9th Berlin International Film Festival

The 9th annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from 26 June to 7 July 1959. The festival welcomed the cinematic movement known as the French New Wave and screened the work of directors such as Jean-Luc Godard, Agnès Varda and François Truffaut.

The Golden Bear was awarded to Les Cousins directed by Claude Chabrol.

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

Main Competition

 * Robert Aldrich, American filmmaker - Jury President
 * Johan Jacobsen, Danish filmmaker and producer
 * Charles Ford, French writer and filmmaker
 * John Bryan, British production designer
 * Ignazio Tranquilli, Italian writer and playwright
 * Shigeo Miyata, Japanese painter and physician
 * Wali Eddine Sameh, Emirati director
 * O. E. Hasse, West-German actor
 * Gerhard Prager, West-German writer and producer
 * Fritz Podehl, West-German producer
 * Walther Schmieding, West-German journalist

Documentary and Short Films Competition

 * Curt Oertel, West-German filmmaker and director of photography - Jury President
 * M.D. Bath, Indian
 * Hans Cürlis, West-German director
 * Paul Davay, Belgian film critic
 * Odd Hølaas, Norwegian journalist and writer
 * Katina Paxinou, Greek actress
 * Alfonso Sánchez Martínez, Spanish journalist and film critic

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

Official Awards
The following prizes were awarded by the Jury:

Main Competition

 * Golden Bear: Les Cousins by Claude Chabrol
 * Silver Bear for Best Director: Akira Kurosawa for The Hidden Fortress
 * Silver Bear for Best Actress: Shirley MacLaine for Ask Any Girl
 * Silver Bear for Best Actor: Jean Gabin for Archimède le clochard
 * Silver Bear Extraordinary Jury Prize: Hayley Mills for Tiger Bay

Documentary and Short Films Competition

 * Golden Bear (Documentaries): White Wilderness by James Algar
 * Short Film Golden Bear: Praise the Sea by Herman van der Horsti
 * Silver Bear for Best Short Film:
 * Das Knalleidoskop by Herbert Hunger
 * Radha and Krishna by J. S. Bhownagary
 * Silver Bear Extraordinary Jury Prize (Short film): Horse on Holiday by Astrid Henning-Jensen
 * Recognition of honor (Short Film): I ditteri by Alberto Ancilotto

FIPRESCI Award

 * The Hidden Fortress by Akira Kurosawa

OCIC Award

 * Paradise and Fire Oven by Victor Herbert

Youth Film Award (Jugendfilmpreis)

 * Best Feature Film Suitable for Young People: Naked Sun by Miyoji Ieki
 * Best Documentary Film Suitable for Young People: Paradise and Fire Oven by Victor Herbert
 * Best Short Film Suitable for Young People: Anneaux d'or by René Vautier