exground filmfest 39 Wiesbaden

Hesse's most independent film festival

The exground filmfest in Wiesbaden is one of Germany's best independent film festivals. What began as a small festival in 1987 is now internationally networked: The 39th edition in 2026 runs from November 13 to 22 and shows international independent cinema that would hardly stand a chance in major commercial distribution. The name "exground" says it all: ex (outside) + ground (ground) = outside the mainstream.

Murnau-Filmtheater as its home

The central venue is the Murnau-Filmtheater, located in the premises of the Deutsche Kinemathek (named after the German silent film director F. W. Murnau, whose estate is managed in Wiesbaden). Other venues in Wiesbaden's film landscape will be added. The combination of a city with a historical film culture and a modern festival is a Wiesbaden specialty.

Fair Festival Award – nominated

The festival is nominated for the Fair Festival Award in 2026 – an award that honors festivals for fair practices regarding filmmakers, employees, and remuneration. exground is the only Hessian film festival with this nomination – a statement about the festival's culture of values.

Industry Festival with 250 Accreditations

Around 250 accredited industry guests – filmmakers, distributors, festival programmers, film journalists – make exground a small but well-connected industry platform. Anyone curating independent films in Germany comes to Wiesbaden in November.

Program Sections

exground works with clearly defined sections that are structured similarly each year:

• International Feature Film Competition
• Short Film Competition – one of the most traditional in Germany
• youth days – film program for young people, workshops, discussions
• Country Focus – each year a different country/region as a curated theme
• African Perspectives, Asia-Pacific, and similar special sections

The complete 2026 program will be published in autumn 2026 at exground.com.

Wiesbaden – A City of Film Culture

Wiesbaden has a distinct film culture history. The German Film Rating Board (FBW) is based here, the Murnau Foundation manages Germany's most important silent film heritage, and the exground filmfest is the city's most important festival. Visitors to the festival should also visit the Murnau House in the city center.