27th Berlin International Film Festival

The 27th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 24 June to 5 July 1977. The festival opened with Nickelodeon by Peter Bogdanovich.

The Golden Bear was awarded to The Ascent directed by Larisa Shepitko. Since this edition the annual Retrospective and Homage events has been coordinated jointly between the festival organization and the Deutsche Kinemathek. The retrospective shown at the festival was dedicated to German actress Marlene Dietrich, which was divided into two parts, with Part 1 being shown this year along with the retrospective called ''Love, Death and Technology. Cinema of the Fantastical 1933–1945''. The guest of the Homage was West German filmmaker Wilfried Basse.

Juries
The following people were announced as being on the jury for the festival:

Main Competition

 * Senta Berger, Austrian actress and producer – Jury President
 * Ellen Burstyn, American actress
 * Helène Vager, French producer
 * Rainer Werner Fassbinder, West-German filmmaker, actor and producer
 * Derek Malcolm, British journalist and film critic
 * Andrei Mikhalkov-Konchalovsky, Soviet filmmaker
 * Ousmane Sembène, Senegalese filmmaker, producer and author
 * Humberto Solás, Cuban filmmaker
 * Basilio Martín Patino, Spanish filmmaker

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

Out of competition

 * Caudillo, directed by Basilio Martín Patino (Spain)
 * Per questa notte, directed by Carlo Di Carlo (Italy)

Retrospective and Homage
The following films were shown in the retrospective dedicated to Marlene Dietrich (Part 1):

The following films were shown in the retrospective "Love, Death and Technology. Cinema of the Fantastical 1933–1945":

Official Awards
The following prizes were awarded by the Jury:
 * Golden Bear: The Ascent by Larisa Shepitko
 * Silver Bear – Special Jury Prize: The Devil Probably by Robert Bresson
 * Silver Bear for Best Director: Manuel Gutiérrez Aragón for Black Litter
 * Silver Bear for Best Actress: Lily Tomlin for The Late Show
 * Silver Bear for Best Actor: Fernando Fernán Gómez for The Anchorite
 * Silver Bear:
 * A Strange Role by Pál Sándor
 * The Bricklayers by Jorge Fons

FIPRESCI Award

 * The Ascent by Larisa Shepitko
 * Perfumed Nightmare by Kidlat Tahimik