Every February, Berlin becomes the centre of the cinematic world. The Berlinale, whose competition awards the famed Golden and Silver Bears, is one of the world’s biggest film festivals. It boasts a varied array of programme sections, among them the short film competition Berlinale Shorts—which, in 2026, included a first-ever film from Film Academy Vienna: Ein Unfall [An Accident] by Film Academy student Angelika Spangel.

Rita Waszilovics and casting director Deborah Congia spoke with mdw Magazine about their work.