Silver Bear for Best Director

The Silver Bear for Best Director (German: Silberner Bär/Bester Regie) is an award presented annually at the Berlin International Film Festival since 1956.

It is given for the best achievement in directing and is chosen by the International Jury from the films in the Competition slate at the festival.

At the 6th Berlin International Film Festival held in 1956, Robert Aldrich was the first winner of this award for his work on Autumn Leaves, and Philippe Garrel is the most recent winner in this category for his work on The Plough at the 73rd Berlin International Film Festival in 2023.

In 1970, no awards were given as the festival was called off mid-way due to the controversy over official selection film, o.k.

One directing team has shared the award: Michael Winterbottom and Mat Whitecross for The Road to Guantánamo (2006).

Akira Kurosawa won for The Hidden Fortress (1956)
Satyajit Ray won twice for Mahanagar (1964) and Charulata (1965)
Mario Monicelli won thrice Fathers and Sons (1957), Caro Michele (1976), and Il Marchese del Grillo (1982)
Carlos Saura won twice for The Hunt (1966), and Peppermint Frappé (1968)
Eric Rohmer won for Pauline at the Beach (1983)
Richard Linklater won twice for Before Sunrise (1995), and Boyhood (2014)
Paul Thomas Anderson won for There Will Be Blood (2007)
Asghar Farhadi won for About Elly (2009)
Wes Anderson won for Isle of Dogs (2018)
Claire Denis won for Both Sides of the Blade (2022)
Huo Meng, director of Living the Land winner of Silver Bear for Best Director at Berlinale 2025