Michelle Yeoh receives Berlin festival’s Honorary Golden Bear for lifetime achievement
BERLIN – Michelle Yeoh received the Berlin International Film Festival’s Honorary Golden Bear for lifetime achievement on Feb 12, adding another major accolade to a career spanning nearly four decades.
Yeoh, who won the Academy Award for best actress for Everything Everywhere All at Once, was honoured at the festival’s opening ceremony in Berlin, where the award is presented as part of the Berlinale’s official programme.
Honorary Golden Bear marks career across Hong Kong and Hollywood
Yeoh rose to prominence in Hong Kong action cinema in the 1980s and 1990s before breaking through to wider international audiences with Tomorrow Never Dies in 1997 and Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in 2000.
Ahead of the ceremony, she said the Berlinale held personal significance for her, recalling that the festival first invited her to sit on a jury in 1999, which broadened her exposure to filmmaking beyond Hong Kong.
Representation message accompanies Berlinale recognition
Yeoh said the lifetime achievement recognition reflected the arc of her career and the persistence required to navigate stereotypes faced by Asian actors. She added that Asian performers and creators should speak up to ensure their voices are heard and their work is seen.
The Berlinale had announced in November 2025 that Yeoh would be the 2026 recipient of the Honorary Golden Bear, with the award to be presented during the festival’s opening ceremony at the Berlinale Palast.
