Festival director Tricia Tuttle visited the foundry as work continued ahead of the 76th Berlin International Film Festival, which runs from 12 to 22 February.
The workshop has been producing the festival’s iconic bears since the early years of the Berlinale in the 1950s. Their design is based on a standing bear created in 1932 by sculptor Renée Sintenis, inspired by Berlin’s heraldic symbol.
While small refinements have been introduced over the decades, the casting process itself has changed little. Each finished Bear stands around 20 centimetres tall and weighs about four kilograms, a heft often noted by winners when they lift the trophy on stage.