Fantasy Filmfest Nights Berlin (April Edition)

Three Seasonalities of a Festival

The Fantasy Filmfest is Germany's largest genre film festival and has been a fixture on the European festival calendar since 1987. In Berlin, it takes place in three different formats: the White Nights in January (intimate winter edition), the Nights in April (more compact spring edition), and the main festival in September (large tour through seven German cities). The spring edition – the Nights – offers a condensed program over an extended weekend and is considered a must-attend event for genre film fans in the capital.

Zoo Palast as Home Venue

Like all Berlin editions of the festival, the spring edition is exclusively shown at Zoo Palast – one of Berlin's most traditional premiere cinemas on Hardenbergstraße near Bahnhof Zoo. Opened in 1957, the cinema with its large auditorium and several smaller screens has been the Berlin home of the Fantasy Filmfest for decades. For the Nights, primarily the large auditorium is used – with premieres that often come directly from festivals like Sitges, Frightfest, or Sundance.

2026 Program: 17 Feature Films and 4 Short Films

In 2026, the April edition will showcase a compact, curated program. The opening film is Obsession by Curry Barker, a psychological horror sensation starring Michael Johnston and Andy Richter, where magical compulsion leads to monstrous consequences. Further highlights:

• Good Boy – Jan Komasa (Oscar-nominated for Corpus Christi) presents his new film in person on April 18/19
• Desert Warrior – Rupert Wyatt with Anthony Mackie and Ben Kingsley
• Whistle – Corin Hardy with Dafne Keen and Nick Frost
• Mārama – Taratoa Stappard with Ariāna Osborne and Toby Stephens

Its Own Subculture

The audience of the Fantasy Filmfest series forms its own Berlin subculture: long-time regular attendees, connected through forums and online meetings, often with festival passes for all three Berlin editions. They applaud during the opening trailers, know the organizers personally, and travel from all over Germany. This makes the festival emotionally different from regular cinema visits – more of a community event than just a film screening.