1925 adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s social satire LADY WINDERMERE'S FAN tells a tale of intricate family entanglements. The all-female ensemble The Roaring Dames, under the direction of Luiza Labouriau, will perform the world premiere of a new score by Tobias Schwencke. read more

The Cat and the Canary (Spuk im Schloss)

August 27, 2026

Am zweiten Abend folgt Paul Lenis THE CAT AND THE CANARY (Spuk im Schloss) aus dem Jahr 1927, gedreht in den legendären Universal Studios des deutsch-jüdischen Hollywood-Pioniers Carl Laemmle. Paul Leni greift für seine Gruselkomödie auf Stilmerkmale des deutschen Expressionismus zurück. Es spielt das Ensemble Spooky Tune mit Caroline Eyck am Theremin eine Komposition von Neil Brand, entstanden im Auftrag von Photoplay Productions für CHANNEL 4. Aufführung mit freundlicher Genehmigung von Photoplay Productions. read more

Sunrise - A Song of two Humans

August 28, 2026

The UFA Film Nights conclude with SUNRISE – A SONG OF TWO HUMANS (1927). Friedrich Wilhelm Murnau’s Hollywood debut is widely regarded as his undisputed masterpiece. Based on a novella by Hermann Sudermann, the melodrama won three Academy Awards. The screening will be accompanied by Ekkehard Wölk & The Silent Light Orchestra. read more

Our Partners

Our Media Partners