Silver Bear for Best Director — Every Winner and Nominee

Every film recognised in the Berlinale Silver Bear for Best Director category in CineRoll's records: 66 films across 63 years, 67 of them winners.

The most recent winner is Everybody Digs Bill Evans (2026); the earliest on record is Autumn Leaves (1956).

The last three winners were Everybody Digs Bill Evans (2026), Everybody Digs Bill Evans (2026) and Living the Land (2025).

The list is newest first. Each year shows the winner at the top, then the other nominees; a year with enough nominees links to its own page.

Last updated August 12, 2026

2026

Everybody Digs Bill Evans(2026)
Grant Gee
Winner
Everybody Digs Bill Evans(2026)
Winner

2025

Living the Land(2025)
Sheng xi zhi di
Winner

2024

Pepe(2024)
Nelson Carlos De Los Santos Arias
Winner

2023

The Plough(2023)
Philippe Garrel
Winner

2022

Both Sides of the Blade(2022)
Claire Denis
Winner

2021

Natural Light(2021)
Dénes Nagy
Winner

2020

The Woman Who Ran(2020)
Hong Sangsoo
Winner

2019

I Was at Home, But...(2019)
Winner

2018

Isle of Dogs(2018)
Wes Anderson
Winner

2017

The Other Side of Hope(2017)
Aki Kaurismäki
Winner

2016

Things to Come(2016)
Mia Hansen-Løve
Winner

2015

Aferim!(2015)
Radu Jude
Winner
Body (Ciało)(2015)
Małgorzata Szumowska
Winner

2014

Boyhood(2014)
Richard Linklater
Winner

2013

Prince Avalanche(2013)
David Gordon Green
Winner

2012

Barbara(2012)
Christian Petzold
Winner

2011

Sleeping Sickness(2011)
Winner

2010

The Ghost Writer(2010)
Roman Polanski
Winner

2009

About Elly(2009)
Asghar Farhadi
Winner

2008

There Will Be Blood(2007)
Paul Thomas Anderson
Winner

2007

Beaufort(2007)
Joseph Cedar
Winner

2006

The Road to Guantanamo(2006)
Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross
Winner

2005

Sophie Scholl: The Final Days(2005)
Winner

2004

Samaritan Girl(2004)
Winner

2003

His Brother(2003)
Winner

2002

Monday Morning(2002)
Winner

2001

Betelnut Beauty(2001)
Winner

2000

Man on the Moon(1999)
Milos Forman
Winner

1999

The Hi-Lo Country(1998)
Stephen Frears
Winner

1997

Port Djema(1997)
Eric Heumann
Winner

1996

Richard III(1995)
Richard Loncraine
Winner
The Sun Has Ears(1996)
Winner

1995

Before Sunrise(1995)
Richard Linklater
Winner

1994

Three Colors: White(1994)
Winner

1993

The Cement Garden(1993)
Andrew Birkin
Winner

1992

Il Capitano: A Swedish Requiem(1991)
Jan Troell
Winner

1991

The Silence of the Lambs(1991)
Jonathan Demme
Winner
Ultrà(1991)
Ricky Tognazzi
Winner

1990

The Nasty Girl(1990)
Winner

1989

I Love, You Love(1989)
Winner

1988

Moonstruck(1987)
Norman Jewison
Winner

1987

Platoon(1986)
Oliver Stone
Winner

1986

Voyage of the Young Composer(1985)
Journey of a Young Composer
Winner

1985

Places in the Heart(1984)
Robert Benton
Winner

1984

Le Bal(1983)
Ettore Scola
Winner

1983

Pauline at the Beach(1983)
Winner

1982

The Marquis of Grillo(1981)
Winner

1980

Confidence(1980)
Winner

1979

Winterborn(1978)
Winner

1978

Advantage(1977)
Winner

1977

Black Litter(1977)
Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón
Winner

1976

Dear Michele(1976)
Mario Monicelli
Winner

1975

One Hundred Days After Childhood(1975)
Winner

1972

The Old Maid(1972)
Winner

1967

The Rats Woke Up(1967)
Winner

1966

The Hunt(1966)
Carlos Saura
Winner

1965

Charulata(1964)
Satyajit Ray
Winner

1964

The Big City(1963)
Winner

1963

Young Aphrodites(1963)
Winner

1962

Salvatore Giuliano(1962)
Francesco Rosi
Winner

1961

The Miracle of Father Malachia(1961)
Winner

1960

Breathless(1960)
Winner

1959

The Hidden Fortress(1958)
Winner

1958

The Story of Pure Love(1957)
Story of Pure Love
Winner

1957

Fathers and Sons(1957)
Mario Monicelli
Winner

1956

Autumn Leaves(1956)
Robert Aldrich
Winner