Working Worlds in Focus: 38 Filmfest Dresden Starting Today
This evening at 19.00, the 38th edition of Filmfest Dresden is commencing with its official opening in the Schauburg festival cinema. From 14 April to 19 April, the festival is transforming the city of Dresden into a platform for international short film and, in a total of 197 screenings, presenting more than 380 short films from 60 countries in 19 festival locations across Dresden. The film programme is being accompanied by the wide-ranging etc. - events.trainings.connections. festival section.
Together with this year’s festival focus on “Work in Progress”, on a content level further central social themes such as (queer) identities and loneliness, as well as migration are being addressed at the festival, intended to provide various perspectives on living together. A total of 64 films in the Competition sections are vying for the 17 “Golden Horsemen” and special prizes endowed with prizemoney amounting to €72,500. The prizes and awards will be handed over to the lucky winners at the official awards ceremony on Saturday, 18 April at 20.00 in the Schauburg festival cinema.
The ever-popular, free-of-charge Short Film Open Air programme is also starting this evening on Schlossplatz square parallel to the official opening. More than 500 film guests and media professionals are expected in Dresden during the festival week. Tickets can be purchased online, as well as in all the festival venues.
Festival Director Anne Gaschütz: “We’re really looking forward to this year’s festival. It’s been an incredibly busy time up to now with our team working tirelessly on getting this edition ready to roll, and that despite the ever-increasing financial challenges we’re facing. For this reason, we would like to extend our special thanks to all our patrons, sponsors and supporters who have helped make this festival possible.
Especially when you consider the increasingly complex and tense global situation right now, we see the festival as a place where different perspectives are revealed and plenty of opportunities arise for exchanges. We’re looking forward to the encounters, conversations and discussions, and the films of course – and to ensuring that together with our audiences the festival becomes a vibrant, resonant space.
>> Overview of all the partners, supporters and sponsors: https://www.filmfest-dresden.de/de/festival/partner-innen
Festival Opening: Welcoming Addresses and Cinematic Insights
Traditionally, the guests at the festival opening in the Schauburg festival cinema can expect a varied mix of welcoming speeches and initial insights into the festival programme – including selected filmic delights. The opening event is being presented by Jenni Zylka.
Following the welcoming address by Dresden’s Cultural Mayor Annekatrin Klepsch, the festival is being officially launched by Susanne Meyer (Saxon State Ministry of Culture and Tourism) together with Festival Director Anne Gaschütz and her Deputy Director Sylke Gottlebe.
Initial cinematic samples being screened at the opening as a foretaste of the forthcoming festival include TUNA TARTARE from Lena Greene (USA, 2025) and SAMRA’S DOLLHOUSE from Maissa Lihedheb (Germany/USA, 2025).
Guests Attending the 38 Filmfest Dresden
Up to 600 guests are expected during the festival week, with numerous international filmmakers presenting their works in person to the audiences. In the Competition sections, those coming to Dresden include Kelly McCormack (HOW BRIEF, Canada 2025), Ira Hetaraka (WOMB, New Zealand 2024), Jon Frickey (PLOO, Germany 2025) and Robert Löbel (TIME, Germany 2025). Kim Sanou and Mariama Sow are presenting their film A BLACK FAIRYTALE (Austria, Germany, Senegal, Mali, Ivory Coast 2026), which is celebrating its world premiere in Dresden.
Likewise for the special programmes, numerous film guests are expected: Rachel Pronger is coming and presenting the focus programme she curated entitled “… What a Way to Make a Living!”. Ulu Braun (GERHARD, Focus 3) and Nicolaas Schmidt (LINEAR ENDJOY, Experiments) are presenting their works personally. Felix Bartke and Miri Ian Gossing are attending the festival with their curated programme (Cinema Digestif 3). The Canadian filmmaker Sandrine Brodeur-Desrosiers (JUST ME AND YOU) is coming to Dresden to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the ever-popular Focus Québec programme, curated by Harley Chamandy. Jyoti Mistry, who was born in South Africa, is presenting the “Tribute: Uncompromising Audacity” dedicated to her and showcasing some of her films, in addition to holding a masterclass.
Filmmakers with works in the Kids and Youth programme are also coming to Dresden, including Eliza Płocieniak-Alvarez (KITO, MAJA AND THE SPHERICAL BOX – OF THE FROGS AND THEIR LADDER, Germany, 2025), Franziska Schönenberger and Jayakrishnan Subramanian (MAYA'S SONG, Germany 2025), as well as Antje Heyn and Alexander Isert (ON THE MAT OUTSIDE MY DOOR). The two of them are also holding the workshop “Miracles, Mutations, Animated Movies”.
Highlights from the Film Programme
Traditionally, the festival Wednesday is devoted to regional filmmaking: The “Wiźeś.Visible. Widźomne” programme in the Lingnerschloss venue is presenting a variety of perspectives from Sorbian Lusatia. Furthermore, the “Regional Focus” series is showcasing the cinematic heritage of Saxony and this year honouring the Dresden-based cinematographer and documentary filmmaker Ernst Hirsch.
“The Currency Lab – Law & Order” in the Geh8 venue consists of an interdisciplinary exhibition and film programme focusing on questions regarding social structures and power relations. In addition to video installations from Elom 20ce, Musquiqui Chihying and Gregor Kasper, among others, three thematic short film programmes are also being screened.
A further unique matinée programme event on the festival Sunday is dedicated to the experimental film pioneer Wilhelm Hein. In cooperation with the Archive of the Avantgarde — Egidio Marzona (ADA) and in collaboration with Birgit Hein, film works from across three decades are being screened at the event.
12th Short Film Open Air Programme Starting Today on Schlossplatz
Parallel to the official opening, the Schlossplatz square is being transformed yet again into an open-air cinema: The ever-popular cost-free Short Film Open Air programme is bringing international short films to the high-resolution and daylight-capable LED screen there – against the historic backdrop of Dresden’s old city.
Each day (Tuesday from 19:00, Wednesday to Sunday from 14:00), the audiences can expect a highly diverse programme with festival highlights and a curated selection of regional, national and international short films. The films are inviting the audiences to partake in visual voyages of discovery, from cheerfully “Playing the City” to “Fragile Worlds” through to “Orbit of the Everyday”. Likewise, young film fans can look forward to some treats: The Family Shorts Programme special running daily from Wednesday at 16.00, as well as additionally from Thursday to Sunday at 15.00, is providing numerous open-air movie experiences.
The Short Film Open Air programme is the result of the commitment provided by the State Capital City of Dresden, the technology partner schickschön GmbH & Co. KG and the Mitteldeutscher Rundfunk (MDR) state broadcaster.