Filmfest Dresden — International Short Film Festival

Dresden — Germany's Short Film Capital

While other festivals focus on feature films, Dresden is dedicated to the short film. Since 1989 — begun shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall — Filmfest Dresden has been a platform for what is often too short in feature films: experimental narrative forms, animated worlds, documentary miniatures, student projects from young film schools, and visual poetry. The 38th edition in 2026 continues this tradition.

April 14 to 19, 2026 — Six Days of Short Film

From April 14 to 19, 2026, screenings and accompanying events will take place in several Dresden cinemas and cultural venues — including Schauburg, Programmkino Ost, Filmgalerie Phase IV, Kleines Haus des Staatsschauspiels, and Thalia Kino. Over 20,000 guests are expected, including around 500 accredited industry representatives. Approximately 3,000 films from about 100 countries are submitted annually, with a selection of about 250 being screened.

Three Main Competitions and Prize Money

Filmfest Dresden is one of Europe's highest-awarded short film festivals, with prize money exceeding €60,000. It features three central competitions: the International Competition for animated and live-action short films from around the world, the National Competition for German productions, and the Central German Competition for films from Saxony, Saxony-Anhalt, and Thuringia. Additionally, there are prizes from an Ecumenical Jury, an Audience Award (Golden and Silver Rider — a nod to Dresden's landmark), and children's awards ('Golden Ponies') in the Junior program.

Animation, Young Audiences, and Film Schools

A special focus of the festival is animated film — Dresden is one of the few major German platforms that prominently features animated short films. The Junior program for schools introduces children and young people to short filmmaking through school screenings and workshops. The festival is academically supported through collaborations with film schools from Germany, Poland, the Czech Republic, and the entire EU.

Saxony, Dresden, and the Short Film Heritage

Dresden has a distinct film tradition — the DEFA animation studios in Dresden were one of the most important animation studios in the GDR (Sandmännchen films, 'Pittiplatsch', and other classics of German children's film originated in Dresden). This tradition lives on in the Filmfest, which cultivates the relationship between Saxony's film history and international short filmmaking.