Ecumenical Film Festival Recklinghausen

A Festival with a Clear Mission

What makes a film festival “ecumenical”? Not religious themes in the narrow sense, but a specific attitude: films that are uncomfortable, that make visible the people who live in the shadows, that ask about dignity, justice, faith, and responsibility. The motto of the 16th edition in 2026 is accordingly “Uncomfortable Films”. This is not where the big festival winners from Cannes are shown, but international productions that are easily overlooked in regular cinema distribution – precisely the films that have the longest lasting impact after viewing.

Cineworld Recklinghausen as Home

The festival takes place annually at Cineworld Recklinghausen, the city's multiplex on the eastern edge of the Ruhr area. Over four to five days, several screens are used in parallel – film discussions, premieres, talk rounds with directors, theologians, and critics. The atmosphere is focused: around 2,200 visitors came in 2026, almost all from the regional area (Recklinghausen, Marl, Castrop-Rauxel, Herten, Bottrop, southern Münsterland) and the ecumenical movement. This also makes the festival a forum for the region's cinephiles.

Three Awards, Clear Selection

Three award ceremonies form the competitive framework: the Ecumenical Film Award for the best feature film – in 2026, it went to director Georgi M. Unkovski for the North Macedonian film “DJ Ahmed”. In addition, there is the Audience Award and an award for the best short film. The jury consists of theologians, film critics, cultural creators, and church representatives from both denominations.

Program 2026: Twelve Feature Films, Ten Short Films

The 16th edition in 2026 shows twelve feature films, one documentary, and ten short films. Many of them are shown as premieres – either as German premieres or regional premieres before their regular cinema release. The opening film was “As If It Were Easy”, a film about a deaf woman and a blind man – exemplary for the program: people who are rarely noticed in everyday life are brought to the forefront.

“Church and Cinema” – The Accompanying Format

The festival has its year-round offshoot: “Church and Cinema”, a series of five additional film screenings in the first half of 2026, each accompanied by a discussion with theologians and filmmakers. This ensures the festival remains not just a one-off event, but a continuous platform for thoughtful cinema.

Discover Recklinghausen

Recklinghausen is the northernmost major city in the Ruhr area and the gateway to the Münsterland region. The Icon Museum, with the most significant collection of icons outside Eastern Europe, the Ruhrfestspiele (May/June, international theatre festival), the historic old town, and the adjacent Hohe Mark Nature Park provide the setting. A combination of film festival + city exploration is worthwhile.