1st Berlin International Film Festival

The 1st annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 6 to 17 June 1951 at the Titiana-Palast cinema. The opening film was Alfred Hitchcock's Rebecca.

At this first Berlin Festival, the Golden Bear award was introduced, and it was awarded to the best film in each of five categories: drama, comedy, crime or adventure, music film, and documentary. This system disappeared already the following year because FIAPF (Federation Internationale des Associations des Producteurs de Films) stated that the awarding of prizes by an expert jury was reserved for "A-festivals" only. Instead, the next year's festival awards were voted on by the audience.

Jury
The following people from West Germany were announced as being on the jury for the festival:
 * Fritz Podehl, playwright and producer - Jury President
 * Johannes Betzel, cinema owner
 * Emil Dovifat, professor of political journalism
 * Werner Eisbrenner, composer and conductor
 * Günther Geisler, journalist and critic
 * Walter Karsch, critic and publisher
 * Hilde Lucht-Perske, city councilor
 * Tatjana Sais, actress
 * Paul Heimann, pedagogue and reader
 * Johannes Betzel, cinema operator

Main Competition
The following films were in competition for the Golden Bear awards:

Main Competition

 * Golden Bear:
 * Best Drama Film: Four in a Jeep by Leopold Lindtberg
 * Best Comedy Film: Without Leaving an Address by Jean-Paul Le Chanois
 * Best Documentary: In Beaver Valley by James Algar
 * Best Crime or Adventure Film: Justice Is Done by André Cayatte
 * Best Music Film: Cinderella by Wilfred Jackson
 * Silver Bear:
 * Best Drama Film: Path of Hope by Pietro Germi
 * Best Comedy Film: Living on 'Hope' by Göran Gentele
 * Best Music Film: The Tales of Hoffmann by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger
 * Bronze Bear:
 * Best Drama Film: The Browning Version by Anthony Asquith
 * Best Comedy Film: The Mating Season by Mitchell Leisen
 * Best Documentary: The Undefeated by Paul Dickson
 * Best Crime or Adventure Film: Destination Moon by Irving Pichel
 * Golden Medal:
 * Best Culture Films and Documentaries: Kleine Nachtgespenster by Eugen Schuhmacher
 * Best Arts and Science Film: Der Film entdeckte Kunstwerke indianischer Vorzeit by Hans Cürlis
 * Best Advertising Film: The Story of Time by Michael Stainer-Hutchins
 * Silver Medal:
 * Best Culture Films and Documentaries: Begone Dull Care by Norman McLaren and Evelyn Lambart
 * Best Arts and Science Film: Goya by Luciano Emmer
 * Best Advertising Film: Het gala-Concert
 * Bronze Medal:
 * Best Culture Films and Documentaries: Der gelbe Dom by Eugen Schuhmacher
 * Best Arts and Science Film: Bosch
 * Best Advertising Film: Blick ins Paradies by Hans Fischerkoesen

Audience Vote

 * Large Bronze plate: Cinderella by Wilfred Jackson
 * Small Bronze plate: The Browning Version by Anthony Asquith

Special Prize of the city of West Berlin

 * Special Prize for an Excellent Film Achievement:
 * The Forbidden Christ by Curzio Malaparte
 * God Needs Men by Jean Delannoy
 * Certificate of Honour: Dr. Holl by Rolf Hansen