dokumentarfilmwoche Hamburg

Six Days of Documentary Film in Hamburg

For six days in April, Hamburg transforms into a hub for international documentary film. Since 2004, dokumentarfilmwoche Hamburg has presented a curated program that deliberately distinguishes itself from mainstream formats: not an industry show, but a carefully selected collection of exceptional national and international documentary films.

2026 Program — The Key Points

The 2026 edition runs from April 14th to 19th and includes around 50 events. Filmmakers from twelve countries — including Germany, France, Iran, Israel, Italy, Canada, and Ukraine — are expected. Approximately 30 directors will attend in person to discuss their films in Q&A sessions.

Opening and Highlights

• Opening Film: The Vanishing Point by Bani Khoshnoudi — an exploration of resistance in Iran
• Kazuo Hara Retrospective — a film retrospective of the Japanese director, who will be present and give a masterclass
• Studio Softić Exhibition — spatial destruction in European peripheries
• 50 Years of Duisburger Filmwoche — a tribute to the sister festival

Venues and Festival Center

The festival will be held in four Hamburg art-house cinemas and a festival center:

• Metropolis in the city center — the traditional main venue
• 3001 Kino in the Schanzenviertel
• B-Movie on St. Pauli
• Slot-Clubkino — the underground address
• fux eG in Altona — Festival center with bar, talks, and meeting space

Aspiration and Tone

dokumentarfilmwoche differs from commercially oriented festivals: no red carpets, no galas. The focus is on the films and the discussions about them. The festival has earned a reputation for political sharpness and aesthetic care — and for a program that takes voices from the Global South and conflict regions seriously.

Festival Passes and Single Tickets

Both single tickets and festival passes are available. Pass holders can enter non-sold-out screenings one hour before the film starts — a form of priority access without a fixed seating plan. This fits the spirit of the festival: curated cinema for an engaged audience.