Cate Blanchett co-hosted the 30th anniversary, ‘A Night in Berlin’ Gala, of Hamburger Bahnhof on 14 March.

Later this year, 8 November, she will be honoured with Impact Award from the British Short Film Awards recognizing her work with Displacement Film Fund (DFF) which is a film grant scheme she co-founded supporting stories by displaced and refugee filmmakers.

A Night in Berlin

The gala is co-hosted by film and stage icons Edward Berger, Cate Blanchett, Matt Dillon, Nina Hoss, Thomas Ostermeier, and Wim Wenders; artists Monica Bonvicini, Mark Bradford, Elmgreen & Dragset, Anne Imhof, and Wolfgang Tillmans; global techno music innovator Ellen Allien; fashion, design, and publishing leaders Joerg Koch of 032C, Ottolinger’s Christa Boesch and Cosima Gadient, Carla Sozzani, and Kerstin Weng, with Berlin powerhouses the Berlinale represented by Tricia Tuttle, the Berlin Philharmonic represented by Andrea Zietzschmann, and the Staatsoper Unter den Linden represented by Elisabeth Sobotka.

In 2026, Hamburger Bahnhof celebrates its 30th anniversary with the programme 30 Years Hamburger Bahnhof, spanning the history of the site into the future: eight special exhibitions, a new collection presentation, as well as performances and concerts extend the museum into the city. The highlight is the anniversary weekend from 13 to 15 November 2026, which will include an international conference on the future of contemporary collection museums and continuous 30-hour opening of the museum.

In keeping with the artistic setting of the event, the actress also opted for an artsy outfit. At least, that’s how Cate Blanchett described her Louis Vuitton look (“very fun, artsy, but very heavy”) to Kerstin Weng, Head of Editorial Content at VOGUE Germany, who was also present at the gala and met the Hollywood star beforehand for a fitting. She was accompanied in Berlin by her 17-year-old son, Ignatius.

At a glamorous gala at the Hamburger Bahnhof, Cate Blanchett defended artistic freedom.

The Hamburger Bahnhof hosted the inaugural “A Night in Berlin” gala . The event featured top figures from Berlin’s cultural scene, as well as international celebrities – most notably actress Cate Blanchett.

Blanchett used her role as keynote speaker to advocate for artistic freedom: “Art is in constant dialogue with the eyes and souls of the people who perceive it, who discuss it, who remember it, who are influenced by it, who are enchanted by it, and who rebel against it,” the actress said. “We cannot turn off art. We cannot silence art. Even when people absolutely disagree with it.”

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British Short Film Awards

Oscar-winning Australian star Cate Blanchett has been named this year’s recipient of the British Short Film Awards’ Impact Award.

The Tár and Black Bag actress will receive the honor at the fifth edition of the ceremony on Nov. 8, 2026, at the BFI Southbank in London.

Blanchett will attend the event, hosted by The Traitors fan-favorite Claudia Winkleman, and will be recognized for her work with the Displacement Film Fund (DFF), an initiative supporting short films created by refugees and filmmakers living in displacement. The fund has aided a collection of short films from directors originating from Afghanistan, Iran, Ukraine, Syria, and Somalia.

“I am galvanised by this award,” Blanchett said. “There is momentum around supporting and highlighting stories which deeply engage with the enraging and bewildering times through which we are living — stories which, in the case of the DFF short films, challenge perceptions and amplify the perspectives of those with lived experience of displacement.”

“Stories of courage, humanity and hope,” she added. “What an honour to be receiving this on behalf of the Displacement Film Fund team.”

The Impact Award recognizes individuals whose work expands the role of cinema in society and creates opportunities for new voices to emerge. Blanchett established and leads the DFF, with the Hubert Bals Fund of the International Film Festival Rotterdam acting as management partner.

“Short films often hold the most urgent voices in cinema,” said Bernhard Pucher, CEO of CenterFrame, the platform behind the British Short Film Awards. “Cate Blanchett recognized that displaced filmmakers carry stories the world needs to hear. Through the Displacement Film Fund, those filmmakers gained the resources and visibility to share their work with audiences around the world. The BSFA Impact Award recognizes that commitment.”

Source: Vogue, Taggespiegel, THR