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Clear your schedule. Film festivals, contemporary art fairs and international concert tours are rolling out across four continents this week.
From the opening of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival in Germany to the Middle East debut of Art Basel in Doha, major cities are drawing international audiences with programs that span cinema, music, theater and visual arts.
The 76th Berlin International Film Festival opens on Feb. 12 in Berlin.
The festival, widely known as Berlinale, will host selections from international cinema and welcome prominent figures from the film industry.
In Finland, the Helsinki Documentary Film Festival DocPoint marked its 25th anniversary from Feb. 3 to 8. The program included more than 70 feature documentaries and over 30 short films.
In the United States, the Santa Barbara International Film Festival runs from Feb. 4 to 14 for its 41st edition.
The festival opened with the U.S. premiere of “A Mosquito in the Ear,” directed by Nicola Rinciari, and will close with “Laundry (Uhlanjululo),” directed by Zamo Mkhwanazi. The 2026 selection features more than 50 U.S. premieres and over 20 world premieres.
The Victoria Film Festival in Canada continues from Feb. 6 to 15. The festival opened with “Holy Days,” starring two-time Oscar nominee Jackie Weaver.
The 76th Berlinale is not the only cinema event this week. Eight new films are entering global theaters, including:
In U.S. theaters, additional releases include “Dracula: A Love Tale,” directed by Luc Besson and adapted from Bram Stoker’s novel, “Solo Mio,” “Whistle,” and “The Strangers: Chapter 3,” along with “The Moment,” “The Huntsman,” “Hateshinaki Sukaretto,” “Calle Malaga,” “Pillion,” and “Time Hoppers: The Silk Road.”
Art Basel Qatar, the fair’s first Middle East edition, took place in Doha from Feb. 5 to 7.
The fair became the fifth location in the Art Basel program after Basel, Miami Beach, Hong Kong and Paris.
Instead of traditional fair booths, the event adopted an open format exhibition structure under the artistic direction of Egyptian artist Wael Shawky. The fair centered on the theme “Becoming” and featured 84 artist projects presented by 87 galleries from 31 countries.
In Saudi Arabia, the Diriyah Contemporary Art Biennale continues in Riyadh’s JAX District until May 2. Organized by the Diriyah Biennale Foundation under the Saudi Ministry of Culture, the biennale focuses on the theme of continuity and change. Works by Turkish artists Merve Ertufan and Muge Yilmaz are included in the exhibition.
Also in Saudi Arabia, the AlUla Arts Festival runs until Feb. 14. Desert X AlUla forms the core of the festival with large-scale installations across canyon landscapes. The exhibition “Arduna,” organized in collaboration with Centre Pompidou, brings works by artists including Pablo Picasso to the region.
In Mexico City, Zona Maco took place from Feb. 4 to 8 as one of Latin America’s largest contemporary art fairs. In Marrakech, the 1-54 Contemporary African Art Fair ran from Feb. 5 to 8, focusing on artists from Africa and its diaspora.
Venice hosts the water festival “La Festa Veneziana sull’acqua” along the Rio di Cannaregio canal until Feb. 17, transforming parts of the city into an open-air performance space.
London’s Savoy Theatre will host the world premiere of “Paddington The Musical” from Feb. 11 to 16.
The stage adaptation brings Michael Bond’s character to theater audiences.
“Les Miserables” continues at the Sondheim Theatre in London from Feb. 9 to 14 with Cameron Mackintosh’s new staging.
In Manchester, “Back to the Future The Musical” runs at Manchester Opera House from Feb. 11 to 16, featuring songs from the original film and new compositions.
Moscow Classic Theatre will stage “The Master and Margarita,” adapted from the novel by Mikhail Bulgakov, on Feb. 15 and 16.
Sarajevo hosts the third edition of the Eternal Flame Metal Festival on Feb. 13 and 14, featuring 10 local and international bands.
Concert schedules across Europe and Asia also remain active this week:
In Baku, the performance series “Elegance of Mugham Evening” brings together Ismayıl Zülfügarov, Asif Alizade and Ferid Necefov on Feb. 11, 15 and 18, combining traditional mugham music with instruments such as tar and kamancha.
In Prague, the Srnec Theatre presents “Antologia” on Feb. 11 and 13 at the historic Reduta Jazz Club, showcasing scenes from more than 50 years of black light theater.
The classical ensemble Kalliope also performs works by Fanny Mendelssohn, Louise Farrenc and Felix Mendelssohn in Prague, while the Stamic Quartet and cellist Till Schuler perform at Liechtenstein Palace as part of the EuroArt Prague Festival.
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